waytogo28

So why was Lambert looking like " a different rider" in his last heat? Did it take that long to work out the set up? Or was his mojo found in the bottom of the toolbox? At least Cook apologised promptly for his "performance".

At least we now know that. How much better if the website had always said " This website is updated 36 hours before a match with full team news ". That would have been helpful and clear. The sidecar meeting I last saw had less passing than in any 2017 home speedway matches. A borefest, but each to his own. Not my cup of tea either. The number of fans attending matches tells us if everything in the Stars garden is rosy. Judge by that week by week. Will we top 1,000 for Poole? Must do!

I should think that it finally sunk any hopes he has of riding in Poland in the future. They expect much more zip for their money.

There is hardly enough to pay for new blazers at the BSPA, never mind Track Inspectors. Just as in the Labour note " all the money has been spent".

In the 1940s British beaches were much better, cleaner and with a lot less pollution. The speedway was for very hard men who gave it out and took, it as well. They were all British, Australian and a few Yanks. The Russians were very poor until the early 1960s and I remember as a teen age fan, when those four Russians arrived at Norwich and rode so well ( every other heat ). But in the 1940's and for ten years post war we could have used riders from the Southern League Division 4 and still beat Poland and Russia. Those were the days and I won't live long enough to see Team GB beat the Poles again. That's Life! If it had been held at Rye House I am sure Kennett would have led from the front and top scored for Team GB. He knows his way around that place for sure. Not quite so sure which others places mind you.

I think Michael Lee would do well as he is a good speaker and has forthright non establishment views.

With Bewley, Smith, ZW, JPB added to Lambert ( as the Harris figure ) 5 -7 years assuming that Poland etc stand still. With Chugunov Russia now likely have another world class rider and others coming along. We might be able to compete on a more equal basis then.

What Team GB also need is a series of tutorials with Jason Doyle as to why he now believes fully in himself and what steps he took to make the step up that Lambert and Cook must do ( not too late for Cook if he gets on with it ) and it is essential for Lambert that he learns from the best. He really can make that step up to world class. Hopefully JD knows what it took for him AND is able to pass on the key elements of it ( that would still need to be adapted for each individual rider's style and personality )

GRW 123 said " Full marks to Bomber and Worrall who can hold their heads up for at least making a fight of it, I always thought Bomber would be competitive from the experience he has gained over the years. but Worrall to me was our Star Performer. Never having rode on this stage before, he rose to the occasion to mix with the best. a brilliant effort. Had the others shown similar attitude we would've walked that 3rd place." How right he is that the Bronze medal was well within the grasp of Team GB if only Lambert had displayed his true competitive nature in his first rides and not only in that final one ( where he looked a different rider ). Cook never showed up at all and was not even a pale shadow of his true self in any of his rides. He brought nothing to the team, for all his "talk' - even when he gated with people he went backwards quickly. Lambert and Cook did not seem to "want" it very much or were unable to demonstrate that they did. I don't think any other GB riders would have done better.

Possibly before Tuesday lunchtime or a bit later if everyone is busy.

As Scott Nicholls said, Craig Cook has a lot to do to make an impact on the GP even if he does get through the GP Challenge. He showed us very little of his ability which is awesome in the UK. At least Robert Lambert had one fighting ride to display his skills. Excellent show from Stevie Worrall and as gutsy as ever from Bomber.

Win a medal or not I am confident that the Team GB riders will put on a show and race for every available point. It's thrilling racing that most supporters are eager to see. We should get that.

Natalie is the best we have had, up to date with things, on the ball and with plenty of background knowledge. Scott is knowledgeable but his deadpan delivery is... well "dead". Some better intonation would help greatly. The BT coverage is excellent and we are fortunate to have it. Let's hope that they continue into 2018 and beyond. The BSPA were very fortunate to have been paid so much by Sky ( even if they frittered most of it away ). I don't think BT will pay much, if anything and speedway gets a very good publicity boost from the coverage. Quid pro quo.

The tracks at Vastervik and Leszno for the World Cup showed that truly committed riders can, IF they are offered a track that encourages the possibility of passing, give us exciting heats. We very much need a track surface more like this at the AFA if the quality of the racing is to improve. Fingers crossed.

The Event 2 at Vastervik and the Race Off in the World Cup showed us that the thrilling, exciting core "heart" of speedway can still be offered up to fans and that could bring some back and new fans too if the BSPA find a way to move into the 21st century. Good tracks are at the centre of making racing more than processional.

I don't have any animosity towards Australia but the Russians ( and to some extent the Latvians ) wanted it much , much more and were dialled in from the start. The sensational, young Chugunov reminded me so much of Ove Fundin and if he can do half as well as Ove, he will have a great career! Australia seemed have lost belief after Doyle was excluded and most of their riders were well below their best at the "wrong " time. Well done to the Russians and it could really spice up the Final. Team GB need to have their gating brains fully engaged and show how much they really want it. We have seen that you can come from the back and make a race of things on that track.

There has been no official announcement yet. So will a postponement be a last minute thing? Pity for those who have travelled, not to know when and if the Race Off and Final will be. The Sat. forecast looks just as dismal for Leszno. Will both meetings be on Sunday which looks likely to be better weather? Is there a contingency plan?

One solution likely to be taken up by the BSPA - to satisfy riders, promoters and most people except the supporters? I suggest that the same riders are used for both leagues who race on different nights ( if the powers that be insist on having two leagues ) and a small pool of other riders are used for injuries / retirements etc The troupe of would be league riders should tour as a UK based GP tour to as many tracks as possible. The reduction in costs with less riders should satisfy the pockets of the BSPA and as everyone is doubling up, the furore over that issue vanishes. NO riders who wish to race in Europe should be permitted to race in the new set up. Those who wish to race here will be the first to benefit and riding in two leagues will give them the income level they claim they need. It's no crazier than the system we currently operate and New "stars" would emerge as they do at every level. Clubs could even be linked who run the same 7 riders in two leagues! Say Leicester and Ipswich.

I for one have not talked down the GB team's success - although doubting BEFORE the event at KL that they would do well ( mostly because of what we knew about Lambert's injury ). They were very, very impressive and as a team are making great strides forward. To cement that progress we need a good showing in the final in Poland. Success for me would be to get a medal and Bronze would do nicely to show that team GB CAN perform well abroad. Like all / most fans who cheer for Team GB I dream of a win! A Gold medal but that is a dream at the moment. These are all merely different opinions of fans interested in speedway.

It's not rocket science but it is a scientific approach and speedway is renowned for still being in the early 20th century re how the sport should be run ( 1928 ). As speedway got into the second half of the last century ( say 1965 ) it was deemed perfect by the BSPA and only tinkering has been allowed since. They just failed to notice the falling off of crowd levels in the last 30 years or so. If there is anything left of the professional sport by the 2028 Centenary - then, who knows a scientific approach might be considered.

Australia it is then into the Final on Saturday ( or Sunday ) Or is it? And in the Final Poland - Gold Sweden Silver GB / Australia in a Run Off for Bronze and ......that race is won by Jason Doyle. Even with a "new build" it can all go wrong - look at Leicester. Depends on the designer. Spot on at the NSS. They got it right at KL long ago but now.....

Philip Rising said of an earlier important meeting at KL " Buster worked for hours on end (under a blazing sun) to completely relay the track. No one could fault his work ethic but there was a feeling that the material then (and maybe now) being used on the track was not really conducive to lots of passing." That is the case now - no one doubts his work ethic - if anything it's OTT. But what we can question is what appears to be the same attitude years ago that he is always "right" especially when fired up! That is a negative aspect of him that is now destroying the love of substantial numbers of fans for the club. He will not listen and appears unwilling to even consider the views of others. They are the qualities of a dictator not a calming leader ( Chairman of the BSPA ) seeking to revive the sport from it's current doldrums. The BSPA after a number of years of treading water, gave Buster his head in the matter of the development of the sport. We do not seem to be making much progress.

The same old one trick pony! Tapes to flag after the 2nd bend. There were only four passes. Next week will be my last if it is no better. I have watched at KL since they first opened and seen much better VFM racing, more often than not, in the past.

The track at Vastervik allowed those riders who really wanted to try to pass, to succeed ( and often be re-passed! ) What we saw at KL was almost a different kind of sport to what we saw at Vastervik. Passing was almost impossible at KL - sadly.

It will become an amateur sport or semi pro ( if it does continue at all ) . As well as fans it will be losing sponsors ( or failing to attract new ones ). I am sure we all agree with needing "scrumptious" speedway as at event 2 in the World Cup and I hope those in positions to influence the BSPA to think in that way ( and take any positive steps to make it happen - please do so ). It is scary and disappointing that the Chairman's track has usually provided only dire racing this season. A shift in thinking seems needed if speedway, as we know it is to continue and not be further diluted. But maybe it is only when it is much more diluted, will it improve and attract a paying audience on the terraces?