mikebv

Lambert has certainly got himself up to that '2nd Tier' of riders who are currently behind the likes of Zmarzlik, Woffy, Lindgren, Madsen, Doyle, Vaculik, Emil Laguta and Janowski... And possibly the best placed within that 12 to 15 or so riders to go on into that "Elite" group given the 'glide path' he has been on.. Not many riders become "overnight sensations" like Doyle did after about six years of pretty average performances.. Usually after three years or four years racing you can see who will make that "Elite" level as they will be riding to HL level over here in the top league.. Dan Bewley is the 'next cab on the rank' I would say given his end of season performances last year. Another full season like he finished the last will see him leap up the standings I would say, however, a season of mediocrity and where he is now (a solid HL in the UK) just may end up his level.. Woffy's support will be a huge opportunity for him to succeed, let's hope he can use it to move his career to the next level. (Top 25 or so in the World)

Spot on.... At 16, Joe Screen was riding in the top division of World Spedway and regularly beating genuinely World Class heat leaders, and at 19 winning the BLRC in front of a truly World Class field that would have been full of GP riders if that had existed at the time... And even with all that, Joe 'only' reached No 6 in the World.. No mean feat at all, but it shows just how far behind these lads are to where he was at their age (and even younger)... None of them would win races in the Polish top league regularly like Joe did in the equivalent level top league over here... Maybe they will develop to become 'top level' riders, and riding in Poland will definitely help with that, but there has to be some reality check as to where these lads are actually at... Genuine World Class talent is usually winning, or finishing top 3, in 'junior' World Championships at Under 21 level... Scoring maximums in the NDL, or riding at reserve in the Championship, at the same age as those who do win junior World Titles, is miles behind.. Robert Lambert is the most modern example of where you need to be at U21 level to become genuinely World Class.. Let's just give them some slack and see how they go, as being 'World Class' is truly a long, long way off for them all...

Ipswich did in readiness for the British Final... And Scunthorpe who ran the junior meetings also did...

I would be amazed if any track hasn't completed all its 'Covid protection' work a long time ago... Remember, last season was still supposed to take place a fair way into the pandemic, so tracks would have done the work then... In readiness for an almost 'instant return' should it ever have took place..

Probably save a good few quid in expenses too not having to get to the IOW... Especially for those 'northern tracks' that have coincidentally decided to run an NDL team this year...

A shame... Could they still run some 'open meetings'? One thing that the team on the IOW seems to grasp is that if you need 'X' hundred per week to remain profitable, you don't necessarily need the same 'X' hundred per week... And with such a transient population on a 'holiday island' promoting their 'product' to people who might only be there for seven days or so is vital... Every promoter should promote every meeting like the IOW do, ie just like it is their last... Because one day, for them all, it might be... The IOW team seem to understand this better than the vast majority of all the rest I would suggest.. Best of Luck to everyone down there...

And it doesnt really matter what the "rules" are, because, as we know, Polish Speedway will do exactly what is right for Polish Speedway, at even the slightest hint of them being impacted... Up to, and including, banning their riders from leaving...

With WJK in charge, maybe another war is being planned and they will try and take Berwick back? "FREEDOMMMMMM!!!" Get the muskets out lads just in case...

Spot on... The sport has riddled itself over the years with "journeymen" from overseas that have been on an almost revolving door basis.. "Tried him, didnt work. Next!" Must have collectively paid huge money out too for what on a lot of occasions has been short term results...

Wasn't that down to fact Speedway was an "Elite Summer Sport' and those who got offered a grant were classed as 'Winter'?.. Either way, I think the fact it wasn't "free money" was possibly the reason it wasn't pursued. Paying it back might have dissuaded them from going down that particular avenue.. Ironically, a year out for some tracks may have actually been beneficial given we hear so many "lose money" regularly.. And that year out has also, for me, put the standard to where it should have been in relation to its crowd levels a good many years ago. Which must reduce costs going forward.. A 'reset' was long, long, overdue, so maybe this season, with the TV money to add in also, could be a start of something more positive for the sport in the UK?

If the rule in England is 50% of the stadium capacity up to 1000 max, then WJK will allow 51% of the stadium capacity, up to 1001 max... Fan Dabi Double Dozi.....

*cough, cough*, You mean of course that "It's a case of it's in the interest of Speedway"... *cough*..

Imagine if Josh had been Matt Ford's nephew and Poole had signed him using the same criteria?? This place would have been in meltdown!!!

They should contact Boris to see what he is going to do, and they can then plan with 100% certainty what WJK will do. . ie. Exactly the opposite to him to show what a 'great leader' she is...

Fan-Dabi-Double-Dozi!!!

Looks a bit slick on the inside...

In Kelvin Tatum's book he mentioned the 'demographic change' in the East End of London that he felt meant the crowds were never going to be enough to keep the sport going at Hackney... Since then, the demographic make up of the whole of Greater London has become even more hugely diverse... Similar to a great many city centres in 'Speedway places' such as Manchester, Birmingham, Leicester and Wolverhampton for example.. And 'ex Speedway places' like Bradford.. Getting those ethnic minority communities who now live practically on the 'doorstep' of several tracks (some actually being the majority ethnicity in that area around the track), to take interest in the sport has to be a huge opportunity for UK Speedway.... We have a shop in Bradford that has 20,000 customers a week with over 90% of them who class themselves as 'Asian'... Guess what? We target them by offering a large range of goods that they want, and also provide offers on their 'staple purchases'... Speedway should try and engage these communities as a key part of their strategy in certain places...

And on it goes... "Please take us seriously"... I would think that given some clubs were saying that they wanted to keep their same riders from 2020 it would be inevitable that some 'carving up' needed to be done to ensure everyone got what they wanted...

As with so much of what the "powers that be" so unfairly get criticised for regularly on here.. A complete "coincidence" I am sure that he meets the exact required criteria on so many levels.....

I do like to think that part of the plan to bring on the UK lads is to try and ensure their availability allows more meetings to take place going forward in the future at the 'best' times. (ie weekend and BH's).... Brexit, Polands dictatorship of World Speedway, and the gradual erosion of Greyhound racing, are big threats, so having a good many domestic competitors has to be something that helps defend the sport over here against the first two threats in particular... Finding new homes as Greyhound tracks close is going to be a major threat, however there are plenty of examples currently of tracks which started out 'rustic' and developed from there so a blueprint does exist... To move forward though, it has to be in charge of its own destiny... And they will only have that when they can decide who races, where they race, and what time and day of the week they race on...

Really? British Speedway? Surely not?

In all sports the "youth team" rarely become "first team" regulars at the place they learned their craft, with the vast majority never actually "making it" at all in their sport.. And often, the best of them will be sent out on loan to other teams to enhance their experience of the wider world.. A good move for both Tom and Jordan I would say...

It really wouldn't be UK Speedway without a rule already in situ, and it not being followed, would it? I presume there must have been some glaring example(s) where certain teams couldn't then get certain riders if they followed the conversion rules? So they didn't... In the interest of Speedway obviously

I actually think the No1 being missing now has less impact than ever given the make up of the teams so a chance to try something different.. When the No1's ran 10 and 11 point plus averages, they made a huge difference to a team so invariably had to get replaced by a similar calibre rider... Now some will be seven or eight point men it means the 'top five' at most teams will not be too many points apart.. And as it's basically a "free hit" this year, maybe they could test the water and see if something 'different' works?.. Ome thing is certain you will never get any major company sponsorship of the teams by running with guests, as they wouldnt be too pleased financing the success of other teams to the detriment of their own I would think..

Fair call. .. The fundamental reality is that without a national mainstream recognition of the sport by 'the layperson' then it will never move forwards.. At least this now seems to have been recognised with attempts finally being made to put the National Team first by bringing through UK lads to hopefully develop to top level, rather than train up the rest of the world, which has been the plan in the past.. A highly successful plan too wasn't it? It must have been because it went on for decades... Get the National Team dominating the sport, and getting the wider level of publicity that comes with it, and you may then start to get some bigger companies involved in sponsoring it... A long, long way off though, and still maybe just too late? Hide the shovel just in case...