Halifaxtiger

Quite. On a free for all, wealthy clubs dominate and the others, unable to keep up, go into a downward spiral towards extinction. I agree with your reasoning in that everyone gets a fair chance. Not only that, clubs that are financially successful off track can use their funds to build better teams on track. The price you pay is that teams are split up but, to me, its far better than the alternative. I thought the points scoring system was ridiculous when they brought it in but not any more. It keeps more meetings alive than the old bonus point system without a doubt. Agree with tactical rides. The scoring is virtually the same as tactical substitutes but the money paid is massively less. As an example, a team are to put out no 2 and no 7 in heat, both on £40 a point. Result 1-5. Cost £40. Tactical subs come out, no 1 and no 3, both on £70 a point. Result 5-1. Cost £420. One heat additional cost £380 - that's terrifying. I still don't understand rolling averages, so I can't comment on it. What is daft is that qualification for the Fours is based on them. Absolutely spot on about social net working. I still maintain that speedway is about four blokes on bikes without brakes and just don't get these who don't go any more because of tactical rides, points limits or any other rule. Setting tracks up to suit paying customers rather than paid riders to me would be a start.

The sport is rife with examples like that. Two friends of mine refuse to go to one northern track after exactly the same response from the promoter. Another friend of mine works all year round at one southern track. Being a bit of a handyman, he travelled every day to the track during the winter to do repairs and renovations, and all for nothing. When he asked for a couple of complimentaries for some friends who were coming to stay, he was refused. Needless to say, he doesn't do it any more. One more friend was booted out of the pits at one southern track, despite the fact that there is a possibility that that track would not be in existence without his contribution. Then there's one of our most prolific postyers, who no longer attends a northern track after he was roundly abused by the promoter. The sheer ingratitiude and appallling customer care on occasion leaves me totally exasperated. I should say that they are not all like that. King's Lynn's Dale Allitt and Sheffield's Dave Hoggart are two that I have found to be very approachable and reasonable (even if you are being critical) and I have a lot of time for Coventry's Laurence Rogers and Blayne Scroggins and Plymouth's Ashley Taylor.

Get racing like heat 15 at Owlerton on Thursday and I suspect that no-one would care what is going on. It was brilliant. I find that there a huge number of people who are critical of the sport in its present form but few (if any) are able to come with something different. Speedway is all about 4 blokes on bikes without brakes and you can't change it that much. That's why its been the same for decades, not because the BSPA are a set of idiots. I remain absolutely unconvinced, though, that every effort is made to attract and retain paying customers. Everything should be based upon what they want, not what anyone else wants. As an example, there has been an enormous amount of criticism of Leicester's track over the last few years, yet the recent Somerset meeting showed that the problem certainly isn't the much maligned shape. You have to ask yourself why, if it was as good as reported, it hasn't been like that for the past 3 seasons.

There's no question about the fact that Smart is heavier than he used to be. While his injuries were horrific, at the end of the day the bottom line is about scoring points. Vog (as usual) is right - he's simply not doing that in the manner expected. The reaction of the crowd last night when he was named in heat 15 said what they think about the situation.

Probably because Wells had outscored him in the meeting and Hall is always capable of pulling something off in that heat. In addition, there maybe a slight reluctance to use a guest. Whatever the case, I thought Sheffield got it right. A good meeting, with enough decent racing to shut up a few of those knocking the track recently. Can only echo others comments about Hall's brilliant win in heat 15. There was enough there to suggest that while the Tigers will not make the play offs they will be a handful for anyone now, and what was especially pleasing was the battling efforts by pretty much the whole team.

That's harsh. Yes, the delay was both very frustrating and ridiculously long but I don't think anyone in speedway can be blamed for that. This sort of thing happens at every track and is hardly uncommon. Although the length of the delay was exceptional, so were the circumstances.

Agreed. There were a couple of good races but for most of the,meeting the outside didn't work at all, and gathercole in particular suffered for it. The track needed watering again after the track was graded following heat 11 but that wasn't done. One question : why grade the track and then let the kids run on it ?

Quite agree, one of my favourite tracks too. I am coming down on Friday after breaking the journey on Thursady at Swindon. Just had a report that there is yachting and power boat racing on the Sound on Friday/Saturday.

I think that would have been enough. To be honest, I ignore him now. Its quite clear he has a major axe to grind and such people's comments are not worth reading and certainly not worth responding to.

Next Monday, please. From the grandstand roof.

No worries. I am coming down for next weeks meeting and as an experienced texter keen to add to my tally of doing so from 14 (yes 14) different tracks I'll speak to Sue about it. After all, I am bound to be unbiased, aren't I ?

You have to ask yourself then why the 'other members' - to me, that could quite easily be anyone of the other 6 - didn't get the push instead. There a few riders around who could have replaced one or more. The other thing is you can run with a 3 pointer but Knight wasn't that. He'd scored 16 points in 9 PL matches so that's more like a 1.5 pointer. If you think that some of his points would be without beating the opposition - as at Scunthorpe, where he got nearly a quarter of the 16 - it brings the grounds for dropping him even more sharply into focus. Until a fortnight ago when Koppe starting scoring, he'd have been my choice for being dropped (Spinny's too, and he watches every home match). Easy decision now, but it hasn't always been like that and if Knight had banged a few points in yes I think Albin or Koppe might have gone.

It did occur to me that he might make more money in the NL at £10 a point than in the PL at £40 (if that is what he was getting) so I don't think its a matter of finance. I don't think its a matter of attitude, either. Talking to one of his sponsors on Friday, he stopped riding for King's Lynn on the basis that if something happened mechanically on a Wednesday night his bikes might not be ready for Thursday, so he gave all his commitment to Sheffield. I agree with Pinny, though. The lad simply isn't good enough for PL racing at this stage of his career and even if the team had been able to carry him - which was highly debatable from the outset - there would have been pressure to replace him anyway. I do think the change was made because of his lack of scoring, though. Sheffield simply have to do something to turn their fortunes round and get a few people returning on Thursday nights and carrying on as they were wasn't really an option. With Koppe's upturn in form, there was only ever going to be one to go. I hope that he changes his mind and carries on in the NL because he has some ability. I recognise, though, that the financial cost of doing so can be far too much to bear.

I actually meant that strong wind and sun can play havoc with a track surface and if rain is predicted it can be left very slick to avoid a postponement..............but I know tracks that benefit significantly from a downpour immedaitely prior to the meeting, Buxton being one. I think its a myth that chucking tons of dirt down means good racing. What the actual answer is I am not so sure, as I am no expert either. It'll be interesting to see what its like next week.

Said all along Mick its not the shape, its the preparation. If it can be brilliant one week, it can be brilliant every week (weather conditions excepted).

It was pretty awful but Wells apparently refused to do heat 15.

I really don't think that a judgement can be made wholly based upon past experiences. I went to the NL fours at Stoke last season and the track was an absolute disgrace, the worst I have seen anywhere for several seasons. But Saturday was nothing like that. There was some good racing, which usually indicates that the riders are confident enough to attack the track and try and pass the opposition. It could be that it was recognised that the track the week before wasn't good enough and that measures were taken to improve it. Lets give a bit of credit to Stoke for that and trust that it continues. Loomer Road has a superb shape - in my opinion, one of if not the best in the country. Prepared properly, it would be one of the best racing tracks too.

I think that the very fact that Koppe passed Lemon speaks volumes. If he, a first season rider, can go round someone of Lemon's experience I'd say the others could have done the same. Heat 1 is never, at any track, known for passing moves, Hall was poor all evening, Haines is a gater and Gathercole was the best visitor I have seen this season (albeit in only three visits). What's more, he seemed to ride just where Stead wanted to. I think the track was a lot better than the racing might have suggested. Judging by the inept use of rider replacement and reserve changes on Thursday and the comments made here in this case it seems to me they can. I am anything but an expert but I said Koppe should be in heat 8 at the time. In my view, team management cost Sheffield the win. The crucial point will come when the averages change. We'll see. There's no question about the fact that Haines is better at 2 and that is evident from his performances. You were dead right, and have been all along. I thought putting Wells and Hall together was a strange decision and it looks to be a bad one. Your riding line up looks spot on to me.

Wouldn't argue with that. I saw a bit of it at Stoke last night and trust it isn't becoming a habit.

I am no expert but I didn't think there was anything wrong tonight. Indeed, I thought it was a good meeting with several entertaining races. Good to see Smarty scoring a few points, but the two I was impressed with were Ritchings and Payne. Ritchings certainly had no fears about the track and attacked it at every opportunity, whilst I haven't seen Payne before but he looked like a very useful reserve indeed.

Yes, it was. I think it was colder at Stoke tonight............

Believe me, noone studies forecasts like I do. The met office forecast (and the BBC get it from them)is updated hourly and changes ,- often dramatically -as frequently. What I am saying is that I don't blame the promotion for the slick track. That often happens if there is bad weather forecast. I rely on XC weather. They got it spot in three days before hand.

Personally I thought it was a nightmare of a meeting and would have left long before the end had I not been doing the texting. I should say, though, that it was more a combination of circumstances that caused that and I don't think any one is particularly to blame. The track was terrible - very slick indeed with a large ridge on the third turn. That meant that with rare exceptions the racing was poor. Then there were persistent delays which led to the first 6heats taking 45minutes. I chose to stand on the third bend and got cold and covered in dust, and then they had an interval (which I really don't like). The match was a one sided hammering and Adam had a poor meeting by his recent standards. Given the very poor quality of met office forecasts (they had thunder and lightning at 4pm and it was actually sunny) it's difficult to complain about the track. Where I stand is down to me and the delays were caused by the riders, so it would be very wrong to try and pin any frustration on the promotion.

By no stretch of the imagination was Koppe disappointing - indeed, he was completely different rider to the one I saw a few Weeks ago and there's every chance Sheffield have got an excellent signing there. It was a shame that he fell after brilliantly rounding Lemon, because that would have been the icing on the cake. It was stated in the programme a few Weeks ago that Compton would need substantial financial backing, so I doubt if he will sign.

I thought the tigers team manager cost them dearly - I'd have put koppe out in heat 8.As it was they were lucky to get a point with Bechs bike stopping on the last bend. It was good to see Koppe and Haines improving so much - the former, in particular, was a different rider to the one I saw at my last visit. Replace Knight with a 7pt man when the averages change and Sheffield will have a good side.