Halifaxtiger

I think television viewing does affect attendances at tracks but only marginally. I could ask why hundreds of thousands of football supporters attend every week when there are 3 or 4 live matches and almost blanket coverage of highlights.

I hope for Scunthorpe's sake you're right but he was a different rider last season. He's dropped 2.5 points off his average this year and is receiving barrage of criticism, to the point where last night a team manager tried to get him excluded for not trying. There aren't many options out there but I would be surprised if there isn't someone better.

That is an extraordinary choice.

Its not quite the same, but its still one goal counting as two. I must admit I haven't really missed TR rides in the NL.

He's also a 6.50 heat leader. 7 other teams have third heat leaders who have higher averages than that, so he's not going to beat opposition first strings consistently nor should there be an expectation that he will. He's also more than half a point above his starting average at this point and his performance against Eastbourne was far, far better than anything I had expected. Early days as you say but Mason has been a lot, lot better than I thought he would be.

You could equally ask can he afford not to ? Poor performances so far, jumps on Carr's bike (which, with due respect, probably isn't the best) and pulls off two brilliant wins. Bridger should stay. As Screm has said, looks very much like the machinery and not the man.

Workington was up slightly but, I fear, not by enough.

Not the best meeting I have seen at Derwent Park but not a bad one either. Comets should have won the tie. Jorgensen was a clear leader in heat 7 when he stopped (throttle cable, apparently) and then Cook didn't seem to do Campton any favours in heat 10. Roynon's commendable efforts at team riding came undone in heat 14 when he came off the white line momentarily and Lindgren caught him. Should say that my two pals from Newcastle weren't impressed by the decision to exclude Morris in heat 1 (I didn't have a good view) and Hoggy told me it could have gone either way. Shout for Campton - riding like that he might just be a real trump card for Workington this season.

Nothing wrong with that at all. I have just never seen a blade used for one race only before. That begs the question as to why it wasn't used at some earlier point.

Yes, you could call them that Still has to be that what the fan wants comes first, second and last every single time.

Nor have I, anywhere. I thought it was extraordinary.

One of speedway's real problems is that on occasion it puts rider interests above those of the fans. Promotions need to listen to what their paying customers want, not what their paid employees want.

Me too - although about 10 years ago would be more accurate. I haven't been this season but reports were the match against Kent was pretty decent. Its certainly the case that it can be very good indeed.

No chance this time, forecast is very good. My first visit this season to one of my favourite tracks.

Spot on. Size and shape does affect the quality but its far, far more about preparation. Now matter how good your track shape is if you sod that up the racing will be rubbish. Sheffield and King's Lynn used to be good racing tracks. No reason why they can't be again. You can't have been to Plymouth. I have seen some fantastic speedway there and it remains one of my favourite tracks.

Based upon what I have seen and read, I think there is reason for cautious optimism. Rye House, in particular, was very impressive - biggest I have ever seen by far. Lakeside, Kent, Peterborough, Ipswich, Berwick & Belle Vue have all had good attendances when I have been there. What has to be the case is that the quality of the product is high - although I haven't done too badly, there have been a lot of complaints about the standard of the racing.

Decent meeting. Brilliant performance from Holder, best I have seen him ride. Probably best I have seen Heeps ride, too, and a mention for Connor Mountain - really got stuck in and rode with a lot of grit and spirit. Bizarre to allow people to tramp all over a newly prepared track and I am wondering just why anyone would want to. I, too, thought the track grading before heat 15 was a little odd. Bringing the blade out at that stage of the meeting is something I am not sure I have seen before.

I have seen good gates just about everywhere I have been. Rye House was probably double the best I have ever seen before.

Above is what Paul said. Then there is what you said (after). Are his comments 'overrated' ? Or is that remark aimed at the Scunthorpe fans only ? Whatever the case, I don't think its unreasonable for me to have suggested that you lumped Paul's comments in with the suggestion that views of Scunthorpe are both skewed and biased. Nobody disputes your right to comment on this forum in (pretty much) anyway you want. But if you make a statement that many others disagree with (and, lets be fair, you are totally on your own here with everyone else opposed) expect to get some criticism. As to Owlerton, its certainly not clear that you haven't been there for years (and I'd very much accept that it has changed in that time). That is why you have got several critical responses on that, too.

Erik Riss, Matt Bates, Tom Brennan, Craig Cook.

I'm not a Rye House fan and have made only occasional visits in the past but I think your comments are harsh and quite possibly made at least partly as a result of the unfortunate and difficult circumstances that you encountered. As I have said elsewhere, the meeting wasn't brilliant but it wasn't bad either. Its clear to me that the stadium is a work in progress and that a considerable amount of money has already been spent there, the new stand by the pits area being the obvious example. Its not brilliant standing on piles of ashes or earth but I have little doubt that they will be dealt with in due course and there will always be issues when improvement and renovation work is ongoing. I think Shads has commented about the PA system on the home straight and clearly that needs fixing. Although I would accept that the management should stop people standing on access areas, that is far from just a problem at Rye House (Redcar is particularly bad). In addition, it is just simple courtesy to move out of the way of a disabled person (or help them) whenever possible. To me, that's far more about the people than the management, and its reflected in the unacceptable behaviour you were subject to later. While in no way do I understate the problems you had, I find there is very little to be critical about having a speedway promotion who are quite clearly prepared to invest heavily in the sport that we love, both in terms of the team they have assembled and the plans they have for the stadium.

I did see Harris, Batchelor and Porsing pass. I also saw Scott Nicholls do his very best to assist Perks and block Lambert's outside line (so did the meeting updater). You have been very fortunate in your choice of meetings if that is the worst you have ever seen. Give Stoke a try..................... Don't doubt it but that was a different era (and before my time). Since I have made occasional visits to Rye House (2005) last night was way, way bigger than anything I have seen before - which is brilliant I was hiding from everyone on the third bend (not just you, believe me) To be fair, its where I like to stand and did so at both Lakeside and Kent.

I know Sommelier is a huge speedway fan and clocks up many, many meetings a year so I am very surprised that's the worst he has ever seen. He must avoid certain tracks It wasn't brilliant but I wouldn't even class it as bad. In addition, I don't think it would take much to sort the track out and given the major investment in the stadium and the need to retain that remarkable attendance I'd put it top of the list. That Kent meeting will remain long in my memory more for the way that rider safety was put seriously at risk than the actual dreadful meeting itself.

Judging by reputation, I don't think BWdouble would do that. The people who told him might have some sort of grudge, though - I have been fed false information myself in the past. I am very pleased that George is still attending and slightly disappointed that he isn't part of the promotion. There's no question about his enthusiasm and committment to Belle Vue but he is tainted by his involvement with previous years.

Not that bad. Not brilliant by any means, but not awful. Did a 3 hour meeting on a dreadful, bald, dusty track with genuine concerns about rider safety at Kent a few years ago. That was far, far worse.