Shale Searcher

Me too, forgot to renew subscription in 2009, never got a lapsed reminder and haven't had it since..... And the irony is, I now have a Speedway, I didn't most of the years I subscribed!!!!!

On Monday night at the double header, when Poole had secured top spot, JG said to Tatum and viewers that Poole, now the LEAGUE LEADERS would get the first pick of oppositon in the play offs....... That didn't sound silly, or daft or even out of place.... The play offs attract the largest league crowds of the domestic season, keep the majority of teams "interested" right up until the last day 6/7 meetings as still in with an outside chance of getting there if they had a bad start to the season........ What really can be wrong with that?

Was the GP qualifier in motors tv last night? :-( Is the EL riders champs on tv anywhere/anytime?

That about sums it up, [have 3 GB riders per team] That is not progress!! PL is a self serving league, (no to fast track) If 7 rider teams, you need more than 50% UK born (difficult to enforce any limits with Euro law) but hey ho, would foreign riders really bother to complain? So, 3 UK born team proper riders 2 Non UK European or 1 Euro and 1 Non Euro rider 2 UK born fast track scheme riders at reserve

What's an air fence bloke? I have absolutely nothing to do with air fences of any kind, anywhere!!! What a rude person you are, I have never had a go at another forum poster, ever... I just find it strange that some people make statements on here that could be backed up with a photo, screenshot etc and that would reinforce and enhance the post/thread. As I said I am a keen amateur weather forecaster, and spend an equal amount of time on a weather forum, and photos, chart screenshots enhance the experience. Everyone on here, well a lot of people seem to suspect everyone else has some sort if agenda, or just criticise every post everywhere!

I was only enquiring because sometimes the odd bit of a screenshot of a broken bike related to the post would be beneficial to the thread, or a screenshot of a historical scorecard or God forbid, an action shot related to a post/thread.. Cannot believe this forums posters cannot be trusted to post only relevant pics/screenshots to the thread in question, no wonder our sports in such a mess, from the top down, from the bottom up, to left and right, we really do think we're something we ain't!!!!!!!!!

Has Kelvin Tatum done his pre meeting and track report for Cardiff yet?

I'm afraid for Speedway, it's got itself into a vicious circle in many ways... Reducing the points limit year after year, reducing the quality of racing on offer year after year, reducing the amount of shale on tracks year after year, losing paying on the door suppoters year after year, whilst increasing admission year after year, riders wages increasing year after year and you get to where we are now. Not enough quality riders in our top division, miniscule crowds and still reducing and probably the biggest mistake is allowing the quality of the top league to be levelled off to the lowest denominating club every year, so the clubs that are actually surviving every year, building strong teams every year and are (or seem to be reasonably safe financially) get hammered year after year, reducing the quality of their product to the level of the poorest clubs in the league in the name of trying to stop the poorly run/financially challenged/poor demographics of their local population will eventually implode and Speedway will be no more.. We need the clubs to be aiming higher, and not as it seems lowering their standards to the wring end of the product spectrum.. if it means losing a team or two from the Elife League (on the short term) could be the answer...

I am not sure why photos rarely appear on this forum. I am a member of a couple of professional weather forums and photos/sscreenshots/charts are posted on a regular basis.. If it's allowed (cannot think why it shouldn't be) can someone explain how you do it please? Cheers Karl

Great idea! Most only have enough dosh to pay the riders, what and then pay £xxxxxx to WHOM? for overrunning the meeting by 20 minutes or so?Really good idea that one....!! The stadia that really only exist for the doggies, doesn't need to be all singing and dancing, the bookmaker feed hardly ever focuses off the dog/s & track, the spectators usually populate the bar, so why spend money on anything else? Along comes a speedway guy and pay the stadium owner £1,500 to rent the stoney, sometimes weed infested brown oval inside the dog track and a couple of bars.... Until these stadiums are dragged into the 21st century and become full blown multi sports complexes, IE dogs, Speedway, football, rugby, quick cricket, stock cars, and others, then there will be no improvement on that side of things.... Perhaps it's going to be down to the Speedway owned tracks/stadia in the future.........?

In his next?

I agree, but most don't OWN the stadia, just rented, what would you do if you rented something out and when it came back it was s different colour!!!!!!!!!!

When he was briefly at Leicester a couple of seasons ago his head/ego struggled to get through the pits gate, used to have quite an entourage of knuckle Dr**$**$ who thought they could just waltz in without paying because they were with him.....

I agree, not a brilliant meeting, far to much advantage on the outside gates. Although the racing was close I thought it was pretty predictable. For me it had a certain "novelty effect" with the start/finish line being in a rediculous position (I also thought it was in a damn dangerous position) We were very lucky that there were no serious accidents in the run to the line.. Why do they have the start/finish line there? It doesn't lengthen the track to make it FIM (start and finish line different places) The riders were always sideways, and throttle control was a non event, just stick it on and hold on, just adjust line every now and then... I think that if the start line had been in a normal place, the racing would have been completely different..... I am not saying there was no passing, but it was very predictable where and when it was going to happen, tracks should have 4 corners and 2 straights, this was like Peterborough (which is a great track) but with the straights missing....

At Leicester in the olden days (1971 - 1983) well at least until 81, when I started as a track volunteer. The gates were thrown open after about heat 10/11 and you could walk in and watch the last heat or 2 of the match, and all the 2nd half for free!!!! Quite a few I knew at the time did that and became full time supporters......

"I am not sure" print ads are the way forward.... Local Newspaper, Radio, TV... They have to be worth go's, surely......? As a starting point.... And Sony forget, there's not many young promoters... A closed shop of old fogies seem to rule the Speedway roost ...........

How many friends/acquaintances do you know that didn't know about your local track until you told em??

Not all riders seem to actually want to "guest ride" or can't for whatever reason.... Professional Guests ( not knocking them by the way) Rory Shlein Chris Harris Davey Watt Scott Nicholls Never seem to guest (not knocking these either) Hans Andersen Tai Woffinden Jason Doyle Does anyone want to add names to these lists and also how many guest appearances these have/have not made this season.... Would a rider be able to earn a living in a season just guest riding? Perhaps if you had a small pool of unattached riders allowed to guest all season, perhap limit appearences for the same team though.. Perhaps?

I think it's down to promoters, just not promoting!!! Sitting back and expecting fans and new fans to just appear.... There's no newspaper adverts these days, ok, the odd school fete appearance, and anything that's free, but would it hurt to pay for some sort of advertising? Crikey, people have so much to choose from entertainment wise these days and probably base the product on the quality of its adverts..

After he hangs his racesuits up, can't see them wanting a current rider anywhere important!! (Not my opinion, just knowing what we know)..

Most of the fans left at Speedway, connect with the music from 70's and 80's (unfortunately) Modern music does not lend itself to modern Speedway, or with "old" fans.... So much incompatibility these days.....

Pools if riders/share riders out/reduce costs/watered down Purely words used only in Speedway... Fans cannot get attached to riders/clubs This generates apathy, destroys enthusiasm, get to meetings at all costs...... Do any teams sell rider / team rosettes anymore.... No longer fan -> team/rider worship Team photos taken in March, still sold in June, not anymore!! No team spirit (riders) = No team spirit = (fans) Riders no longer loyal to their clubs, 9:39pm, last race of the evening for Sheffield, 9:50 on the road for Manchester airport for flight to Sweden, no local socialising from most riders, fly in, ride, fly out!!! That's what has destroyed Speedway in the UK (as well as track / stadium neglect), boring racing etc.........

A good combination would be someone with a sound knowledge of the rulebook and a motivator, man manager and a No 2, perhaps an ex rider with "SPEEDWAY" running through his veins.....

I think, we subconsciously only remember the good meetings, the bad uns, just Don't register in our long term memory......

Swindon v Kings Lynn was sh!te last night according to bet365 stream,strung out racing in a lot of the heats.. Definately an illness found in Speedway supporters, Rosus Tinteditus Glassesus.... No cure I'm afraid....