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Our track doesn’t guarantee good racing anymore than any other track does. Occasionally we watch processional racing as do fans at all tracks. Weather, prep, rider preference etc. all factors. But it can and does produce superb racing as do most other tracks. Bias? Maybe. But I’ll continue to passionately dispute posts that claim the track can’t produce great racing. Good racing at Plymouth needs guile and cahoonas, those without both or either can often blame the track… Riders blaming the track when they should be looking closer to home, isn’t something unique to the coliseum. Last night at Poole, I can’t recall a pass after bend 3 lap 1. Not the tracks fault, more to to with the Gladiators not looking capable of passing wind let alone an opponent. I’ve watched truly tedious meetings at Somerset, but on the right night with the right riders the racing could be thrilling. On the payroll? Certainly not. But I do feel a loyalty to the club and the promotion to defend their corner when I see them unfairly criticised. In the current British Speedway environment I think a phenomenal job has been done by Mark and the team down here. We’ve seen some fantastic meetings on a lovely little track in a well equipped atmospheric stadium. There’s a true buzz about speedway and crowd numbers are on the up…. That’s almost as unique as the track. I continue to be dumbfounded every time I log on and see negative posts aimed at the club and it’s facilities. Get behind Speedway and one of it’s good news stories.

R&R is 100% right. You guys don't have a clue how number 8/16 works for most Polish clubs. They put U24 riders at 8/16 to have more tactical options in case of injury. If meeting is injury free, they simply use rider like Bewley, Lambert or Patrick Hansen in a main body, replacing 'rabbit'. Average is 100% legit and Lambert did amazing job for Torun this year. End of story.

Deano you clearly don't know what you're talking about so it's easier for you to just stop talking. The track work had no influence from Redcar other than us wanting a safe track to ride. The only way to make it safe was to make it slick and dusty. The main problem with Birmingham, and it was the same in our first visit, is the inconsistent surface. It is soft in places and like concrete elsewhere. This not only creates ruts but also throws riders around as the bike grips/spins with the changing surface. Harris even admitted it was "fair enough" that Redcar complained. He also struggled with his practice laps to okay the surface, being thrown about on bends 1 & 2 particularly. Redcar have nothing to be sorry for if Birmingham don't come to the tapes next season. It's purely down to an inadequate promotion who have consistently blamed everything/everyone but themselves.

Redcars ‘ cash cow ‘ is the fact that the club is run correctly and puts its track top of its priorities, hence a large crowd every week. Perhaps someone at Birmingham might like to take note.

We should have held a Billy Sanders memorial meeting as a grand finale. could have had a England v Australia test match which would be a fitting tribute to a proper witches legend.

You haven`t a clue about Lambert and Poland this season. All his rides have been to replace the "rabbit "in the top 5.

To be fair Steve, I know your Dad and my dad was bigger!

Whatever you think you believe, maybe have a read of this posted by MPT earlier this morning. "It should have been 3rd time lucky was far from it. 3 times we have been to Birmingham and seen how track surface is far from race able. All the crap about tactics from bears side is absolutely not true! I came in after my first ride and said i refuse to ride on a dangerous track like that! They then bladed the track and yes it did make it a little bit better but far from race able. This should not keep going on at any track. Its unacceptable! We turn up with immaculate bikes and are expected to present ourselves professionally to then turn up to a track thats far from ideal. And then have an ex rider as a promoter saying we should just get on with it and hes rode worse. Its the sport there is suffering from bad promoting and publicity and an absolute farse of a track is definitely not helping or encouraging people to come and watch! A real shame as it can be an absolute great track with plenty of passing when prepared properly!"

Now having had some sleep I feel I can reflect on last night with clear and rational reasoning. All I know is that as a spectator I watched the first heat being won be a reserve in a very reasonable time and I never expected that 10 minutes later the meeting would grind to a halt. So with that in mind I can only concluded that last night summed up the problems we as a society are all facing, in as much that the mainstream media are constantly pushing a left-wing Marxist agenda and turning the millennial generation into a group that believe everything should be “just so” and how they “want it to be”, and if it isn't they will “scream and scream and scream” I'm of a generation who believes in “just get on with it” and enough with the jibba-jabba. You may consider that to be old fashioned thinking, however can I remind you that the first thing I did on getting home (early) last night was to put out the recycling a very progressive action. We all have to think of the children and the children's children and the Blue whales, what happens when the whales stop singing; what then?

Lost all respect for the Redcar management last night after they threw their toys out of the pram basically because they were getting outgated and beat early on. They appeared to have an agenda which goes back to the first meeting between the teams. Nothing to report on the track walk, didn't hear anything about the track from the first few heats and then the manager decided he wanted to speak to the referee. Even his own riders looked miffed. By this point, no rider had struggled with the track, nobody had fell off and Kerr had posted one of the fastest times of the year. So the referee had to come down because the team manager said his riders wouldn't ride. The manager insisted on the grading taking place. A stronger referee would have told them to crack on but once she agreed to walk the track they were always going to get what they wanted. It's these sort of childish shenanigans that's killing speedway and it was sad to see. The way Birmingham started, it was set up to be a really good meeting, Kerr was superb and showed everyone how to ride a track. The delay did enhance the crowd participation and produced a great atmosphere, something that a lot of meetings sadly lack. If the meeting had just carried on, it had the potential to be a classic but Redcars management had other ideas. Can only think it's a bit of payback from previously. I'm not bothered about the result too much but the way we got there, I do have an issue with. Yes Birmingham have had problems with the track this year but last night wasn't really one of them but Redcar made it a problem. Redcar are a good side with some excellent fans but the management side are quite frankly pathetic.

Hi all, Just been flicking through on what's been said about this season. To cut a long story short, I was a regular down at the 'St Boniface Arena' during the Mike Bowden days when the club first stepped into the second tier. I've been away from the sport for nearly 8 years before returning this season. I cannot praise Mark Phillips and his team enough for what they've done to the club. Thoroughly enjoyed being back down at the track this year. Every meeting I've been to has been tight and competitive. I think in an ideal world, we'd all like every track to be perfect and a little bit bigger but there's something quite special about the unique nature of the track down here in Plymouth. Life would be boring if it was the same everywhere surely? No one is right or wrong with their views, that's what is great about sport with everyone allowed a different outlook on things. I think the way the side was built this season, baring in mind at short notice was with one thing in mind, get people through the gates and build up a strong fan base to really kick on next season... that's been successful I think it's fair to say. Crowds have grown every week and in regards to local, good quality sporting action, I'd say its pushing the City's rugby side now to follow behind Plymouth Argyle in regards to somewhere to be to watch sport for the week. I can't wait for next season, I've enjoyed this year so much I'd say there's a fair chance I'll become a season ticket holder for the first time next season. It would seem that Lawson is in the door already with all signs suggesting Ben Barker will return to the city for 2022. I'd like to see Bowtell and Ruml retained. Dillon has improved and progressed every week and Alfie's talent is clear for all to see. A third heat leader is required I'd say and with everything that's gone on down here this year and the ambitious nature of the promotion and sponsors, I'd suggest you'd struggle to find a rider turning down the chance to wear the Gladiators uniform next year. Apologies for the long nature of my post

I was at Birmingham last night and it's obvious what's wrong, they are tenants on a dog track and the promotion has negotiated a ridiculous deal. My son bought 2 pints of lager and a packet of crisps (I know, I know) and it cost £10.50 with all of the proceeds going to the track the food prices are also ridiculous £5,50 for pie and mash or balti and rice with all the proceeds going to the track and they don't even sell chips. The speedway promotion is losing out massively on income streams that clubs like Redcar and Scunthorpe enjoy and as such they start each and every season with a financial disadvantage compared to their competitors. I know Redcar were the perpetual holders of the wooden spoon but since Ben and Co took the reigns the clubs fortunes have been turned around and I honestly believe every Bears fan owes them a debt of gratitude. The club now enjoys multiple revinue streams with sponsors galore and have just launched Bears TV to add another and none of these benefits can be enjoyed by tenants held to ransome by stadium owners who fail to understand that speedway is a working class sport and fans at successful clubs can get admission, parking a programme a 50/50 ticket curry and chips and a can of pop for £25 and the clubs take all the profits

Yes it’s Redcar who are damaging the image of British Speedway. Utter tosh (apparently I can’t say bollocks) If Birmingham are so convinced they have been wronged they would be putting in a formal protest rather than saying on their website “It just wasn’t going our way, but we’ve got to forget today now, start again and go to Edinburgh and get a win in the KO Cup”

Dont know why folks are wittering on about the track ? It was perfectly raceable no different to last week or the week before, the real issue was the win at all cost attitude of the Bears manager who no doubt will be finacially advantaged as they are confirmed for the play offs. Both Kerr and Wright were on track ready to go for ht5 until their manager pulled the plug, I do not believe the Bears riders refused to ride (Why were they on track ready to go) I do not blame the Bears riders who were just doing as told by their manager. Bears were losing and looked unlikly to win, in desperation their manager complained about the track. and got it graded to suit his riders. Does anyone really think they would have complained had they been in the lead. The action of the Bears management showed a total disregard for the paying public and inflicted for the 2nd time enormous damage on B'ham speedway but far worse they did huge damage to the image of British speedway and should be brought before a tribunal and charged with bringing British Speedway into disrepute, fined and points deducted. I should like to point out that riders are free to choose what risks they are prepared to take or otherwise, the answer is in their right hand (no jokes please) its called a Throttle and as Eric Boocock once said it works in both directions Also, riders are always complaining about track conditions, when dont they??? especially after a poor performance.

One of the Greatest Promoters the Sport has ever seen.He knew how to put on a Show and Entertainment. Very fitting tribute by Mike Hunter on Edinburgh Website.Never to be forgotten days at Old Meadowbank.

Thanks Keith. I accept that it’s not everyone’s ‘cup of tea’ but we have had some very positive feedback regarding this years parade format. Personally, I like the added build-up and the focus placed on each team. Last night’s timing problems seemed to be mainly due to a couple of excruciatingly long track grades and an interval. The Referee actually kept things moving in slick fashion and, as Ray C points out, I even shaved about a minute and a half off, myself, by somehow managing to ignore the Pirates intros! Oops! My fault…Sorry….

So then, Aaron Summers, Ricky Wells, Nick Morris, Palm Toft...are these riders all pussies too?! When will Birmingham see that it is THEIR doing?! Its not much to ask from riders that a track is prepared safely for them to ride. Dust would have been acceptable on a hot day like yesterday. A patchy rutty track, soaked in places and dry in others is never acceptable. For me, if Harris says "it's fair enough" that Redcar challenged the track conditions then that says a lot about how bad they were as he'll ride anything!

I think lack of track preparation ( again !) killed any chance of Birmingham running next season.

Well its a warm welcome to the Gladiators on Friday, a team that have made much progress in recent weeks although now hampered by the injury to Richard Lawson. The Plymouth owners and management are to be congratulated for adopting a positive approach and actually promoting the sport. Looking forward to seeing Jason and Bjarne and I'm sure they'll love racing on a fair, smooth, well prepared track unlike some of the tracks they will have encountered away from home this year. With Richard in the team this would have been a close one but Tigers should now have enough strength in depth to win. They will be missing Tom Brennan on GB U-21 duty but have managed to bring in Ben Barker as a guest. Remember the match is being streamed and passes can be purchased here Home | Glasgow Tigers Speedway

Jorgensen has had a pretty good season and is the most watchable rider round Lynn, whether you agree with him returning or not it was pretty clear he was coming back. I actually think this team is only one or two changes away from being half decent, performances have been vastly improved once they eventually got to the current septet and changed the TM.

Would tell me there is no reconstruction happening and going to have same old double up and down rubbish

I find it more sensible to park on the industrial estate for double headers.

not quite.... this was https://speedwayupdates.proboards.com/thread/19617/ben-fund-bonanza-scunthorpe-2020

Jeez…….are we still banging on about this. My dads bigger than yours etc. Grow up.

Godfrey said last Friday at the meeting the problem occurred when the season started however he had 3 months to get it sorted and 3 months is up and they’ve declined his visa on the grounds he didn’t work here last year however since then the rules have changed meaning he will be accepted so just waiting on it being accepted

Amazed that Laurence Rogers still gets a gig in speedway. How many clubs has he been involved with now? And how many have been successful?

It should have been. Both track grades were very long and an interval should have been called at heat 8. Used to leaving the stadium 9.15 but at that time last night we still had 4 heats to run. Proceedings really do need to be moved along at a decent speed, faster than currently.

Dick must be having long- lie.

Tofty even had his "Vote Corbyn" t-shirt on under his race suit

Fair comment. Blaming Redcar if Brum close next season is ridiculous on their part. The current promotion and management there this year have been dreadful in all honesty.

Not to go off topic but as racing goes, I've found Peterborough to be absolutely brilliant for racing on the few occasions I've been there. I recall a Premier League fours there a few years back and it was one brilliant race meeting.

Fair comment, but it’s a very short term view. Redcar have come close to folding under previous promotion/s. I’ve been around this sport for a good 40 years and seen speedway on many different circuits. Many far worse than last night, many where riders can’t turn or even slide too well. But they’ve got on with it.

As I've said before. The track is the most important part of a promoters business. Get that right and you've got a chance.

Correct.The point is when you a run speedway club as bad as Brum has been I dont think you should be calling out Redcar as having bad mangerment when they are bucking the trend when it comes to crowds.just plan stupid.

I saw a guy with 666 on his head I think it was down to him .

I've had an official email from IMG to clarify that the start time is 4pm local time both days. So everyone should be getting this email or some other direct communication. Mind u, it says 'local time'.....Manchester as it's own 'local weather' so does mean their clocks are different as well!

As I posted even a billiard table of a track doesn't stop something else happening to turn speedway (Zzz) It's just always gone on. Also we can't forget that speedway is not a smooth velodrome it is ridden on different size tracks, different types of surfaces and in different weather. As a fan that's one of its great attractions and I would think as a rider too testing your abilities against other riders but also the track, every meeting and every race being a new challenge. And sometimes if you don't fancy it than so be it; you just have to back off and run a third or forth place and let the riders with the all-round skills and passion take the win. I've been to Berwick (not Shielfield) on a lovely clear day only to find from out of nowhere a underground spring had appeared under the track near the fence on one the straights, meeting abandoned. I've been to Berwick after heavy rainfall and a lot of the track had been moved up to the edges of the football pitch and if I remember correctly had even had white markings around it making the track only ¾ of its normal size on the straights and certainly not a billiard table but the meeting went successfully ahead. I've seen a 65-0 at Peterborough and a cup final at Coventry in shocking condition when Poole wanted out but the ref said get on with it and Poole from wishing to go home and pack there kit away, really did get on with it and turned the meeting around and won. Clearly I would never wish out and out dangerous track conditions on anyone, however the mind set of riders (management) really does come into play. All of which doesn't help Joe Public standing there thinking I've seem them ride in worse than this.

Damming quote on FB after tonight's match from soon to be retired & former Birmingham rider, Aaron Summers:- "track is the worst I've ridden in the UK and I use to love Birmingham being 1 of my home tracks was like a billiard table then. Now you need a mx bike to ride it"

Yes, Ian was 97, and was in a retirement home in NZ. Joe Hicks and Dave Gifford passed this on to Reg Fearman who in turn passed it on. Dave and Joe kept an eye on him, as did a number of the "speedway family" members in the rickety-racket islands(haven't heard that term used for years!!). Whenever Reg was down under he would always visit with Ian. I well remember Ian as the flamboyant promoter of Edinburgh in 1964-65-he would have been about 40 then!! How time flies. After he retired from speedway he ran a movie theatre in Rhodesia- when the "barbarians" took over he left and returned to NZ- sensible decision. He was a real character. I also think he may have been the first promoter that Bernt Persson and Bengt Jansson rode for. Another real piece of speedway history has left us. R.I.P. Ian .

Yup I’m biased. But not irrational. Scapegoating Redcar for your own team and promotions shortcomings.

I am proud to be a Redcar supporter. A well run, well promoted, good team on a fair, well prepared racetrack. A model for most other teams in the league. Can understand you’re upset at tonight’s events but the blame, if the Brummies don’t run next year, doesn’t lie with Redcar. The Bears have been well beaten a number of times away this year and not complained about track issues. The issues with track prep at Birmingham have been well documented.

“Main Man” Rogers overseeing another track related fiasco! Don’t recall track issues week in week out under Graham Drury’s stewardship!

Anyone wanting to watch this meeting can now do so on the Bears website £4.99 for a 30 day rental http://www.redcar-speedway.com/on-demand/

Greig has been riding his old standard type engine this year up until a week ago good equipment for NL but he then tried one of the newer offset engines from mitch davy in a meeting and struggled with it totally different power output to his standard engines having never ridden one in a race meeting felt the bike was in control and not him but had a couple outing after the meeting and enjoyed it pretty sure once he gets used to them will be a lot better

Personally I would like to see the presentation of the riders start earlier and heat 1 start at 7.30. Also as regular track grading seems to be the norm these days do we really need an interval?

We certainly haven't forgotten. What we have done though is addressed the issues brought to us and not blamed every other club. We aren't the only team to complain about Birmingham's track this season. Last night sparked many riders to speak out about it. Even Poole have received criticism for their track this year, took it on board and relayed the track that same week

I know

Brandon, Rowe, Goddard are 'Top Drawer' and I know another place where Tatum could shove his dirt ometer and it will go all the way in !!!

Hardly the fault of the Government, it is the general public that think covid has gone since some/most/all the restrictions have gone & do not use common sense.

In the 70's the top 20 riders averaged 9 or over. Today there are one or two riders who average over 9. With only about 3 riders riding Prem League exclusively, the general standard of both leagues is poor by past standards. In the 70's a heat leader in the 2nd division would be a reserve in the 1st div, today there is very little or no difference between the 2 leagues. So I think the standard in the 2nd tier, is poor by past standards. However just because the standard is lower, it doesn't mean the racing is poorer. At Redcar we see great racing every meeting.