topsoil

There are still a lot of committed fans around Berwick and ones who have sadly lost interest in the team and sport because of the way things have gone this season. If the right promoter came along and actually actually went out and worked at bringing fans in, then worked hard at putting a show on to keep them there, Berwick and speedway in general wouldn't be in such trouble. What really got me last night was the plea for fans to take away posters and put them up in shops. Isn't the work of promotion down to the promoters? The clue is in the title. Supermarkets don't rely on their customers to do their advertising for them.

Haven't been there myself, but speaking to Berwick fans last night who had been there on Friday night, Scunthorpe isn't the most prosperous of areas and is suffering badly at the moment and the track is out of the town centre. Just what they had picked up from speaking to locals.

Big gulf in class between the two teams tonight. Somerset stronger in every department, especially at reserve, Track was a bit slicker this week, which was understandable, given that it was due to rain throughout the afternoon, but never came to anything. Theo Pijper a fine guest and once again Jorgo and Captain Kev gave their all, but reserves were a weak link and Coty seems to be a real trier but his machinery isn't quick enough. Reminds me a lot of Jade Mudgeway. All that said, some good racing tonight. Heats 13 and 15 were close all the way. Garcia chasing Starke for four laps in heat 8 and Kurtz and Doolan likewise in heat 11. Highlight of the night though was two cracking races between Leon Flint and Kyle Bickley. Two youngsters with big futures if these two races are anything to go by.

Random drug testing?

Preach to us, o wise one

I am assuming that when Mattias Thornblom was signed as a replacement, Ben Barker would be released by the club. Again, I can only imagine that he would give the club the indication that he would not be riding again this season. Ben is a Coventry asset, therefore Berwick would have no say where he went. He has said himself on social media he chose Peterborough as it gave him more meetings and more earning potential. As for the reserves, I too thought they would be a trump card. Both are vastly experienced, but for one reason or another, in the case of Richard Hall he has suffered from injury and mechanical troubles, things have not panned out. And just look at Ben's score tonight! When did he ever hit form like that for Berwick this season?

Robert Lambert is a talent, but just needs guided in the right direction, an experienced head, somebody like Peter Adams, who has helped Tai Woffinden a lot. Of course, it takes the rider to buy into the idea, but Tai had his detractors when he was younger as well. Look how he has turned it around.

Exactly, this is what almost everybody has been saying for a long time, an independent person in charge.

You are right in a lot of ways. As i have posted on here before I have been at football, rugby league, rugby union and T20 cricket matches over the summer. As for the actual sport, I wouldn't say speedway is inferior to any of these, but what separated these events from speedway was that all of these events gave the fan a full programme of entertainment. For example the rugby league event had mini rugby, fans running in zorba balls, music through good speaker systems, the T20 cricket had kids crashing into each other in bumper balls, quizzes, mascots throwing T-shirts into the crowd. Speedway is perfectly made for short bursts of entertainment between heats, tractor grading and intervals. It doesn't have to be expensive, Glasgow have kids running races against the mascot. I honestly don't think new fans to the sport will be worried about guests, rider replacement, tactical rides. Give them four riders in a race, with decent entertainment between and you will keep them happy. Fail to keep fans entertained and the sport is doomed. Interesting that a while ago a total outsider to the sport, apologies I cannot remember his name, said in the Speedway Star that the sport will never change as long as promoters run it themselves, as all they are concerned about is looking after their own needs and not for the good of the sport. Why would the BSPA chairman want to change anything while his team is successful?

I'm going to put this through google translate and see what it comes up with

If riders want to have a say in track conditions, why don't they spend more time at the track on matchdays? I will hold my hands up and say that I don't know what sort of timescale riders arrive at the track before a meeting (home riders I am talking about, you shouldn't consider the thoughts of away riders in track preparation, other than to make it safe). But these are "professionals" so why don't they meet up with the track curator on the day and discuss things with him? Or even some of the senior riders? If you know what type of track you are going to be served up, you might even look to sign a specific type of rider? Also that way you would like to think you get a better handle on set ups which seem to have cost Berwick badly this season.

Spellcheck. Its the future. Thornblom replaced him. Keep up. Technically Berwick couldn't stop Ben Barker leaving, he is a Coventry asset, Berwick replaced him with Thornblom in the 1-7, but from a fans point of view it is difficult to take when a rider leaves and you are still running with r/r (yes, I know it's for a different rider, but if you have the chance to run with 7 riders surely you do it). Don't know how fit Ben will actually be, but I suppose after not earning for a while he will be desperate to be back and he will get more chance to earn at Peterborough with playoff matches etc.

One topic out of twelve raised in the newsletter. If that's the "whole" newsletter, I guess so.

I was shocked at how bad the two of them were. I was expecting David especially to revel in those conditions. Last season there was times when he was really quick. First time I've seen him this season, couldn't believe how poor he was. Klindt turned out to be the match winner in heat 14 after doing nothing before this.

In Poland yes, latest example was Nicki Pedersen

Two good points here. The first regarding slicker presentation. Every speedway meeting could benefit from this. But there are inevitable delays for track grading and injured riders. And while it may not be appropriate while there is an injured rider lying on the track, at other intervals during racing speedway could help itself enormously by keeping spectators occupied by various means, music, interviews, even quizzes or other fun ideas (I've seen examples of running races between kids and mascots at Glasgow). Secondly the cost. The championship football team may charge £27.50 to get in but I bet the facilities are in a different league to any speedway club. On the odd occasion I've been to see rugby internationals or a Premiership football match and paid £40-£50 for a ticket, but get a seat in a great stadium, excellent views and facilities. Compare that to standing on a grass banking open to the elements.

I am not a Newcastle fan and I've not been on the Newcastle website to back up your claim about "advertising their sponsors" on the website, but you are spot on. I am involved in an amateur football team at a low level, but even we have a website with our results etc and at every opportunity we promote our sponsors with information about them and links to their websites. We do the same on our facebook and twitter pages. As I say this is basically a group of mates running a team. The exposure Newcastle speedway could offer their sponsors is vastly greater than us, but we keep our sponsors happy and Newcastle and other teams could be missing a trick here.

spellcheck is amazing

It seems that it never rains but it pours this season. Down to four fit riders by the end and one of those, Garcia, walking wounded after heat 1, to lose by a point was a hell of an effort. Carr and Thornblom out of the meeting neither of them at fault. Two cracking races between Cook and Doolan. Funny to see Cook was quick to take a hand shake from Doolan after winning heat 11, but Doolan almost had to wait 3/4 of a lap to get one off him after going round him in heat 13. Was shocked at Bellego and Kilndt (heat 14 apart) tonight, thought they would be a lot better. On the other hand I was impressed by Sissis. Take the Sheffield fans away and there was another disappointing crowd there tonight. Beautiful night, no speedway for two weeks, no excuses. But not totally unexpected. Unless you are a speedway fan already, you wouldn't know there was a meeting on tonight. I'll finish on a positive note, brilliant to see and hear Ricky Ashworth tonight. A penny for his thoughts when he was at the tapes tonight. None of the injured riders due to the track. Spot on. Didn't hear any bitching after Cook broke the track record, three seconds faster than anything this season.

I can vouch exactly for the first sentence. Recently went to a meeting with a football team mate of mine, I go every week, he goes once every two or three years. He wasn't interested in guests, rider replacements, he even got the tactical ride rule straight away and never batted an eyelid. He was happy with a pint in his hand and his only comments was about how impressed he was with the riders who "gave it a good go". For all he cared it was riders A B C and D. It just shows you that if speedway wants to win new fans it should concentrate on the entertainment it provides, along with decent facilities, rather than little rule changes.

It has to be said that there is an element who would be attracted to the sport by the prospect of crashes, I have been witness to that after speaking to people who were going to see a meeting for the first time. Perhaps this image could be used in the right way, showing spectacular crashes (albeit ones where riders get up and walk away) with passing sequences in a montage and stick it on sky and give it to all the teams to promote it in their areas.

Doesn't matter if it's Stead or Cook I fear the outcome will be the same, barring a lightning gate from Jorgo or an engine failure. On the subject of the empty Saturday nights I know some of them were explainable, the music concert in June, the British GP, the away meeting at Plymouth and the re-arranged Peterborough meeting for Sky, but maybe food for thought for (hopefully) next season, perhaps start a week or two later, avoiding the colder March nights (not that it bothers me, but attendances on those nights seem to be down) and ensure more racing during the summer months?

Hopefully so. But I really think the club has missed a trick at the height of the summer and with as many tourists going about that nothing has been done to attract them on a Saturday night. Some sort of a presence on the high street on Saturday afternoon, even asking volunteers to hand out leaflets. I'm sure if the club asked for volunteers, even reward them with a free entry for the night, there would be a few willing to hand them out on the high street or near the camp. The school holidays will be finishing soon. Disappointing to see even the lack of posters in shops. I've tried keeping an eye out for any but only seen one in the O2 shop and one in the large notice board outside b&m. If you weren't looking for them you'd never see them.

Looking at the team lines this will be a very difficult match. Going to need all the Bandits to fire to get anything I feel. But just glad to have speedway back after a couple of weeks off.

Ghostwalker, yes that's what I was meaning the smaller tracks for youth speedway. Would love to see more of these spread out through Britain. One big advantage of having dedicated speedway arenas.