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It’s a very valid point actually. How can it be justified to fly riders like Kasper Anderson in and out of the country, who let’s be honest, is a second string at best - when a British rider should and could be given that opportunity for much less cost and in this case, do just a good a job?

Too far from Poland

I agree, I'd understand if the choice is Bjarne Petersen vs James Sarjeant, but if it's Kasper Andersen vs Connor Mountain, why pay for flights for a rider who is maybe 0.2 stronger than a Brit!

How sad. Did think this might mark a real sense that we were getting our lives back.

This is where the sport has two very distinct fan groups and are at odds with each other as how Speedway should be. One side are the club supporting happy clappers who care mostly about the results of their own team and will defend even the worst riders until a better option comes along, those who happily sling mud at other teams but will not attend after a run of bad results. The other side are the Speedway fans who want to be entertained and the result is often secondary providing the racing on show is up to scratch. Obviously there are exceptions but for the most part there is one fan base split into two groups, you can't please everyone and yet the sport needs them all.

Sad to read that former Reading promoter Mark Legg has died. Mark funded the purchase of the promoting rights at Reading from BSI during the 2007 season and was at the helm for the club’s final season in 2008. I enjoyed being part of his team during his tenure at Smallmead and always got on well with him, my condolences to his family and friends.

Yep totally agree. It seems promotors would sooner sign a Dane, a Swede or an Aussie just because they think they might be decent because of their nationality. You think back over the years like Jedd List, Ricky Wallace, Kurt Shields, was it Michael Penfold at Glasgow? Some of them could barely turn the bike, let alone score some decent points for their team. Now is the time to back the Brits. You only have to see how it’s benefitted the Poles by them taking.... and continuing on that path.

A mistake repeated time and time and time again over the past 20 to 30 years or so.. Simply Rinse and Repeat when the journeymen you spend lots of money on, and change fixture lists for, (which impacts your customers), dont come up to scratch... "Lets bring Anders Karlsson in and if that doesnt work we can bring Karl Andersson in instead".. And all to try and win competitions that even Mickey Mouse wouldn't admit to being in charge of.. A very strange way to run things..

The blatancy of that night was pretty galling and amusing at the same time. The rivalry between Kent and Eastbourne that has built over the years is a fire that Len has happily stoked, these events and dramas just build up the matches between the teams, adds the atmosphere and ultimately boosts ticket sales. Meetings at Kent need a strong referee to keep them moving early one, a sensible interval, the two minutes to incorporate any gardening time and as few instances of RR as possible. I have no idea if the CL matches are going to run smoother or be more chaotic ?

I remember the other side of that argument. Going to Cradley where we smashed every team. Most seemed to love it but I found it boring and eventually stopped going for a good many years. Best speedway I've seen week on week was at Monmore for about 10 years from the late 90s. Every week the action was brilliant and being a Heathen I wasn't too bothered if Wolves won or lost until I started turning but that's another story. Lol

This is speedway. Rules are made up on the hoof if it's deemed

Thats assuming he scores enough points to cover his flights!

Use the same promoter as Cardiff, licence wouldn't be a problem with the kind of revenue the meeting would generate.

I do not think it can be Jack Smith, I seem to remember him signing for Glasgow.

Big blow to BSI in their last season of the contract.

There is a live stream tomorrow if anyone wants to watch. http://ow.ly/qT6l50EpBLG

speedway for me is not about winning, it is about watching 4 guys turning left and racing, to me it is more about the entertainment value than seeing your team win all the time, sport is supposed to be about 2 teams battling it out for supremecy and not knowing the winners before you go, i remember in the late 70`s/ early 80`s when sheffield did not have too good a side and there was some close meetings which the tigers lost quite a few of, but these were enjoyable to watch as you never knew the outcome.

Google what an amateur is... for this meeting some of the riders are classed as amateurs (loosely) some are professional... the meeting winner gets a cash pay out so in real terms what should happen is the proffessional will collect it and the amateur shouldn't but I would suggest whoever wins the meeting will take the money and run amateur or proffesional so strictly speaking maybe the meeting should have been called junior, novice or journeyman meeting rather than amateur... but WTF it's a moot point do we really care? Its a good line up for the level and standard and IMHO there will be some cracking racing on offer... kudos to Redcar for getting such a good line up together and if they could allow fans in I certainly would have popped down for a look... some good young talent going to be involved in what I think will be a very competitive meeting... Good luck to all involved... hope they all stay safe... and there are no expensive failures on the bikes that cost these journeymen dear... Regards THJ

Today marks the 80th birthday of Jürgen Hehlert. A piece from Speedweek in his honour Jürgen Hehlert will celebrate his 80th birthday on April 15, 2021. Long before the first speedway champion was chosen in the Federal Republic of Germany, he triumphed in the GDR. The first German speedway champion was raced in the former GDR in 1962, Jürgen Hehlert from Rostock won when he was just 21 years old. The younger brother of Peter Hehlert, who drove in Neubrandenburg and was jointly responsible for the renewal of the track, was able to win the title again four years later, as well as five other medals until he fled the republic in 1972 to Hanau in Hesse, where he still lives today. In 1970 Jürgen was part of the victorious quartet of the GDR selection at the Team World Cup in Ruhpolding, where the West German drivers were literally demolished. At that time it was quickly realized that progress in this sport can only be achieved if you get more starting opportunities on the cinder tracks, as they were called earlier. Three years later, the Speedway Bundesliga became a reality. The individual championship was first held in Germany in 1979 in Olching and won by Egon Müller. In the meantime, Hehlert had fallen out of favour in his federation, which was shown when he was spontaneously dropped from the team line-up for the quarter-finals at Motodrom Rodenbach “for injury reasons”, but Jürgen started another meeting in Eastern Europe that day. Together with his wife Christa and daughter Rommi, he decided to flee the republic, which resulted in the fact that he would have been banned for two years under the sports laws of the world association FIM if his previous association of the GDR had insisted on it. Since this was not the case, Jürgen Hehlert was able to continue his successful career in the West, including in the Bundesliga team of MSC Rodenbach. There he started in 1974 together with his former Rostock colleague Gerhard Uhlenbrock at the Best Pairs World Cup for the Federal Republic. Since the speedway offers in Western Europe were not that big, and an offer made by the British first division team Hull could not be brought into line with his new job, Hehlert ended his career mainly with sand and grass track races. A giant mural by a patron on his family home in honour of the speedway rider and 1st German champion. Happy birthday, Jürgen Hehlert! German Champion(GDR) 1962, 1966; Runner-up 1970, 1971; Third 1965, 1967, 1968 https://www.speedweek.com/speedwaydm/news/174046/Juergen-Hehlert-Der-erste-Deutsche-Speedway-Meister.html

They can beat them when they're on form!

BSI were paid by the Welsh Tourist Board to hold the GP in Cardiff. That’s not going to happen in Manchester, Bradford or wherever, combined with far too much cost involved with all the COVID precautions and tests etc... and no guarantee of any crowds.

Yes they are

Scunthorpe thread

Thank you for the link.Hope all riders have a enjoyable meeting with no injuries.

Why? BWD appears to be demanding unbelievable wages as he knows he’s in demand, Redcar are not famous for splashing cash on riders. Jack Smith left under a cloud, so did Perks. Plenty of twists and turns yet to come as Andersen cannot be the only non UK rider denied a work permit.

Superb opportunity for Odsal Speedway resumption this year now Cardiff has been cancelled, bring it on.

Interesting that the suggestion there is he didn't continue at Hull due to work commitments. The Speedway Star report of his one challenge meeting for the Vikings suggests it was due to his performance.

That'd be interesting to see how that works....how many speedway riders that will be commuting from the continent have been vaccinated? Birmingham's Italian and two Germans, for example? Germany hasn't even started to vaccinate it's under-70's yet. What chance a speedway rider in his 20's?

2021 SPRING EDITION Welcome to issue 52 of our quarterly magazine, Here's a flavour of what to expect . . . OLLE NYGREN Tribute Martin Rogers recalls the indelible impact made in Britain and on the world stage by Olle Nygren, the first of the Swedish greats, who died recently, while Tony McDonald adds his personal memories of this Boy’s Own hero known affectionately as ‘Varg Olle’. BRIAN CLEMENTS Interview Phil Chard recalls a curious, short-lived British career that was strangled by speedway red tape before ex-Southampton rider Brian Clements turned on the horse power and made his mark in another racing sport. NATIONAL TROPHY – up for the Cup! Doug Nicolson looks at the all too few shocks and giant-killings in the National Trophy, a knockout competition that ran from 1931 to 1964. Second Division upsets were caused by Birmingham, Norwich and Poole. SHEFFIELD: 50 Memorable Moments Rob Peasley traces Tigers’ turbulent history in the pre-70s era at Owlerton. Ex-riders featured include Tommy and Guy Allott, Stan and Len Williams, Ron Bagley, Tommy Roper, Jack Kitchen, Clive Featherby, Bengt Larsson, Charlie Monk, Arnie Haley, etc. BIG NIGHTS: British League Riders’ Championship Reviewing British speedway's major individual meetings, Phil Chard reflects on the first six years of the BLRC dominated by Swindon superstar Barry Briggs in front of packed crowds at Belle Vue. SECOND CHANCE Name-checking all non-regular team members and others who never made the grade but rode in second-halves, junior matches and trials at two top flight tracks in the first five years of the British League, from 1965 until the end of '69 inclusive. This time we revisit King’s Lynn and Newport. See how many of them you remember having a skid at the end of the swinging 60s. Plus . . . brief obits on Rune Sormander, Ken Middleditch, Dennis Gray and Pat Flanagan, your letters, photo quiz, crossword and a 1966 Poole team photo. --------------------------- To subscribe (we don't sell single copies), please go to Retro Speedway: CLASSIC SPEEDWAY LATEST ISSUE (retro-speedway.com)

It's there and waiting...

Doesn't always happen as we know, but all referees should be strong enough to move the meeting along at a sensible pace, do think the CL matches should run smoother with less re runs etc with the level being a bit higher (hopefully anyway). Len certainly stoked the fire, but Connor Dugard was certainly not averse to throwing fuel on it, especially for a 'new' team manager. Those years in the NL at the higher level at that time were pretty exciting though one way or another, curfew shenanigans or not.

Thing is there was always the hope of bringing in an Ole Olsen Anders Michanek Niki Pedersen Kenneth Bjerre Kenni Larsen Rene Back Peter Kildermand Freddie Lindgren Jacob Thorssell and any other Scandinavian who might give your team a boost then offer a return on a transfer (especially to second tier teams) or some of the other riders like Ludvig Lindgren Lasse Bjerre Dickie Juul Rasmus Jensen and many others who were attractive propositions as they worked hard and offered regular points for a team... even the bad ones or lets be polite and say the ones who didn't quite make the grade still came committed with good gear and a different work ethic to the current crop of UK guys... so you can see the attraction of bringing in the Johnny Foreigner... (apologies for the colloquialism) Agreed it is/was "A very strange way to run things" and as per your previous post what an opportunity to change things and I think it must be dawning on promotions that the current model isn't quite right in the current environment but what an opportunity to change things around and shake things up. Lets hope that opportunity isn't wasted because I sincerely think that the Polish position will change next year and they will stop riders racing anywhere else other than in Poland and if that does happen there will be a lot of squad member's in Polish teams; of all nationalities having to make tough decisions… Do they want to race or warm a bench waiting for their opportunity when someone gets injured or their form drops off and not have the opportunity to race anywhere else in Europe... Who knows... But that's next year!!! lets get this one over first... Regards THJ

I think from 2022 all the Extraleague tracks have to have them.

Some (Toft?) will have settled status, but others may not be able to get visas. It may be difficult to get new young Danes until they've proved themselves domestically, by which time they may already be committed to Polish clubs.

Since ARC took over Perry Barr not seen anything much different other than evidence of some sections of Grandstand being closed down to Speedway and rumours of increased rent and less access time. It's more than likely that there will be more Dog Racing at Central Park in future as that increases revenue for Stadium via Betting levy and probably means Kent will soon find that Speedway is limited to one set day per week or like somewhere like Monmore (not ARC) a Dog meeting on an afternoon before Speedway on a night. The other issue is that Len is approaching 90, Cearns has always been mega supportive and there is the issue of the loss of Silver Ski in administration. Doesn't look great long term unless Len has a succession plan for his son or another Promoter to follow in his footsteps. The failure to secure Friday or Saturday night Speedway looks even less likely now. May be Kent can have one season in Championship and then revert back to standalone NDL with less costs and profit every season as Len has always claimed.

Yeah, might be a good time to get some hoop jumping practice in.

Is the Brazilian variant the one that makes women go bald ?

Whilst i agree 99.99% of what you have said, it should be noted that they did close Folkstone racecourse.

You are a top fan of your club, not having a dig at any fan of any club, but i bet there are many who wish if they could arrange time off and finances that they could follow your lead. I hope the riders and management, and also those of the opposition acknowledge your support at every meeting.

For me. 100%... The sport is down to its very hardest of hard core support so is pretty much bomb proof from any more "walking away".. Therefore, keeping the same numbers (or even a 'natural' reduction in punters), but removing thousands from their costs, has to be a good thing for the future of the sport... "Never waste a good crisis" is a term often quoted in business.. Speedway should take note......

Or maybe it has THJ? A bit of short term pain for long term gain? Flying in and out hundreds of journeymen foreign riders over the years and planning fixtures around these riders agendas, regardless of whether a good night to run or not, whilst at the same time reducing the places available to UK riders could now be a thing of the past... Those who run the sport have steadfastly avoided "the bleedin' obvious" so maybe the pandemic has forced their hand and it will be for the best in the long run?

Not in my case, accommodation booked for all Edinburgh and Armadale away meetings except Devils meetings at Berwick and Belle Vue. Only need Sturgeon to give me and fellow travellers our 'FREEDOM'

Start Heat One bang on the start time advertised. And then have every heat starting 3 mins from the last finishing.. (A 3 minute warning goes on as soon as the last rider completes the circuit in the previous race).. At most tracks, a race is around a minute so that's circa 15 mins racing and 42 mins of gaps between races from Heat One finish to Heat 15 start. Ten mins interval and ten mins of post meeting laps of honour and interviews, and all done and dusted in just over an hour and a quarter... Follow the Polish starting rules to ensure each race starts on time.. You may have delays obviously due to crashes, but given a clear run, no meeting should "over run"...

I have a vague recollection of the evening and do remember Len going rogue on that occasions but not by what degree. In fairness the anti residents log complaints throughout the winter and whenever there is a rain off so the validity of those is extremely questionable. Given the Council are the current owners of the facility they are not overly helpful for its usage and would be left with a heck of a white elephant if Speedway and Greyhounds walked away.

I read in a book that you co-authored, falcace, that it has been said that Aub Lawson went to the other two riders (Split Waterman and Freddie Williams) in that fateful heat and asked them if Jack had ‘said anything’ to them, i.e. offered a small inducement for them to let him win They replied he had not. The story goes that when Biggs said nothing to them, they decided to ‘fix’ him. Biggs said later when this story began to circulate that he hadn’t ‘said anything’ to them because he was confident he would win – or at the very least get the third place he needed to become World Champion. He had been by far the fastest gater all evening and Lawson and Williams were having poor evenings – Lawson in particular as he was suffering from a hand injury. To him – and probably the whole crowd there that evening – it was unthinkable that he wouldn’t at least get third place. So, even if they did decide to ‘fix’ him, it wasn’t easy to see how they would be able to manage it. The authors of the book go on to say, “Nerves seem a much more plausible explanation.” He had a long gap between his fourth and fifth rides and he just sat in the pits getting more and more nervous. The book quotes Ken Taylor, a long time speedway fan who was there that evening, as saying, “It was nerves that beat him.” He said he had seen Biggs in the pits some years previously in the London Riders’ Championship Final when, again, he was in with a chance of winning and his hands were shaking so much, Ken was surprised that Biggs could even hold the bike, let alone race it. It should also be remembered that Biggs came third in the run-off as well – again a race on the previous form of the evening he should have won. But his nerves were shot to pieces by then.

Brilliant guys

Better than no speedway.

It’s the “Warriors Shale Track Racing Club” The Wightlink Warriors today announce the launch of the “Warriors Shale Track Racing Club” which will encompass all racing events staged at the Smallbrook Stadium. The club, which will be open for membership, will offer riders of all ages and ability the opportunity to participate in many different race classes on the country's largest shale circuit. Warriors Shale Track Racing Club Co-owner Barry Bishop said, “Martin and I are delighted to be able to extend the reach of shale track racing to a far greater rider and fan base than ever before with the support of NORA Motorsport. We will now be able to develop riders in many different shale track classes and incorporate them into our fabulous summer spectacular race series. Again, we cannot wait to welcome fans, riders and sponsors once more to Smallbrook for a non-stop feast of entertainment and further details will be released in due course.

The Eastbourne team relocated to Hastings for the 1948 season and Pat Flanagan had rides at both tracks. The reference to him as 'Bud' was merely copying the name of the music hall entertainer Bud Flanagan, who later sang the theme to the Dad's Army television programme. It was common for early post-war meetings in Ireland to have teams that were mixed and matched to ensure competitive events and it was not uncommon for riders brought over from the UK to appear both for and against the hosts in the course of a season. With Pat having an Irish sounding name it was fitting that he should represent 'Ireland' at Santry in the first meeting. With the local riders having very limited experience it was sensible to ensure that the riders invited from the UK should contain a mix of established and junior riders, hence the inclusion of riders such as Pat who were just beginning their speedway careers.

Six weeks Col, don't want you peaking too soon!