mikebv

Interesting comments from Ben Barker in the Speedway Star re how the 2nd tier is "too strong" given so many top tier riders now double up and ride in it... Which is making the costs to compete far too high for some 2nd tier tracks.. A very fair point.. Several pages later Ben says how delighted he is to get a place at Kings Lynn...

I watched a match in the Championship the other week.. Danny King, Hans Anderson, Nick Morris, Steve Worrall, Rory Schlein and Kyle Howarth all rode.. Now those six riders should be heat leaders for three teams, not two. (In the same league I mean as they obviously are heat leaders for lots of teams in the UK).. Having three heat leaders of that level in the 2nd Div is madness, and means many other teams failing to get anywhere near, thus they end up spending money to try and compete that the admission money from five hundred punters or so can never hope to cover.. To be honest, for me, those six lads should really be heat leaders in six teams, as that spreads around "the talent" more evenly and maybe gives those with such low numbers of fans at least a chance to compete.. Bottom line is your attendance levels should dictate the league you race in, and moving around leagues (up or down), isnt going to make much difference either way to your average crowd numbers it seems... And on the odd occasions, we can see some "go up" and drop crowds, and some "go down" and increase them!

Nor Jude Bellingham... Nor Kevin Keegan, Tony Woodcock, Trevor Francis, Ray Wilkins, Gary Lineker, Paul Gascoigne, David Platt..... And France shouldn't pick Pogba, nor Portugal Bruno, or Ronaldo and no Neymar for Brazil...

I think it's clear that for many teams the "old NDL" level was perfect . Clubs who only get crowds of around 400 to 800 as an average, would be far better running at that old NDL level.. Paying some "old heads" a few quid extra, and the same to any lads who decide "I am quite happy at this level" even if the "powers that be" are not happy that they dont move up into the top two leagues... A top two leagues that are dont forget 90% the same, so as contrived, as contrived could be.. The NDL always seemed to the best ran, as well as offered the best value for money, as whenever I watched it the racing was very good due to the majority of all riders being not a million miles away from each other in ability.. And you could often audibly hear the young lads under their helmets celebrating as they got off the bike after winning a race, or cursing as they finished last, which showed how much it cared to them.. I could watch the Colts at the NSS for £10 for me and my lad pre Covid or pay £33 to us to watch the Aces.. Needless to say my "live Speedway fix" invariably meant a Colts visit, rather than an Aces one.. The fundamental problem that exists is that, "Moving up a league" means absolutely nothing in Speedway given you can pick and choose what leagues to race in, therefore I fail to see why some promoters see this as some kind of advancement or aspiration and risk their comfortably working business model... The fans dont see "moving up" as anything "exciting" as they know that the top two leagues carry no "Wow Factor" in winning, and, no disrespect, but there are hardly any 'superstars' going to visit your circuit that will bring those extra fans so needed to be sustainable in.. And you put your prices up to pay for the added costs, which is never a good idea when customers dont see any tangible difference in what you offer... I would suggest that whether those in charge like it or not, the sustainable level for the majority of clubs in the UK nowadays is the "old NDL level" or, maybe, at a push, "Championship Lite"...

You pick your best riders... If that's Woffinden and Lambert then they ride... The sport in the UK needs as much publicity as it can get so a SON win, in the UK, will give it some of that much needed publicity.. If Bewley and Ellis both qualify for the GP's though then I would think the selectors have some thinking to do... But as it stands, given both Woffinden and Lambert more than hold their own at the very top of the sport in Poland, the GP's and the SEC, then they will be, quite rightly, in pole position.. As that experience of riding at the very top level week in week out will inevitably give them an edge.. Be good to see Ellis get a Polish top league position next year as I think he is as near as damn it ready, and a GP slot will make the top tier over there take notice without a doubt... Pity he doesn't ride in the SEC too, as that will give him exposure to those who make the big decisions in Poland.. Riders like Zagar, C. Holder, Bjerre, and Lidsey are all similar in standard to him... And,, as seen last night, so too is Dan Bewley.. (Although in a completely different environment from racing in Poland with all the pressures to perform granted).. Its just good to have four riders either already at world level, or getting very close to it...

Well done Adam Ellis.... Constant, gradual improvement with even more to come I reckon.... Shame the WTC was stopped as Ellis, Bewley, Woffy and Lambert would be a decent quartet...

Isn't the ref watching the starts? Or is a computer over seeing them?

Or Sunday too? Glasgow? Redcar? Belle Vue? Peterborough? Scunthorpe? Ipswich? Kings Lynn? Plymouth? Leicester? Eastbourne? Newcastle? Sheffield? Mildenhall? Berwick? Could they all do either a Saturday or a Sunday "all dayer"? The IOW maybe too? As has been shown though at the IOW, you don't need six hours to put on an intensive entertaining show...

Too much grip down low again... On the outside run you get slightly in front then the rider underneath gets grip and moves ahead... Been that way in the matches I have seen st the NSS this year...

That's why we only need so few riders in both the top leagues....

Lucky guess.... At least they have got some decent camera angles at the start, for once, and maybe have prioritised the seats to be sold which are to be in shot the most? Hence it looks a 'decent' crowd if you take away the far right of the grandstand as you look... Standing looks a bit 'socially distanced'....

Looking at the number of seats in the Grandstand still showing 'Red', I presume everyone is having their tea before going along.. I am currently stood outside in the queue with Sir Kier and chrismorton ....

Luncheon Vouchers.....

Having been in Manchester over the weekend to watch United, I did spend a fair few hours, with thousands of others, in and around the city centre.... I was a little surprised to be honest to not see any promotion of this event in the host city, especially with it being THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP of one of those "Elite" sports mentioned during lockdown... Today however, I now realise why no one had time to run a fan zone, or get some local TV coverage for the meeting... Clearly holding talks around banning a second reserve from the meeting was the most important thing to sort out... Quite right too. I am sure all Speedway fans would agree that this was far more of a priority than actually actively marketing their own competition to a conurbation of 2.5 million people... What is the first prize tonight to help hype up the meeting and attract a huge crowd? £30k, £40k, £50k? Or maybe its one of those GTR bikes they bought a few years ago?

The issue you have now though is that the more tracks you have the harder it would be to find enough riders.. The campaign to get Rye House back is laudable, and Buxton coming back could possibly work. Then you have Oxford and the strides being taken there to resurrect the sport.. Bottom line is, should all three come back, (and the IOW potentially too), where would those 28 riders needed come from? And as for the 2nd Tier? It's the same virtually as the top tier due to the riders needing to ride as much as they do, therefore you cant dilute the 2nd tier to make it cheaper for teams to run in that league as 90% of all riders have to compete (by necessity) in both top leagues.. Those who run the sport certainly like painting themselves into corners dont they?. How do they get out of it? Who knows...

Has it been officially announced anywhere that Coles is out due to riding at the IOW? If it is official, maybe Nigel and Kelvin will mention it tonight? ... After they tell us what starting system is being used obviously..

And there is the issue.. It tries to be the second option but fails by a long way.. And all down to its very own operating model, that they seem to want to protect come what may. Regardless of all evidence that it simply doesnt cut it.. Several countries over the years have been successful from a world class rider perspective without a "league system" eg's. USA, Australia, and New Zealand.. With their operating model in those countries being very much a full evenings entertainment, allied to serious racing, as well as showcasing other types of motorsport and covering all age groups... The riders that become "too good" within this system then moved to Europe (ironically the UK at that time given it was the "Elite" of all leagues).. But those days are gone, hence some now go direct to Poland and Sweden to seek their improvement to the next level.. Whatever UK Speedway currently is, it simply "isn't working", if you take so many "cries for help" as a barometer, so whatever it decides to do, "doing nothing" can't be an option on the table surely? It missed a golden opportunity during the Covid lockdowns to reinvent itself, be innovative, and set out a brand new operating model fit for a 2021 audience.. Instead it came back with the "same old, same old" that has been around for 90 years or so... Apart from dismantling the NDL model which appeared to work for a fair few clubs... Got to give them that, they did action some change there...

Not too shabby for a "sideshow" then..? I suggest 'one or two others' may want to look into doing a "sideshow" too... As circa 15 mins of racing, watching the same riders over, and over, and over again doesnt seem to be making the required cut through does it? Of course that wont happen because we MUST have seven man teams, and all riders MUST be allowed to ride for two teams, but also MUST be allowed to ride for any other teams on any given night, and 15 heats (circa 15 mins), of Speedway, MUST be, for most evenings, the only thing on offer, and admission costs MUST be greater than £1 a race/minute, (or more than circa £60 an hour pro rata), as it's the ONLY way to run the sport (in the UK).. Isn't it?...

90% of riders ride in both leagues... Just so they can get enough rides to make it pay,. The middle tier therefore is basically the top tier..

Quite a few tracks seemed to able to run comfortably in the old NDL...

Bet there is no grip at the Russian GP... Gaters paradise...

Exactly... It's not how you get there, its whether you get there... Ivan Mauger spent years almost picking his riding number for the "big night" by ensuring certain qualifying positions in the previous rounds.. Pressure was on tonight and the lad came through without a second glance... World Champs are born not made and have that level that the others cannot reach...

What a surprise... Doyley..... How many years has he done that?....

Cant see Woffy accept being an also ran... He is a 3 time World Champ.. With plenty of money earned, and plenty more to be earned in Poland and Sweden... The racing nowadays is truly cut throat and not sure Tai has it in him to be riding like that...

Woffy, once again riding far too safe and timidly... No place for that kind of riding nowadays... He may make the top six and if he doesnt will be given a wild card surely? If he wants one that is... Must be very frustrating to realise you are dropping down the order after so many years competing at the top..