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I'm not one of Buster's disciples who cant see no wrong in what he does, but to call him 'bent' is over the top and a insult to his character . Like him or loathe him, we have to remember if it wasn't for Buster we wouldn't have Premier league of Speedway . Remember when dishing out personal insults, Buster, of late, has done more for the sport then anybody..... And I'm no Buster lover.....

The car park only holds about 230 cars and is always full unless you get there really early. I did use my scooter for the last few matches but unfortunately it has gone wrong and the new one doesn't fit in the car. I know I can use the buggy and I have done, as long as the driver is dog friendly. I am not giving up without trying anyway as this is my 70th Speedway season.

Jeez, that's a stretch. I grew up on a healthy diet of PC and Mort. But to suggest they were better than Tai Woffinden is bordering on silly. There's a credible case for PC having equal or more natural talent than Tai. But in every other facet, he wins everytime.

I would say the exact opposite as 15 other riders also get 10 goes a season! In the one-off finals a single bad gate or a breakdown could see off some of the potential winners, that isn't the case now.

Considering most of the Championship riders ride in the Premiership, prices should be pretty close.

I think, if the Grand Prix had been in effect earlier, Hans Nielsen would be seen as the undisputed best rider of all time, but for a while he always seemed to mess up the one-offs for some reason. A Grand Prix system would have been much more forgiving of those mistakes.

In 1978, Ole Olsen became World Champion after just 15 rides, and the Scandinavian Final lineup wasn't exactly chock full of World Class riders. Gordon Kennett took second after competing in six meetings, but the three British Qualifying Rounds, while not easy, didn't feature all the world's top names. Scott Autrey was third, after how many meetings? Probably just the American Final (which wasn't that tough back then), the I-C Final, and then the World Final itself Of these three, neither Olsen nor Autrey had to face Peter Collins, and the pair only had to face Lee, Jessup, and Simmons in just two races during the entire championship. Compare that to Woffinden facing Janowski, Zmarzlik, Doyle, Hancock etc every two weeks, sometimes two or three times in one night. Steve

Tougher than individual final line ups. Grand Prix meetings pretty much consist of the best 16 riders in the World. Individual finals didn't. For example, nobody would say that Peter Collins wasn't a deserving champion in 1976, but the top 2 riders in the World from the previous season weren't in the meeting. Of course, you could argue that it was because qualification was more difficult, but as meetings themselves, the GPs have stronger line ups. World finals also always had 4 or 5 fillers.

I didn't realise how unfortunate Wolverhampton were at the time. I just wanted my team, Belle Vue, to win the match - and in doing so, the title. I'm talking about the 1993 season. Remember, that final showdown between Wolves and Belle Vue that decided the league winners, long before the hyped-up and often manipulated Play-offs. Although I was a keen Aces' fan at the time and got caught up in winning the title, I still felt sorry for the Wolves. But, just going through some mags from the season, I didn't quite realise the extent of Wolves' misfortune. They had been odds on favourites to win the title, all season, having a double-figure points lead much of the time. However, at the same time Belle Vue began registering their first league points on their travels - it was as late as August - Wolves had a terrible dousing of misfortunate sprinkled over them. Within two weeks of late August-early September, they suffered three injuries that would have finished most other teams. Middle-order rider Graham Jones was injured on August 21. That was six points a match gone. Then, 10 days later Charlie Ermolenko picked up arm injuries at Poole that also wrote off his season. Another six points were gone. But worse was to come. Twenty-four hours after the younger Ermolenko was crocked, Ronnie Correy, the number two, broke his back while riding in Sweden for Bysarna. His year was over - indeed, the injury meant he didn't race in 1994 either. That was almost another 10 points a match gone. Wolves should have been on the canvas and counted out. But they battled on. Obviously, the loss of over 20 points from three riders took its toll. Wolves lost five in a row and their title chase hit quicksand. Young Mikael Karlsson, for his first taste of British racing, and veteran Gordon Kennett, out in the cold after starting the year at Exeter, were introduced. Wolves battled on as the Aces clawed back the gap on the Midland side in an interesting end to the season that, in all reality, would have been all but over had the Monmore side remained untouched. Personally, I feel history would have been different and Wolves would have managed to hold on - but in their penultimate fixture, the final, cruellest blow came when Sam Ermolenko was injured and his year was through. It was the first race of Wolves home match with Bradford. Ermolenko, of course, was the best rider in the world and in domestic racing. It was his finest season. They had lost their kingpin, the World Champion, and did well just to hang on for a 56-52 win over the Dukes. Wolves went into the decider with Belle Vue four riders missing from the side that had brought them to within touching distance of their second title in three years. They borrowed Gustafsson from King's Lynn, and his paid 16 from six starts just wasn't enough to claim the draw (they lost by just a point, 53-54 ) which would have won the title for Wolves and denied Aces the dramatic last heat clincher. History would have been changed. Ermolenko, I'd have bet, would have roared to a maximum. He had scored the full 21 at Bradford before his injury. His presence in the team alone would have encouraged lesser men to cajole an extra point or two, maybe. But he was out with a broken thigh. Not only had Wolves lost three integral members of their side - numbers two, for and five, which otherwise they'd have coasted to the league, I believe they would have dragged out a win versus the Aces - and therefore been league kings - with Sam against the Aces. As it was, they won just thrice from their final 10 matches without their full side, and for the first time since 1979, the title had gone down to the wire. As a fan of Belle Vue, I recall the jubilation on the terraces that night. But, at the same time, I also felt like we'd won through an own goal. The annals of history should have been written differently. Luck swings two ways - good and bad. Indeed, it reminds me of the previous Belle Vue title win of '82, again fortuitous after Cradley lost Penhall. Wolves 1993 have to be the most unfortunate team... least in my memory.

The system was exciting but had flaws. Most systems are usually fair as it's the same for everyone, but that one certainly wasn't with someone like Rickardsson being able to take four gate 1's (or whatever was advantageous).

He still had a fantastic average in 1983, but Sigalos was less notable on the world stage that year. I was convinced he'd win at Norden, but he looked pretty ordinary in the mid-field. He was still the rider I wanted Oxford to sign in 1984, when it was announced we had money to spend on top riders. I was wrong there - Hans Nielsen was definitely the correct choice! With hindsight and greater knowledge, I think the narrower tyres in 1983 hurt Sigalos and Les Collins the most. Maybe because they weren't quite so sharp out of the start. Sigalos had looked rather magnificent on the wide Carlisle tyre in 1982. He and Schwartz looked untouchable in the World Pairs Final - I remember the hand signals and that kind of stuff during that meeting. And yet they meekly surrendered that title in '83. Erik and Hans also owned DS in the 1983 WTC - both beat him 2-0 in the comp. Sigalos was a firm favourite of mine. But I think the Danes were in front of him by the time of his injury. And within a couple of years, the competition between Erik and Hans propelled them further forward. I'm not sure if Siggy would have broken that stranglehold, but it would have been interesting to find out.

It's pretty hard for me to include riders I've never seen.

Although it should be pointed out that Nielsen and Olsen agreed a truce to allow Nielsen to ride in the 1985 World Team Cup Final in the USA. That's the thing - the Danes would argue amongst themselves, but always pulled together when they needed to. They wouldn't let it stopping them winning Gold Medals!

I wouldn't necessarily say Tai is the best British rider ever... But I'd definitely put him in the Top One... (Apologies to Brian Clough)...

Ole Olsen who was manager of Denmark due to a 'confict of interests'. Erik Gundersen after he was forced to retire admitted that there were problems and it wasn't right that Olsen was Erik's personal advisor/manager and also team manager of the national side thereby causing diversions. The incident that readily comes to mind was the occasion that Hans and Erik were chosen as Pairs partners for Denmark but Olsen decread that he and Erik were in a different hotel to Hans.

Think £16 for Scunny is brilliant value, just my opinion though

2019 Regulations are now on the SCB website

Before Oxford moved up in 1984, Sigalos was my favourite of the top riders. To me, Hans and Erik moved up a gear in 1983, moved up again in 1984, and moved up once more in 1985. I'm not sure if Dennis Sigalos would have been on quite the same level as the two Danes.

Spot on. He'd beaten Hancock and Hamill in his first two races I think? Morten Andersen was the rider in question.

Tai three individual world titles to his name. That is it. Nothing more at all to speak of. Could not be arsed to turn out for his country. Best ever?, no way.

Injury in a qualifying round could mean not reaching the final. A fall or engine failure in a rider's first heat of the final could end his title hopes. Misfortune could play a big part. Once in the GP series a rider has 10 chances. He can miss a round through injury or not win a single GP and still win the title.

totally impossible to compare due to many factors...machinery, track differences, strength of competition, different racing formats, curtailed careers etc. 3 World Championships makes Tai the most successful but not necessarily the best British rider. I would venture Peter Craven who but for his untimely death I feel would have won more titlesn in an era when winning was more difficult.

That too, although I do think he missed riding in the UK at a time most of his rivals were. Still, he’d been over here for 18 years and wanted to return home to raise his young family. I don’t think Hamill would have got near Nielsen in his prime. The only man capable of beating Hans at his prime was Erik. As much as I loved the old one-off World Final, it would have been very interesting to see those two going hammer-and-tong over a full season. Naturally, I’m biased towards Hans and think he would have won most of the championships under a GP system (whatever the format), but I also recognise it wouldn’t have been a complete shoe-in. I also think that, paradoxically, it’s Erik’s accident that cost Hans more titles than Erik. Hans was on top at the time of Erik’s accident, having won three out of the last four championships, but he lost his edge after Erik got hurt. Maybe it was only 1-2% of his overall performance. But, as Woffy said the other week when I went to see him in the talk at Scunny, at the top level 1% or 0.5% can be everything.

I think Nielsen may have made more finals across the season, but a shame we never got to find out! As a counter-argument, the KO system actually seemed to suit Nielsen. Riding in just one league in Poland, I think Hans started to have less of a competitive edge, that started to show in 1996 and especially into 1997. But the introduction of the KO system seemed to suit him down to the ground: 1997 (20 heats plus finals) 7th 1998 (KO) 4th 1999 (KO) 3rd I think, despite his hallmark consistency, Hans always had the ability to raise himself for a big ride. Once his consistency started a bit to fade in the late 90s at the very end of his career, it's that ability that kept him at the sharp end of the standings in 1998 and 1999.

Oh, definitely. But to win the meeting you had to win the final. It didn't matter how well you did in the other races as long as you stayed in. A Nielsen/Gundersen final was by no means a cert for Hans, even if Erik had to go through eliminators to get there. For example, Nielsen gets through every ride with a first or second. Gundersen has a bad night, scrapes through an eliminator due to another rider being excluded. Makes the final. Wins it. Gundersen gets more GP points the Nielsen.

Regarding Wolves `93 I personally think the meeting at Cradley was the most unfortunate part of the season... Mikael Karlsson (Max) making his debut for Wolves was sublime in his first two races only to be horrifically fenced in his third race (if my memory serves) by a Cradley rider as he was about to pass him on the run in to the line....Wolves were 8 points up in the meeting but due to Mikaels withdrawal Cradley were able to clinch a victory...For me this was the biggest turning point in a season of terrible luck

It was before my time, but I have always assumed Bob was taken away from Swindon and given to Exeter by Rider Control in order to allow Martin Ashby to return from the Falcons. So, Bob coming back to Swindon seems fair as he was originally taken away. What seems unfair is Oxford losing Middleton, if they had paid a fee for him. Rider Control was a strange beast, which would never be allowed to work today. There were a lot of strange events at Oxford, in particular, with that system.

He could of won 6/8 titles and that would not be stretching it Steve.He could of rode percentage speedway against Erik and win over a longer distance.

I remember being in the "posh" end, just before the first bend and spent the whole evening moving my head about trying to see the racing with so many people standing in front. I was only 13. Bob was brilliant in both matches, and it was such a big deal when he returned to Swindon the following year.

Is it? Or is the Championship over priced or is the Premiership undervalued? To me the Championship is over priced before starting to bang the good value drum.

Winning a single GP is very different from winning a GP series over a whole season. Yes, there are anomalies within a GP system - as there are within most, if not all systems - but in order to become World Champion, a rider has to perform at a consistently high level. With the old World Finals, a rider could have one lucky night, and become World Champion. A rider could become World Champion after a small handful of meetings, only one or two of which would come close to including the majority of the "top 16" riders in the world. Steve

Surely if he is "bent" that won't be the case

You're correct. The GP fields are a lot tougher.

But the records do not show the standard of the opposition So it's never a level playing field when comparing riders from different eras Woffinden, most successful? Probably Best of all time? Possibly but not definitely

Everyone in speedways inner circle is beyond criticism. They are a protected species.

You ask how Tai would get on with a one night final - Given that he has won GPs and also topped the qualifier heats at GPs a number of times I would say he wouldve been just fine Interesting you use this as a yardstick yet claim Morton and Jessup who dudnr manage one off wins as better.....

Three World Championships so far.... could be more by the time his career is over. Of course he's the most successful British rider ever.

Its found its natural place. Over the last decade, other sports have enhanced their professionalism whereas speedway has done the opposite. The days of businesses handing out cheques are long gone. At its most basic level reviewing the uplift in sales or increase in exposure for their investment would likely be nil.

No disrespect to the Staggs Bar and I am sure their Sponsership is very Welcome,but it does show how much the sport has declined when that is the level of Sponsership nowadays.Not many big Companies investing in the sport,showing the decline in the sport IMO.Again no disrespect just an opinion.t

Doesn't come remotely close to 1993. Not even in the same conversation. Indeed you could say Wolves were lucky to even be in the final, the Lindgren/Bjerre incident at Belle Vue could have gone either way exclusion wise. Wolves didn't finish top of the league either. The circumstances of 1993 will never be repeated.

Kemp will increase his average to around 4.5 after a couple of meetings because of what he did in the CL last year at Ipswich. He will still beat most reserves(last years NL riders) & a few 2nd strings so I would move him to the 3 or 4 spot rather than no2 where he would ride with his no1 3 times. Maybe good for learning potential but not team/individual scoring. He should average around 5 - 5.50 in 2019.

Just a quick add on to Moxey's excellent post. Some may be thinking, so they lost a few riders, no big deal. The difference that season was guests were only allowed for your No 1 rider, which of course was Sam Ermolenko. Where the league was really lost was a 2pt home defeat against Ipswich when we had a side of Sam Ermolenko, Peter Karlsson, Neil Evitts (riding injured and woefully out of form and confidence) RR and four juniors. Sam rattled off a 21pt max, PK may have got a max too, or close to it, but it wasn't enough. Shane Parker decided to goad the Wolves crowd after the meeting celebrating wildly and became somewhat unpopular to say the least. That said my opinion of Parker changed a few years later when we held a fund raising event for PK, Parker came along and was brilliant. He's a bit handy at Laserquest! The Ermolenko crash in Heat 1 against Bradford had more ramifications as it meant we didn't get the bonus pt that match which would have won us the league that night if I remember correctly.

...and Me.

Having watched Luke every NL meeting this season he will do ok had good meeting beating heatleaders then could struggle against reserves and depending what the tracks like if grippy like some meetings this year then he might struggle but l think the Somerset reserves are the least experienced and weakest and wouldn’t say luke was any better than the Glasgow reserves joes ave is only low because his equipment let him down a good few times this season so will need to get that sorted for next season and if chessals comes back fit he will be better than most 2 pointers

Castagna being one. Good luck to Luke at Edinburgh.

Honestly First met Luke a few years back now when my daughter was teaching at his school in Berwick and I used to chat to him at Newcastle when he came down on his free Sundays to watch. He is a great kid who is "keen as mustard" and wants to do well and he will be well looked after up at Armadale and I hope he takes this opportunity with both hands and makes a good go of it. After all he deserves the chance and he will not be overawed by the step up and his attitude is spot on. If he puts 1 point on his average next year he will have upped it by 50% so you need to look at what you expect him to achieve because if he does end up on a 3 by the end of next year I will guarantee that no other rider in the Edinburgh team will have upped there average by that amount as its all about perspective If he can get dialled into the Edinburgh track he will be okay, as has been pointed out there is a good home track advantage up there and he will get well looked after with all the help needed for him to improve. Good luck to him for next year and stay safe, and all he has to do; to look for inspiration; is look at how Kyle Bickley did last year; he had a hard time at the start of last season, persevered, and by the end of the year didn't want the season to finish, so let Brummie matey boy "knock" as hard as he wants, if you get stuck in and work hard you end up proving the detractors wrong. I for one will be rooting for him Go for it Bonnie Lad Regards THJ

Didn't think id ever say this but id be happier with Ruddick than either of Glasgows reserve pairing!!!

He is the same standard as a lot of the reserves in the league next next season,I’m quite sure he will give it his best shot and wish him well.To say he will will be the worst rider in the league is very disrespectful he did not create this situation.There a few 2 pointers who will find his home track a challenge to say the least.

Well based on the final NL Green Sheets for 2018 , Ruddick was 6.67 compared to Glasgow's Joe Lawlor on 6.61 I realise that averages can be misleading, but unless you were watching Ruddick riding everywhere, week in, week out, rather than trust your assumption, I'll wait & see how he actually does. Certainly HalifaxTiger on this forum rates him and he probably attended more 2018 UK domestic meetings than anyone else on the BSF.

Luke comes from Melrose, so a local lad , and he has some experience of the dale. That will help since home advantage here can be huge. As long as he puts in the effort, and takes advantage of extra laps post meetings, all he needs to do is beat his opposite 2 pointer more often than not, and the blue and gold will embrace him, because that’s what we do. Anything more will be a bonus, but a few points in heats 2 and 4 will be job done.