Leaderboard

Of course it is the government at least mainly to blame. And look at other countries with other governments to see it can be different

Let’s face it nobody can really work out the logic in all this,but Speedway without normal attendances was never going to be viable, the Glasgow Promotion worked that out long before the rest,which tells me something,they’re smarter.!!

Isn't the issue simply the viability of running the sport rather than any 'status' of it in the Govt eyes? All sports could have ran when football started but many simply couldn't do it with empty stadiums due to the huge financial cost of doing so.. Rugby League, Union, Cricket etc all decided not to start their leagues due to cost, hence postponed their start dates to see if crowds could be allowed in with a later start date.. Speedway also has a massive barrier to it of using someone else's property in many cases, which therefore can mean a positive test at 'the Speedway' by a steward for example, possibly impacting the core business of the landlord, (who rely mainly on greyhound racing). Therefore this would need a huge amount of faith being shown by any of the owners.. Add in the operating and business plan, which has always been unfit for purpose, of 'sharing employees' domestically and internationally, and logistically you can see why it's been pretty much a non starter to cram in meetings with riders who may need to be in four places at once.. The positive is that there may now be a 'reset' of the way they run the sport, to ensure any further impacts are lessened. A wake up call that starts with a clear focus on UK riders, meaning no dependency on rules implemented by overseas Govts, and Speedway bodies which may hinder your own business.. There may also be a reset around rider costs, as 30k of unusable kit sat in a workshop for a year, is a hell of a lot worse than having 5k of unusable kit gathering dust.. And lastly, as many promotions continually tell us that they lose "significant sums", at least this year they wont, so maybe they could invest something more into re launching and marketing a 'brand new' reset sport next year?

It is actually quite interesting to read how much clubs are losing. Surely if they lose money hand over fist in each meeting like people say, then 0 meetings will mean less debt come end of season!? Sensible decision as far as I am concerned. Absolutely pointless riding with no fans to watch, season nearly over anyway. Plan for 2021. This decision should of been made weeks ago. And I am no lover of Rory Scheiln, but I read somewhere that he is working as a delivery driver to bring in money. Good on him. You'd hope many others will turn to a full time job now, what with the tweets about earning no money etc going about. Welcome to the real world, where you have to do something you may not enjoy to earn money.

The BBC only ever mentions anything when it's something bad, I wouldn't worry about it too much the BBC is totally irrelevant these days to anybody outside of London and in hindsight it's probably a blessing that Speedway never got involved with them, can you imagine the scrutiny it would be coming under in these modern times with our lack of diversity? It'd be leading the news headlines every night

That would be the Tory government that the country voted overwhelmingly for last year. ‘You reap what you sow’ .

Where's Flappy? I thought we'd have several team suggestions by now.

Hardly got off the ground.

What a total troll.

I well remember all the publicity and fanfare in the local papers when he was signed, and he lived up to his reputation and gave us some lively meetings. CO was quite enterprising at bringing foreign surprises in to ride for us. Soderman, Zyto, Warren, Young, Biggs were just a few of the names that he brought in to add some real quality into the Bees and keep us happy.

Some rather strange comments on here..... transferring blame to “The Government” As though it would be any different if we had some other bunch in “The Government” ?? Most of British Speedway’s problems date back pre Covid World War, this war has just highlighted their perilous state. Sounds like the moans and groans after a meeting has been rained off after a cloudburst , and you stand around for an hour with false hopes that miracously the track will dry out. We are told that the meeting is definitely ON ON ON ......and then suddenly it’s OFF.

One small point- the PZM have always worked with the FIM- it`s the Extraleague which hasn`t both with the FIM and PZM

The point on not funding youth riders is not true on every occasion we have attended a FIM or fime meeting in Europe we have had some expense reimbursed. Also riders are not sent for anything 125cc or 250cc riders apply to the acu to go and they ask for places in the events. If the riders don’t ask the acu don’t request places for the older ages groups up to 21 the riders are invited to attend and can choose to accept or decline the spot . Example Kyle Bickley has declined his spot this year which was then offered to another rider.

To add to the confusion stock car and banger racing goes ahead at Ipswich with fans allowed in because both are classed as amateur sports. Are you any safer in the stadia because they are not professional paid sports people. You could not make it up.

I'm incredibly impressed that the scientists have been able run and prove analysis that the crowds that would attend an amateur meeting is one that has a lower risk of passing on infection than that attending 'elite events' After all that must be what has happened as the government all through this has only 'followed the science'......

Absolutely pathetic from the government of this country. Still laboring under the pathetic easily disproven crap that lockdown/distancing etc is necessary. We're now at a point where deaths from viruses passed from human to human are at their lowest point. Covid-19 is dying out. It's because of lockdown/distancing/masks is the cry... seems sensible.. let's take a look.. Deaths involving Covid-19 over last 10 weeks: 8th May - 393915th May - 381022nd May - 258929th May - 18225th June - 158812th June - 111419th June - 78326th June - 6063rd July - 53210th July - 366 There you go say the lockdown fanboys... that's proof! Seems conclusive, I must admit.. but let's just check something.. Deaths involving flu/pneumonia over last 10 weeks.... a virus that spreads in the exact same way, so if the measures taken are the reason for the drop.. we'd see a similar pattern here: 8th May - 99415th May - 119422nd May - 106629th May - 9115th June - 103612th June - 99619th June - 100226th June - 9383rd July - 100410th July - 917 Nothing of the sort, indeed its fluctuated up and down... AS NORMAL. Covid-19 figures are falling because it is running out of 'easy targets'. We've had two mild winters in a row with low levels of death from viruses.. which means there were many ripe for the picking.. Covid did just that. The ONS even acknowledges that now on their weekly deaths report: "The coronavirus (COVID-19) has had a large impact on the number of deaths registered over the last few months and is the main reason for deaths increasing above what is expected (the five-year average). The disease has had a larger impact on those most vulnerable (for example, those who already suffer from a medical condition) and those at older ages. Some of these deaths would have likely occurred over the duration of the year but have occurred earlier because of the coronavirus. These deaths occurring earlier than expected could contribute to a period of deaths below the five-year average." If it isn't safe to open stadiums etc now, then it should NEVER be safe.. as the number of deaths are at about as low levels as you can get right now. Around 1100 a week is the current figure dying with flu/pneumonia/Covid... compared to around 2500/3000 a week during the winter every year with no eyelids batted.

At quite a few venues the stox subsidise the speedway... The old track at BV used to run around ten meetings a year and get around 3000 to 4000 a meeting.. I would suggest the Aces got quite a bit less than 30000 a season in their 20 matches..

fills Kings Lynn, CONSIDERABLY more than speedway

The shrewd and sensible Promoters can see that it’s a big gamble to run any meeting that they have to fork out points money IMO.

I don't mind that so much. He's American and that is a normal American English word. It's just the weird and often random pronunciations of names that puts me off

One runs mainly individual events whereas speedway want to run a league competition which needs all tracks to align?

Good god Addio, it's time you took your own advice and stopped pretending your posts are fact, so please make sure you prefix them with "this post is just some old duffers waffling opinion" instead of making out you're a world authority on every subject.

With a decent bit of prize money to get some interest..? £5k per Prem and Champ track would generate a £95k prize fund.. And maybe Eurosport could chip in £5k to cover it making £100k?

On Youtube now is a full BV v Oxford match from 88.. Hans, Wiggy, Cox and Dugard etc.. The crowd looks 'huge' in comparison to the final days there..

Wouldn't be surprised if there isn't an official British Championship with a couple of preliminary rounds and the final at BV. Maybe even televised.

https://daddylive.live/channels/stream-42.php this is working - English https://daddylive.live/channels/stream-57.php Polish also working http://www.maniak.tv/mk8 Polish http://totalsport.me/sport11.html English

There's nothing to stop speedway from running now the same as there's nothing stopping other motorsports from running. The BSPA have made the decision that they can't run without crowds. In deciding that, they are in line with sports such as Rugby. On the other hand, Football and F1 have decided to run without crowds. The environment that we live in is what it is, and the guidelines for running a sport are the same for all professional sports. How the governing bodies of each sport react to it is something that they have to answer for. Of course there will be people who know better, and can make better decisions. Internet Forums are full of them. There may even be vacancies at the BSPA in the coming months that these wise people can apply for...then no doubt the fortunes of the sport will inevitably flourish.

There will be but they are late being posted.

Outdoor entertainment is (or shortly will be) allowed with audiences. Perhaps Stock car racing is not a sport, but "an entertainment"

I think that our British testing of vaccines & other medical testing is more thorough than other countries. When the MRSA bug was heavily around, America, Germany & Spain were just a few of the countries using a certain make of vaccine & cleaning agents that could not get passed by our testing accreditors.

Most of the world, some countries have not panicked and remained pretty normal ...

Ha ha But seeing as the guy has only scored 3 and 4 so far ... Are we really so sure this is a decent bet at all ? 'fraid the bookie just didn't leave any value anywhere this time.

only the league is cancelled, people will still see speedway in October at a fair few tracks

The whole season written off because of a flu like virus. The UK has truly gone mad...

Risking injury raising money for a children’s cancer charity.... no difference ??? Wow. You’re a nice guy

I wont be getting any rushed, little tested, unproven vaccine for a virus that has no real effect on 98% of the population If that were to mean I cant go to Speedway then Ive seen my last meeting....

There's a collector's item lol

Got to feel for Rob Grant. He’s come forward, put his money in , made changes and it all looked so rosey and now this. He’s spent god knows how much and has nothing to show for it. I hope he can take the ‘ hit ‘ as he’s got another 9 months before he can even try and make some back.

I think the crowds for Non League Football will be massive, Sports fans have been starved of sport to attend for months... I've not been for an evening out since last October! I'd go and watch Speedway at any level at the moment

And in Denmark they haven't started their season and are still waiting to see if they even will.....

Ipswich offering full refund or carry over until 2021

Berwick have said their season passes will be carried over to 2021.

To be expected, never thought we would see Speedway this summer to be honest. Could do without the opinions of the infectious disease experts on here too - enough of them on every other forum you go on.

Result of the mass testing of the Rybnik and Leszno riders, mechanics and team management- from the Extraleague website. Result (from the Extraleague website ) One positive result of the COVID-19 genetic test per 60 people tested after the PGG ROW Rybnik - FOGO Unia Leszno game in PGE Ekstraliga concerns a mechanic of one of the PGG ROW Rybnik players. However, the games of PGE Ekstraliga will be continued, because the mechanic has not had any contact with anyone since PGE Ekstraliga introduced a special crisis procedure - isolation and tests.

The concern is not who rides for the tracks but whether they can all survive a 17/18 month close season. It is only the correct decision in the circumstances dictated to us by our governments. This is now nothing to do with who was right and who was wrong and when it was right to pull the plug. While many others will no doubt be patting themselves on the back at how clever they were in saying weeks ago it wasn't worth trying to run in 2020 there are far more important matters to deal with now. I feel sorry for promoters, riders, staff, sponsors and most of all genuine supporters who truly love the sport but most of all I grieve for the sport itself, one that has been a major part of my life, as for many, for half a century. May all tracks be with us still in Spring 2021. To those who wish to now boast about their incredible wisdom in saying wee should have given up weeks ago, enjoy your twisted delight. Hopefully your track will survive this.....Hopefully.....

I heard that. You might get a few tracks run some meetings at NL level. I'm all for it, if it does happen.

Someone should direct Chris Whitty to this post considering all the corona virus experts we have here...

MACEC cup round 1 Saturday July 18th Nagyhalasz

There is absolutely no point in even attempting to run speedway this season, in my opinion. What is the point in starting the season in near August time? Restrictions wont be fully lifted until near the end of the season at the very least. With certain things reopening, it will only be a matter of time before cases spike again like they have done in Australia. In the first week of June, pubs etc re opened, albeit with restrictions, there were no new cases reported at all for days on end then bang, they started to shoot up again and they are talking about a Stage 4 lockdown coming back in at any moment. We are currently in stage 3, and as of Wednesday theres a 200 dollar fine for anybody not wearing a face mask. Write the season off, plan ahead for 2021.

PAJARI, Antti Born: August 27, 1932, Sippola, Finland. When Antti Pajari signed for Coventry at the start of the 1959 season he became the first Finn to race in league speedway in Britain. He was an accomplished performer on both shale and ice and had been involved in speedway for around nine years in Scandinavia, having to return to action after breaking both legs in an ice-speedway crash in 1952. By the latter part of the decade Antti was Finland’s top trackman and claimed three successive national speedway titles between 1956 and 1958. His reputation was excellent and he soon endeared himself to the Coventry fans with his own spectacular brand of riding, scoring ten, paid eleven, in his second league match against Norwich. Some of his form in the early part of the season was outstanding but he suffered a confidence sapping run of machine problems which reduced his average to below five points per match. He was struggling with the smaller and slicker British tracks and made it known that he would not be back for a second season at the end of the year. After leaving Brandon Antti’s standing in Scandinavian speedway dimmed somewhat and he never really reached the same heights domestically again, losing his place as Finland’s number one to the up and coming Timo Laine. Year Club Division M R P BP TP CMA FM PM 1959 Coventry NL 12 46 45 8 53 4.61 - - Individual Honours: Finnish Champion 1956, 1957, 1958. International Honours: Finnish international – 14 caps, 58 points.