topsoil

It's been a while since Berwick posted a good score at Brough Park and I didn't expect much last night, but from what I've seen so far (very early I know, but I'm also basing it on the finish to last year), Newcastle are going to be right up there this season.

One week into the job and you want them sacked. Nothing like giving somebody a chance :-) Give them time and I reckon they will get a decent act together. It's a good format between races, a bit of crack about the race, up to the box for the result, a blast of music, the line up for the next race, a bit of crack about the next race, the race. Couple of interviews thrown in. It was always going to have a strange feel to it, after so long being used to Dick Barrie. At least the promotion are trying something different. Lot of new things brought in this season. It's working so far.

Cracking meeting, the races between Vissing and Lambert worth the admission alone. Track looked really good, with a few new lines. Another big crowd, good presentation, no real gaps between the races (finished before half 8) with lots of time for the youngsters to train afterwards. A good nights speedway all round.

Can see this being very tight tomorrow night. Robert Lambert and Steve Worrall very impressive round Shielfield, Ashley Morris scored a lot for Peterborough last season, Ludvig Lindgren always chips in. Might take Lewis Bridger and Dimitri Berge a couple of weeks to settle in. Hopefully Claus Vissing can carry on from where he left off last week. Lots of intriguing individual match ups. Personally I think Newcastle have the advantage in the heat leaders, Berwick (at home) in the second strings and reserves. As usual it might come down to heats 13 and 15. Looks like a decent forecast for tomorrow. Hopefully a big travelling support to boost the crowd. A good start for the new promotion last week, hopefully the momentum continues.

Given the rain that fell Friday night and all Saturday afternoon it was a minor miracle this meeting went ahead, tremendous credit to the track staff. Very enjoyable meeting given the conditions. Good to see queues to get in, full car park, very healthy numbers in corporate boxes and a good crowd in the stadium. Good to see Claus in fine form on his return. Will be very happy if he can keep up that sort of form. For the visitors both Worralls, Ricky Wells and Jason Garrity were impressive. Josh Grajczonek looked fast when out in front. Lets face it, you were never going to get the cut and thrust of league racing in an individual event, but there was still some good racing. Speedway season is back and there are a lot of positive things happening with the new promotion.

So what about the like of Kevin Doolan at Berwick? Doesn't ride anywhere else. Does he come under the ban? A brilliant servant to Berwick and British speedway.

So what would you suggest? Genuine question, interested in your ideas.

There are still riders out there without a team this season, Matthew Wethers and Theo Pijper to name two. There are bound to be more. I'm all for giving young British riders the chance to ride as many meetings as possible to further their careers but there has to be some sort of limit or there will be the same situation with r/r and guests every year due to commitment clashes.

He's a great role model as captain. Always has time for supporters, you should see the kids round him when the riders go into the crowd after the meeting. The story of him going into the crowd amongst the Berwick fans after the PLRC to thank them sums him up.

Lebedevs was very impressive at Berwick a few years ago in the World under 21 final round, on a track not dis-similar to Leicester.

Yes he always had a dig at those from the left hand side as he called them. But nearly all presenters have their little digs at the visitors. The presenter at Edinburgh used to be non-stop with Peter Waite, who did exactly the right thing and just laughed it off.

"Binning" the biggest meeting in the country in favour of a run of the mill league match. I can see the logic.

It would be great if Berwick and Sheffield could hold an annual event, even a pre-season friendly, for Ricky. Even if it is one year at Berwick, the next at Sheffield. Use the event to try out new race formulas, pairs, fours. I'm sure the meetings would get plenty sponsors, given the cause. Make a big thing of it in the local press and get as big a crowd in as possible.

Benny Johansson at Berwick a few years ago

Like him or not there's no denying Dick Barrie is a genuine speedway fanatic. I've spoken to him a few times and his enthusiasm for the sport is infectious. He's carried out almost every role in the sport and knows nigh on everybody.

Not so many "southern" clubs in the league this year. On the plus side it could mean better crowds at home this year. Look at the teams we are losing, Rye House, Plymouth and Somerset, none of these brought many fans. I have heard that the supporters club are running a bus to Cardiff on GP weekend taking in the Pairs as well (and maybe the U21 meeting on the Sunday on the way home?) might be more comes out through time.

Every little helps

You'r right about the optimism at Berwick, Scott Courtney was like a breath of fresh air last year, bringing a lot of enthusiasm to the team as manager and hopefully that will continue now he is promoter. As for Workington, if I was a fan I would think of a few things to look forward to this season. Firstly you have one of, if not the, top rider in the league. Then you have TJ, who I would really liked to have seen back at Berwick. You want entertainment, you'll get it with him. You also have a very decent set of reserves. Williamson will improve and Shuttleworth is a non-stop trier. It won't make many headlines, but the deal the promotion done in the off season with the landlords regarding getting income from food and drink sales will also bring in a lot more income. It won't make a difference on the track but it will give the promotion more financial security and hopefully ease worries about the future.

Speaking of Duns, any news on the training track these days? What sort of progress has been made of late?

Has anybody on here been to one of the darts events? It's basically a big stag do. Get everybody tanked up, get them singing, make it look like a great atmosphere, but conveniently leave out the drunken behaviour and fighting going on. How many speedway fans would want meetings turned into glorified piss-ups?

Probably both if they ride to form. Perhaps Australia have the better alternatives. Holder, Doyle, Batchelor, Fricke, Kurtz, Morris could be chosen ahead of Masters if he loses form. Not quite sure there are as many good British riders to replace Cook.

For promotion to work there has to be an incentive. Normally promotion leads to more income for a club, a TV deal, bigger crowds, but where is the incentive in speedway? For example, if Berwick won promotion (just imagine :-)) would the crowds get significantly bigger? Okay they might get the odd appearance on Sky, but would that cover the much bigger costs involved in the higher division? All good in theory promotion and relegation.

Stripped back to bare essentials, speedway could be the most attractive spectator sport out there. Every spectator sees every moment of every race. Unfortunately......

I'm looking forward to the Riders Championship being at Glasgow this year. On a selfish note, it's closer for me than Sheffield. The Glasgow PR people do an excellent job promoting the club, you only have to look at social media and the national newspapers up here to understand that. I'm sure they will go into overdrive for this one. Plus you start to see teams being filled up now and there are some damn good riders in this league. Craig Cook, Sam Masters (if he re-signs for Edinburgh), Richard Lawson, Lewis Bridger, Robert Lambert, Danny King, Jason Garrity, Josh Grajczonek, the Worralls, it will be a cranking line up. I haven't been to Ashfield since the improvements got carried out. hoping to get at least once next season. Seen it on TV and the racing looks great. If the event was to get moved from Sheffield, it makes sense to move it here.

So what you are saying is, take out his good scores and he would have a low average. Finally I've seen the light. I look at Workington and I see a decent line up. Obviously Cook could be one of the top riders in the league. Jorgensen is a good signing (I would liked to have had him back at Berwick, he had to ride as a number one for us, which he wasn't, but he is a damn good second heat leader), Proctor could easily do the third heat leader job. Roynon (if he avoids injury, again) and Campton are capable second strings (remembering the league is watered down), Williamson will progress (I liken him to our Liam Carr) and Shuttleworth is a good two point rider (I saw him at a junior event at Berwick last year, a real trier, never gives up). If I was a Comets fan (which I'm not) i would be pretty happy with it.