mikebv

Same bikes ride the NSS with barely a crash in three years...

I remember going to Odsal many times and watching Gary Havelock clear off in Heat One on a very grippy track and win by around 70 to 80 yards.. The locals lapped it up... It was actually crap to watch what was tantamount to 'drag racing'... The NSS rides so much better when less grippy meaning all riders have confidence to ride closer to the others.. Tonight riders will be expecting the guy in front to rear up at anytime and potentially wipe them out.. Not conducive in letting them concentrate on passing the guy in front, which usually means spread out safety first racing.. Lets hope it slickens off quickly..

When Paul Sholes took a knock he too got described the same.. Gingerist...

About two hundred more than crashes so far....? Just heard they can't get access to the track on Monday and Thursday's in August so can't run a meeting at the height of summer.. Not the greatest of business plans when you run a summer sport on Mondays and Thursday's.. School holidays and no meetings... British Speedway...

Maybe even run a four riders per team per match league? Like the Danes used to do and the SWC runs.. £2500 max per team would need £12000 to pay all the riders on show and VAT.. £5k per match to run it ex rider costs, (is that about right?) And you'd need circa £17k.. Without any sponsorship, 1200 at £15 would bring £18k in, so would having three away teams worth of fans bring an average 1200 in if nationally ran to bring in some variety, and the odd 'regional week' where you race your local rivals.. 16 teams would need 64 riders, with, per team, one earning £300, one earning £500, one earning £700 and one earning £1000 per night.. Complete all four fixtures in a group per week and that's £4k for the Number ones, down to £1.2k for the Number fours.. 16 heats of racing where each No1, 2, 3 and 4 just race against their same numbers four times so each gets a gate position... And all 16 races then have riders of roughly equal levels so hopefully decent racing... Make the No4 position British U23 only (or over 23 but less than two years racing), and no rider at No4 can have an average over 4 at Champ level. They get four races per night and can only get replaced in a team if not good enough by similarly classified riders.. And they stay at No4 all season, not earning a fortune for four nights but better than NL money (?).. The other three positions in the team can be inter changeable using rolling averages, meaning if you improve over time you get more money, or vice versa should you drop performances.. No team riding maybe but then again, not much takes place now.. Grade the riders A to D, and use mean averages for each sector to deliver an overall team strength which will prevent any team signing the best of each sector.. Hopefully meaning close racing due to similar levels of rider per race, a fair share of gate positions to deliver an overall true picture of each riders capabilty, responsibility and pressure on each rider to deliver within their sector, you improve and you get more money, or vice versa, so performance related pay is in place, three lots of away fans to hopefully bring in some money and create some atmosphere, a variety of teams to stimulate interest, a protected structure for young inexperienced British riders and hopefully several spare riders out there to bring in rather than using guests to cover injuries.. All ran at each track on the tracks own choice of race night due to riders only being allowed to come on board if they make themselves available when the sport in Britain dictates... The actual amount of times each teams meet each other would need to be worked out and it may end up with more local teams meeting more regularly (hopefully those being the money spinners) but the US Sports show it can be done where you play some teams more than others.. 24 weeks of racing would give 24 home meetings and, at four times per week, 96 matches per rider overall... A chance to get and earn plenty of coin.. Radical but maybe the sport needs radical...?

Enjoyed that... Balls of steep that backstraight move in the final... Be he had to breathe in...

Watching him a couple of seasons ago I suggested he would reach second string level in the 2nd Div at best... Or become one of those constantly interchangeable lower scoring reserves in the top division, where you are really nothing more than someone making the team because your average conveniently fits rather than anything you bring to the team.. Nothing since has convinced me he will reach any higher.. A bit really silly in making comments like he did without any ammunition to fire towards his own claim of a place..

Spot on... Can't imagine the companies that film the racing at the various tracks around the country sell thousands of DVD's for each meeting, so surely it would be more beneficial financially for themselves to get paid by the clubs to stream the racing live? Speedway pretty much now has a hard core of followers at most tracks who will be there week in week out, with crowds (unless on TV or poor weather), not fluctuating up and down by any more than 10 to 15% from the average I would suggest.. And streaming would especially help the clubs financially on those nights when the weather is a bit ropey, as many don't attend the track now, but would no doubt pay to watch the stream from the comfort of their armchairs.. As I say, the die hards will be there anyway, those who spend the most money all season with the clubs, it's the less regular attendees that streaming will pick up, increasing their contribution to the clubs finances..

No need to get rid of the greyhound tracks. Gustrow's track, for example, as a foot print, would sit within most greyhound tracks.. Cannot complain when tracks pay hundreds of thousands to riders who put hardly one extra punter on the gate, instead of spending hundreds of thousands on their tracks (and improve the entertainment), which could maybe attract more punters... The longer the straights and tighter the bends, the more horsepower, and trapping, plays a part.. The longer the bends and smaller the straights the more ability and track craft plays its part.. The longer riders go sideways, rather than in a straight line, the better the racing..

Not really.. It was designed on a track built in 1928.. Many tracks could do a 'mini NSS'.. ie wide bends and more circular than oval. ..

It's great to watch a race track that allows riders to concentrate on racing and lining opponents up to try and pass them rather than worrying about finding some grip from nowhere and heading towards a fence, or maybe an ambulance.. Riders will provide great entertainment if they are allowed to.. The NSS allows that opportunity. Having all four riders enter a final lap with all thinking their position isn't guaranteed is great to watch...

As usual, a very good meeting at the NSS.. The Poles are in a different league with their lads racing week in week out against the worlds best. Under proper pressure for their place in their teams too which focuses the mind somewhat i would suggest which resonates in their performances'.. GB was 'the best of the rest' with Lambert and Bewley showing that over the next five years they are 'up there' to compete at that very high level.. As we know, U21 stardom isn't a guarantee of World success.. Let's just let the lads develop without expectation and see where it takes them.. In Leon Flint I do think we have a genuine talent..

That 'Guest' team not doing very well... Have they got a 'Guest' Manager too..?

It would give the riders plenty of guest bookings... And if you double up you could ride almost all year.. Just have Xmas day off.....

Maybe one league using something similar to the US sporting model...? ie. Play your regional rivals more than you play your national rivals.. Then, in the case of speedway, come play off time each region (presuming there's four), sends its no1 team to them...?

Something definitely to consider.. You do feel that it's only a matter of time before greyhound racing is 'hounded out' of existence given it's poor PR... Definitely feels like an orchestrated agenda gathering momentum against the greyhound fraternity.. Not to mention the falling crowds it suffers.. Housing development is much sought after politically too by local MP's so they won't be too favourable towards the greyhound followers I would suggest..

You wouldn't be an 'away fan' just because you live 80 miles away as that is your team.. You would only be an 'away fan' if you purchase your ticket from the 'away club'.. Now in your case as you live 80 miles away from your own teams circuit that might mean you have another team closer? I suppose therefore if that is the case you could buy a ticket from them and attend as an 'away fan' when the teams meet, but that would be very much an isolated scenario I would suggest. . To 'police it' tickets would only be sold in person at the away venue, no post, no emails etc.. Maybe more than just 'one fan' would be encourged to attend all season if they had some savings to be made to motivate them? Oe maybe just let them in for free? Then the restrictive travel costs, and any expenditure on the night, is the only outlay.. As can be seen from your example, hardly any away fans are there now so clubs would hardly lose any significant revenue.. And just maybe it will grow the overall experience to encourage more locals to attend more regularly?

I doubt touting would be a problem in a domestic Speedway meeting. . Fair play though if someone wants to travel to pick them all up and travel back and stand outside a venue and try and sell them... Maybe like the Poles do there could be an 'away end' (or a bench as it would probably only need) so the tickets marked 'away fans only' can only be used there.. I am sure this would put off any 'sharp practice' because as everyone knows 'your place is your place' week in week out and no one would want to lose 'their place'.. Bottom line is hardly any away fans travel now and the atmosphere is crap at most Speedway meetings.. Manchester Library will have more atmosphere and noise on a daily basis than the NSS does on a race night, (and that's a track that delivers great racing to be excited about!).. As a kid in the 70's I remember the Aces v Sheffield matches in particular and they stand out because hundreds of tigers fans came to watch. Cant remember much about the racing but do remember the noise created and the atmosphere generated by those followers.. Similar the Aces v Wolves matches of the early to mid nineties at the Dog Bowl, again the racing was secondary to what I remember about the 'banter' and the fact the result actually meant something given the passion of both sets of supporters.. Poland is a perfect Speedway example of how away fans generate that tribal atmosphere so important at a 'team sport event'. All in their teams colours replica T shirts.. And obviously many other team sports rely on the away following to generate atmosphere in their grounds, hence 'twenty is plenty' was adopted even by the 'God is Money' Football administration, as away numbers were dropping at some clubs... Hardly any away fans go now so nothing will change atmosphere wise until they do.. Time to think a bit more radically on how you can get them there..

Exactly. .. So charge away fans a tenner... Who knows maybe the club could help with a subsidised coach hire or two? 100 away fans cheering on their team might inspire their riders a bit more.. But more importantly it would make the meeting an 'event' (like other 'proper' team sports have), giving it meaning, purpose and relevance, (not to mention atmosphere), which some might find worth in attending again..

Not saying it would cover all costs but would go some way to help pay for them... Maybe also give 200 tickets to the away club for each match, to sell only from their ticket office at a tenner a pop? Even if only 100 get taken up its another grand, and 100 away fans stood together would bring a bit of tribalism and atmosphere to the sport which is sadly lacking at present.. Local derbies against traditional rivals would get a good couple of hundred I would think most times if charged a tenner which would deliver a real intense atmosphere that other team sports generate..

Five man teams, (you only need two riders each per race).. Salary capped to £5k a match, regardless of number of rides, £1500 to No1 down to £500 for No5 at intervals of £250 a position... Meaning No3 (Mr Average) gets a grand a night.. Total cost for both home and away matches is £10k.. Try a 12 team league first up (expand as and when more riders are available), meaning 60 riders needed which would then also mean a good few 'subs on the bench' for replacements.. (No guests!) Home and away twice each team means 44 league matches, 22 home and 22 away,.. Charge £15 per adult, kids free (U18) and 1000 punters would give you £15k pay the £12k needed for riders for both meetings, and VAT, and leave £3k over towards your home meeting costs... Maybe run a 'pay to ride' second half to help offset some of these meeting costs and give budding riders track time, (plenty of motorsports do "pay to compete" days).. Team strength would need to be Championship No1/Premiership Second or Third Heat Leader level, down to NL No1/Championship reserve I would suggest.. 44 matches (ex play offs) equals £66k for No1 down to £22k for No5... Not a fortune but as a job for just six months of the year not too bad, and nothing stops you getting a job during the winter..

Which is actually quite apt for a forum thats about Speedway.. Manys an unwritten rule is used during the season... Nike Superfly 6

Wow.... The trailer looks great.... Edit: just shown it my 16 year old lad and his official comment was "it looks alright that Dad, when's it on?".. High praise indeed....

British Speedway is crying out for a leading major well known Sponsor... Therefore. Surely Disney can see the obvious synergy between the two brands and would come on board..? The 'Mickey Mouse British League' would be perfect....

The Aces are definitely missing that third heat leader.. Dan is riding one position too high in the team as is Steve Worrall.. Their true level is as second strings... Their home form delivering a disproportionate overall average higher than their true capability... Not sure how the Aces sort that conundrum, hence a two man team in the main.. Especially when they have a team manager who struggles to give race winning reserves more than five rides...