Halifaxtiger

What did them in the end was injury, not Eastbourne. The loss of Ayres, in particular, was a disastrous blow from which they never recovered. I think with a 50 point limit Mildenhall wouldn't have built a team like that again. It was just superb and viciously cruel the way it was cut apart by the loss of riders. It must be said that those RR choices on Thursday night were bizarre. It would, however, be harsh to write off Wallinger's season on the basis of one poor meeting.

I once went to Stoke (many years ago) and on a freezing cold night March night there was a chap next to me in a T shirt drinking pint after pint of cold lager. He must have been on drugs Stoke have been (usually justifiably) battered for the poor standard of speedway at the track for years. If they are improving, it is right that they get the credit for that.

Its very easy to be wise in hindsight. A rain off with riders at the track costs thousands and no promoter can afford that. As such, they simply have to trust weather forecasts and we all know how unreliable they can be. There are a few occasions when the weather is used as an excuse to call off a meeting, but most of the time no club should be blamed for postponing a meeting on the strength of a forecast that turns out to be wrong.

'Plenty of dust' is what they had at Poole on Friday and Sheffield on Sunday. It means that spectators clothes were covered and viewing was obscured. With the possible exception of heat 15, that simply wasn't the case at Belle Vue on Monday where it was minimal at worst. It is certainly indicative that there is not one single post on here, the Belle Vue facebook page or anywhere else complaining about it. As a hardened speedway fan, I think meetings should be finished in two hours. Had this been a midweek match on a freezing night with work the following day I would have been the first to complain, but it wasn't. The thing is the time taken to run a meeting is only relevant to the sport if it deters any paying customer from attending again. Given the overall package offered by the Aces on Monday - the quality of the racing, the superb presentation, pricing etc - coupled with the excellent weather, I don't think one single person would have been put off. In fact, I'd say quite the opposite. Taking also into account the excellent Colts meeting on Friday, I'd say Belle Vue are getting close to Isle of Wight standards for customer focus and that's a massive step in the right direction. All this compares sharply with the comments on facebook about Sheffield on Sunday (a meeting that took 45 minutes less) and the anger displayed on the 3rd/4th bends where I was standing. The dreadful standard of that meeting plus the appalling state of the track will be a disaster for them where future attendances are concerned.

Scunthorpe didn't have rider replacement, an interval, a heat 14 vote or an argument over riders. Had that been the case, they would have been well over 2 hours and had a dust bowl, and as Bewitcher has accurately stated delay is often substantially down to the referee. The racing did improve later on at Sheffield(if you could see it) but that hasn't cut much ice with those who have stated they will not go again due to the state of both the track and their clothes. I doubt that anyone who went yesterday and saw an excellent meeting with no dust will have the same thoughts.

I'd certainly usually be of the opinion that two hours is the maximum time for a meeting. Yesterday, though, given superb weather, good company, a cracking meeting and absolutely no reason to get home promptly it didn't seem to matter much. Better than a freezing cold midweek meeting when you have to get up for work the next day. Having said that, the delay at heat 15 - which caused much of the damage - was apparently due to a squabble over the line up. Given that Belle Vue's place in the PSC final was assured by then, it should never had happened because it made no difference who was riding. There was a lot more watering than normal. Andy Meredith told me that he intended to water after every two heats (he did the same at the Colts meeting on Friday) and after heat 4 did just that. If he hadn't, we would have had a dustbowl and it was only because he was unaware of the daft heat 15 delay that we got the dust in that race. Better a few minutes more on the clock than being covered in crap and unable to see the racing (that's precisely what happened at Sheffield the day before and they have been savagely criticised for it). To give Belle Vue credit, Neil Drummond did announce why there was a delay and Chase the Ace was thrown into the breach to keep the crowd entertained. At many places, neither the announcement nor the floor show would have happened.

More like 2 and a quarter. The delay at heat 15 was annoying but the track grading and watering was fine with me...………..then again, I was at Sheffield yesterday.

Had that many times at the NSS. Just shows what fantastic race track it is.

Big crowd, lovely weather, cracking meeting Highlight for me was Bewley's win over Masters in heat 11, a huge effort for 4 laps and just got past on the inside. Big shout for Wells, too. Struggled a bit recently but was impressive today. Usual excellent presentation with Chase the Ace going nuts Another shout for Andy Meredith, superb race track and the only noticeable dust was in heat 15.

True, but the NSS is so wide (particularly the bends) that they are less likely. At the NL meetings over the weekend, there was just one faller at Belle Vue compared to 4 at Mildenhall and 7 at Plymouth.

Sheffield got out of gaol here. Not in terms of the result, but on something far more important - attendances for possibly the rest of the season. Make no mistake, the first 11 heats were bloody awful as race after race was a strung out procession from the gate as the dust slowly took over, aided by a bizarre decision not to water the track at the interval (although it may have been that the surface was so bald that water would have made it dangerous). Then Bates charged through in heat 12, followed by Worrall being caught by Howarth and King, followed by a brilliant ride from Kennedy to beat Bates in heat 14. In heat 15, we had a truly superb, text book team ride from Nicholls, as Bates gated and Nicholls sat in behind and held King & Howarth at bay for 4 laps. Those last 4 heats might just persuade some to come back. Had they been more of the earlier 11, many would not have.

Very poor at Belle Vue on Friday. If he's not cutting it in the NL, he has no chance at Championship level.

I think you have a point here. If a meeting is delayed for whatever reason everyone should be told. Poor show if they are not and while it isn't a big issue, little ones add up. I should add people were queueing outside at start time at Scunthorpe on Friday but Rob Godfrey announced the meeting was starting on time anyway (it actually started a few minutes early). I think that was a mistake. Few mind waiting for a short period in such circumstances - especially as it was blazing hot - but some who miss races might be put off. Belle Vue always delay the start if people are outside. As to the bits I have put in bold, absolutely bang on. There are, however, some very encouraging signs that the pervasive 'get what you are given and be grateful' attitude is changing.

Depending on who the missing rider is, you do have a point. Using a junior for Kemp would be ridiculous, damage the gate and probably not do the junior much good. Using a junior for Bowen is very different.

I call it as I see it too. Its not always popular, but there's no hidden agenda either. If people don't like it or believe that I do so for malice, I couldn't care less. Many on here are biased for the club they support. That's not just natural, its inevitable and I don't usually have a problem with them. The ones that get me are those that never go (usually they did at one time but don't now) and rarely do anything but slag the sport off. Their opinions are clearly motivated by prejudice and can often be disregarded - its most difficult to comment on speedway (other than by hearsay) if you don't actually attend and see for yourself. There is a lot that could be improved and those who do go have every right to be critical when its called for. We are all concerned about the low attendances and reported financial losses. But speedway can be very good, too. I have commented on the Belle Vue/Stoke thread just how impressive yesterday's meeting was, because Belle Vue did pretty much everything bang on. Have a great weekend. Kent v Belle Vue should be a cracker. PS If you get the chance, take in Isle of Wight. They have nothing short of a model approach to making a success of a track. PPS I once saw Mr Rogers smash the pits phone at Glasgow in a (justified) fit of temper

I think yesterday Belle Vue hit the sort of family atmosphere that Isle of Wight have become so renowned for (and most justifiably so) where the entire focus is about customer experience. That's a massive step in the right direction. You can't please everyone all of the time, but you can have a damn good try.

Nonsense. Belle Vue started at 1pm yesterday and Scunthorpe at 5.30. At both (especially Belle Vue) it was very hot and breezy. There was no dust at Belle Vue and very little at Scunthorpe. Neither track had a blue line and the racing at the NSS was decent, at EWR very good. I am not aware that Andy Meredith or Rob Godfrey have a magic wand, so if they can produce good racing strips for riders and customers alike so can anyone else. I should point out that the crowd at Belle Vue was the biggest I have ever seen for a Colts meeting and at Scunthorpe it was at least double that of last Sunday (word was they ran out of programmes). Bank Holiday afternoon meetings work extremely well if you can be bothered to put the time and trouble in to make sure that the track is up to scratch.

Good meeting Scorpions very solid indeed with Ayres (apart from a reckless move that poleaxed Kennedy) very impressive. Furious efforts from both reserves deserved more points. I had Sheffield down as odds on favourites this season but that was not in evidence yesterday as they were too inconsistent. Big credit to Rob Godfrey for the track yesterday but he really must get someone to do that or the mic (and for heavens sake, not Roger Westby). I like him doing both but in a meeting that's just not possible.

At Belle Vue, Palin, Rathbone and Woodhull all had extra rides. All up to standard and all developing. What on earth is wrong with that ?

I thought this was a splendid meeting for a number of reasons. First of all, there was a very healthy attendance - certainly one of the biggest I have seen for a Colts match - and it was brilliant to see so many youngsters there. That's certainly influenced by the low entry fees for adults and letting children in for free, so credit there. The racing was decent enough, and its always encouraging to see some of the youngest riders put in excellent performances - Flint and Palin especially this afternoon. I have never seen Perry or Coles give up in a race and they didn't today, so it was more competitive than the score suggests. Hayley, Neil & Chase are the best presentation team in British Speedway and with games and free chocolate for the children, interviews with the riders and Chase's usual antics they proved it again today. There was also the most welcome sight of Adrian Smith working the crowd - something I very much approve of. Finally, on a very hot day with a breeze 10 out of 10 for trackman Andy Meredith. There was absolutely no dust at all, no blue line and you could clearly race on the surface. Major effort to attract fans, decent racing with young riders, superb presentation and interaction and an excellent track. They are four factors which, if copied, might just turn the sport around.

I usually expect something a bit special at Scunny and this was merely good - especially Allen's brilliant pass of Wells in heat 11. Big credit to Rob Godfrey - and referee Phil Griffin - racing through the meeting on a freezing cold day. Nielsen & Auty impressive for the Scorpions and Kinsley deserved a lot more for some big efforts without reward. Heeps was also impressive but slightly disappointed with Pickering as he is usually brilliant to watch at EWR - I don't think the somewhat slicker track conditions suited him.

I can't believe the other night when we were talking about this I somehow forgot about Scunthorpe. I was reminded in no uncertain terms yesterday

Worth going just to watch Pickering.

You can easily park on the road side at Belle Vue. Been there dozens of times and not paid to park yet. There are some places where you virtually have to use the stadium car park - Glasgow, Edinburgh, Eastbourne, Poole, Peterborough spring to mind - and pay for it.

I think that merely serves to show just how difficult it will be for him to get a top flight place here - injury seems the only way to me, and even then I suspect other options will be considered first. I'm a Cook fan - and he's anything but an average rider - but he was stupid with Peterborough. True, he had a point. But in sticking to it he halved his speedway earnings overnight and massively lost out as a result. Instead of thinking it through he behaved petulantly and he will be counting the cost all season. I really don't know where he goes from here but suggestions that he shuts his mouth and just gets on with it seem pretty good advice to me.