weatherwatcher

I have always wondered why the Lions management pick the replacement reserves that they do, we have had some terrible guest reserves this season, so why do they not bring in the Garritys etc or is it that they don't want to pay all those extra points money out.

The state the EL is in and the state some clubs are in they can't afford to attract the big names to ride over here, I think a lot of the 8 clubs other than around half of them would find it very hard to find the money to pay for one of the top riders, As for what makes up the rest of the team, most of them are young overses riders or PL lads, so really other than a few of the top clubs we are seeing nothing much different than you would get at a PL meeting Uless the big guns would come over for less money, which was part of the reason most of them stopped riding over here, as the Swedish and Polish clubs where prepered to give them the silly money they where asking for, I doubt that much will change. The way things are going, there will be a few more clubs calling it a day in the EL and dropping down the leagues, because they can't make ends meet, less meetings less income. The ones who only rent their stadiums for the dog tracks etc, are not losing that much as they are paying less out but they still have a short fall in income. It is the ones who have their own stadiums that are sitting idle for weeks on end with nothing coming through the gates, it would be interesting to see what difference it has made to their profits with them having less meetings. One big league would work out better I think, you may not have the top names there, but at least it would keep British speedway alive, how many people actually go just to s8ee so and so race, I don't I go to watch the racing, no matter who is riding, If it gave more meetings, at a price that was far fairer than what they are charging for some of the rubbish they are turning out, then I would be more than happy to see it happen.m

Gemini. As a Lions supporter, I am pleased that you have managed to bring up your dog to go to speedway meetings and not be bothered with the noise. I hope this dosen't put you off going again as I am sure most Lions supporters would welcome you an Lucy with open arms. It would be only a stuppid dog owner who took his dog along to a meeting when they know there animal jumps at the slightest noise, I know my dog does, she jumps if you drop a piece of paper, so no way would I take mine along to any meeting. From what I have heard of Lucy she has gone since a few weeks old. So please do not be put off. You will both be always welcome at BP.

I know the whole system stinks and needs changing. Can't for the life of me know why he could ride in the PL as you say the other are allowed to do so. Just one of those stuppid rules that the wise and wonderful who run our sport sit around a table and dream up.

The bikes are far to fast and unmanagable now, they are not even viable on the much larger Polish tracks you only have to look at all the serious injuries that have occured over there this year. Things need to be slowed down before someone ends up being killed. The likes of Garrity etc should never have been kept at reserve this year, they are being used as a stop gap at r/r and are beeting so top class riders, if that does't prove the point that they are far better than what they had offered to them this year, bet they are not complaing though with the points money they are getting. The EL is almost dead on its uppers, they can't get the big names over here because they will not ride for what most of the promoters are offering, only a few of the clubs have the money available to offer them to get them over here. They only good outcome that has come out of the FTR scheme, is that we now have a hand full of young and not so young British lads that can make it in a full team place, that is if the promoter will give them the chance. They seem to be happier bringing in a young Swede or Pole than give the Brits a chance to prove themselves, which they have already shown they are quite capable to do.

Can't see the Lions getting the Better of the Bees. They have had probably the worst season they could have had with injuries etc, etc. Lets hope for a better 2016, but I said that last year and when they announced the team at the start of this year, I thought they had put together a decent side. Then it all went pear shape when the 2 overseas lads went back home, then the Bridger farce followed by a black cat run infront of Norries car with a spate of injuries that put paid to the Lions doing anything again

I still say that the bikes now are far to powerful and unmanagable. When we get accidents, really bad ones, the riders don't walk away from them, this year has been plagued with rider injuries again. We only have to look at the amount of guest riders being used and the Lions have had a really bad year with riders being injured and missing out weeks at a time. How long will they sit back and take note the amount of accidents, if this was your workplace the HSA would have been asking the management a lot of questions. But nothing ever seems to get do in the world of speedway, I have not looked at the other clubs but in both the EL an PL just how many riders are now out due to injury, it must amount to quite a few now, there are only so many guest out there that the clubs can use. Some just don't want to ride as a guest. So at times they are really dragging the barrel, with who to use, most of the time the EL clubs are fielding nothing better than a gloryfied PL team. So you can see why fans start to get dis-heartened at times like these. Just hope the Lions can come good and the latter part of this season, but with the guest they are using I very much doubt that it will be a better finish than last year, hope I am wrong.

Why do they bother advertising this meeting in August at Donnington Park. I had it planned yet again to take my grandson to see some good grasstrack racing only to find it had been cancelled yet again.

Yes heat 15 and r/r rides all count towards a riders averages. Swindon did really weel for saying they had lost one of their reserves but Wright rode like a hero. From the interviews with Middlo, I don't think he see's eye to eye with Matt Fords decision to leave Ward out of the team now his ban is over. But the way I see it is nothing to do with spliting up the side but the fact that Matt Ford has no faith in Ward keeping his nose clean and if he fails the blame will not fall on Pooles door step. I pesonally hope that he has got his life on the right track now. Because he knows that anymore mistakes and his riding days are over. The only winners in this issue are Swindon. It would really rub salt in Fords wounds if Ward decided to stay with Swindon insead of going back to Poole. You could not blame him really if he did.

It makes me wonder if the Poole management have made a big desicion to send Darcy out to another team this season, not just for the reason of breaking up a good team, but to see how he behaves himself in the coming months, if he does go off the beaten track, which I hope he dosen't has he has now had far to many chances, then the blame dosen't fall into Pooles hands. Mkes you wonder. I hope that now he has a regular girl behind him that he will decide that the time has come that he needs to sort his life out once and for all. Just hope that they stay together because if they ever break up, I think Darcy would go off the rails again. Does anyone know, who is looking after his affairs over here now is it still Midlo, I hope not as he needs someone to reallly talk some common sense into him. What a great talent Darcy is on a speedway bike and no doubt if he keeps his nose clean he will become World Champion before to long. But the talent he has on a bike is sadly missing from his life. Darcy, get yourself sorted out once and for all, and make the fans proud to have been around when you became the top of the pile.

Nice to see the Lions get a well deserved win again, Swidon just can't seem to beat the BP boggy. They did really well for saying they lost Masters and Walasek is still out with injury, Wilkinson did his voodo again, they should sign him at No 7, he has scored more than all our reserves have recorded in the EL good on you GUY. Nice to see the Lions finaly scrape off the bgottom

As a Lions fan, I hope that Darcy does do well and gets his life back on the right track. I don't and never will condone what he did last year in Latvia and I think his actions where darn right stuppid. As a top level speedway rider with a huge future in front of him he should have know better, than to do what he did. Everyone makes mistakes in their lives Darcy has made a few more than most, but with the right people behind him he can and should be able to get back into the top level of speedway again. If only he makes sure that he now stays out of any more trouble. Because he will not get another chance.

It as been stated that Darcy rides at the Lions tonight, Will have to wait and see when the time comes, but with all the practice he puts in it is not the same as being in a proper race, he has been sitting back for a long time now so it could take him a few meetings to get back on the pace. Can't for the life of me see why the Sky twosome are making such a big issue about his come back though. Kelvin thinks more than Pearson and stated the other night when Pearson was wetting his pants about Darcy's come back that he just hoped that he had learnt his leason this time, as I do, he has so much talent going for him and he just seems to go and try and thrown it all down the draIn. Just hope the 10 months side lined has done he some good, because if he does anything else he will be finished, as far as speedway goes. Maybe he could get a job with SKy if all else fails.

I can see the Lions taking this one. Darcy or no Darcy Ward. Just hope that Wilkinson is in the same sort of form he last at the meeting betwenn Swindon, he rode really well.

It is reported that Darcy will be in the bar from 4p.m. Anyone who wants to buy him a drink to wish him the best can do so. Just hope that he has at last learnt his leason, because he is such a huge talent that is just trowing it away. Loved the way the the terrible twosome where hyping up the return of Darcy on Sky last night. Kevin was the most sensible of the pair saying that he hoped he had learnt his leason this time, but only time would tell. Where his partner in crime was almost wetting his pants that he was back again.

The double points rule (which I personally detitest) Goes like this, if a team are 10 or more points down after heat 5 then they can nominate a rider to go out in the Black and White helmet colours to get double points for his team, whether it be is own ride or to come in, in place of another rider. If he finishes in front of the oppostion the he gets double pionts ie first 6 points second 4 points third 2 points and last as quite a few do nothing. If he finishes first then what was a 20 points to 10 could then become 21 to 18 if both the riders finished first and second, it is all how well they race. I think it is totally unfair that a team has ridden their guts out and got a 10 point lead to see the Black and White come out and if they have done well to bring them to within 3 points of the other team, I say if a team as rode well and got that far in front than that is how it should stay. The best thing they could do to make speedway much more competative is as stated on here already, out of the box factory sealed engines, with no tunning allowed ( let them do it in the GP's if they want but leave the leagues out of it) get rid of the tacticle rides, bring the stadiums in this centuary, not as some of them are, stuck in the 1960's dog track era with the fans in grey macks trillby's and silk scalves. It has to move on and they only way to bring in the fans is to get all of the stadiums upgraded that need it. There are so many around the country that are a total disgrace. The only way you would dare go to the toilet would be to stand on the roof with a gas mask on. Lucky for me I go to Leicester Lions and this has only been built for 4 years, the toilets are superb,the racing may be suspect at times, more bad racing than good over the last 4 years but it is getting better, Needs to get better still, but that needs track shape changes that will never happen under the currewnt owners. The track that really needs praise is the way that the new owners of Glasgow have pored one and a half million or so was stated into bring that track up to scratch. Such a shame it is so far away from me. Would love to see it in the flesh, so to speak. Hammers66 I do hope you make at to a live meeting, there is nothing that can compare, to when those 4 riders are at the tapes, nearlly make the hair stand up on the back of your neck.

It will be great to see Josh return we have lost so many riders though injury this year plus others doing a disapearing act on us. Poor old Grzegorz has really been through the wars this year in Poland, it is time his luck turned around, If Swindon are so stupid tio get rid of their best riders to make make for Little boy Blue eyes then Rosco needs his head looking at.

Welcome Hammers 66 I now fall into the catagory of old but not grumpy. I have a moan when a moan is needed, when we see some of the worst meetings that they can throw at usm, there have been at leat 3 this year the first 2 GP's and the one that will or more likely stick around in everyones mind was the meeting at Coventry that was shown on SKY. I lost my club when Long Eaton's track closed down, luckily the club bounced back and still rides in the MDL now, just a shame that they can't make it back to the bigger leagues, but the cost of running at that level must just be to much for them to take on, you never know one day they make it back up there again, also it was sad to see Weymouth lose their track and are still waiting to find a new location, not sure now if that will ever happen. All in all though Speedway still holds that special something for me, when I go to Leicester to a meeting it still gives you that buzz, the noise the smell of Methanol, also the 4 guys tearing around a track at speeds that send shivers down your spine, they must have more courage than any other motor sport rider put together as they only have such short a time for things to go wrong when they go from the start they only have the matter of seconds before they hit the first bend, at times it all goes very badly wrong . How more riders are not injured in our sport is a miracle. So yes they internet has brought about an awful lot of moaners, not only in speedway but in most things these days. Just sit back enjoy the thrills and sometimes the spills, it is a sport like no other, it is just a shame that the promoters can't see that there is a huge problem with crowd levels falling year in year out, and numerous clubs getting into finanacial problems, clubs having to drop down leagues to make ends meet or just close the doors a lot of them have over the last 30 years or so. Unless they get get new fans to fill the stadiums to the levels of the 50's and 60's maybe just a little bit past that by a few years, then we will see more clubs fold. Hope they come to their senses as it would be a great loss to see Great Britain without any top speedway clubs. What we would be left with would be akin to the MDL or people just riding for the love of it, but you still need the tracks to race on. Here's to a long life for a great sport, not only myself but my Grandson loves speedway and I can't even think of anything else that could fill the gap.

It is a well known fact that the track prep is taken out of the clubs hands, when Sky are in town. It was actually stated so on the Coventry meeting that cause such a stir on here a few meetings ago. Why do they have the rights to dictate to a club how they want the track prepared. Surely it is up to the track guy to have the choice not Sky. Is there any news on Josh Autry, on when he hopes to come back or are they planning to get another rider to cover the rest of the season, because if is true what has been said about him then he will only have a couple or so meeting at the end of the season when he is fit again. Are there also any plans to get another rider for Walasek as he will be out until the end of the year now I should think. Hope that Swindow dispose of Zengota, have been really pleased with what I have seen from him this year. Folks go on about pants meetings at BP but watch Lynne last night, there was only one heat that was worth watching and that was the last one, that said though, there was some good team riding for a change. What I hate to see is when the leading rider sails off into the sunset and he dosen't give a sod about his mate, Iverson did all his team mates proud last night, helping them to get the win and get get the points they needed, still hate the double points as Lynne won that meeting by 4 points not the one they got in the end, it is time they put the double points to bed once and for all. Such an unfair idea, why should a losing team get a chance to score double points just because they are 10 points adrift, They should just let the meetings run their corse, no double points.

I must say that the last few meetings of last season and quite a few this season have seen far better racing than we saw last night. I think most of the fault lay with the lack luster display from Swindon. It was a mirror image of last seasons meeting when sky where there and again against Swindon. With Rosco looking much how he was last night with his bottom jaw dragging along the ground, They wanted him to come and speak to the fans at the end of the meeting, but the whole team had packed up and gone. When he is on the losing end of things he is a real moody sod.

The bikes are more suited to the larger Polish type tracks, that is why when they young Poles come over here it is quite a shock to their system, trying to ride the much smaller tighter tracks, They would be far better if the bikes where running that little bit slower over here than they are now. I still don't think that with the tight track of the UK that a lot of riders can handle the speed. How many meetings do we see where a rider is up the back wheel of the rider in front, he shuts the trottle back slightly and the rider in front has then gone 5 bike lenths in front never to be seen again. It needs to be slowed down not by that much I am not talking of having someone in front with a red flag to keep them at 3 m.p.h, but enough to take maybe a few seconds off the lap times, It is getting to the stage now where it is just gate go and win, with the riders strung out in long procesions, I would rather see them having to race to get the win not just go from the tapes like a rocket.

Well done to the Lions, they needed that win and they got it. By the way anyone who was there did Swindon come out after the meeting was over to do a lap of honour round the track, or did Rosco whip them off into their vans and then make sharpe exit. If they get rid of Zengota he can come to BP any day. He rode a great guest ride for us, the lad tries his heart out, more so than his other Polish team mate. If a rider comes t a meeting and has a c't give a sod attitude like he did tonight, then I hope that Swindon refuse to pay him anything a fine for not even trying would be better. Someone said Swindon would have been better with a 6 pt PL rider. They would have stood a better chance with a 6 pt NL rider/

And God looked down upon BP and thought that the Lions needed all the divine intervension they could use. What has happened to Swindon, the last time they where at BP the lost misserablly and Rosco pulled a big sulk and all the riders did a very swift get away. Think the same will happen again tonight. I spoke to hime before that meeting, he is a right misserable bugger.

Walasek, has had the sort of season that no riders wants to have, he has picked up more injuries this yaer than all the rest of the team put together, just hope he comes back again next season and has an injury free one. With the way things have gone for the Lions I can't see them winning this one tonight, I think this is the third time now that Walasek has been injured whilst riding for the Lions, all of them if I am right riding in Poland. When oh when will the Lions be able to have a full team at BP. How many weeks is it now since the full team rode together, without riders missing through injuries or with them having to ride for their PL club which I personally think is a stupid rule, you would think their EL club would take preferance. The sun is up and shing its little head of here in South Derbyshire, should think it is much the same at BP, so do the riders refuse to race if the sun is in their eyes, should be interesting to see how this one goes. May God look down on the Lions tonight and give them a very much needed win,

The bikes have now reached a speed, that the bikes are now getting un handleable, in the hands of some of the younger riders, they are just a nasty accident waiting to happen. They are racing around a small oval track and the concentration needed has to be at a full maximum for all four laps, one small slip in concentration can end up with you in a big heap. Personally I would rather see the bikes slowed down giving far closer racing, than we are seeing now. You have the top riders on bikes that are tuned to the maximum and they spend silly money doing it. Where is the enjoyment seeing a riders half a lap or more after the first couple of bends and he only increases his leads the longer the race goes on. It is not just about who is the best speedway rider, it all boils down to who has the most money to spend to get the fastest bike out there on the day, Not sure if you put a young rider on onw of these over the top tuned bikes if he would do the same, because he would not have the skill to handle all the extra power. We should have all the bikes set up to the same standard, that equals out the racing. The sport these days just boild down to the top riders with that extra few years riding skill behind them and a bottomless purse to get the frastest bike.