I have vivid memories of the first Speedway meetings I can recall being at, and that includes the music on the annoy at Lynn between races. Two particular songs I can remember hearing were IOU by Freez and Self Control by Laura Branigan, and putting that alongside some riders I can remember means my earliest memories were probably 1983. Can certainly remember Ole Olsen and that was his last season.
Without the music it would have been difficult to know!
I think Lynn fans' perception of Ellis at the AFA are skewed because of some pretty horrible guest performances, most recently last season. But as an opposition rider he's always been pretty good ever since paid 20 on his debut there for the IOW back in 2012 in the NL.
We do!
Use the one on my phone but having a physical one on display in the kitchen with columns for all four family members for their stuff is a great tool for not forgetting stuff. Plus a pouch at the bottom for letters etc!
IPSWICH - clearly the strongest team on paper and if not decimated by injuries this time should top the table comfortably.
BELLE VUE another strong team assembled in M12 with potential lower down the order, would expect the Aces to meet the Witches in the final all things being equal
SHEFFIELD clear vulnerabilities at reserve but their top four will win plenty of meetings especially at home
KING'S LYNN always going to have a strong reserve and should be difficult to beat at the AFA but heats 13 and 15 look tough work on the road. Could be a tight scrap for 4th but I'm being biased and plumping for my own team 😁
LEICESTER very similar line up to last year but Howarth doesn't adequately replace Lawson for me and can Cook be relied upon across a whole season?
BIRMINGHAM a vast improvement on last season's side, you just wonder whether 100% will be given by everyone team member every week. If it is they could crash the top four and be dark horses
OXFORD Gusts is an exciting signing but they look 7th strongest to me without changes
Pride of the East podcast all about the Young Stars in 2025, with guests Jason Pipe, Jody Scott, Callum Mitchell & Cooper Rushen:
https://x.com/PrideOfTheEast/status/1880905837801361774?t=RIA9VqoJ5DsyoVcwjKfMZQ&s=19
I guess you do but I've always been of the mind that if you are going up to the limit for the sake of it and shoe horning in an unsuitable rider or submitting to somebody asking ridiculous money then it can be a fools errand. Voulas and Jeppesen potentially have serious improvement in them, to leave one of them out for someone who has a higher average but not much else going for them in comparison would be silly IMO.
Getting the right blend of riders is more important.