GregoryM

Question on this afternoon's 'final chase' :- 'The Belle Vue Aces are a premiership team in which form of motorsport?' The chaser got it right!!

Roynon was full of praise, admiration, and respect for Bomber - something not shared, from what Jaizer tells us above, by the Glasgow fans!! I do know what he means about the Bomber lovefest though. I've always enjoyed watching Bomber ride, but wouldn't go overboard as some do. There have been plenty of riders who you'd hoped would 'miss-the-gate' 'coz you know you're then in for a real race. The last few years, for instance, for us at Belle Vue we've had Dan Bewley missing the start and giving us lap after lap of pure effort to pass. Like even Bomber, not successful every time. And I've seen Scott Nicholls, particularly on the smaller tracks, work his way through to the front countless times - but that hasn't seemingly attracted the same gushing remarks that some commentators reserve for Bomber.

You'd not have enjoyed Adam Roynon's interview then??

Yes, it completely bypassed them both!! Indeed, Olly Allen, commented that the heat 15 Plymouth 5-1 was ‘too little too late’. Yes, for a win or a draw (and Plymouth might well have had either) – but certainly not in order to go home with what might prove to be a crucial point at final league table time. As much as I’m not their biggest fan, Nigel and Kelvin would have been all over the fact pre-race that a heat 15 5-1 would send Plymouth home with a league point. I don’t want to be too harsh on the commentators as they ‘bed-in’, but surely the joint British team manager at least ought to know how the league points scoring system works?

Has anyone any info on car parking & charges please? Can you pre-book? Is it St Peter's School as on Monday? There's no info on the SON website, so have I missed something elsewhere? I know it isn't a Belle Vue event - though they are selling hospitality - so, thought I'd 'phone to see if they had any info - but there's been no reply today.

I must admit I’m not always ‘on the ball’ when it comes keeping totally up-to-date with the seemingly ever-changing rules and regulations. I’m just wondering why the Aces do not have Richie Worrall back in the team tonight, given he is back – and scoring well – in the SGB Premiership? Is his continued absence from the Aces’ team connected to the rules governing the signing of Nicolai Busk Jacobsen?

Totally agree with all three sentences. Some might not well agree with my stance, but I now only attend speedway and pay my money to enjoy the racing that's going on in front of me. I cheer for my team to win and admire the abilities of all 14 riders (if we see two full teams) on view on any particular night. For a couple of hours or so I'm happy in the knowledge that the majority are busting a gut to do well on the night because their efforts in most cases are reflected in their pay cheques. Other than that I try to forget that I'm watching a league structure that allows so much manipulation it really doesn't have any integrity. And, it is only because I am watching speedway at the NSS that I still choose to go. Had Belle Vue Aces & Belle Vue Colts still been at the Greyhound Stadium I would have stopped going several years ago.

Perhaps Batch and Cookie would need a run-off or a complain-off to decide the World Champion?

Heathcote - did you not see that the point had already been made a couple of hours earlier?

And you've had exactly this with Ben Barker this year - a guy who has done very well for the Bears in his time with you, but obviously had an issue that the Redcar management felt was too much for their loyalty to him to continue. It is a very good point you make - it would indeed be an interesting season if clubs could only change a rider when one is injured ….. and even then there would probably need to be something in place to check that any injuries were genuine. I expect Lemmo's loyalty only remains with a rider if he is not able to sign one he feels would improve the team - Wells' place maybe safe only because of the maths at the moment. Lemon soon sacked Justin Sedgemen when Rohan Tungate be came available - and I'm not sure that replacing Jye Etheridge with Mark Riss will go down as one of Mark's better decisions!!

You're not wrong on that according to Stevie Worrall. That's almost word-for-word what he said in the press conference. He also was angry with himself for allowing Josh G. to pip him to the line in heat 10. He knew he'd done wrong, but also thought that it was actually Max there where Josh was. The comments re: the riding order I'd fully agree with. We are looking very weak in heat 14 - even allowing for Brady Kurtz being there as a tac sub today - but we've been so used to having Rohan Tungate in that heat and it was like having a 4th heat leader at the NSS. Just taking that heat in isolation with Rohan there instead of Ricky Wells, there'd have been a good chance of him at least splitting the Pirates pair and that would have meant a narrow Aces win. Just my opinion - I readily admit I really enjoy watching Tungate at the NSS - but I'm hoping for his and the Aces sake that Ricky will improve on his scores. I don't doubt his effort at all, and maybe a move to the No.2 position might help him.

Quite by chance watched Monday morning's episode of this on BBC1. Have a look on catch-up TV and see the debtor being chased at a motor engineering business - plenty of weslake signage on show and at 20/21 minutes the first appearance (top left of screen) of three or four of a speedway poster (rider in action) on the wall.

I had to smile this morning after reading your advice because :- 1. You'd obviously not understood what I meant by 'Yes, as I said to 'bigcatdiary' I hadn't checked the Thursday fixtures', so it would hardly be a case of checking them again!! 2. And then on looking at the fixtures for the first time this morning I see that Swindon v Belle Vue is now off on Thursday as 'it's just that little too early to start' for the track. Given that the work on the track alterations had started later than planned I suppose we shouldn't be too surprised, but why arrange a fixture for Thursday in the first place and then postpone. Only on Monday my friend had booked Thursday afternoon & Friday morning off work in order to go, now he's hoping he'll be able to cancel the time off with his boss so as not to waste a day's holiday.

Yes, as I said to 'bigcatdiary' I hadn't checked the Thursday fixtures. Good point - but they could have rearranged for tonight - which is a blank date on the calendar - rather than Wednesday to avoid the clash with the football. And, though the school holidays are probably over by then, next Monday 15th is a fixed race night and is also a blank date on the calendar!! So, as per the usual speedway logic, they don't race on two consecutive Monday nights (fixed race night) but race on the Wednesday in between instead (a non-fixed race night and a clash with Manchester United's biggest home match of the season to date).

Fair enough. Hadn't checked that and thanks for the info. My overall point about racing on this particular non-fixed race night still remains though, and the Aces won't be seeing any of £200 or so my friends would have spent between them if they'd been able to attend the match. By the way, did I read somewhere that Panthers have a home match at the same time as Peterborough Utd are playing Sunderland at London Road over Easter? If so, another daft decision made by a speedway promoter if there was anyway of avoiding it - but speedway and daft are two words that can be frequently used together in the same sentence eh?

Swings and roundabouts. This might be one the Aces lose out though. Whilst they'll be getting another two people attending from your group I'll be going on my own. The EIGHT others in my circle are NOT going - six have tickets for Man Utd v Barcelona and the other two have decided to stay at home and watch the footy on TV. Had Aces rearranged it for the following night Thursday - one of the advertised FRN after all - all eight would have gone.

Just been thinking about renewing my Season Ticket and so I've revisited the ticketing information on the Belle Vue website. And, unless I've made a mistake and / or there are additional National League matches added – i.e. the Colts progress in the K.O. Cup and / or make the play-offs, it would seem those purchasing a joint Aces / Colts Season Ticket are not really getting a good deal. The Season Ticket information states the joint Aces / Colts ticket provides admission to all National League fixtures. At the moment, however, there are only 8 fixtures on the schedule. The price of the Joint Aces / Colts Season Ticket is £88 more than the Season Ticket just covering the Aces fixtures £88 / 8 matches = £11 per match. Yet, if you buy a ticket from the ticket-office on the night, it costs = £10 per match. So, in order to make the purchase of a joint Aces / Colts Season Ticket worthwhile, you’d need to be able to attend all 8 matches and hope that there’s at least one more Colts match added to the schedule, as having 9 matches to attend would at least bring the cost down to £9.78 per match. Still not a huge saving over paying on a match-by-match basis though for forking out up-front.

Thanks for the info geoff. I've never had any difficulty paying the £3 at the gate on the night and getting a car park space, but I suppose if you are running late it does add reassurance there will be a space waiting for you. And I take your point about the safety aspect. I can see too that you could get five 'extra' fixtures with the PCMT & the possibility of two play-off matches each for both the Aces and Colts - for but I was surprised, though, you say If it includes such as the British Final / SON / World U-21. These surely must be either BSPA or FIM events, and it does say on the Belle Vue website that these are not included. I usually get there quite early so will continue to pay week-by-week, but appreciate others will be happy with the reassurance it brings.

Can a fellow Belle Vue fan help with this genuine question please? I’ve never had a Season Car Park Permit before and was considering applying for one, but looking at the information released on Season Ticket and Car Park charges it would seem to be more expensive than paying fixture by fixture. The Season Ticket information states there is going to be at least 22 Belle Vue fixtures (Aces & Colts) in 2019, and that to pay for car parking by paying on the night it will be £3 per fixture. 22 x £3 = £66. A Season Car Park Permit, however, costs £90 !! And it doesn’t even cover BSPA / FIM fixtures. Perhaps, though, like the actual Season Ticket there are additional benefits added to the Season Car Park Permit than just parking your car? If there aren't any further benefits, are there really going to 30 Belle Vue fixtures – an additional 8 to the ‘guaranteed’ fixtures – to cover the additional £24 you pay for the Season Permit? If both Aces & Colts progress through to the Play-Off Finals surely that won’t add an additional 8 fixtures? And, if there are no further fixtures added, then you’ve paid £24 more for parking than you need have done. I have made enquiries of Belle Vue but have not, as yet, received a reply – so I was wondering if a Belle Vue supporter who has previously had a Season Car Park permit might be able to shed some light? Thank you.

Agreed, it wasn't anywhere near the usual standard, but was it really the worst? I only ask that a bit tongue in cheek, because even when the Stars were behind on the scoreboard, a Stars fan near me said it was 'just brilliant' compared to anything he'd seen this season elsewhere in the 30+ meetings he had attended. Anyhow, it was certainly far far below the standard of the racing we witnessed in the two recent Somerset matches.

Judging by what Jye said in the after match press conference his passion was more for his own safety rather than for Belle Vue, such was how he saw the move Jorgensen made against him. Also Mark Lemon praised Jye in the press conference for taking the guest booking.

Exactly. In the Super League play-off semis the best seats in the house at Wigan & St Helens are around £25. In the final at Old Trafford the best seats are £85 !!

The 'killer instinct' is probably a trait that riders develop differently through their career. Jason Doyle seemed to get his during one winter between seasons. Looking at Max's performances at the NSS recently, he has shown a ruthless side to his riding, and has made some extremely daring and incredible passes. He now has to develop that to a consistent level and at every track he rides - he has the talent to do that and, at his age, has time on his side.

Mark Riss replaces Jye Etheridge in an attempt to improve away results. Jye had been very good at the NSS recently so hope Riss gets dialled in quickly at home.

Probably a bit of both? But his comments do seem to be more consistent than his scoring through the course of a match at the NSS. This is what Sam said after the KO Cup Final at the end of the 2017 season:- " I could see everyone out there was trying their hardest but we got beat by a good team. The track actually suited the lighter boys tonight and Belle Vue have plenty of them".