Sings4Speedway

agreed but still didn't stop plenty of clubs telling riders they couldn't. Fortunately there was enough either unattached or brave enough to ride there anyway.

Really couldn't make it up, Leicester who were one of many clubs to deny riders permission to compete on the IOW have booked two riders who both completed meetings there this season. Danno might just surprise a few to be fair as he has had more competitive meetings than some of the Royals on show. Still should be whitewash to keep the home faithful's league hopes alive.

I believe Iwade is a Nora track these days... hilarious if it was used for an NDL fixture. Whatever the venue its going to hit Kent financially and might all be for nothing anyways.

So as it stands Kent have to use a neutral venue against Armadale if they want to complete thier fixtures. I guess off setting the fine for non completion vs hire of another venue is one thing but still going to hurt the Kent club finacially (limited benefit to Edinburgh too as they would have to pay away costs etc) All likely to be held after the Royals have got through the challenges of Leicester and Mildenhall at home first as a slip up in either of those and the Armadale match is rendered a little bit pointless.

Not sure on the stats of other teams but Kent had 6 home rain offs pre-October and sadly the CL meetings bumped the NL meetings down the priority order. Its fortunate in some respects that a KOC run or the CL play offs weren't reached as it wouldn't then be remotely possible to fulfil the fixtures. As much as it could be the end of the NDL i can't see Kent entering again next year (or potentially being allowed to enter) and same applies to any club unless they are standalone or can run double headers. The whole sport needs to start looking at end of September being the cut off rather than dark wet October.

What track would be crazy enough to host it without any home interest? No idea of the financials of this but either Kent and Mildenhall are splitting the costs or Kent have handed a home meeting to Mildenhall because they are desperate for any chance of a title. Sadly for whoever wins overall it will be remembered as the year the NDL was on its knees and not for any achievements on track.

Fingers crossed. Id be delighted to see the one remaining standalone team win the league this year.

Whilst you are probably right that the numbers coming through is probably a little bit down (even basic maths of less tracks, less track time equals less riders developing through the sport) lowering the bar certainly hasn't and shouldn't be the answer. Riders need to be good enough to achieve team places not gain them because they are "young with potential" how about young and proven or just proven to be at a higher ability. Making concessions for age and lowering team averages has done immense harm to the league this year yet there are still riders who haven't improved upon the base signing 3.00 despite the lower limit meaning that natural inflation should have occurred across the board.

Obviously at a later stage in the season and due to recent misadventures Foord is running with one bike (there was a time when even NL promotors demanded riders turn up with two). As covered the others were struggling with equipment also, the shale and moisture plays havoc with the basic electrics these machines run on so no surprise they didn't want to play. I have seen some comments of not wanting to dirty other bikes but given the sheer amount of hours it takes to prepare each machine and the knowledge that it will be for one more ride on a track nobody was enjoying it feels like a fairly easy choice. In all honesty the way the NDL has been treated/regarded this season its hard to expect the riders to treat it seriously when nobody else does.

how many times has that been written this season? the lad clearly has speed BUT how sustainable is the sport with that level of attrition on equipment?

Ok Berwick have an aversion to travelling full stop (due to costings) and there were no other available Tuesdays prior to the end of October which is the season cut off so even if it was held in November it wouldn't count. That said i hope the Bullets hang on to the title now as they have defied the odds, snapped up the more dependable newbies and gone unbeaten at home

Is there a date for the Armadale Mildenhall fixture yet? Whats the cut off for the league? If by a miracle that the points difference, points for and against are the same will it come down to head to heads between the sides?

Congrats to the Bullets. Pre-season they looked a 2 man team and with Flint leaving midway it could have been disaster but unbeaten at home and useful points away and Crang coming in and scoring straight away puts them back top of the table. Nervy wait to see if Mildenhall can topple Kent at home also otherwise its Silverware.

With Kent running out of dates and Berwick not wanting to travel again for a dead rubber match it was always likely to be on despite the terrible forecast. It also had get to 10 heats and call it written all over it but for reasons unknown they pushed on to 15 heats and the drama unfolded. Gremlins galore and riders thoroughly fed up with conditions which had gone past skiddy to dangerous prompting for numerous 2 min exclusions, good riders looking average and average riders looking dreadful (i bet Ryan Mac has enjoyed this southern tour). However champions crowned (effectively)and another NL league title slips away from Kent. Kent now have to try and promote 4 NDL fixtures with little riding on them throughout cold October and the treat of "lesser" sides on show. A sad end but i fear those few who have handed over £15 to watch NDL at Kent this year will be able to say they saw the Royals only season and the end of the NL as a whole.

Nothing wrong with the policy at all and the help and support given to riders (especially in the past) by Kent is league rivalling. Kent is more of a trick track than many give credit which can boost some riders who get to grips with it. The likes of Gilkes would have succeeded at most places but raw riders who turned into gems like Mulford, Spooner, Thomas and beautiful Danny Ayres can certainly be considered development success.

Im not saying they would / will i said hypothetically. Ben is dissallusioned with the BSPL and would be an opportunity to have a strong say in how things are run and improve the future.

It would certainly be nice to see a Nora league in operation next year. Run alongside other host events that suit the individual tracks and with a format that benefits all involved. Hypothetically IOW, Oxford, Eastbourne, Buxton, Mildenhall and Redcar? Could even be the return of a few "ghost" teams like Cradley or Reading. It doesn't have to be too over the top serious but about providing good honest balanced racing and entertainment whilst offering track time to riders who benefit from it. Im not picking on any teams listed or releasing any details as i know of nothing confirmed just using examples. It could even be run alongside the BSPL rather than directly in competition as i know of no reason why events from two governing bodies cannot run at the same venue as they have already done at Scunthorpe.

Can't argue that Kent gave Mulford a chance with little previous speedway pedigree but the rest are probably being held back by the NL at Kent this year. Foord has started erraticly and included in the Royals but no more development by them than that. Gilkes did all the work before joining Kent and would have been a success anywhere, Spooner should have had a big year but got frozen out by the points limit and fitness problems. If Kent want to claim / trumpet a rider of "thier own" it should be Clouting but sadly his progress is stalling. Get behind any team you like but when it comes to rider development its themselves and the families that have a right to claim thier development and very rarely others.

Whilst its all about development a loss tonight could affectively end Kents league winning hopes. Tough and technical track for Foord and Warren on their first looks at it and whilst the Millars are certainly not world beaters i would expect them to pack out enough minor placings to keep the Royals from getting any points here

So rider not sacked or mind changed?

That would scupper it, Royals would still be running fixtures next year at that rate. Put a mark in your calendar 28th Sept. Day NDL title is decided.....

I thought the rule was intended to assist away teams keep it a closer contest. It clearly suits Kent and indeed any side with a very strong 1&5. I can see many teams being built that way next year (if the rules remain) as teams can allow an visiting team to build a lead, claw it back with a tactical then dominate in the final few heats. Great for drama but is it sending away teams off without points they perhaps deserve / earned if it wasn't for the tactical switches?

Only issue that arises for me again is should a home side be able to use a Tactical Sub?

Certainly makes sense. Just thought it was billed as NL lite level rather than operating at exactly the same level (or lower) than the competition that was squashed to make way for it.

Any idea of the scoresheet / race format? Looks an awful lot like MSDL level.......