British Under-21 Final at Glasgow on Sunday 18/05/25 (2pm)

[IainB]

12 minutes ago, Fromafar said:

Thought it wouldn’t be long before someone brought Vinnie into it.He was blameless.IMO

I agree, I believe Foord gave DT a nudge in a hard first bend though, absolutely nothing wrong with him doing that, that's tough Speedway.

[Fromafar]

40 minutes ago, SPEEDY69 said:

Mike Lee was senior British Champion at 17. Just saying.

One in a generation, saw him in second half  demonstration at Kings Lynn when he was 15 and his time were faster than most Heats in the main meeting.

[mikebv]

1 hour ago, IainB said:

Looking at the last 10 years BU21 Finals and the number of riders no longer riding (to my knowledge)

Connor Bailey
Henry Atkins
Harry McGurk
Kyle Bickley
Alex Spooner
Sam Bebee
Archie Freeman
Jack Parkinson Blackburn
Jack Thomas
Joe Lawlor
Jamie Halder
Alex Spooner
Zach Wajtknecht
Nathan Greaves
Ryan Kinsley
Luke Harris
Luke Ruddick
Josh Bailey
Max Clegg
Taylor Hampshire
Ellis Perks
Josh Bates
Liam Carr
James Shanes
Oliver Greenwood
Stefan Nielsen
Ashley Morris
Marc Owen
Tom Stokes
Ryan Terry-Daley
Joe Jacobs
Tom Perry
Dan Greenwood
Jack Kingston
James Sarjeant

All of these riders interested enough in Speedway to have got the kit and given it a go and good enough to have appeared in a BU21 Final. That's 35 Speedway riders! 5 complete teams worth! But the sport chooses to fly in riders from abroad, if they can be persuaded, pay them top dollar and some of who let them down at the drop of a hat. Or have riders riding for more than one club in the UK... It's complete madness.

But! But! But!....

It's about winning three of the most prestigious, financially rewarding, and publicity gaining, sporting titles you could ever hope to win in any sport in the UK!!!!!

It's definitely not about growing the sport in UK, and making the international team so successful that the wider mainstream media take notice of it, (like they did when "England" consistently ruled the roost and like EVERY other sport, that isnt football, focuses on to get their slice of the publicity left that football hasn't used up)...

And it's certainly not about having plenty of riders to fill in for absent riders without resorting to using credibility destroying guests, (because they are a "necessary evil" don't you know?) .. ...

No, far better to keep flying in the Speedway equivalent of a dozen and more "Carlos Kickabout's" with all of them making it very, very clear, that you are the (at best), third of their priorities, behind Poland and their relevant home nation's league...

As you say, madness....

But, not surprising...

[Mr Blobby]

10 hours ago, TheWellBehavedWorrall said:

Thompson found himself in that position to be judged because he had to take evasive action from Killeen.

You can see from the picture below, Killeen’s veered three feet to his right from the start to the first bend. He was on one wheel with his head jerked back (which is why he’s looking up in this picture) and his left boot is in the air, mere inches from the first bend.

Thompson’s read that; if he doesn’t take evasive action by cutting back, Killeen’s hitting him. As a result, he’s stepped in front of Foord who can do nothing other than nudge him.

By the time Killeen’s deep in the first bend, he’s where those in gate three found themselves.

Killeen hasn’t done anything illegal, but a lack of control on his part has subsequently cost Thompson, Ipswich and Glasgow, big time.

Harris had to take similar evasive action against Polis at Ashfield last week. Fortunately, that didn’t put him in danger, but three seconds later, Polis and Howarth went down.

Good laugh reading this, 4 lads going for the same bit of track at the same time it happens it’s racing. 
 

You wouldn’t be making such an issue of it if it wasn’t Glasgows finest Dan Thompson.

[Fromafar]

1 hour ago, Mr Blobby said:

Good laugh reading this, 4 lads going for the same bit of track at the same time it happens it’s racing. 
 

You wouldn’t be making such an issue of it if it wasn’t Glasgows finest Dan Thompson.

I was surprised that Dan went for the inside so quick considering he was out of gate 4 .He probably could  could have pick them of at will during the race.He took the chance and it didn’t pay off this time but thats racing.Wish him a speedy recovery he is having a great season.

[Neila]

13 hours ago, Fromafar said:

Killeen has never been the safest of riders but there have been a few over the years in the same boat.

Probably takes after his dad Frank, hardly ever completed 4 laps without crashing 

[tyler42]

50 minutes ago, Fromafar said:

I was surprised that Dan went for the inside so quick considering he was out of gate 4 .He probably could  could have pick them of at will during the race.He took the chance and it didn’t pay off this time but thats racing.Wish him a speedy recovery he is having a great season.

I was thinking the same. He most likely had enough speed to pass the other in the four laps. Even if he only scored a point or two. He could have still gone on and made the final, Hagon proved. You don't have to win every race to be the champion! So fair play to Hagon. He done it the hard way. I'm like a lot of people who liked the old system, five rides. Ride against each other once. Whoever has the most pts wins. but the younger generation riders have grown with this system. So it normal for them. It would have been fascinating to look back at World Finals past. Riders who finish 6th would have still had a chance of becoming World Champion. I wonder if there would have been a few surprises. I reckon Jessup would have benefited from this system. How many times was he in contention, only for a E/F to stuff his night up.