OveFundinFan

Whats the point in 3 lap races? A 4 lap race is lets say, 60seconds, and we get 15 races. So we make a race approx. 40 seconds, just cant see that stimulating interest. Lots of races are won by an overtake on the last lap, last bend even...…. so we cut that out.....sounds good (not). A meeting as a package has to change. Races need to be "snappier", cut out time wastage ie you going to get false starts, but cut out the pit gates opening, send them straight back to the tapes. Give them time for "gardening" but keep it to a minute or less. Whole meeting entertainment needs upping. Anyone remember Johnnies Marching Girls at Belle Vue…. put on whatever the modern equivalent of that is. Riders that win a 5-1 go a lap with the club flag, like I seen in Sweden, Get the riders to interact with the crowd, signing autographs etc, even if its over the fence at the interval (doesn't seem much chance after the meeting as the "stars" are often away quick to their next country, so I read). Add 5 races at the end of the 15 heat league match. First 2 will be for the 4 top scorers of each team, top two in each race will go to a final (race 5). Race 3 and 4 will be for the reserves plus local juniors. The race 5, should be able to get local sponsors for £250 prize money for the winner. Publicity seems to be lacking, need someone to be tackling local radio stations, local newspapers, and billboards still play an important part is advertising. Get members of the team at local super markets during the afternoon of an event - with bikes, stickers, autographs etc. Get the word out.

Seems that, generally speaking, have their best engines in Poland, and it looks like they use UK speedway of making pocket money. Probably cost teams a lot of money in the process. Will all get sorted in the efforts that have to take place to kick British speedway into a better place.

So I guess Aussie won - so what, why not. Its the first test match in years Team GB has been in (Great Britain is too long so I gonna keep calling them Team GB or even GB). The youngsters have got to start somewhere and now they done it. Its a yardstick been laid and that's a good thing.

I don't know for sure, but with the water level around the stadium being so high maybe they would not get any dispensation re use of waste oil. Hasn't it been said that high tide even makes a difference to drainage of the track and area.

That is total rubbish Starman. I don't care which team it is. Dumping oil is against the law, whoever does it. Even changing your car engine oil, the old oil has to be disposed of in accordance with the law, the council/private waste disposal units provide containers for used oil, you just cant dump wherever you want. You be telling me next its ok to drive up a lovely country lane and just dump my old mattress or old fridge.

Cant believe how the majority of the Poole fans on here seem to think pouring oil onto the track, on purpose or accidently is OK. Totally irresponsible.

Unbelievable statement. It might be "their" track ie Poole....but they cannot do as they please. Why do you think riders have to have an oil catcher? Because dropped oil is not good for the environment. Oil was poured on the track (an "accident" is no defence) so its an offence. Environment Agency should be involved in this, and if oiling the track to bind the shale is being done regularly then expect a heavy fine. Next thing is it will be said "oil helps keep the dust down".

and here is me thinking sponsors for a struggling sport would be most welcome. Perhaps not !

That's about the tops with the stand on bend 3-4. To make the money they would have to do a pay-as-you-view special. I would accept that even though I BT TV subscriber.

The important thing is..... you knew who I meant. ………. Janusz Kołodziej (cut & paste so that's cheating )

2011 in the GP's Kolodjei scored 50 and come 14th, Artum Laguta was 15th with 28.

Kolodjei age 34, Linback 33, NKI 36. 4th was Cookie at 31. Show experience counts. Not saying those 3 are about to set the GPs on fire, though any of them could on their day, but it shows we perhaps shouldn't push the young ones too hard too soon.

2020 is much too soon for that to come about. More like 2022. if he gets a Cardiff wild card before that he will have deserved it, but a full season of GPs...…. just a few years more.

So 2 that haved showed a lot of promise in the past but not fulfilled, plus Jan Kolodgei (?) whose is knocking on now and had a go a good few years ago didn't he. The only way for Cookie is either top 8 in GP, no top 8 but do well enough to get near to top 8, or one of the top 3 tonight drop out for whatever reason. If Robert form continues he could well get a wild card...…..but there is competition, but his saving there is I don't think there will be more then 4 Poles in the GPs, assuming one drops out of top 8 and J Kolodjei takes no 4.

Looks a narrow track, or is that photo deceiving???

Might be proper speedway, but where was the team riding. Fricke looking round and then not working the info into the benefit for him and his team mate was dreadful. Back to the fact team riding is an art that has to be learned, but that was a good chance for Fricke to learn, after all, Jye wasn't slow.

We just had very light rain here, lasted al of ………….. 5 minutes.

Speedway is stuck in a rut re starts, referring to the use of tapes. Moto GP and F1 have at least 22 lined up but movement is much less then in speedway. Tapes themselves can flutter due to wind which in itself must “encourage” riders jumping. So transponders need testing, maybe a problem with ruts and shale affecting efficiency so how about a green light start, together with a beam in front and a beam behind to limit movement. But keep them pit gates closed, that in itself would make a big difference.

Interesting what thoughts are for bringing new blood into the GPs. Milik, Lambert, Holder (presume meaning Jack). Milik is mature enough to be doing it by qualification, I hope he does it some day. Lebedevs not mentioned recently, but he another like Milik. Both need consistency. Lambert and J Holder, Fricke - Lambert probably best shot of those three in the short term, he going well. But what about his peers - Drabik and Smektala…. they going better in the under 21 world championship again. I seriously think now Nicky has had his day, and so has NKI, Andreas J, ….. I think Martin Vaculik will disappear after this year (wont qualify but will take couple more years out), with so much Polish competition what becomes of the two Pawlicki's, Piotr had 2 years and the other not setting the world on fire at the top level. Greg - he will do 2019 and maybe that will be his day, maybe that depends on what he does this year in the championship. He will still get good money in Poland and Sweden for a few more years. Generally, the Danes are struggling at top level, also the Swedes, Poles still ruling but a lot of potential coming through on the British scene, pity we will loose them to continental clubs due to the state of British league racing.

Of course moving at the tapes is a form of trying to gain an advantage (cheating). Bikes in Moto GP cannot move at the start (penalty if they do). Cars in F1 cannot move at the start (Penalty if they do). With Moto GP and F1 they have many laps to sort out a winner - in speedway there are 4, taking about a minute. Starts have to be right. Speedway cannot have a ride through/drive through penalty like MotoGP/F1 so it has to be right. The starts in speedway, GPs at least, are far too long, riders nerves are jangling, moves are made due to that, sort the time out between light off and tape up, hold the tapes shorter time scale, don't open pit gates, and things would be better. I don't want to see rollers like there used to be in the 70's/80's, what I want to see is 4 riders getting away evenly. Ivan Mauger was just one of those who took advantage of big rollers, but even he was out rollered by Jerzy Szakiel in a Polish world final - that was a terrible start - anyone who wants to see that again is NOT seeing speedway racing at its best.

I agree with the 2 rules you mention. 1) Touch the tapes and your out and 2) move and the race is stopped and you get a warning for the meeting. I do have a problem with 1) where the rider in blue or white see the rider in red or yellow move and blue and white move too. If B or W touches the tapes it is they that get excluded. This could lead to riders in R or Y deliberately moving t get their opponent excluded. Needs a little bit more rule I think. What may reduce the amount of stoppages is if the control of the tape release is took out of the hands of a human and given to a computer. For one, refs in at least the GP's hold the tapes much too long, so if a computer was set with a reasonable max time, but programmed to be random release time up to that max that would be good I think. As for pit gates opening after a false start - simple solution - keep the pit gates shut, riders straight back to the tapes, didn't happen ages ago nor should it happen now.

Either Bewley gating very well or the others are off the boil - think its the former.

Obviously I put my mouth on the wrong rider. Everything went wrong for Robert, and Cookie shone. Roberts day will come, well done Cookie - keep it up.

I think the BT presentation is a cut above previous years, and that’s before the meeting kicks off proper.

I hoping Robert can gate in his first heat from the inside, and that be a settler. I can see him in the semis, that would be good. Its whether he can string 5 good rides together, if he does that then a final may be on for him. its tough racing in a GP though, sure he knows that.