Teromaafan

The problem with long term planning is the continuing closure of tracks. It is getting to the stage where the shrinking number of tracks could lead to team speedway being unsustainable. Whilst we all like watching the GPs, almost everyone on this forum will have initially been drawn to the sport by watching the 7 v 7 team format. Supporting your team is a tribal thing, like football. Can’t speak for others, but this is why I love speedway and have zero interest in any other motor sport.

The problem with long term planning is the continuing closure of tracks. It is getting to the stage where the shrinking number of tracks could lead to team speedway being unsustainable. Whilst we all like watching the GPs, almost everyone on this forum will have initially been drawn to the sport by watching the 7 v 7 team format. Supporting your team is a tribal thing, like football. Can’t speak for others, but this is why I love speedway and have zero interest in any other motor sport.

Everyone seems to think that Howarth will be back with the Lions, so that leaves 4.84 for the final rider. The likelihood is it will be Kemp (sorry IainB!), but Sedgmen would also fit. I know Sheffield dumped him but he rode Leicester well when he was here previously, provided that he trapped (and frequently did).

The 2027 season? Don’t worry it might not happen (as the saying goes). It baffles me that some people think/hope that 2026 will be a blip and things will be put in place for a promised land in 2027 and beyond. The BSPL, as I understand it, represent the teams competing in British Speedway, but there is a divide because of the PL/CL split and own agendas of completing clubs. This insistence of clinging on to a top tier is becoming ridiculous, as has been proved for 2026. The sport has never been in a position to introduce promotion/relegation (yes it was tried a few years ago, move on), simply because it cannot generate a wide enough interest. Forget league structures, just start with getting teams to confirm that they will compete for a future season on preferred race nights. Build from there. See what league structure options are available on this basis. Only at this point should available riders be looked at. GP level riders will no doubt be unaffordable/uninterested, but you have to cut your cloth as they say. Nothing will change of course because UK speedway cannot accept/understand that the financial demands of top riders continually eat in to unsustainable resources.

Pleased to see that we will have Gilkes as our rising star. He was impressive in his short stint last year before getting injured. The Lions have been carrying their No.7 for the last couple of seasons, so fingers crossed we will now have someone who can chip in with a few points.

Pretty sure that averages in that era included bonus points, but even so, he was very impressive. Tall riders tend to look clumsy on a bike but he was an exception.

Sounds a right miserable sod. Did he leave when it got to happy hour?

You can only speak as you find I suppose. My old next door neighbour was okay. He used to race greyhounds but soon gave up because they used to beat him every time!

Let’s be honest, ‘Speedway Star’ is probably the most credible thing associated with the sport in the UK. A superb publication doing its best to make the sport appear to be more professional than it actually is!

Let’s be honest, ‘Speedway Star’ is probably the most credible thing associated with the sport in the UK. A superb publication doing its best to make the sport appear to be more professional than it actually is!

If there is another 'unknown' team certain of coming to the tapes next season why is it being kept so secret? Surely you would want as many people aware as soon as possible to generate interest and sell season tickets (its called promoting!).The BSPL are happy to post anything on their website which they think might come across as positive (although some things are so trivial it makes you wonder who is that bothered), so why is everybody still waiting?

I’m neither for or against Louis but such criticism is unfounded when you do not know the figures involved with the financial operation of the club. Take speedway out of the equation and ask yourself whether you would like people telling you what to do with your money and be criticised for not being prepared to risk making a loss just to make other people happy?

Doubt it. Who’s better than Douglas? Kurtz obviously, but who else?

Where did this rumour of Ipswich having a GP rider next season come from? If Louis had negotiated any such deal it is now surely meaningless if he is looking to sell up? I don’t see how people can speculate on the Witches line up when it has yet to be confirmed who is taking over or even if they will run!

Looking good for the play offs 😉

So who do you know for certain is committed to the UK?

We wish! But in the absence of other big hitters in the league(Doyle, Emil, Kurtz? Holder?), he could comfortably be averaging 9.5 next season.

Birmingham have struggled for a couple of years with crowd levels and limped from season to season, unable to attract quality riders and then lost their track. Not quite the same as the Ipswich situation is it?

Passion is controllable, that is just brattish behaviour.

Thanks for that ArnieG, but what a farce!

His official GSA going forward to next year is 8.12, which is not the same as his over all 2025 average (based on 24 meetings). Whilst the official figure is I assume a rolling average, it is not over 20 meetings, as this throws up a different figure again (looking at Lions stats on their web page). Must therefore be based on a rolling average over probably 15 or 10 meetings. Bloody (and unnecessarily) confusing this! Anyone care to clarify this matter?

That was my initial thought, but teams will not be able to accommodate two riders that will dominate heats 13 & 15 with next seasons reduced points limit, so Dougy at No.1 may not be so bad. Dickson is right to build without Fricke (as good as he’s been), because it would leave the Lions with an even weaker tail than what we’ve had for the last two seasons. Getting Gilkes in as the RS would be a great move in my opinion.

If we could get Dan Gilkes as the RS, I’d take that team.

…….Or Pathe News!