Fortythirtyeight

They had too, due to the stupid rule.

Firstly , great news that the Comets will reappear in 2027 , the sport needs clubs but I do wonder how they will turn things around as they just can’t seem to attract enough of a crowd regularly to make championship level work for them and the patchy fixture list hasn’t helped. Good win today though. As for the Bears this was yet another example of how inconsistent they can be. Yet another lead blown away and points lost. Fielding two guest reserves in the main body today didn’t help. The ‘friendly family’ need to think again and Allen , Edwards and Mulford need to move on for their own careers as much as anything. Swopping Jenkins for Lambert was a disaster . Perhaps the new ‘old’ promoter will use his experience and savvy and bring that ruthlessness that’s needed to the club ? Yes, I do know they are in a cup final but I can’t see the Bears winning the home leg never mind the tie.

If ever there was an example of the difference of skill level between the Championship riders and NDL then the first few heats and the farcical delay in this meeting showed it. A bit of dirt on the track and NDL riders couldn’t handle it whilst those few riders who ride in the championship, Ablitt, Ingram , Hodder and Ace just got on with it and rattled up quick race times. Making the often maligned ( and quite often deserved ) trackmen use up expensive diesel doing lap after lap without actually doing a lot on a damp cold night just annoyed the sparse crowd, some of whom left after heat two , because riders simply do not have enough experience of a deep track ( is an inch deep ? ). How do you gain experience? Get on and ride the condition’s! Once it restarted , after an hour , yes, the racing improved, ( all in the head in my opinion ) in fact there were a few classics amongst the top boys in the latter heats gaining the Tigers all 3 points on offer. Lions will say they were unlucky losing Spencer ( he fell twice whilst under no pressure ) but I think the Tigers just wanted it more, even inexperienced Green was giving it a good go. Would hope Redcar keep the NDL side for 2027 but can’t see it with that small a crowd.

You think a fixture gets arranged around one AWAY rider ? 😉 This season has been the worst I can remember for gaps in fixtures and the number of guest riders. Would have normally attended this one but I might check on the weather forecast first as it’s now a bit of a nothing fixture.

So Bears already missing two riders and isn’t Wright due in Poland on Sunday ? Let’s hope he’s got travel arrangements nailed down.

Don’t know why any TV company would want to cover British Speedway at present , same teams playing each other on a four week rota. , same riders appearing for different teams , if the weather allows for it and then a ‘crowd’ of 60+ year olds who struggle to raise an atmosphere ……and I’m one of them !

So now we have at least two ‘reserves’ riding in what used to be regarded as the top individual event of the championship season, how far has this sport fallen !

So the dates are published. At REDCAR on TUESDAY 22nd Sept At Poole on WEDNESDAY 23rd. Personally I don’t understand Redcar wanting to run a cup final on an off night and a Tuesday at that but at least it’s getting completed before the snow comes.

You take Poole and Glasgow out of the championship and probably Workington , then there is no championship. Those that remain simply wont be able to make it pay.

There’s only you thinking they do ! Whilst I accept Glasgow are well known to pay above the norm in the championship, possibly to compensate their location , the rest pay what they can afford that’s why they are still running. Premiership is a small fish and that’s why Poole , Glasgow etc prefer championship as they keep their preferred race night and get double the fixtures.

In your head perhaps. Those riders who currently ride for Friday tracks appear very happy to do so , possibly because they know these tracks pay their riders on time. Look what Charles Wright did this season ( injury aside ) he chose Championship and Poland and turned down a place in the Premiership.

Your assuming the ‘better’ riders in the Championship actually ride for points money these days as I’m led to believe , despite the chairman’s claims that guarantee’s are banned, that more ‘top’ riders are on them now than last year. From the riders I assist they tell me most heat leaders in the championship are on some form of guarantee, wether that be fully or partially and our imports have to be due to the stipulation on their visas. Don't most of our championship riders ride in the Polish 2nd tier? So does the rule affect them ? Ill believe a TV deal when I see it .

You seem to not understand ‘ ex riders ‘, they are ‘ex’ because they have had enough of restrictive rules , every increasing costs and less and less chances to ride. The NDL is struggling and probably won’t complete its fixtures with rumour having it the chair ( bless him ) wants it done away with. A few years back the NJL ran an individual series at all the competing tracks, the NJL riders championship, perhaps that is the way forward .

Digital programme ! Have you seen the average age of a speedway fan ?

Since when has speedway taken roadworks, or even the fans, into consideration ?