Grand Central

But plastic replacing brown paper ... Clearly Greta's message didn't make it to Surbiton !

Noticed that someone on Facebook has quoted the attendance at this year's Cardiff to be 33,583 ... He says this has come from the Stadium. A figure of approximately 40k has been mentioned the last couple of years and the last figure that looked like an 'official' one that I can come up with was 2016 at 40,974. And yet PR said here that this year was 4k up on 2018. Any one able to 'square the circle' here ?

Changing from Pedigree Chum to PAL. It will still be a dog's breakfast.

The changes being put forward in this report sound bloody stupid. That, in itself, probably means that the report is accurate. And worse still they will probably happen After all, it is quite usual for FIM/BSI to act like complete mentalists and choose to spoil competitions that are working brilliantly.

True. Absolutely no place for Hancock.

Tbh no hardback books are any value at full cover price. They are given an inflated starting price just so that they can be discounted by up to £10 at the major retailers like Smiths, Sainsbury's etc. I just hope that those spending £15 in Cardiff may be comforted by the hope that at least some of their overspend may have actually made its way to Tai ? Or is that too much to hope ?

Well numbers don't lie. 4,000 plus up. Has there been another Speedway meeting in the Uk this year that actually got 4 000 in the first place ?

The advert in this week's star said £8.99 at Sainsburys . It wasn't a secret s o why pay £15 ? Raw Stupidity?

Woffinden £200 MORE

Bizarre idea to lose the immediacy of their live commentary. One of NP/KT's best. Mind you Kenneth Wolstenholme's 'They think it's all over' would probably be dropped today by some snowflake who thought it could be 'improved'.

Woffinden £200 MORE

Woffinden £200 MORE

Scarily a few also suggested Gary Havelock. As ever nothing good comes of running things by referendums.

Thanks

International 'Team' Speedway had been reduced to a 'three man pair'. Nothing more. And the reliance on Tai is just overwhelming. In most races it will be him partnered by another. So ... whatever Tai wants or feels will work best will probably BE the best. No matter what us outsiders think.

But never a recipe.

Now that there is this entire 'GB Speedway Team' set up ... I wonder what is the actual role of the 'Manager' within that set up anyway. In other sports the Manager would be the guy that headed that entire team of backroom staff every bit as much as the sportsmen on the track. But Rob Painter is that true Manager already . Not for first time British Speedway has done it arse-about. Surely they are looking for just a 'rider liaison facilitator' or a 'Programme filler in'. Aren't they ? Leaving Tai free to tell Rob what needs to be actually done.

Looking back through a load of Stars from late 1971 it is obvious that there were just a few riders using Classic Monkey Masks that season. The majority were using a variety of chin/nose masks, possibly a lot homemade, along with the old fashioned 'gas goggles'. Going forward It is clear that the use of Monkey Masks increased exponentially through the early 1972 season. By August 1972 the great majority of action photos shows the guys using them. That was the turning point. Interestingly in early 72 there is a half page advert in some editions for Lewis Leathers that shows, alongside their traditional suits, a Monkey mask available for £2.99, although it is not called that by name, the photo is clear. I don't think they produced them but were stockists so I assume others started selling them at that time as well - and in big numbers it would seem.

Let's hope racing is top notch. It's going to be a hard slog with the rest ... Thicko bimbo babbling trackside and Thicko Roscoe babbling in the studio. Why ?

Last year the inside gates, particularly red, had an advantage across the whole night. BUT the first four races were won off yellow AND so was the Final. it's not all about the red gate every time.

Kolodzeij £200 MORE

Where's that flag Marshall from Eastbourne when we need him. Tai went almost an entire lap at top speed with red lights on and red flags out. Is there a Dugard in the house ?

A statement that should have stopped after two paragraphs.

I got a massive boost from Kolodziej ... He just seemed so cheap at 4-6 when I was watching practice .. Being put down as the absolute joint worst in the meeting just didn't seem right ... But never expected +10 though ... Amazing !

You are completely correct.