skthecat

I think that some sort of tactical rule is needed, I personally don't enjoy seeing any team get totally drubbed..... especially if they have a rider injured/blows a bike or a team suffers at the hands of a dodgy exclusion or two early on, it can wreck a meeting as a spectacle... I did, as a youngster run many a "play" meeting and tactical substitutes were used copiously to closen scores.... Perhaps the tactical needs modifying so its used but at some risk to the team using it.....? Put the tactical rider off a 15 meter handicap or something, or only get double points for the race win, so he would get only 2 for second, 1 for third.. so the maximum score would be an 8-1 but no 5-4 etc....... Trying to be serious with this, as in earlier part of my post, it keeps a portion of the crowd interested if getting a bit of a wupping for whatever reason.

The only sure fire way to prevent a rider/bike going under the airfence is to bury the bottom 6-8 inches under ground, however, a severe impact on the airfence by a bike, rider, bike and rider will drag force the bottom of the fence out of the ground, and if the bike hits the fence first, the rider if at track level WILL go under it.. or the other rider/s & bike/s will slide under..... I don't think that issue will ever be avoided just by securing the fence differently/burying the bottom. What needs doing is placing something at track level, possibly burying below track level as well that will take the secondary impact from a bike/s/rider/s.... behind the airfence but in front of the stock car or old fence, something that will absorb the impact. I don't at the moment have an idea, but there has to be a cheap, no, cost effective way of doing this.. I imagine it needs to be say at least 6 inches below track level and around 14/16 inches above the track level, it would need to be like stiff memory foam, and be around 8 inches thick, it would also need to be seamless or be joined in such a way, it would not come apart at the joins.. it would also need to be flame/fire resistant and not melt.... I have no idea where it would be available from or what the material is, but it needs to be found.... Imagine it would be like having airfence and rubber kickboard then a really stiff mattress part buried behind the airfence in front of the old fence.... especially if its motorway barrier type fencing..... Wish I could post a diagram/drawing as it looks better than it sounds......

As a supporter/track volunteer and someone that rides nown again would like Leather to be compulsory, at least in certain key areas of race suits... I have seen at close quarters what a spinning rear wheel can do to human flesh, especially through certain cheap suit materials.. Idealy they ought to be 100% Leather, but I would be a lot happier if it was put in certain suit panels.......

I wonder why the BSAPA don't allocate a little money to having a speedway advert made for terrestrial tv channels? Got to be worth a shot, what do you reckon peeps???

All I am saying, is theres far more people know what 22 prima dona's kicking a bag of wind about is....! Theres more chance of a non footballing fan getting to see a football match than there is a non speedway fan getting to see a speedway match.. I've been to a footy match or two... but I know footy fans that haven't been to a speedway match and say they never will...Why is this, why are people so unwilling to give speedway a chance..? Perhaps they hear speedway fans venting their spleens all the time..! Edited because I made a simple error.... used the wrong "hear" so changed it from "here" to "hear"!

I do know one thing.... Mention speedway to non speedway fans in a pub, you'll get the following remarks.. 1) 4 blokes going round in circles.. 2) The one who gets to first bend in front always wins. 3) Do they still have speedway..

So, anyone know if its still going ahead? If so, is it still being held at the showground? Verry little info anywhere....

And? Did they cope or not? I need to know so I dont rush out to get one to see 2014s speedway on if they dont cope!!!! I Wish!!

Does anybody out there think a rider who is a heat leader in the Elite League, should be allowed to ride in the Premier League? Its an easy buck or two isn't it surely?? Riding on the edge in the Elite league against Freddie, Woffy, Iversen etc..... to get 7/8 points on a Monday. ... then nipping over to Ipswich, have 5 easier rides and get 14/15 points, then Scunthorpe on the Friday for another 14/15 points, back to the struggle of the EL on the Monday to race ya socks off again for another 5/7 points?? Also, you've got the other side of the coin, Sam Smith in his second season in the premier league, doing reasonably well for a young-un, trying his heart out on second hand bikes to get on and then has to race against an Elite League heat leader whos got 3 bikes, mechanic and superior machinery; is that element of double downing fair????

I think the doubling up rule needs looking at, especially at the better PL league riders... The first thing that concerns me is that the premier league is no longer ability wise further away from the elite league as it should or meant to be..... The route of a speedway rider should take is: MDL/AJL ETC →NATIONAL LEAGUE → PREMIER LEAGUE → ELITE LEAGUE What happens now is/has turned the Premier League into almost a seperate organisation, no longer the 2nd division in a league set structure, more like Rugby League next to Rugby Union, except the sport rules have no significant differences.. The Premier league now seems choc a block full of 2nd rate foreigners, mostly Danes/Swedes/Aussies/Americans that are at best, 2nd string Elite League riders... And a handfull of youngish British riders that are heading upwards.. Once doubling down was allowed, the rot set in, in the sense the prem league became this seperate entity, the prem league is no longer the stepping stone to the Elite League.. Very few kids are given enough time to develop from reserve, and they dont cut it within a hanful of meetings, they are booted out in favour of a Jonny Foreigner who needs flying in.. Like I say; its no longer a true stepping stone the Elite League racing....

Do you think that riders with multiple team in the UK has in someway assisted in the downfall of our sport? What I mean is when clubs are looking to fill team places, rather than pick a kid, they go for the quick fix option of a rider from another club wanting to double up/down? Therefore closing one of the doors that younger riders or the less experienced riders would have/could have used to get onto the club/league ladder....??

Marks Electricals LG 55" ultra 4K HD tv with 7 pairs 3D glasses, gaming glasses, 2.2 sound bar.... sale offer £14, 999!! Main Sponsor Is "Sarah Lee" sweets and puddings for all your custard pie chucking perishables. .. With or without nutmeg Allergy Warning.. These pie products have been made in an environment that contains nuts (Perfect match then)

Well blow me down. ........!! I have never seen it anywhere, even in old Scalextric catalogues. .. Anyone got a copy of the 1985 speedway world final? Hmm, waihekeaces1, you sure you dont mean "Subbuteo Speedway" I know of that flicking game.... I also have a 1930's electric speedway, its actually a ripped off roulette game!! But quite rare it they work now, which mine does with a little tlc... and ALL the riders are present, inc the "Demon" rider!! I'll have a look around for A scalextric speedway, but as I said, I have never seen one before or heard of one until you mentioned it.......

Have you seen the olympic cycling scalextric set? Its oval but squared, so you have 4 corners and 4 straights, 2 long + 2 very short..... Don't think it took off very well either. . It was around £80+ when it was launched, you can pick a set up for £14.99 at "The Entertainer" toy shop in Leicester now.. That was banked as well. I have got in my attic a huge box of black track, mostly tcx/narrow guage track, not sure the other brand.. might have enough to build a 4 lane oval but the corners would not work because of their inner/outer angles. .. what with that lot, my xtrem moto set, my micro scalextric "Demon Flyers" set, mt Evel Kneivel toy, RC ducatti desmo, RC Dalek, Flying primeval rex! Bit of a kid at heart, perhaps I might have a go at making a speedway oval for the extreme moto x bikes/riders!!!!

Never been done in scalextric form either, I have a moto x version made by Mattel, its actually quite playable, thw bikes and riders are mounted on small bogies, and broadside corners! Think its called Moto x extreme or similar, got it about 15yrs ago, was going to try and adapt the thing to simulate speedway riders and bikes but never got around to it.... Its quite a rare set now. ........

Not like that; I meant on Sky/Eurosport/Premier Sport, or the soon to be unveiled Russelsport tv or ITV/BBC..... Not like that; I meant on Sky/Eurosport/Premier Sport, or the soon to be unveiled Russelsport tv or ITV/BBC.....

Didn't you mean "Berwicks pies at Andersen" ??

No, thats available from the minute you go behind, up until you go 7 behind, then the pie chucking kicks-in....

Actually, the water cannon thingy is stupid, absolutely barmy and ridiculous! What has been agreed is halfway down the back straight will be 2 nominated riders from the team that is 7 points down. They will have 4 custard pies each, for each point they are behind, so 7 down, they get 56 custard pies to chuck at the oncoming leading teams riders....... 10 pts down its 80 pies and so on.... Much more sensible than Bwitchers crazy "its a knockout" water cannon mullarky! Sky are really pleased with the 'pie chucking tactical throw" and are possibly going to give it a try at 2014 moto gp as well....

You would have thought though, that by now, with modern manufacturing/cnc machining that Leather would be alot more usable? Stronger yet thinner and easier to stitch, printable, moldable and therefore better, might cost a bit more short term, but lastability wise? Last longer........

Now what I heard, from my mate in his TARDIS is well done Poole! Seriously though, what can the news be? Will we pay for our tv speedway or won't we pay for our tv speedway.... thats about the crux of the matter? Pay to view channel or free to air channel..

Couldn't find any info on the FIM site above, I recently saw an item on fleabay which was ultra thin oversuit in Belle Vue colours, it looked like a very thin, very stretchy small thing that I think was for guest riders, you basically got suited up, & then slipped this over the whole lot, rather than the "blow in the wind" footy top I the club colours.. I cannot remember seeing this type of garment very often, so something was wrong with it or other.... The typical racesuit these days is kevlar/nylon mix I believe? Mine is as far as I can tell is all kevlar, quite bulky and fully lined, I wear seperate armadillo type knee protectors, and an upper body suit inc forearm, elbow, shoulder, collarbone, spine, chest and kidney armour stitched in. It offers good all round protection against impact, but it is not the easiest thing to feel comfortable in. Having said that, none of my protective equipment (except helmet and boots which are available size wise) were not made to measure and therefore are not a perfect fit, which I think has a lot to do with the comfort and manoeuvrability of limbs in my suit.... I would think all professional riders have racesuits made to measure, in materials of there own choice/quality etc.... Would that be a reasonable assumption??

Is there a link to the changes in materials to be used in FIM meetings? SORRY! didnt see it!!

Just to clarify, I was in no way knocking volunteers! I have been one for years!! The last time I received any sort of reward was in 1980/1/2/3/4 when I recieved £1 + programme! (Track volunteer) and that covered most volunteers bus fares!!

But, and its a huge but, if these "VOLUNTEERS" were not there.............. then neither would "SPEEDWAY" Having said that, I do know exactly what you mean, the volunteer brigade has over the years risen up the speedway staffing ladder, and bypassed the riders!! So you have A volunteers - paid riders - volunteers sandwich, garnished with a paid promotor/s. This creates an unstable and unsustainable industry, the next step is .............??