Hawk127

I don’t think that is the case. The sport needs an open minded approach as was the case years back and an example is Rye House before the Rockets moved from Rayleigh in 1974. Before that Rye use to operate on a open licence and I believe one of the main open meetings was the Ace of Hearts, happy to be corrected on this point. Going forward what is required is a reality check. If some tracks could offer open meetings but not team racing and if others want to participate at a level which is a notch down from what we have now but is designed to be competitive and a stepping stone for riders so be it but until clubs encourage growth from the grass roots upwards the sport is continually chasing its tail for a stream of talent to break through into a potential professional league which in reality is only the top league. The sport in this country can only afford to provide a full time income at the top level where because of the top names they can attract a certain level of sponsor but below that reliance is on local sponsors or run by offsetting losses against the main operating business of the promoter (not speedway related so it is a hobby) to fund rider contracts but this is a precarious route when you look at the financial situation businesses across the UK find themselves in with increased costs from NI to business rates(where applicable) energy costs, medical cover, fuel costs etc. What right minded sole would enter the speedway arena where you have a cartel running the sport, lack of training for young talent and rules that are set to stop all riders breaking into the sport. It didn’t happen years back and you now have Nora because of the intransigence of a few who in charge for some reason have the attitude it is my way or no way. How many riders have been lost to the sport because the rider points average has impeded a riders progress and promoters ignore development of the sport in favour win the league at all cost and manipulate the rules to achieve success. Every existing track in the UK (running now or dormant) should automatically be granted a licence to run meetings. The level they want to operate should be declared by each track operator at the end of October and the league racing participants as opposed to open licences be declared in the first week of November and then the leagues can be determined from which the following seasons planned programme can be agreed. Of course that depends on a number of other factors but for now you have disarray with riders looking to plan for next season but the UK is dragging it’s heals which is the same as usual year on year because forward planning does not feature in the operating model. No rider in their right mind is going to hang around on the basis of a promise. The UK authorities need to up the ante and consider the mean of the word ‘professional’

I know this might seem a daft question but is any local radio station doing a live commentary of the meeting. It has happened in the past with other final meetings but I suspect that old technology has been superseded by pay to view. Shame really when many a local stations still cover football live.

No you are right and if you go back even further Canterbury on a Saturday and Eastbourne on a Sunday. Many a happy time following Rayleigh on the visits to both these clubs and throw in Crayford, Peterborough and Ipswich, happy times back in the late sixties and early seventies and good crowds with the odd scandal involving fuel additives etc and Dave Lanning or Johnnie Hoskins stirring the pot and the tribal following came to the fore. Romford was another track in the group so you always got good crowds. After the meeting at the Weir all roads lead to the blinking owl cafe on the A127 where the riders also use to go.

Watching the coverage tonight really rams home how poor the t v presentation outside Poland is, they have most angles covered and treat it as a professional sport and if only the rest of Europe and the UK could adopt this. This afternoons meeting showed a young and enthusiastic following with that tribal attitude and that formula needs replicating across Europe and this evenings meeting is another spectacle. We live in hope that others can follow.

Why not repeat yourself to make a point!

A good afternoons entertainment and with it nip and tuck and an enthusiastic young crowd it had just about everything you would want from a finale. On to the next meeting alas the last this season.

Tension mounting what a heat 13.

Great race by Kvech. Deserved that win.

Harsh on Keynan but that’s racing.

Anyone who has access to Facebook take a look at Ipswich stadium and it is packed to the gunnels. Crowds that speedway can only dream of but hopefully a GP at Ipswich and let’s hope BelleVue can stage one and generate a good deal of interest for the sport in the UK. Until then take a look at tonight’s match in Poland to remember/realise how good it can be.

What more could you ask for but some of the best riders entertaining you on a Saturday night. Takes me back to the days at Rayleigh on a Saturday night and Len Silver putting on a meeting that was guaranteed to entertain and waiting for the results to come in from the likes of Coventry, Canterbury etc. Tonight’s Polish meeting is top draw and sad that we have now reached the end of the season. Another days racing tomorrow and again thanks to the guys who help give us this insight to European speedway

As an aside to all the tribal discussion, just seen the World Championship banger meeting starting today at 4pm at Ipswich is sold out and the only way to watch the meeting is on Spedeworth TV. I guess the stadium holds circa 10k and if Spedeworth can organise an event like this then no reason why Mayfield cannot fill the stadium for the GP.

A decent meeting and the last four heats had some of the best racing. Well done to Leon Madsen. These individual meetings in Europe bring out the best in the riders and I only wish we had more individual meets in the UK with some real prize for being the winner. Dream on as far as that is concerned and thanks for the links for this and all the seasons meetings we are indebted to Racers & Royals and Stewmac for the valuable contributions that they make which enable many to watch European speedway. Cheers guys.

Yes that was it and unfortunately I witnessed that one standing on bend 2. Getting old so the memory is not what it was but that was one of the worse crashes I have witnessed and the silence while they attended to Mark was awful.

Did they also run one from Felixstowe or am I imagining that?