Mick Bratley

You’ll need to wish me good luck with that!

I’m on a mission fella!

Well I’ll find out later this month as I’m at Glasgow, Berwick and Workington over a weekend. That’ll be six tracks for me this season. After that I’ll probably post a crapness scale on rider presentations at the tracks I’ve been to this season so Glasgow, Berwick and Workington now is the time to up your game!

I was at that one, I was close to self combusting. It’s just like no one cares, it’s kind of arrogant.

I liked what they were trying to do at Leicester on Monday v Ipswich but it all fell apart when some of the riders broke cover and started to do some gardening at the starting gate and others were putting helmets on before their name had been called. Seriously guys, just don’t, show some respect to the paying customers. aaargh drives me nuts!

I’ll also add, taking a victory lap after winning a race. Riders, just bloody do it, it costs you naff all and you’re doing it for the people who contribute towards your wages. Take it a step further collect the team flag every time and take that on your victory lap with you.

The thing that annoys me more than anything is that it costs nothing to fix certain aspects of the sport, for example rider presentations/introduction's before a meeting, every single meeting I have been to this season has been an absolute shambles. All tracks should have a riders briefing meeting before every meeting telling the riders exactly how the introductions are going to take place and what is expected of the riders.

One of the better meetings I’ve seen at KL in the last three years. Leicester deserved winners. As for the abomination of the presentation/introduction of the riders to the crowd, jeez, it’s something that grinds my gears, why does it have to be so unprofessional? Leicester riders being introduced to the crowd while KL riders start their bikes up and get on the track. And while we’re at it, when will referees be consistent in enforcing the no riding on the centre green (or in Lynn’s case centre concrete) rule? The BSPL could have made a fortune from fines last night.

In the Star today it states that flyers were handed out at the last Stock Car meeting, which I suppose is a good start. In my opinion, they really should be flooding SM sites in and around Northampton with information about our sport with exciting action images (of any club or event) and saying hey this is on your doorstep soon! The report of the KL meeting in the local newspaper carried an image of a Panthers rider in action.

If Carlsberg did councils . . . . .

It looked like a bag that you buy perfume in for your missus. With a British Speedway sticker over the brand.

I don’t have a problem with this, apart from the setting and the teams being drawn out of a bag that she just returned from the shops with. I suppose it’s a step up from when drawn at the conference though . . . “Who do you want then (insert promoter name)”

It would be fantastic to have a team from Northampton in the league (40/45 minute drive from Alwalton), however, I hope those in charge of Speedway ensure they have a good team that can compete, in fact it is essential. No new team/club in the top flight can be allowed to be making up numbers as Birmingham were and to a slightly lesser extent Oxford were. Teams need to be equally balanced and yes I know there is a points limit, but we all know that never really makes teams equal. I really hope Northampton happens for the future of Speedway in this country.

It would be fantastic to have a team from Northampton in the league (40/45 minute drive from Alwalton), however, I hope those in charge of Speedway ensure they have a good team that can compete, in fact it is essential. No new team/club in the top flight can be allowed to be making up numbers as Birmingham were and to a slightly lesser extent Oxford were. Teams need to be equally balanced and yes I know there is a points limit, but we all know that never really makes teams equal. I really hope Northampton happens for the future of Speedway in this country.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0jVbPWKYhcPLyyVyyn7yovxywpADVHZZJ3Y9PMLamX1QcpVyuKcUwvzFM7nTjLTh8l&id=61553224922528 I may have posted the wrong link. I’ve updated my original post and the link is above. User error 🥵

We would be eternally grateful if you could spare two minutes to cast a vote for us. The sponsor of the event is the company that evicted us, the awkwardness if we won would be epic. Details here . . . . https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0jVbPWKYhcPLyyVyyn7yovxywpADVHZZJ3Y9PMLamX1QcpVyuKcUwvzFM7nTjLTh8l&id=61553224922528

No, I have old copies of the SCB rule book from when I was a promoter for that. 🥴

Of course, but for me it’s the ultimate bog read. LOL

Regretfully my subscription expires this month and I won’t be renewing. This is through no fault of Pinegen. Out of 52 issues, only 11 arrived on a Thursday, the bloody magazine is only printed and dispatched 20 miles from where I live, which makes a sting a bit. I’ll get the odd copy in Morrisons going forward.

Sponsors.

I feel for Pinegen. Royal Mail are slowly destroying their business. Our postman openly admits that they prioritise parcels in the area we live in, a mere 18 miles from where the Star is printed, and that mail stacks up because the bosses won’t allow letters to be delivered with overtime as delivering letters is loss making and parcels aren’t. Fortunately our postman is a bit of a Speedway fan, and grabs my mail from the sorting office when he can as a bit of a favour to me, but sometimes his round gets changed and my delivery of mail returns to crap. There seems little point in buying first class stamps these days.

I spoke to the Royal Mail guy who delivered a parcel to me yesterday about it. He said they don’t make any money out of letters so parcels are prioritised as that makes money. He also said he offered to deliver mail that was stacking up for our area but they wouldn’t sanction the overtime. I don’t want to get the digital version because I like the physical version and my Grandson likes to have all the old copies, but I feel I’m being forced down that route now. I do feel sorry for the guys at Pinegen, the star is an important staple of our sport and I’ve been getting it since I was a kid.

Good to know it’s not just me. Last week’s edition arrived yesterday (Thursday) for me plus it was torn to bits. Nine days to travel less than 20 miles from where it is printed.

The event has now taken on enormous significance with the news just in.

Get the news first hand tonight! https://m.facebook.com/groups/210443765632762/permalink/32946296858287363/? (It’s all about the timing Eh?!)