Vince

OK, lets compare our knowledge of the situation. I was witness to the original agreement between Sam and Nick Mallett that took Sam to Newport in 2009. Since Sam didn't return there this year I have discussed the situation with both him (Sam) and Steve Mallett and have correspondence to back that up. I can't (and wouldn't anyway) reveal details of who claims what is owed because it is an ongoing legal matter. You know what the Malletts have chosen to tell you. Of course they know full well that anything they say to you is likely to end up on here and therefore you know part of one side of a story. I never wanted to be yet another person on here having a pop at Newport, however since you can't stop talking about things you know little about and understand less here is a 100% definite, provable fact for you that would have little or no bearing on a court case. The last time either Promoter of Newport Speedway spoke to Sam was on the 31st of January this year. Nick, who was then still Promoter told a large crowd of people repeatedly that Sam was riding for Newport this year and he couldn't wait for him to return. He told the same people that he was very pleased with the work Sam had put in and the equipment he had bought in the off season (money spent because he had been guaranteed a team place). On the Thursday we read that Mark Jones was the final signing for the Hornets and Nick Mallett would not answer his phone from that point on. And then an idiot comes on here and says Sam threw the Malletts help back in their face!

I have stayed out of this topic because it involves Newport but that is an outright lie.

The track will never be great all the time it has to run in the daytime but it generally used to produce decent racing. I also can't say anything about this year as I haven't been near the place. However when the Mallets took over they got new shale in on advice from Colin Meridith and it seems clear that the shale didn't suit the track. Dixie told them that before they got it. Dixie and Peter Brooks have been there and doing the track for a lot of years. they know what works best and what doesn't. Last year everybody from the Promotion down were allowed more input into how the track was prepped than Dixie. he just eneded up doing the work to try and repair it half the time. Dixie can prep Newport as well as anybody and far better than most. Too many chiefs and not enough indians by far imo last year.

Newport Speedway have people who can prepare the track. Unfortunately these people are never allowed to do the job without interference from assorted 'experts'

BFD, as far as I can tell I didn't insult you. If I did it was far less that you are willing to dish out to others with the tiresome racist chant. I know you about as much as you know me, doesn't stop you giving your opinion! Absolutely clear to see here that posts from those who are or have been actually involved with young British riders are saying pretty much the same thing. It's not fatuous to point out that many of the posters on this topic have far more first hand experience of what is happening than you do.

How many up and coming Aussies won't get to ride because those lads are there for a few weeks? The Aussies that come over here are welcomed and helped a huge amount by the British Speedway community. Nobody has any issues with the lads themselves and many of us have helped them any way we can. It is the system that is wrong. If the British system encouraged Promoters put the time and money into local kids that they do into foreign (not just Australian) riders then they would progress far more quickly. If saying so makes me racist or xenophopbic in your eyes, tough, my opinions are in line with the way the majority of Brits that I know think. Having spent countless hours grafting in the chase for sponsorship money I suggest you teach your granny to suck eggs on that front. Nobody is asking for anything for nothing for British lads, just equality. If you were over here and involved with British youngsters trying to establish themselves in the sport you would understand where we are coming from. You aren't and with all due respect you don't have a clue how all this works in reality.

That's all very well when you don't actually see what is happening over here. How many of these Aussies would develop into good riders if the British lads that came over took their places in meetings instead of just rode alongside them? Most clubs are not going to pay out good money and help with sponsorship only to drop a rider at short notice. How often do we read that a rider should move nearer his home track? How about offering him the same help to do that with regards to living allowance etc? However when he cost nothing in the first place and had to sort out his own equipment there is no problem dropping him, it costs the club nothing. Many of the foreign lads are given years in the PL on low averages before going on to make decent riders. British lads are lucky to get weeks let alone years. British lads very often are not even being treated equally to foreign lads let alone given preferential treatment. If the situation was reversed you would be very quick to defend Aussie riders rights I am sure.

Team MotoX on electric bikes??? Just realised - it's cycle Speedway!!!

Jusst spoken to Sam and Kyle's thigh has been pinned / plated. If all goes well he could start walking in 6 weeks apparently. There is a facebook group called 'get well Kyle Newman' That lists the address for get well cards as: Kyle Newman 59 Watermill Road Christchurch Dorset BH23 2UA

Again from the wife's programme but I think it is accurate. 1. Shaun Harmatiuk 3,3,R =6 2. Shelby Rutherford 2,1,1,2 = 6 3. James White-Williams 1,3,3,3 =10 4. M Baseby R,3,2,0 = 5 5. Ashley Morris 3,0,0,1 =4 6. Jimmy Fishback 2,2,3,3 =10 7. Terry Day 1,0,2,1 =4 8. Andy Braithwaite R,0,R,R =0 9. Kyle Newman EX, 1,2, EX =3 10. Tim Webster 3,1,1,3 =8 11. Sam Hurst 2,2,1,2 =7 12. Andrew Aldridge 1,2,3,1 =7 Eddie Castro (reserve) 2 Heat 1: Harmatiuk, Rutherford, White-Williams, Baseby (ret) 63.41 Heat 2: Morris, Fishback, Day, Braithwaite (ret) 62.97 Heat 3: Webster, Hurst, Aldridge, Newman (exc) 61.18 Heat 4: Harmatiuk, Hurst, Rutherford, Braithwaite 62.05 Heat 5: Baseby, Aldridge, Webster, Day 62.06 Heat 6: White-Williams, Fishback, Newman, Morris 62.39 Heat 7: Fishback, Day, Webster, Harmatiuk (ret) 62.39 Heat 8: Aldridge, Newman, Hurst, Braithwaite (ret) 61.45 Heat 9: White-Williams, Baseby, Rutherford, Morris 62.55 Heat 10: White Williams, Castro (rep Harmatiuk), Aldridge, Newman (exc) 62.97 Heat 11: Webster, Rutherford, Day, Baseby 61.58 Heat 12: Fishback, Hurst, Morris, Braithwaite (ret) 61.91 Semi final 1: Hurst, Baseby, White-Williams, Aldridge 62.66 Semi final 2: Fishback, Webster, Rutherford, Morris. 62.12 Final: Hurst, Fishback, Baseby, Webster (ret) 62.28 Personal view: couldn't believe there wasn't a better crowd as I thought this looked a good meeting on paper with most of the line up having the potential to win the overall. Didn't see much of the meeting but what I did see was good, with some very close racing. Horrible thing to happen to Kyle, I didn't see the crash but the outcome is terrible and I hope he starts to feel better before too long. Sam owes a big thankyou to Tim Webster, after three races of trying to get the bike running right we borrowed an ignition off Tim and that fixed the bike. Couldn't believe that Sam was left gate 1 in his semi final when he only had third gate pick. Tim Webster was very unlucky to break down on the first lap of the final while leading, he could well have won it. Sam nearly threw the win away when he made a mistake on turn 3 of the final lap leaving Jimmy with a run up the inside coming off turn four. Good job Sam has big elbows as there couldn't have been the thickness of a tyre between the two when they crossed the line. Think it's fair to say Sam was happy with the win as they nearly had to wait for him to run out of fuel before he would get off the bike :-)

Try here I am sure you are right about who owned the site, presumably he would know where the picture came from even if not where it was taken.

I am sure that the guy who ran that brilliant site with the picture on was (probably still is) a forum member but I can't remember his name. Surely somebody can remember who it was that ran the Exeter site with the workshop pages. If nobody comes forward try Nevs on here as if it involves Exeter he will certainly know who it is. Presumably you have tried the email address on the homepage chris@exeter-falcons.demon.co.uk as the site owner would know where he got the picture from.

This is disgusting, running a rained off meeting in the morning when I have to work. What am I supposed to do, accept the world doesn't revolve around me, record the meeting and watch it later? How dare they fit the meeting in around TV schedules and other fixtures without checking with me first.

I was one who didn't understand the appointment of Rob Lyon. However this week it has been clear to see that it was a great choice. The result might not have been good but everything else about Team GB has been improved incredibly since last year. It has been clearly stated that they are building for the future and that is exactly what this week has started to do. As a bit of a fan of Scott Nicholls I would have liked to have seen him there last night. It is understandable that he wasn't when given his current form and how his obvious lack of confidence may have affected the team as a whole. Through good times and bad his heart is on his sleeve for all to see, great when things are going well but could be disasterous for team spirit in a bad night. Hopefully he will soon come through this bad spell and an in-form Nicholls will again be an automatic choice. I thought Team GB were going to get hammered last night. Instead they were in contention and even Bridger and King were on the pace and will have learned a huge amount in two nights of racing. Maybe in 2011 or 2012 we will be in a position of having enough riders to make selection very difficult if Lyons is allowed to keep working away rather than sacked for not being instantly succesful.

I just think that the vast majority of young riders who leave the sport do so because they can't afford to race competitvely any more. This way at least those who get to the top league would do so on riding ability rather than the good fortune of having money available to throw at the game. After all as things are the under-funded riders are penalised heavily by having slower machinery. The £500 should make sure that people are not claiming bikes just because they are well set up. It would lead to lower costs to riders who would need less wages and could mean more clubs surviving as well.

I know it will go against most peoples opinion but here are my suggestions. Accept that British Speedway cannot afford top line riders until fans are attracted back to the sport in decent numbers. Have two full time leagues, the top one set between the current EL standard and PL. The second to bet set between current PL and NL standard. The leagues to have a strict and low points limit the first year (38 maybe). All British riders to get a 10% allowance. Year two onward averages set to league winners including any allowance deduction. Riders retained from previous year to have a further reduction to encourage long term stability in teams. Any foreign licence holders not allowed to drop under their assessed averages. Foreign riders taking out a British licence and agreeing to put British fixtures first allowed to ride at their real average. Half of Sky income allocated to tracks on the number of second half, academy, training sessions that they run. Do away with loan fees, all transfers to be permanent. Clubs will own their team and look after them for the future (hopefully). Do away with the tactical rule, tac sub etc and run to the program unless injury prevents it. Clubs who cannot afford to compete at new league level to be subsidised by the others as development tracks where riders can be trained properly. Second division to have a rule where any bike can be claimed by any competitor at the end of a meeting for £500 more than the cost of a new machine. That should stop super expensive engines, clutches and carbs being used and level the playing field while reducing costs. I just can't see the sport surviving unless fans are given the opportunity to bond with a team over the years. This way would also encourage the development of young, British riders. Hopefully in the long term fans would come back in sufficient numbers to allow the gradual re-introduction of the sports superstars. I don't believe for one minute that many new fans are kept away because Nicki Pedersen etc aren't racing here. Just perhaps the chance to see local lads making the grade will encourage them back. For sure there needs to be a radical change and soon. I am equally sure my plans have lots of holes in them that will be quickly pointed out but just maybe there is something worth debating.

If you want to PM me some more details like make of bike, year, and exactly what you want (recoil spring means nothing to me) I can probably point you in the right direction.

Isn't it strange how people post what they assume to be the case as if it were fact! It is very difficult to get lottery funding for motorcycle sport. I don't know if anybody has tried with CL Speedway and been turned down because they were claiming to be professional but I doubt that would have been the sole reason - it may not have even been a factor. From previous experience I am certain it doesn't have to be an olympic sport. It will help any application if you can show how it will benefit the wider community. If you can make that wider community appear to be the main reason for the application your chances will be much better. What is certain is that the application is a long, drawn out process and as ever with Government money those who already know the system have the best chance of success. We started the process a few years ago to help fund a MX track but in the end decided our time and energies would be far better spent getting investment from other sources. There was precious little of that and your most likely source is yourself! A priority in my view would be to find land where a planning application stands a chance before worrying about too much else. This is becoming more difficult as time goes on. Funding from any source is much easier for an established project anyway. PS: I believe the reason that Olympic sports have achieved so much success with lottery funding is that they have what amounts to a professional team making the application. They know exactly what works and how to work the system to their advantage.

The sad thing is I contacted Motors TV about 3 years ago about televising CL Speedway (as the rights for that haven't been signed away). I sent them a couple of discs of meetings and they were very keen. I then spoke to a Promoter and a video production company. The Speedway you have seen on Motors TV the past two years shows how hard they pursued things!

Rostrum: Pedersen, Andersen and Crump. Could be in any order but got a feeling Crump will up his game enough to take the title this year. 4th to 6th: Adams, Gollob and Hancock, again in any order. Then I think Holta, Nicholls, Lindgren and Sajfutdinov will be competing for a top 8 spot.

I don't need to as I know the answer, just wondered what your version would be. Yet again you only answer the questions if you think they show Poole in a good light. However if you or your Promoter ever had a conscience perhaps I could put it at rest a little. As a man of far more tolerance than myself at least and far more decency than yourself and your Promoter he is not against the idea. In my opinion though the idea should never have been put forward in the first place without him being consulted and the FACT that it was speaks volumes about the way this meeting has been organised from the start. If you think that consulting the next of kin about a memorial meeting is nit picking then that speaks volumes about about you also.

Personally I feel it would be the business of Tim's next of kin more than anybody else, perhaps you could ask your mate what Tim's step-father said when he was asked about running the meeting as a memorial and let us all know the answer.

Possibly because the loss of this meeting could so easily have ended any hope of Newports return. For myself though it is the cynical exploitation of whatever the Poole promotion thinks will get the most people through the gate. I have no problem with Promoters doing their best to bring crowds into their stadiums in normal circumstances. Indeed Poole are one of, if not the best at that very thing and therefore have probably the biggest and most succesful club in the country. However in this instance it is my opinion that they have thrown any decency or respect for the memory a good friend of mine out of the window in the rush to make money.

Strange how your opinions change! Here is something you said earlier about calling it the New Year Classic or using Tim Stone's name: "It certainly should be when it returns to Newport. But it would be wrong to call it that this time around as Tim Stone had no connection with Poole and in marketing terms the name will mean little or nothing to the average Poole fan. And before anyone jumps on that comment, I don't mean it disrespectfully. Hence perhaps the reason the name is being changed from NYC to Champion of Champions. When, or if, it returns to Newport, it should be called the Tim Stone Memorial Trophy."

Lets not forget that Poole were kind enough to leap in and rescue the event because there would not have been time for Newport to organise a meeting if a new promoter was in place for the AGM. Good to see then that Poole have time to re-organise things after they realised their original plans were impractical. All along that was a nonsense as is the talk of rescuing the event, as was any mention of respect for Tim Stone and all the other drivel. I would have so much more respect for the Poole Promotion and their internet spokesman Mr Shovlar if they just stopped all the bull about saving the event and said that they saw an opportunity to make a few quid and jumped on it. It still wouldn't endear me to them but at least it would be honest.