tonyd

I would say Boxall is finished in speedway and he knows it, to not attend the hearing and with no representative there he has no interest in the sport now (and I cannot see the fine being paid). I am surprised though that he only got a 2 year ban, for a second offence for the same thing I would have expected a 10 year ban at least if not a life ban. Worrall only getting a 18 month ban which is effectively 9 months with the suspended bit sound fishy to me. Normally a failed drug test always has a 2 year ban and fine so either we are not being told something or one has to assume there is a lot of brown envelopes floating around. What's the betting Worrall signs for a team but as he cannot start riding until June the team are given a dispensation for his absence at the start of the season.

For me the play offs should be a separate competition, finish top of the league then your the league champions as it used to be but then you could have the playoff championship to win a separate trophy. Top four teams again same rules as now but for the playoff trophy. Teams would still be looking to finish in the top four BUT there would be more incentive to fight harder to finish in number one position and win that League Champions Trophy and then do battle with the three other teams all wanting that title of Playoff Champions.

The 2023 season started in march and finishes in October, the Lions race Mondays or Thursdays SO why at this time of the year are they still trying to complete the cubs season? There are plenty of Saturdays between March and October for the cubs to race. At this time last season I seem to remember the same problem matches to complete, Rain and a track that does not like to let the water head for the drains. I love my visits to Leicester, but gave today a miss because I was 99% certain the matches would not go ahead with the amount of rain that has fallen over the past week or so. I think its a poor show by the Leicester management, they know what the track is like and how long it takes to bring back to life after being waterlogged (unless they were hoping for divine intervention this morning by the sunshine fairy )

Oh dear hope Kyle is not another injury to add to the list

And so he should be I believe, shame they have not also stated what the reason for the failure was. One has to assume it was some sort of drugs because if it was alcohol I believe the ban and fine would have been less. He is a silly man instead of refusing the test he should have stated that he was going to fail it before taking it and still took it, I believe he will still have been banned but for a lesser time, and if it was due to prescribed drugs again I believe the ban would have been shorter. Once again this is a lesson to ALL riders and officials (do they test race officials?) that a refusal is an automatic guilty verdict that results in a longer ban everytime.

I cannot see why every rider cannot be tested before a meeting and not just the odd one now and again. I used to work on very large construction sites and EVERY person on site was D&A tested before they could start on said site. When the site was up and running EVERY new starter was tested before they went out onto the site, if they refused they didn't start end of story. Before being tested they were asked 1) when did they last have alcohol 2) have they taken anything that might not allow them to pass the test and 3) a list of any prescribed medication they are taking. Also there was a computer that gave out random names each day for routine testing and these could be anyone on site from machine operator, to a receptionist to the site manager They then peed in a special test pot which was then sealed, snapped into the crystals below and shook up and depending on the colour it turned showed a positive or negative reading. Negative reading ........ carry on working Positive reading ...... you were sent home to wait for further testing of the sample to be carried out. This involved pouring the sample into two sample jars that were labelled A and B and the person was offered either of the jars to take away and have tested themselves if they wished. The sample was then sent away to the labs for more vigorous tests with the results normally back within 48 hours of test giving what the failure was or the fact that the person was taking a combination of prescribed medicines that gave a failed test result so was ok. Mind you most people who failed expected to and just said ok bye. What I am saying is that basic D&A testing kits are relatively inexpensive and could be carried out by the stadium doctor / paramedic so riders would know and expect to be tested prior to a match. If a rider has nothing to hide then they have nothing to worry about.

With all the suggestions in this thread about six man teams, north / south leagues race nights etc all means nothing as at the end of the day the sport needs supporters and what the supporter wants more than anything (as quoted above) "It's also about having an evening out where you go home feeling entertained" and at present that is something the supporter is not getting in fact the supporter is treated as a cash cow for the club each week with no respect or real return for there money by the sport. (Look at the Sheffield v Peterborough match tonight) Promotions moan about the lack of crowds at matches but at the same time the crowd are getting fed up of seeing the same teams twice or three times a season and the same rider(s) six or eight times a season wearing different team colours. Maybe before this great sport totally collapses in this country certain people should look at Barry Bishop and the Isle of White who seem to regularly put on an entertaining fast moving and packed programme of motorcycle action that seems to leave the crowd wanting more and wanting to come back to see more of the action again and again. The way the sport is going in this country I can see the IoW (and maybe one or two who join them and there ideas of motorcycling entertainment) being the last ones standing as the other clubs across the country fall by the wayside.

The right result for the Tigers tonight with the win and points in the bag. BUT I couldn't make it tonight and with the match only lasting 10 heats I'm glad I couldn't now because if I had been there I would have felt pi$$ed of and ripped off as well. Sounds like there are a few unhappy fans there tonight after the announcement. The size of the crowd will be interesting next week especially as the match is live on tv.

Expecting a good win by Sheffield tonight but at the same time I am not expecting Peterborough to just roll over, they are a different team now than they were at the start of the season.

Following on from the Laguta situation does this now mean that every rider that is taken ill at home or has an accident of some sort of accident away from the speedway track is going to be suspended for 7 days from now on for having the audacity of getting a non speedway illness or injury? I don't know if Laguta is ill or not but what I find interesting is that the SCB can now obviously over rule the medical profession and effectively say they are lying when suppling a medical certificate that meets the speedway rules and regulations. The old saying of "you couldn't make it up if you tried" has never been more true for these jokers running this sport.

Personally I think he has always blown hot and cold when riding over here, I think he will do better with a championship club rather than Premiership.

My grandson Ethan attended speedway for the first time early last season after his family were gifted some free tickets for Sheffield from the charity "Bluebell Woods", and he was instantly hooked. My last speedway meeting I attended prior to 2022 was at Rye house but his enthusiasm for all things speedway re-ignited my enthusiasm and now we attend every week at Sheffield and we are also fairly regular at Leicester as well. Every day I get a phone call to discuss the latest postings about riders and teams on the various forums so I would say that Ethan is one of the new generation of speedway supporters ready to move forward into the future with this great sport of ours BUT are the powers that be ready to move the sport forward and give these new supporters something to support and follow?

Sorry we definitely need the Tigers to be that good and to carry on being that good for the rest of the season.

So working on the SCB principle if Barry Bishop approached Sheffield Stadium say and asked to hire the stadium to run a "Nora No Brakes Racing League meeting" under a NORA Licence and the stadium owners / management agreed then Sheffield Speedway would be fined for allowing it even though they are only tenants and hire the stadium there selves and have no say in other peoples use of the track (ie stockcars) ? Nearly all speedway teams / promotions are tenants within the stadium they race in so if Nora meetings started appearing across the country are the SCB going to start revoking and suspending everyone's licence next year? I believe the SCB are just puppets having there strings being pulled by the BSPA, and before they kill speedway off totally in this country let hope more teams join Nora and a full season of league and cup matches can be raced. The SCB / BSPA are running scared of losing their dictatorship and people seeing how badly they run things and something getting better and progressing year on year. Just my thoughts.

I don't believe they are interested in signing a new number one, its that or the riders do not want to ride for the club or current management / promotion team. Guest riders or R/R for the rest of the season I think.

Saturday 13th was going to be sidecar speedway but the sidecar people were told the date was then unavailable because of a speedway meeting but a few days later they were told this date was available after all. So now it was back to sidecar racing but this event was cancelled yesterday due to lack of entries. I think the stadium will be empty now Saturday and its going to be a sit at home and watch the Grand Prix Saturday for the rest of us.

He should be at Sheffield as Mondays and Thursdays are British race nights BUT in this crazy make it up as you go along world of speedway anything could be happening.

That doesn't surprise me as they are not the ones using them At the time it was said this had been a problem (tyres giving out) at tracks other than just the Peterborough's track, it will be interesting to see if there are any further problems this year. I think as it seems there has been no official closure to this problem I am going to stick with my "head in the sand" comment. If there has been an official comment / closure then has it been made public? After all we the paying public had a meeting spoiled and cut short because of the problem.

Last year my grandson and I were at the Peterborough v Sheffield match where there was all the trouble with the tyres not being fit for purpose on the day. The problem with the tyres had been a regular problem at this and a couple of other tracks and discussions took place between all and sundry about the problem and then it all went quiet. Has anything been resolved regarding this issue apart from supplying each riders with two tyres instead of one for a meeting? I seem to remember Scott Nicholls offering to assist with any testing, was this ever taken up? Does anyone know if anything has been sorted out regarding this serious problem or is it another head in the sand job and hope no rider ends up seriously injured?

Will 2023 see a dip in the supporters attending most matches? For myself at Sheffield it's not to bad because I am a wrinkly and my grandson is under 16 so £27 is not to bad for us BUT the average family of 2 adults and 2 kids plus 2 programmes it will be £52 which is a lot to find out of the family budget these days. I am not saying it is overpriced but with food, petrol and heating costs the way they are I've a feeling a lot of families will be thinking if they can all afford to go to speedway twice a month.

Where are todays Garry Middletons? Used to love watching Garry when he appeared at your track, he nearly always managed to upset someone always some fans but sometimes other riders, the ref, manager or promoter. Happy days.

I personally think every rider deserves a chance in the team next year they have done us proud. The thing is at the end of the day we await the outcome of the normal winter rule changes that will suit some clubs but not others, the problem of fitting riders in due to their averages along with the added problem for the promoters of does a rider want to stay and if he does can, we stretch the budget to accommodate him / them? The only people that possibly have an idea of what's happening next season is the promoters and at present I am sure they are just concentrating on getting this season completed before worrying about the next one. Be patient people we will know about next year when they know.

Most on here are such speedway experts and laying the blame for everything thing has gone wrong lately firmly at the feet of the Sheffield promotion but its hardly there fault when there told they have access to the track to prepare for the meeting and find that there is damage done by others that prevents them from doing just that. The starting tape problem was frustrating but again was it the promotions fault when it was tested before the meeting (I asked that question) but when the referee got hold of the buttons it all goes wrong. Over the years how many of us have witnessed the tapes packing up part way through a meeting? It happens get over it. The air bag problem again frustrating but it happens, I'm sure if Danny King had busted any other air bag other than the one covering the gate the problem wouldn't have been so great but it was and again rubbish happens get over it. Maybe you would have been happier if the track staff left the bag off put a couple of strips of hazard tape across the gap and told the riders to avoid that section of the fence if they find themselves in trouble on the track and just get on with the meeting? The bottom line is all you so called experts here really know sweet FA and just enjoy knocking the promotion (any promotion) for the sake of it. If god forbid a rider got seriously injured or worse due to a faulty safety fence post or wrongly fitted air bag then yes the promotion would be responsible hence the reason they want everything done correctly even if its time consuming. We all have a moan about a club or promotion at times and sometimes they deserve it but a lot of you on here are blaming and moaning for the sake of it and I'm afraid the sound you are all making is coming out your rear orifice. Rant over.

The way I understand this is that the work on the greyhound track finished last night and the speedway had access from today and they found several safety fence posts damaged and needing work / replacing. This gives them less than 48 hours before tomorrows match to find a contractor to possibly break out the posts, concrete in new ones, allow the concrete to cure / harden and then re-hang the safety fence and possible have to have a track inspection of the works carried out before they can race. I am no track expert but I have worked in construction and to get a contractor, get all that work done and signed off in under 48 hours is a tall order which I think the management realise hence the early call off. Give the management team a break I'm sure they want to lose a race day even less than we do, especially for rectification a problem that is no fault of there's.

Sorry I don't understand that comment because whatever level they raced at in this country the problems they have had lately would have an effect on whatever league they raced in. Safe secure safety fence posts are a main requirement in any speedway meeting.