NDL & NDT in 2026

[ouch]

On 1/23/2026 at 11:25 AM, secsy1 said:

From parents and competitors competing in the BYC it is the only venue that charges the competitors to ride, unlike other venues. Is this correct?

No, it’s not correct.

[ouch]

2 hours ago, secsy1 said:

British Youth Championships at Belle Vue are not stand alone meetings and follow Colts matches.

Where you get 20 people watching shows how little you follow the events.

Watching the new stars learning and honing their skills is essential to British Speedway and I can assure you I have never seen as few as 20 spectators at any event.

If the clubs do not want to cough up for the future stars then shame on them and sod them when they come calling for the next hot prospect.

Can you name one rider who actually started in the begining at Belle Vue recently and made an impact on the sport?

Most of the junior championships have been stand alone events at Belle Vue. It’s only since Covid that they have followed our junior team meetings. Unfortunately, speedway fans talk the talk when it comes to supporting junior development and just don’t come out in any numbers. It’s someone else’s problem.

With regards the last question then no recent rider has made an impact from any track that supports youth development - yet. It doesn’t happen that quickly. The current one that has made an impact is our Dan but unfortunately Peter Collins, Andy Smith, Joe Screen, Carl Stonehewer, Dan Bewley types don’t come along that often. 

https://speedwayupdates.proboards.com/thread/16008/round-belle-vue-13-2016

https://speedwayupdates.proboards.com/thread/17086/round-belle-vue-05-2017

https://speedwayupdates.proboards.com/thread/18095/round-belle-vue-28-2018

https://speedwayupdates.proboards.com/thread/19002/round-belle-vue-22-2019

https://www.speedwaygbarchive.co.uk/britishyouth20

 

 

 

 

[Fortythirtyeight]

2 hours ago, secsy1 said:

British Youth Championships at Belle Vue are not stand alone meetings and follow Colts matches.

Where you get 20 people watching shows how little you follow the events.

Watching the new stars learning and honing their skills is essential to British Speedway and I can assure you I have never seen as few as 20 spectators at any event.

If the clubs do not want to cough up for the future stars then shame on them and sod them when they come calling for the next hot prospect.

Can you name one rider who actually started in the begining at Belle Vue recently and made an impact on the sport?

As a previous volunteer at two tracks I can assure you I have probably attended my fare share of BYC rounds at a number of tracks over the last 10 years so I do actually know what I’m talking about.

Saturday daytime meetings attracted family and friends plus around twenty fans and neither track charged an entry fee for spectators.

As for riders ‘ making an impact ‘ I wouldn’t have a clue about Belle Vue but the two tracks I have attended have supplied dozens of riders into the NDL and several into the championship. In Redcars heyday , when they did fortnightly practices and had hire bikes , they had to run two junior teams due to the amount of youngsters taking part, but that has all died away . Workington are bucking this trend and are improving season by season.

[Ben91]

Last season between the NDL/NDT there were 50 "league" meetings. This year with only the NDL there will be 30. That drop off is alarming. Particularly when we should be trying harder than ever to establish some strong foundations for the sport here. 

The following quote from the press release looks to me like no more than lip service too. 

Quote

As part of the British Development regulations, all clubs not competing in the National Development League must participate in at least one of the following alternatives during the season: National League Riders Development Individual, Midland Development League, Northern Junior League, Second Half Open Invitation or a standalone British Youth Championship Round.

So we have some tracks running a full third tier campaign and others who can just get away with the ambiguous "Second Half Open Invitation". Of course there are differing restrictions at certain tracks but there has to be more than the odd second half. It should be mandatory for professional tracks to run at least two NDL level meetings during the season. The benefit of doing this over a second half would be the riders and their team (generally parents at this level) would know they're guaranteed a ride weather permitting rather than the always in the balance chances they have to take by turning up for a second half. If the tracks lose money on these meetings it's not ideal but it is an investment in their riders of the future, without whom there won't be anyone to help them make money in the long run. 

Furthermore I'd like to think when the riders coming through reach "professional" standard they'd choose to race for a club that actually put some effort in to the third tier rather than one that did the bare minimum but can throw more money at them. We all know that's wishful thinking though. 

As with everything in British Speedway there is too much ambiguity. There should be hard and fast rules in place with consequences for those who don't toe the line. The top riders don't want to be here. We need to focus on developing more riders domestically, instead we've almost halved the meetings available to them. Pretty pathetic really. 

[Fortythirtyeight]

14 hours ago, Ben91 said:

Last season between the NDL/NDT there were 50 "league" meetings. This year with only the NDL there will be 30. That drop off is alarming. Particularly when we should be trying harder than ever to establish some strong foundations for the sport here. 

The following quote from the press release looks to me like no more than lip service too. 

So we have some tracks running a full third tier campaign and others who can just get away with the ambiguous "Second Half Open Invitation". Of course there are differing restrictions at certain tracks but there has to be more than the odd second half. It should be mandatory for professional tracks to run at least two NDL level meetings during the season. The benefit of doing this over a second half would be the riders and their team (generally parents at this level) would know they're guaranteed a ride weather permitting rather than the always in the balance chances they have to take by turning up for a second half. If the tracks lose money on these meetings it's not ideal but it is an investment in their riders of the future, without whom there won't be anyone to help them make money in the long run. 

Furthermore I'd like to think when the riders coming through reach "professional" standard they'd choose to race for a club that actually put some effort in to the third tier rather than one that did the bare minimum but can throw more money at them. We all know that's wishful thinking though. 

As with everything in British Speedway there is too much ambiguity. There should be hard and fast rules in place with consequences for those who don't toe the line. The top riders don't want to be here. We need to focus on developing more riders domestically, instead we've almost halved the meetings available to them. Pretty pathetic really. 

and now we have riders like Mulford who were ruled out of NDL because of averages being allowed back in  ( not his fault by the way as he doesn’t appear to have a premiership slot anymore ). How many more championship second strings are going to be taking the place of newbies ?

[Mr Blobby]

4 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

and now we have riders like Mulford who were ruled out of NDL because of averages being allowed back in  ( not his fault by the way as he doesn’t appear to have a premiership slot anymore ). How many more championship second strings are going to be taking the place of newbies ?

A certain few teams forcing the points limit up to 42 this year, otherwise toys were out the pram. 
 

Leagues going to be a bit of a joke this year imo. Nothing development league about it just wait till a certain team announces one rider they’ve signed. 

Edited 5 hours ago by Mr Blobby

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

1 hour ago, Mr Blobby said:

A few with a certain few teams forcing the points limit up to 42 this year, otherwise toys were out the pram. 
 

Leagues going to be a bit of a joke this year imo. Nothing development league about it just wait till a certain team announces one rider they’ve signed. 

Lambert to kings Lynn ?

[Fortythirtyeight]

46 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

Lambert to kings Lynn ?

That’s an open secret and I don’t care how loud RG shouts that all NDL clubs are paying the ‘ standard agreed rate ‘ the likes of Lambert, Mulford , Harrison , Bowtell etc are not riding for £10 a point !

Edited 5 hours ago by Fortythirtyeight

[Mr Blobby]

44 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said:

Lambert to kings Lynn ?

That’s the one, bit of a shambles that he shouldn’t be riding in this league. 

Edited 5 hours ago by Mr Blobby

[mac101]

Even heard that Ashton Boughen has  been asking for a spot might be a good way back in for him 

[secsy1]

Looking at the Big Bucks signings, their is nothing this league will offer to any new comers or development.

Lets Make Lots of Money League, going back to the Heathen days.

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

1 hour ago, Mr Blobby said:

That’s the one, bit of a shambles that he shouldn’t be riding in this league. 

I don’t mind who rides in the league as long as they not breaking pay scales to do it and quite clearly they are, one thing speedway never does is learn from its own mistakes 

[therefused]

Is lambert a bad signing for the national league though? Doesn’t have a team spot, a rider/manager role would suit him down to the ground. Plenty of older riders over the years have ridden in the national league, I don’t think it’s a bad thing personally. It’s only the second year for Kings Lynn at this level after a fairly long hiatus, the average age of the starting 7 last year was around 17, and two of them are now in the main team. 

[phillwhitewasmad]

1 hour ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

That’s an open secret and I don’t care how loud RG shouts that all NDL clubs are paying the ‘ standard agreed rate ‘ the likes of Lambert, Mulford , Harrison , Bowtell etc are not riding for £10 a point !

To cut out all speculation Luke was offered £15 a point to ride at two clubs as this is the standard rate for heat leaders and he would of been number 1 at both clubs. He has made the decision not to race in the Ndl this season not because of the money 

[Bagpuss]

23 minutes ago, therefused said:

Is lambert a bad signing for the national league though? Doesn’t have a team spot, a rider/manager role would suit him down to the ground. Plenty of older riders over the years have ridden in the national league, I don’t think it’s a bad thing personally. It’s only the second year for Kings Lynn at this level after a fairly long hiatus, the average age of the starting 7 last year was around 17, and two of them are now in the main team. 

Sounds like he'll be rider coach and with the club unable to bring back last year's top three for various reasons they needed a spearhead.

He's not necessarily a rider I want to see at Lynn or in the NL but by the sound of the other line ups they needed a couple of strong heat leaders to prevent being cannon fodder.

[M.D]

41 minutes ago, phillwhitewasmad said:

To cut out all speculation Luke was offered £15 a point to ride at two clubs as this is the standard rate for heat leaders and he would of been number 1 at both clubs. He has made the decision not to race in the Ndl this season not because of the money 

The £10 PP is for second strings I think

[Mr Blobby]

46 minutes ago, Bagpuss said:

Sounds like he'll be rider coach and with the club unable to bring back last year's top three for various reasons they needed a spearhead.

He's not necessarily a rider I want to see at Lynn or in the NL but by the sound of the other line ups they needed a couple of strong heat leaders to prevent being cannon fodder.

Assuming former premiership rider and long track world champion isn’t enough of a spearhead. 

[THE DEAN MACHINE]

2 hours ago, therefused said:

Is lambert a bad signing for the national league though? Doesn’t have a team spot, a rider/manager role would suit him down to the ground. Plenty of older riders over the years have ridden in the national league, I don’t think it’s a bad thing personally. It’s only the second year for Kings Lynn at this level after a fairly long hiatus, the average age of the starting 7 last year was around 17, and two of them are now in the main team. 

He does have a championship spot it’s just not been announced yet 

[Preston Comet]

9 hours ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

and now we have riders like Mulford who were ruled out of NDL because of averages being allowed back in  ( not his fault by the way as he doesn’t appear to have a premiership slot anymore ). How many more championship second strings are going to be taking the place of newbies ?

Having someone like Jake Mulford riding in the NDL does more good than harm.

With 7 'green' newbies in the team, who do they look up to, who do they aspire to be, who do they turn to for mid meeting advice?

With a Jake Mulford in the team, this  problem is on the way to being solved.

'A rising tide lifts all ships'

Regards

[Neila]

4 hours ago, mac101 said:

Even heard that Ashton Boughen has  been asking for a spot might be a good way back in for him 

This league would be a good way back for Ashton, could find out if he would enjoy speedway without too much pressure, then would gain confidence, then could maybe get a guest booking in a higher league if things were going ok. The only drawback would be limited number of fixtures, and that goes for all the young kids, the likes of Lambert imo should not be in this league