Peregrinner

Thinking back .... If we are to improve the crowds we need to attract younger men in, so..... Y) What did I think about Speedway when I was younger? O) What do I think about Speedway now I am a fan? Y) Its boring watching 4 blokes ride bikes in a circle. O) It is fantastic to see a 3 point rider beat a 10 pointer. Y) Why is that guy we hated last week riding for us this week? O) Without the guest facililty we would not stand a chance. Y) One of them just crashed. Send for the dustbin men. O) That is a human being out there. I hope he is uninjured. Y) I really enjoy it when we completely stuff the opposition. O) Ideally we want a really close meeting that goes to heat 15. Y) Watch the guys at the back. One of them is going to crash. O) Look how smoothly the leader is riding round this rough circuit. We need to cater for the younger viewer who wants action and aggression while recognising the realities. My ideas: 1) Better commentating outlining each race and the riders involved 2) Squad system would breed team loyalty. No more guest riders. 3) Encourage a few of the wilder riders to continue in the sport. 4) A wider variety of riding circuits. The new ones are all too fair. 5) Encourage a few more dangerous riders to enjoy the sport. Just my thoughts.

Give the BRITISH place to Chris Harris. He has struggled because Ole Olsen insists that there should be no dirt on the tracks. Once there is some dirt about, he will be a superstar, passing the white line riders. He is the man for us when Grands Prix get back to REAL speedway. Here's hoping.

I will express my view which is that although there are problems with the Tactical Rule I think it made for a tremendous finish in the Peterborough v. Reading fixture. Peterborough were down and out with no chance unless everything went for them including the Tactical Ride. It did and they won from nowhere. Speedway traditionalists will always argue that "It is not like it used to be" well I am a cricket traditionalist and I prefer whites to pyjamas and I prefer 50 overs to 20 overs but I cannot argue with the paying public. They love the 20-20 format. Speedway has to make the sport interesting and maintain that interest throughout a contest, regardless of the thoughts of those who know which is the best team (Reading). Two Tactical Rides allow a side that is down and out completely two chances to come back, so there is always hope (usually it does not materialise). Speedway needs an injection of life and I think the Tactical Rides add that life. Away supporters who are 20 points to 4 down after 4 heats can think "There is always the Tactical Ride" and keep the faith instead of heading for the bar to drown their sorrows. Another change that I think is necessary is that all senior teams should have a set of young reserves so that if a reserve gets injured in heat 2 it does not mean that one rider has to do all seven, or if there are two injuries some heats are run with only three riders. Unlimited 3 point reserves would (in my opinion) benefit the sport. Just an opinion.

I found it tremendously entertaining to watch Chris "Bomber" Harris powering round the outside and cutting up the inside to produce some of the best passing ever seen in the Grand Prix series (I may be a bit biased there) but I do fear for the future of British riders in the series. Mark Loram (World Champion 2000 - I was there in Bydgoszcz) learned his craft at the County Ground (Exeter) and put it to good use in the Grand Prix series. Chris Harris (World Champion to be) learned his craft at the County Ground (Exeter) and is putting it to good use in the Grand Prix series. With the British building ever smaller and tighter tracks where are the young British riders going to learn how to power up and take on the huge sweeps? In the meantime - GO BOMBER - I am looking forward to the rest of the season and trust that young Chris remains free from the English curse of too much press coverage and pressure leading to loss of performance.

That was the conclusion I came to after checking back to see that in the first contest between the combatants the order was HAMPEL,HOLTA,ANDERSEN. What happened to keeping the Poles sweet? Now I know that trying and falling is likely to result in missing out on a semi-final place I understand why Antonio Lindback rode like he did.

For anyone else to win both Crump and Pedersen would have to fail. That aint gonna happen. The money has to be on Crump with Pedersen a winner if he beats Crump in the final.

Improvements cost money. It has to come ultimately from the grass roots. The BSPA currently control things in Britain but it is generally acknowledged the until we get rid of the Ps in the pod and it becomes the BSA there will be certain Ps who are bigger and louder than others. The BSA should be part of an ESA which should be part of a WSA. Then we have a chance of SERIOUS debate about the finer points of the sport. The Elite League will fail if Ipswich carry out their threat to drop down as it is likely to be the bottom team each season realising that the promotion is not profitable. Fans need victories to keep paying money to watch their team. The Premier League could introduce promotion and relegation. Nine teams in each league with maybe one team switching mid-season before running a 2nd half separate league. That, for me, would be an exciting prospect. Let us talk more and get the people that matter reading about these ideas.

Does anyone else remember the days before Rye House?