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Interview with Andrew Bain in this week’s star sounds positive, he plans to keep improving the track including fitting the flood lights. He said he is going to do his very best to make sure the comets are at the tapes next year. Fingers crossed he can make it work. No one wants to lose another team.

We could call it the BLRC. The both leagues riders championship.

Let’s be honest here as an Ipswich fan. Ipswich got lucky to be in front at the interval on Thursday & Belle Vue pulled it back & deserved the win. In terms of Ipswich 2026 the late take over certainly put a spanner in the works in terms of team building. Ellis & Doyle were both spoken too but couldn’t hang on to confirm their 2026 arrangements & you can’t blame them. Danny, Tom & Jason Edwards were all able to hold on & Edwards was announced before Christmas. At one point I believe that Mayfield were hoping to be able to announce the take over & the team before Christmas. However there were issues around confirming their lease on the stadium which made it impossible to announce anything. The team was put together last minute & certainly after the top riders had already made their plans for 26. personally I went into this year happy to have a team & with no real expectations. The amount of criticism thrown at Mayfield in terms of the team & lack of changes is just laughable. This year was always about keeping the club going & putting plans in place for 27. They have done a lot of work off track in terms of attracting new sponsorship, the deal with Wroclaw, witches TV etc etc. All of that is far more important than the 26 team issues to ensure we have a club in the future. I have nothing but respect for what Coleman has done this year & I have no criticism to put his way. Now if we have a team along the same lines next year then we are then free to criticise & demand better. Finally I don’t blame Louis 1 jolt for getting out. If you’re heart isn’t in it anymore then there is no point in carrying on. 26 has been a come down after 3 years of the Emil & Jason show however it’s a year of taking stock & rebuilding for the future.

Nora is the correct future for the national league and has been for a good few years now but will the scb/acu let it go ?the national league around the early to mid 2000s when the national league (Plymouth, Weymouth, Wimbledon cradley )started pulling in bigger crowds than the top leagues measures were put in place to decimate the league and it didn’t take many years to reduce it to the debacle it is today, short sighted, jealousy and bitterness and in some cases incompetence are rife in the bspl so don’t expect anything to change anytime soon, anyway a big congratulations to Martin and everyone at the IOW for an enjoyable short season that happily attracted good crowds

Is anyone actually running British Speedway? Tomorrow is the Championship League Riders’ Championship at Sheffield. A few years ago, the CLRC was genuinely one of the jewel-in-the-crown individual meetings on the calendar. Top riders from every club, proper prestige, packed terraces, and real buzz. Fast forward to tomorrow, and it feels like the authorities wouldn't care if the gates didn't even open. First off, the scheduling brilliance: putting it directly head-to-head with the penultimate Grand Prix. I know people will say "you can watch on demand afterwards" but Speedway fans want to watch major meetings live don't they? With Brady Kurtz right in the thick of the World Championship, Belle Vue fans and general fans across the North who might have fancied a Saturday night out at Owlerton are far more likely to stay glued to their sofas cheering on their man. Nothing beats being track side, but supporters choosing between a live GP and a domestic individual championship is sheer amateur hour. Then there’s the non-existent advertising. If you don't buy the Speedway Star, you'd be forgiven for not even knowing the meeting exists. The official British Speedway website has offered virtually zero promotion other than a couple of standard-issue, token soundbite interviews with Leon Flint and Josh Pickering. Sheffield’s own website just has it quietly listed as their next home fixture at the moment, no special push, no fanfare, no effort to pull the casual punter through the turnstiles. Outside of the Star's pages, you can't even easily find the confirmed line-up. How difficult is it to put a proper graphic on social media and hype a national individual title? To top off the farce: one of the leading contenders, an Englishman who should be a headline draw for the CLRC and one of the favourites is reportedly pulled away to race in Poland instead!! The domestic season's marquee events are treated as an afterthought not just by the wider public, but by the sport’s own hierarchy. I guess the die-hard, hardcore regulars will turn up as they always do.

Not everyone is the same though are they? Brennan held on, so did King. Plenty of others didn’t including Ellis and Doyle. And I don’t blame them or anyone else for not gambling on the takeover being completed. Riders have to put themselves first as they should. “They could have built a stronger team” well not really! Coleman has already explained this. Conversations WERE held with Doyle but they couldn’t offer him the guarantees he wanted and he gave up. Conversations were held with numerous GP riders, they all had their season planned. You have to cut them some slack they were severely up against it this year. If similar happens next season then criticism will be fair game. I’m confident that won’t be the case but actions speak louder than words. It took Louis how many years before landing a title? He even took us down a league for donkeys years and we couldn’t even win a raffle down there!

The level of doubling up over here causes so many problems. The championship product can only continue in its current guise with the same level of doubling up. The championship clubs couldn’t afford to run at their current level without the riders earning another income via the premiership. If the premiership fails then the standard of the championship drops overnight costs rise & that’s the beginning of the end. For the sport to survive like it or not it’s needs a successful premiership & a two tier set up. An 8 team premiership properly ran with very little or no doubling up is a must. The gap between the tiers also needs to be widened. A mixture of needing to curb doubling up & the polish rules will see a different set up next season.

Yeh! But they don’t publish a”War and Peace” about them while still wanting to ride.

Links for tonight: https://vksport.vkvideo.ru/live-53550004_456242858 https://vkvideo.ru/live-81427162_456239820

If only there had been a fantastic summer of hot, cloudless, evenings to run Speedway... And a plan to get the cup comps sorted early in the season...

Artur Rusko and Richard Coleman have been busy the last few days putting the bulk of an Ipswich team together for next year , so you’d think things have already been loosely agreed for the League next year behind the scenes. Going to be an interesting few weeks ahead.

Whilst Danny had his poorest meeting of the season it’s well worth remembering that his scores ALL season have got us into the playoffs

I know how it works I’ve done it but I always rode in every meeting I was asked even if I was getting less money than my club money because I wanted to race my bike and rode in the hope I would win something which is my point, nobody seems to care about the prestige or the love anymore, it’s all about the money, I don’t blame the BSPL on this one, the sport is practically broke but riders just don’t seem to care

I just don’t get the mindset of the modern riders, it’s like they are just doing it for the money now and winning,prestige and more importantly the fans just doesn’t matter

Speedway is absolutely better suited to a highlights reel. Cuts out all the 💩 and a whole meeting can be covered in just 30mins with best race highlights from other fixtures from that week. With all the gaps / delays in live meetings, the sport doesn't lend itself to modern society and new fans. Majority of U30s today cannot cope with nothingness and 15 minutes of action over a couple of hours just will never cut it. Speedway in general is a sport in a real tough spot regardless of the moves it tries to make. There has to be a major focus on speeding up heats and/or adding extra races. Selling Speedway to new observers, sponsors & media is a seriously tough job.

I would have put Tate and Kevin in heat 15

Ellis WAS spoken to Shano. He said that in his speedway star interview months ago. But the whole uncertainty and waiting game of the protracted takeover made him plan his season elsewhere, same as Doyle. Dan Thompson was always going back to Leicester, that was done before last season even ended when Louis was here! He had a very good sponsor that took him back to Leicester, he was never staying at any point. Coleman has publicly thanked both King and Brennan for being patient and waiting on Ipswich to get their house in order. Others didn’t want to do that which is their prerogative. This isn’t aimed at you Shano and everyone is entitled to have their say of course, but there’s a few Ipswich supporters that have really pi$$ed me off to be honest reading through social media posts (Facebook). Personally, after Ipswich “legend” Chris Louis decided to bugger off at the 11th hour leaving the future of the club in turmoil over the long winter months, I’m thankful that Mayfield stepped in to keep speedway going. They were never in a position to put a title challenging team together despite protestations of some deluded supporters who pretend to know what’s going on behind the scenes. Some fans are coming across as spoilt, and incredibly ungrateful. Give them a fuc*ing chance at least and give them the same chance as the others in building a team to compete. AGAIN, let’s see what they produce in 2027 when they’ve had the opportunity to plan properly.

As a supporter of a team who aren't Glasgow, I personally couldn't give a hoot about what any rider who wears a Glasgow racesuit scores. But I do give a hoot about fans/supporters who constantly slag young riders off, because that is highly unlikely to turn their form around.

Just for Men?.... Tena Men?.... Steradent?... SAGA Holidays?.. Over 50's Life Assurance?.. Those "Cheapo Funeral" Adverts?.. Just like watching U&Alibi and C5 now.....😁 Edit. Almost forgot... Those chairs that tip you out of them.. Walk in, sit down baths .. And those trainers that you don't need to bend down to put on, or tie any laces...😀

I find Lee kilby’s banter a bit forced and not very natural but overall I don’t mind him, all of them are ok but I think Greg Blair is the best of them all but anyway it’s all subjective so doesn’t really matter what anyone thinks

Update from Stoney and Nick: Just at the finish line folks-we bloody did it! We finished 4th out of 28 teams so not bad for first timers. it's been a quite stressful day trying to complete challenges and navigating through towns in Italy, Monaco and Nice. Just had a well earned beer and off to find our hotel. Thanks to everyone for your generosity, the total raised for the SRBF currently stands at over £12,000.

I see the usual eejit from Ipswich is spewing forth again about how desperate he is for Glasgow to race in the Premiership next season. I believe I speak for the majority of Glasgow fans when I say "thanks but no thanks". Once again they are ignoring that Glasgow fans don't want mid week racing, they want Friday nights. We also get a healthy crowd of kids as it's a non school night (yes there was a poll before any fixed race nights and Friday nights were top by a distance hence the Facennas fighting to get Friday night racing). You would also lose all of the local(ish) rivalries that bump up crowd levels for those fixtures. Glasgow v Edinburgh is an easy sell to people in either city in anything. Glasgow v Ipswich? Meh, not so much. And way less Ipswich fans would travel up midweek than Edinburgh fans on a Friday Yes, I'm picking on Ipswich (as it is some of their fans that seem desperate to ruin Glasgow speedway) but to be honest if Glasgow ran in the Premiership in 2026 there would have been no 'stand out' fixture in the calendar, none that you circle at the start of the year saying I must make sure to see that one. No derby and no rivalry. Having seen the odd international match, GP qualifiers etc there is nothing that we're missing out on in terms of racing quality either. As for not seeing Leon Flint or Dan T in the Championship, I think I might be seeing them a fair bit next year, but we'll see what happens over the silly season.

Kurtz wins sprint, now level with Zmarzlik on points

And just to add from 2013 on I should of been offered the job of running the national league, it may sound like I’m blowing my own trumpet but as someone who was there at it’s conception and was there through all its guises I sort of know what it’s about unlike some of “experienced” faces who came in thinking they could run the show but when you ruffle a few feathers and prod a few bears in BSPL towers you are seen as an outsider, sadly those days are gone for me now, it doesn’t interest me anymore but it’s still sad to me to see the national league as it is today

Your sounding a bit like a Poole fan imho . I know Louis messed up this season for you, but most Lynn fans would love that 4th place

Tate? Bang average? One of the best young Aussie talents around who struggled last season after coming back from a horrific injury. This season he's pushed on and is one of, if not the best reserve in the prem. He's went away in the prem and put some very good numbers in. Don't discredit a rider because your team are awful

That’s a good enough reason not to sign him.

Workington struggle to run on Championship costs so I cannot see how they could run at PL level.

I gave it a go again but its been crap this season, too many tracks where the racing is non existent, too many tracks where they cant even get the basics right like keeping the dust down and it does not help when you have a certain presenters making excuses for the promoters and claiming that the racing has been great when clearly it has been far from it, and not too mention the farce of guests etc. Next season I will stick with watching the Polish Leagues and the Grand Prix.

Must admit i have been a bit disappointed with BSN this season, might just be me but feel there is no regular spacing between meetings, its literally all or nothing it feels. No doubt the price will go up next season and that would be the final nail for me and BSN.

Could very easily be the championship that needs that next year

Eh? Scunny v Glasgow, Poole v Edingburgh..Scunny on Friday then 25th. Poole 16th then 18th, been known well over a week

Realistically it couldn't have gone much better than that for Lambert. Hope he can go on to finish the job now.

Ask Leicester.....

Old???😀

Typical speedway keep the fans hanging around for the inevitable decision

Have a feeling Kurtz and Smarslik won’t be too unhappy.One of them was going to lose out big time,possibly both.At least they are still right in the Title chase.

They are trying to talk Phil Morris out of sending the water bowser round.

Wasn't the NDL seen as being "too good" by those in the top two tiers?.. I used to go and watch the Colts with my then under 16 lad and it cost me a tenner for the both of us to get in . Brilliant value for money and the racing was often on a par with the top tier stuff you paid out almost three times as much for... So much so, I barely watched the Guestfests in tier one and, instead, went most meetings to watch the NDL Guestfests, (perfectly ok at NDL level as it gives riders track time).. I would suggest that the issue wasn't that the NDL was too good, but maybe it was the top two tiers that weren't good enough.... For me, clubs like Birmingham and Workington were perfect for NDL level racing as when they moved up the costs grew but the crowds barely did .. Best of luck to all those under the NORA umbrella...

Belle Vue deserve to win it and I hope they do. Finished top and have been the best team all year simple as that.

An excellent summary, from a fan who doesn't come across as entitled.... Some Ipswich fans are coming across as if they are not actually fans of a team that has won ONE top tier title in decades, (a seven team league), and spent a good many years in tier two due to not being able to compete in tier one.. As has been documeted, the takeover took too long for reasons I am sure were valid and required... I looked at the updates website this morning and Ipswich were 8 ahead at just over halfway... Not too poor a team then considering the challenges they faced pre season...

Apologies if this has already been debated..... Who thought it was a good idea to run the CLRC on the same night as the penultimate GP? I know we're all used to watching meetings on catch up. But I can't help feeling that the CLRC attendance will be impacted by this conflict of fixtures.

I'd say the only reason he's a slow burner is the injuries, one of which was absolutely horrendous. Take those away and he'd be burning a lot brighter by now I reckon.

To be fair, finishing mid table in a league of 16 and more is a bit different from a league of six... Fourth out of six is equivalent to eighth in a league of even just 12... And that wouldn't be seen as a good season... The play offs this year should really have been the top two given the lack of numbers, as fourth is nearer the bottom than the top...

It's not televised, so how can it be streamed? Unless you have a pal that's going to stand in the crowd and go on Facebook Live with each heat, it's going to be impossible to watch live. It may be possible to see it afterwards if someone videos it and uploads the heats to YouTube later. In that case, I will add it to the Polish and other Videos thread in the International section.

Live near Barnsley and had zero rain to date and forecast for light showers, ridiculous call off

Mildenhall Speedway Press Release 22/26 dated 080926 Double delight at Mildenhall's 'Magic Weekend' There’s a double dose of Speedway on the weekend of 19th. & 20th. September for Mildenhall fans – with the Fen Tigers team in NORA League action on the Saturday, followed by an individual meeting the following afternoon. The match opponents on Saturday 19th. are Thurrock Hammers – the formerly Arena Essex-based club are heavily involved in a campaign to bring the sport back to Suffolk’s neighbouring county and are giving great strength to that by bringing a side featuring no fewer than five Essex born-and-bred racers. The headline acts are twice NDL Riders’ Champion, Ben Morley and a favourite of the West Row faithful, Alfie Bowtell. They are joined two other former Fen Tigers in Jack Kingston and Alex Spooner and Chelmsford-based Harrison Rogers. The sextet is completed by promising teenager Harry Fletcher, who finished in third place in this season’s British Under-19 semi-final. The hosts welcome back from injury Sam Woods and Kenzie Cossey who line up alongside 2026 regular and new crowd favourite, the twice & reigning New Zealand national champion, Ben Whalley; and making his Fen Tigers’ debut, European Grasstrack Finalist, Mickie Simpson. The final two slots in the Mildenhall side will be announced later. A supporting event on the Saturday will see the vintage bikes of yesteryear (classic names like Weslake, Godden, GM and JAP) out on track ridden by the ‘Blast From The Past’ riding troupe of veteran riders and bike enthusiasts. The bespoke race jackets for this unique event will then be raffled off with proceeds going to Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust. The individual to bring the curtain down on the following day (Sunday 20th.) is the HG Aerospace Speedway Academy-sponsored ‘Fenland Flyer’ – with 12 riders going for glory with in a High Noon shoot-out, 12pm start time. Leading the way in the 12 rider field are two riders who provided huge thrills in the last meeting at West Row: Simon Lambert and Vinnie Foord. They are joined by Fen Tigers Woods, Cossey and the vastly experienced Scott Campos, who made his return to Mildenhall colours riding in the away win at the Isle of Wight last month. Ashton Vale is a rider on the up and up and sure to be looking to challenge for the Fenland Flyer title; and they’ll be opportunities for youngsters to test themselves in the individual racing format including Archie Strong and Dylan Huthwaite. The full field will be announced later. Club Chairman Kieran Phillips is excited that the fans who have supported the club with such dedication since the revival under NORA are rewarded with two more meetings, “We are so grateful to all our supporters, especially those who’ve become Trust members, and all the riders too who’ve stuck by us and our dedicated team of very hard-working volunteers. And the support given to us by the HG Aerospace Academy all year and most particularly for this ‘double-header’ weekend has been absolutely invaluable - we can’t thank them enough. “Saturday night racing has proven to be a success in terms of the quality of meetings we’ve put on with some excellent racing. We do know though that some supporters have indicated that evenings are more difficult for them to get along to and have been asking for a Sunday afternoon meeting – we’re happy that we’ve been able to oblige and hope these fans who, for whatever reason, can’t always make Saturdays come along on the Sunday.” Phillips continues, “For those coming to both meetings there will be a reduced admission on the Sunday (gates open at 10.30am for a midday start time) – showing the programme and entrance ticket for the Saturday evening meeting will allow spectators to get in for £10, a £5 reduction on the standard admission.” The meetings are at Mildenhall Stadium, Hayland Drove, West Row, Suffolk IP28 8QU with admission (by cash or card) £15; accompanied children aged 15-and-under go free. Gates open at 6pm for a 7.30pm start time on Saturday and the start time on Sunday is 12pm (midday) (gates open at 10.30am).

Oh, I'm happy to see speedway in Northampton and will go a few times a season as it stands now. But if there was one big league, with plenty of different opposition, I'd probably be there every week.

What is wrong with people?? Some seriously weird behaviour. Wishing the Premiership dead, hoping the Championship will suffer etc. These people are basically hoping for the suffering of clubs and their fans. What kind of psychopathic mentality are these people on???

I was told that Godfrey and co trying to drag Workington up to the Premiership for 2027 with another track not sure who one though so 8 teams in Premiership next year, not sure if that is backed by Facenna money so they stop poking Glasgow (or to help British Speedway). Nothing confirmed just something a current Premiership rider had heard on the grapevine