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Probably a circular track would be to you liking ??

I don't think there's a lot wrong with it. Some meetings are bland and follow the leader rubbish, where others can be really top draw. A lot depends on the riders attitude and the will to fight. Niels usually finds a way by when it is needed...... Not being a trackman, I'd be the last to say what should be done, but obviously the shape and size appears to be OK. To me the problems relates to the weather, the material used, and how much topping is on the track. These are all variables and can alter from week to week...... Like I say, who am I to say what's the answer is.

You too are missing the most important aspect of the CMA. If these figures don't relate to the riders ability, then they don't serve any purpose. You may as well pick numbers out of a hat for how accurate the CMA's are.... In one breath the BSPA are saying the figures are wrong and invent a list to overcome the problem., then continue using them same inaccurate points to access team strength. Yes you could increase the points as you say, but that doesn't alter the distorted figures the rider's have at the moment. I haven't the lists of rider's averages with me at present, but I think I'm right in saying, Newman has a better EL CMA than Holder, but as riders, they are leagues apart. same with riders like Garrity and Kerr and anyone else riding in protected heats, these will all have these fictitious scores. Try and explain that to someone new to the sport. 'This chap Holder is a bit special, was world champion 3 yrs back and is one of the best riders in the world.' and the reply comes; 'Oh how do you explain him being that good when a reserve rider has a better average then him.' And we wonder why the sport has lost all creditability......

Thank you for your post. At times I felt 'Am I the only one who can see the problems being created' ?? but at last someone agrees with my views exactly. The said heatleader list hasn't solved any problems, all it has done is papered over the big issue of distorted CMA's. But this problem won't go away. Each year that passes the situation will get more ridiculous. Sometime, somehow this problem will have to be addressed. The longer it is left the gap between reality and factual will get more distorted.. One more thing, in answer to your final query: the reason the BSPA use the PL averages for sorting out the draft riders is because their EL average are higher then the heatleaders. That fact alone highlights the massive problem..........

No quite, It was reported from the AGM that when the Job share was discussed, one promoter, rejected it, saying as he was in contract talks with a top rider , he didn't want a job share to interfere with the negotiations. and the subject was than shelved. so in other words because one Promoter said 'No' everyone else agreed with him. Now that's a ridiculous situation, when the progress of our sport can be dictated by a single promoter...

I have never seen the reason why the question was asked, their will always be a difference of choices, when opinions are sought. To me it was never an issue of which team benefitted from the list , more of a point of why a list was deemed necessary. The only positive I take from the list is that the BSPA recognise that the CMA alone, gives an unrealistic indication of riders ability and therefore authorised an additional list just to add some sensible balance to team building.

Gordon Pairman: I too would like to thank you for your time and the explanations as you have explained. I found them all most enlighten. As an outspoken poster against the said list, my problem wasn't related to how the list was created, more to the reasons of why it was required. I get the concept of needing additional clarification when building team equality, of which the list offers some form of help, but once the season has started the list is of no help at all. Since the introduction of the draft riders and the protected heats. The validity of CMA has disappeared. The reserves riders score points far easier than 2nd strings or heat leaders and as such, the points limits bear little to the reality of the strength that the points indicate... So rather than a simple list to assist the team builders, surely it would have been better to target the problem of the variable averages. If the CMA doesn't relate to the riders ability, what's the points of using them ??????

Seems as though some on here need to check their facts before stirring . At 7.30am this morning I checked, the KL Website, all Twitter accounts and the SpeedwayGB and there was nothing posted at that time. If we spoke out of tune, I apologise.. Maybe wrong, but can't help thinking this has only been posted as a response of what was said.....

Now you being silly.... Its all about the integrity of the club and the value it places on it's supporters. Nobody is asking for the world just a few timely facts would be nice: i.e. Troy accident and how it will interfere with the team progress during the season. The Polish fixture coming up and what the fans can expect in light of costs and riders on show. I understand the secrecy needed in signing top riders, but surely the reserve berth can be more open. Having already messed up with Kerr, it isn't too much to ask of the current situation regarding replacements...it seem every team is aware of our options except the Stars own supporters. In a sport where fans are few and far between, this is not the way to increase, or sustain the interest in any club..........

Such a shame for the comments regarding the efficiency of information coming from Lynn Speedway. In this day and age when everything is made so easy with the social media, forthcoming information should be readily available 27/7. Some people can't go to the toilet, without posting it on Twitter, Every breath they take, its posted somewhere.. Yet a club like Kings Lynn Stars, who have at least 3 twitter accounts cant be bothered to keep their fans up to date with relative information. Amazing !!!!

That's a bit harsh. All plans have to start somewhere. I've been to many tracks and can assure you, there has been some really poor ones. Some have big covered grandstands but a crap track, Others have terrible toilets, some you have to walk miles, while others you wait for hours to be served. You very seldom get the perfect place with no complaints. There might be a few teething problems at Leicester to sort but nothing that insurmountable. At least you fans have somewhere to go. Hackney, Hull and Halifax to name just 3 would like to have a track to support. Give it time and let it progress. Who knows, if the sport is still going in say 20 yrs time, Beaumont Park might be one of the preferred tracks.

I think it be wrong to name individuals for the reason of tracks closing. The truth being everyone is at fault and non more so then the people who run this sport of ours. Looking back over the years many tracks have folded because of the viability. Had the sport been a roaring success, than Promoters would have thought twice about closing a money source. Blackbird Road always reminded me of the Firs at Norwich. Similar in presence and stature, brilliant track, a dream venue for any Promoter to run. But the biggest issue was, as time went by, the land it used became to valuable, and soon ridiculous offers were tabled for housing, that could not be ignored . Although it was a shame that Blackbird Rd closed, even worse was there has not been replaced until recently. No, the new track doesn't compare with the old, but you have to hold your had up to the promoter, someone who has got off his a..e and tried to rekindle the presence Leicester once had......

You and me both mate !! I have spent much time and money perusing my hobby of watch Motorbike racing, and cannot fathom the reasons why there such disparity in the viewing public. My own view is that the sport has become to predicable, the bikes are too fast, all riders are of similar ability , and the appeal has consequently diminished. Where once, a meeting lasted all night, now its over in less than a couple of hours. Most riders are aloft and go about their business, then off to the next meeting. They show little evidence of actually caring about the club or the fans..... Moto GP and BSB are a day out, something you look forward too. From the moment you leave home to the time you get back the day is completely dominated by the sport. The characters are bigger and more responsive. Walking through the pits, everyone is in a good mood and want to oblige with photo's and chats. The friendship within the fans is better . The racing is normally good. the poor riders make the good ones stand out. The colourful bikes and Kevlars all adds to the occasion . I feel for our Promoter in that their hands are tied. Riders now demand a big percentage of the gate funds, The fans don't have deep pockets and need VFM. all of which highlights the biggest problems of all. There is no surplus to spent on presentation, promoting and other idea. I have often said that Sponsors are keeping this sport alive, and without them it will die. The costs now are far too big for a sport with little following ............

Difficult to judge really. That situation today would never have been allowed the meeting to run. The riders have the upper hand and dictate proceedings. If there were enough support, the meeting would have been abundant. (Warsaw 2015). Although I appreciate the safety and benefit of the Air fences, I don't believe the other improvements benefit the sport at all. Laydown high revving engines, Kevlars have done nothing for the spectators and personally I use to enjoy the movement of the riders at the gate. It was a contest between the rider and the ref, which all heightened the excitement . It was who could con who, to break the tapes. all of which added to the occasion. Now the bikes are that fast, with no movement at the gate, they race to the first corner, then your 90% assured of victory...... Its probably more fairer now to the purest, but its taken away the lottery the bad starts use to create. I don't know that can be called a plus or a minus........ But I know which one I preferred.....

You're obviously joking .......... Surely

Bearing in mind we are still 2 riders short and that Troy Batchelor is our top rider, when he has a bad accident surely the fans ought to be told........... Years ago back in the 60's , 70's and 80's, we only had the local press and you could always be upto date with what was going on. There were match reports, fixture plans, even a column from Bettsy and sometimes Lee. It didn't matter which local rag you read the sport was covered in detail.. .. There weren't many Mobiles about then , Social media hadn't been invented. Now with every opportunity at one's fingertips, it would be so easy, to post important information, to keep the fans up to date...... But as usual, we hear Nothing... I bet we will hear when something is planned and they will want us to pay out for a meeting or a talk-in. They're not slow in holding their hand out........ And people wonder why fans don't bother anymore ??????

Well, it seems there are many, who are far from happy with the post I wrote. Thankfully we are not all of the same opinion. ('TREES No.171') goes on about the feel of the place, while ('STAR LADY No.172') questions the source of the money. The feel has to come from within and the fans and supporter have to play their part as well. We have been unfortunate in both of the last two years when injuries took a massive toll. we have to remember that. As for the finance, whether it came from Speedway, Football, Stockcar is irrelevant. The fact is Buster choose to plough it into the stadium in the hope of making it more attractive and that it will attract more people, hoping they appreciate the more Up-Market facilities. (SCREAMER No 175) makes some ridiculous comments. Comparing AFA with Old Trafford are about extreme as one can get. The costs and Numbers are at each end of the scale and no one with any sense could ever contemplate a comparison. The question was originally about attracting young blood to the sport, of which I asked the question about the ability to keep those fans have. If you want to compare the AFA to comparable venues, I suggest to go to away meetings and see some of the others. You rubbish the installations as just 'Portakabins' but the improvement is noted by many if not you. The cost and application is regarded as modern and many houses are today made that way. In life you meet some people who can never be pleased. I reckon you must be one of those. (GEMINI No 176) I agree with your posting and yes it represents a big problem. The screen as you suggest has been looked into and the size of it is the main issue. No way could one be mounted as a permanent fixture the height would be horrendous . Other options like two cranes holding a sheet and gradually lowered was another option considered but it would take away most of the pit area. It appears that over the years the course of the sun has gradually moved, this coinciding with the demolishing of buildings and trees in the distance.......Rest assured the problem is uppermost for the promoters to resolve. Finally, the bottom line of my original post about 'You reap what you sow'' does not just apply to Speedway Promoters, it applies to us all , in whatever walk of life, each is at.

'How Do We Attract A New Young Audience' a very difficult and serious question, but one which ought to open many others equally important issues...... I think first we should look at the problems of keeping the few supporters we have left. If the sport cant retain those hard core fans of past years, there is no hope of enticing new young blood. We at Kings Lynn are fortunate to have a Promoter like Buster. He shows the others up when it come to promoting the sport, Since he acquired the ownership of Saddlebow Rd, he has turn it around to one of the best arena in the country. In the past few years alone he has doubled the size of the Grandstand, Built New Clubhouse with state of the art toilets, New offices quarters with patio area. , New VIP areas, with selected seating for sponsors, New Turnstile Areas, New Referee / Timekeeper box, Two new VIP suite raised high for vantage viewing all with high level access from the overhead walkways. The fact he has done wonderful improvements to attract new supporters and also to encourage new sponsors. I have always travelled to away matches and some of the stadia now are really disappointing. Remember years ago, first going to Brandon, I was in awe of the terrific venue, filled to the rafters. It really made our place look decidingly second rate. How times have changed. Before we can attract new blood we have to be far more professional and Stadium need to be modern and inviting. We have to encourage those fans and sponsors. There will be those who say we only rent the stadium and its not our responsibility . Buts that just a cop-out. A lick of paint and a make-over wouldn't cost the earth but would really make a big difference to the appeal. There's an olde saying: You only reap what you sow.............

Thanks; It sure brought back a few memories. Look at how big the crowd was on a wet day.....

I think you will find the BSPA conducted all the business for the coming year prior to the election of the New Chairman. What an arse about face way of doing things. From my experience electing a new Chairman was always the first job at the AGM. Anyway, Buster ideas will have to wait till next year when hopefully things will change.

Was privileged to have seen Kenny Carter race many times. Being a Lee supporter, we always gave biased opinions on other greats, thinking Mike was the best . To me, early on, Carter was just a Kid from Yorkshire, trying to measure up at that time. Remembering a night in '83, when accompanying Mike to Halifax for the Golden Helmut. That night Lee was on fire and demolished all Carter efforts. I seem to remember Lee broke the track record in the process, as he won both races by the proverbial mile. But that was a far cry to the person I saw at Coventry winning the British Final on a sodden track with a broken leg. In a meeting when everyone wanted to cancel, Carter really came of age to me when he resisting all those trying to persuade him not to ride. I thought this man has some guts, and for that I held my hand up in support. He became Box office and was a marked man every where he rode. His friends were few and far between since that British Final , but he never faltered. and for that I admired him. I believe his confrontations with Penhall was stage managed for the benefit of Penhall. Ivan Mauger was aware of Kenny's talent and agree to managed him with the sole intentions of making him the world's No 1. Carter was that good. The final chapter of his life was a real shame, for everyone. I could never contemplate, what would drive a man to do Kenny's final act . I hope I never find that out, but it doesn't stop me feeling sorrow for all those concerned. Such a waste of life............

Thoroughly enjoyed your post and can reflect on all that you wrote. Makes one realise how good speedway once was. Don't always agree with your positioning of various riders, but that always the case when opinions are aired. Nevertheless, a really good posting. Ps Have always acknowledged, to me Mauger was the best of the lot......... so no arguments there......

The problems with this sport are deep rooted and will never go away. Some promoters try real hard to make it attractive while other go through the motions. I go meetings for many reason, I like talking with friends about the sport, I like the friendly environment, the smell. the competition between supporters, besides the racing on the track. I frequently take our grandson, he likes being with the men folk. A keen sportsperson who follows many sports. He like the racing, but not as much as the connection with the riders. When able to be photographed with riders, that's more important than any races he watched. When we get home, Mum will ask did you enjoy it and the first thing he says is that he had his picture taken with so-in-so. ............ So we need more interaction with the riders, we want more involvement for the kids to make them interested. Personally, I hate slow meetings;, I hate bad refereeing decisions; I hate reruns that go back to the pits; But most of all I hate the admission costs. The sport is far too expensive and does not represent VFM. In this day and age, paying £1.00 to watch a 1 minute race is far too much. especially as many tracks are badly prepared and racing is more like follow the leader. Years ago, going to a meeting was of similar costs to a meal of Fish and Chips. Now it is 3 times the cost of a meal, and that should be appreciated when considering why the attendances are poor....... Me, Even though there are many things I dislike about the sport, my love stays as strong as ever and I go every week. Each year that passes, people like me are getting less all the time......... I would love to see a up-chance in the way the sport is run. No more stupid rules and secret lists. Let all the promoter fight for the same cause and lets all sing from the same hymn sheet..... For the sport to survive we have to have more common sense about every aspect, and for those decision makers to forget the past and comply with the present. ..... It's our only chance..........

Yes I do read the whole posting and still stand by my response. It's not so much of what you say but the perception of what you want us to believe. If you honestly think, the supporters have no entitlement of the rules making or of what is going on, then quite honestly you are above reproach. This is the exact reason why the sport is on its knees and promoters like Jon Cook ought to be aware of. Reacting like he did was very damaging to everyone concerned. I have nothing more to say to you, other than to bid you fare well and wish you , like everyone else a Merry Christmas......

Sure would be a awesome Christmas wish. Happy Christmas JC. and to all the other supporters