topsoil

Anybody any ideas as to when the 2015 dates and venues for the SEC and Pairs is likely to be announced?

Firstly, excellent news that Eastbourne are running at all next season, I don't like to see any track closing down, especially one with such history. Eastbourne were at their best when local youngsters were coming through, Dugard, Barker, Norris etc. As a whole, British speedway needs to produce more riders, this is one of the ways to do it. Good news all round.

As Vince says above there isn't a lot wrong with the basic concept of the sport. It is just a shame it keeps shooting itself in the foot. Too many rained off meetings, too many rider absences, inadequate facilities, lack of investment in training etc. If you look at old footage of the sport in previous decades there is night and day between the quality of the product on the track. Unfortunately costs have also gone up accordingly and a lack of investment and long term planning is catching up with the sport big time.

Apologies for being late to the topic but I've only just finished watching one of the best meetings I've seen in a long time. Race after race the commentator couldn't keep up with the passing manoeuvres. God only knows what would have happened had Nigel Pearson and Kelvin Tatum been commentating on some of the moves pulled up. Got a feeling Tatum would have internally combusted live on TV. Just a thought for the GP series, and I know there are issues regarding the cost of holding a GP and so on, but maybe they should give a thought to alternative venues, i.e. established permanent tracks like Czestochowa (yes, the crowd was poor, especially given the standard of racing), perhaps Pardubice and the likes, rather than temporary tracks which don't often produce the same standard of racing. I've actually enjoyed watching the SEC and Pairs events more than the GPs and World Cup this season. The Pairs especially is a great format I reckon, and also enjoyed seeing tracks such as Holsted, Gustrow and Czestochowa for the first time.

Excellent performance from Kevin and well backed up by Alex Edberg. Matty had a decent night still coming back to fitness. Unfortunately not backed up by our normal big scorers. Chuffed for Kevin coming into form these past couple of months after a tough start to the seasson. Must take all three points tomorrow night if they we are to have any chance of winning the group, but that is going to be a tough ask.

Cant see us getting more than 30 tomorrow night. The record around Armadale is shocking. The only hope is that Matty is fully fit and can take seven rides. Any match points tomorrow night a bonus. Hopefully we can take the three points on Saturday but that will be a big ask.

Still laugh at the story I was told about the first time Wayne Brown went over the border to race at Edinburgh. Roger Wright and Mike Fullerton asked him if he had his passport with him. When he said he didn't they told him they would have to smuggle him over the border. Just after leaving Berwick they stopped the car and he got in the boot. Only when they got to Scotland did they tell him the truth.

Not just a "PL thing" but I would like to see every team in the country be forced to field a junior team. The sport needs as many young riders to come through as possible. Make it part of the second half, giving crowds more entertainment. Can only speak from experience at Berwick, but plenty of fans stay around for junior meetings there. If we must continue with tactical rides, make it off 15 metres. Generally better entertainment between races for the crowd. Promoters at least looking into the idea of track covers. Fewer doubling up / down riders if possible. More Sky TV coverage of the PL.

Wonder how many Edinburgh fans will be coming down to watch some more "gate and go" speedway at the Fromthegate Arena on Saturday night?

Good way to finish the regular season, beating a team who I thought at the start of the season would be right up there. Claus and Kevin, in particular looked fast tonight, probably the best I've seen Kevin ride for Berwick. Probably hitting his best home form at this time. Expected a lot more from Josh Grajczonek who I have seen go really well round Shielfield before. Kyle Howarth and Ricky Wells had flashes though. Nice touch to see Liam as part of the post match celebrations. Good to see he is still thought of by the promotion. Going to be a long road back for him. PS got to echo the thoughts earlier on in the thread regarding Matty Wethers. Great to see he has obviously not lost his nerve despite his horrific crash. Hopefully he will be back to full fitness soon. Just goes to show what I've thought for a long time, speedway riders are a different breed.

If the League Cup meeting was anything to go by this meeting should be good. If memory serves right Berwick only just scraped a win that night. Be good to see Berwick round off a successful campaign with a home win. Weather bright as well.

The league table doesn't lie, Berwick look like being one of the weaker teams in the play-offs. Edinburgh, Somerset, Ipswich and Scunthorpe seem to be hitting form at the right time, while Berwick are going in the opposite direction. Not complaining though, if you had offered a play-off spot at the start of the season I would have thought that would represent a good season. Some very good teams in the play-offs, should be some great matches coming up.

Berwick got away with one tonight. Scunthorpe were heading for a 5-1 in heat 14 until Ashley Birks packed up, causing a very nasty looking accident with Steen. Thankfully both seemed okay. Then in the re-run John Auty taking a bad fall after completing the race minus a steel shoe. Auty would have been a probable for heat 15 and was looking good. Matej Kus proved the match winner driving inside the excellent David Howe in heat 15. Just glad to pick up a win of any sorts tonighht. One or two riders a bit under par and a solid opposition.

Expect a tough meeting here, I reckon Scunthorpe are solid all the way through, with the potential ace Ashley Birks at reserve. Good choice of reserve in Hugh Skidmore after last weeks performance. Hopefully Matej keeps up his good run of form and Matty can hit the ground running at reserve. Should be a cracking meeting.

Before the meeting I would have thought 34 points would be about par at Somerset, but after the start we got and leading after heat 7 I'm a bit disappointed at the capitulation that followed. But I suppose it also shows how strong Somerset are at home, even without Brady Kurtz, who has had a hell of a debut season. Going to take a good team to stop them. Still my favourite away track and a hell of a way to kick off the Cardiff weekend.

Excellent performance from Matej tonight. A seven ride maximum, full or paid, is a special achievement. Struggled a little bit at the start of the season, but has ridden brilliantly since dropping down to reserve. Does anybody know who he belongs to?

Whether you are in a struggling team or not has nothing to do with individual scores. Riding for a poor team hasn't affected Simon Stead's form for Sheffield this season.

Weren't the Russian teams criticised for containing riders who didn't ride for them back in these days? But it would be great to think one day a speedway version of the Champions league could be as widespread as the football version, including teams from several countries.

I'd like to see some sort of European competition introduced to speedway. Unfortunately because of the way speedway is run with riders competing for teams in up to four or five countries it looks like being very difficult to implement. Football has the Champions League, an unbelievably lucrative competition, look at the new TV deal signed with BT Sport. Rugby union has the Heineken Cup, or whatever the new competition is called. Again a very lucrative competition for the teams involved. In both sports these competitions are seen as a natural stepping stone between domestic leagues and international competitions. Any competition which brings TV exposure and money into speedway gets my backing. Just needs a bit of well thought through planning. Remember English football league clubs turned their noses up at the original European Cup back in 1956. Now it's the holy grail.

Disappointing not to pick up a point tonight, I thought we would have enough riders who would be suited to the Peterborough track to get something. Very little chance of a top two finish now which means a likely trip to Armadale and possibly Brough Park in the play-offs. All in all though if you had offered a play-off place at the start of the season I would have taken it. Berwick were very much outsiders to reach the play-offs in the eyes of the pundits and bookies.

That sounds nasty. Long winter to hopefully come back stronger and ready for next season. Would really like to see Liam succeed. The sport needs far more young local riders coming through.

Wrong on all four points

I can think of half a dozen passes tonight. There was also plenty of close races. Berwick is a very fast track and there isn't much we can do about the shape because is it round a football pitch which isn't going to move. It would be brilliant to have a purpose built track of our own, but in this day and age there are very few councils who would pass planning permission for a track, certainly not the one in Berwick. So it is Shielfield or nothing. Not that I am complaining because there has been some very good racing there this season.

First time I've heard this podcast. Some good interviews and quite enlightening to hear about Mitchell Davey and his injuries. Part of the sport you don't hear much about. Scott Frame did a good job on Biker FM.

Chuffed for Matty Wethers tonight he's not been in the best of form of late, but seemed to have an edge tonight. Good to see him back to something like his best. Matej also sharp out of the gate and looks fast when in front. Steen also attacking the first and second bends better than of late. Just a word for Sheffield. Every team goes through bad spells. Only a few years ago Sheffield were unbeatable at home and were a fixture in the end of season playoffs. Every team has downturns. Their time will come again. Tuesday night is going to be tough, no doubt about it. Need every rider to be on top of their game. Can't wait.