iris123

Didn't see the stats,but they sounds just that 'stats'.Look at how many teams spots are available and see how many riders rode.Good,but you are streched and in an ideal world.What then happens when things start to go wrong and riders get injured,riders decide they don't want to continue or would rather ride in Poland etc and the choice is getting more limited as each year passes. We don't have enough youngsters coming through and neither does anyone else.And if we limit the amount of meetings riders can do then we have to face the fact that more and more will just stop riding because it doesn't make financial sense,especially for foreigners to come over.It is also a fact that if you have a 14 meeting season like they do in Sweden and Poland you are less susceptible to riders missing through injury.I doubt anyone in the UK wants such a short season,and the more meetings the worse the situation gets with riders missing It isn't what i would like,but we have to face the reality that speedway is becoming less and less popular with youngsters taking the sport up,as well as fans who want to watch it I have said we need a re-think any maybe more of a continental style calendar for some tracks hosting just a handful of meetings.

I am not sure your statement is correct.The number of riders around Europe has dropped alarmingly. Doesn't Sweden have doubling up?As f-s-p stated before Sweden didn't want to know about finnish riders,but due to lack of home grown riders they became quite keen.The number of young Danish riders taking up the sport has about halved in just a few years.Even now in the past couple of years in the Bundesliga the allow German riders to guest for other teams.I'd imagine the amount of British riders has also dramatically fallen from the 80s and yet someone mentioned we still have roughly the same amount of teams.So how will the places get filled without doubling up?And as i have already pointed out,even back in the 70s when we had lots more homegrown riders we still had guys like Bob Coles who rode in both leagues,i guess to make it pay,but i am sure was a welcome sight at tracks Someone even mentioned that the Poles are having problems with youngsters,which is probably why they are so keen on getting riders over from other countries,which in turn gives us a problem

That is quite funny.Bet most of the crowd left shaking their heads in disbelief...........

But that is nothing to do with doubling up!!! You are talking about guests and we have had them even back in the good old days of the 70s,just as we had doubling up.I think there was at least one case of a rider who's team was going for the title riding as a guest for their rivals back in the 70s.Was Ivan Mauger i think one?

Looks like you are doubling up with the posts Moxey!!! Even tripling up now

Back in the 70s it also happened.maybe we didn't bother about it too much.Maybe it didn't happen as much as today.BL1 tracks had a relationship with a L 2 track often enough.Riders got a chance to ride in the top division fairly quickly,but also seemed to move up much quicker than today Look at Bob Coles for instance who moved up fairly quick to his local track Exeter,but found the going hard,so in 1971 rode for both Romford and Exeter.Then in 1971 rode for the West ham/Barrow team in BL2 whilst turning out for Exeter,then had a couple of years in the top division before again riding for Newport and Mildenhall in 1974.....

I'd agree.What i find appaling from a club promoter is he basically threw in the towel before it was necessary.When he said they still had a possible chance to reach the play-offs but was unlikely,he crossed a line.Nobody with in a cllub should give up until it is impossible.Even then it is letting the faithful fans down,to say we have no chance,we are letting our best rider pop off to Poland when he is needed......

Was wondering how old he would be?Wasn't he a promoter back in the 70s or was it later?Wasn't he related to the Templetons and/or Jimmy Mac?

Thought the Italian GPs used to get a lot less

I think it was one of those "Why are there so many more injuries this season" threads on speedway general discussions that get started most years around the end of April-start of May.Probably about two years ago now and might have been from daveallen81? Not 100% sure on it though

Madsen will be 29 in a few weeks.If he doesn't manage to get through the GP Challenge that is quite an age to have never made it through on his own talent.And also quite an advanced age to recieve a first wild card.Jagus was older,but did manage to qualify...

Think it naive to think BSI haven't spoken to Monster about their riders and their wishes..... We have had a number of rumours of riders getting a wild card because of their sponsors.Pepe and Iversen come to mind.We also had Mr Meridian Lifts who would on the odd ocassion tells us how things work behind the scenes and hw he could get a rider a wild card for a meeting at least.So you can imagine a bigger sponsor would have more power....

Sure someone done some stats to prve it wasn't more dangerous now than 20 or 30 years ago Fatalities are one stat,but i think the person who looked it all up(and i admire you people who go to all the trouble)actually looked at how many riders missed meetings through injury,which is important,possibly showing a broader picture than those who sadly died.

Only ever seen skynews posts from you

And don't expect anything more from Madsen.Always seems to disappoint in big meetings.Tbh i wouldn't take much from Polish averages.They have only done about 12 meetings and in the British league the averages were only starting to settle down at that stage in the good old days

See from Smolis statement after yesterdays GP,he isn't happy with his jawas and say's he has had a good offer from someone else,as his future hangs on the GP Challenge.Not sure who this mystery person is and what engines he will change to.Doubt it will be Egon Müller and his electric bikes though

As i said,he has hstory.worth doing a search,coz it is quite hilarious!!!

Do you remember beercellar from his previous time here?If you do you wouldn't bother.........but it was funny

Good point Steve.Said it a number of times here.What we have is fewer riders riding more meetings.Anders Michanek said in Backtrack about a decade ago that in his day there were far more Swedish riders.I'd be fairly confident in sayingat the same time there were far more British riders. Certainly Scottish riders..... Think someone went to all the trouble of looking at the stats,and they showed there weren't more injuries anyway,because practically every start of the season we had a thread asking why there were more injuries........

Not entirely true FIMEurope events have been no,no's.Thought a few riders have entered before. Nicki Glanz and Brendon Johnson,maybe 1 or2 others have entered

Not sure about Sweden.Could well clamp down if riders choose to miss their league,but doubt they would.But didn't they threaten riders before with suspensions?Not sure of the reasons now,but Jonason and Lindgren come to mind With Denmark,it would obviously be a disaster if top riders miss out as they are the stars that attract the crowds.Danish fans are similar to Poles and don't support foreigners like they do their own riders.Quite a bit probably depends on what sponsorship they have and if that is based upon being seen in Denmark and on danish TV....

As I said elsewhere, they would have my sympathy if they complained about unsafe situations across the board The fact that most riders have lined up against guys they knew were worse for wear because of alcohol or drug consumption lessens their case.They don't want to rock the boat when one of their mates is blotto.....

To let mechanics out on the track???At a guess

The trouble is Phil,speedway is a dangerous sport and anyone,i mean anyone,who has problems shouldn't be on a speedway track.That means darcy Ward,Antonio Lindbäck,seemingly Chris Holder and now Craig Cook.People need help to sort out their problems and only when they have got professional help and have their problems under control should they be let back on track We currently have a big discussion about how safe are the tracks,but what about riders who have drink,drugs or mental problems who are allowed to race against 3 other blokes?????

Don't forget the time difference between the SCB office and Wally Lane;Australia where Darcy lives!!!!