Fortythirtyeight

4 rounds? Conspiracy theory time! we've had Scunthorpe, we now have Leicester , I’m going for Somerset and Kings Lynn. I hope the kids get to ride at Belle Vue but Redcar is the only other track that’s open so why hasn’t one been arranged there? Scunthorpe and Redcar announced their amateur meetings weeks ago and yet the first 2 rounds clash with Redcars events ( not Scunthorpe’s?) so why can’t the powers that be on the top table even sort a calendar out with only 5 tracks running so that there are no clashes ? Surely the more the kids get to ride the better? The kids love Belle Vue and Redcar , two of the best race tracks in this country. Yes, I’m biased. I’m from the north west have a chip on my shoulder about Workington and dislike the way the sport is being run , like most of us!

It’s perhaps a good move that you don’t sign for your local club as the pressure can ruin any potential rider. The connection with Pipe certainly does him no favours particularly at Redcar but it shouldn’t hold him back in the long term. There is no denying the kid has talent and good equipment but he lacks mechanical knowledge and desperately needs guidance in that area. I’m not sure he’ll learn anything special from ex diamonds or even current Bears as like many, he hates the Newcastle track but perhaps if he wants to get tattooed he can learn something from Kerr.

Not until you get rid of the ‘ top table ‘ of individuals who run clubs of their own , it needs an independent , non biased chair ( which it hasn’t had for years ) .

“ Fans will flood in “ ? Really ??? they never have before to watch amateur racing or the youth rounds for that matter and , in my humble opinion, you shouldn’t have to pay to watch amateurs. No one has at previous meetings. Voluntary donations , yes, that’s fine but the competitors are paying to ride so the club is covering its costs and more.

Maybe? , but until something is officially announced we can all speculate as much as we like and as you've started the ball rolling....

Plenty of gossip about this subject at the weekend but I think it’s all just talk at the moment. Some clubs may look to run something behind closed doors but can’t see enough interest to form any sort of league. Scunthorpe did used to run an amateur series of challenges for all levels against Kings Lynn and Stoke a few seasons back. Maybe it could just be those tracks holding regular training sessions are looking to do something, Scunthorpe, Kings Lynn, Redcar, Leicester ? it would bring a bit of revenue in if the competitors are paying to ride as is the norm at amateur level.

A bit strong but I see your point and think you won’t be far off the mark. It would make no sense to have a British Championship when the riders have had little to no racing.

It’s good business sense not to put funds into something that the private sector provide .

Mark Courtney lives in Poland , spanner’s for Max Fricke over there.

Bob Watts lived near Exeter , rode for Teesside.

But he's not a promoter and it will be the same promoters who have governed the sport for the last few years who will be running it again whenever we start up. The few ' new ones ' messers Jensen ( Rye House ) Morgan ( Workington ) Rathbone ( Peterborough ), Phillips ( Newcastle ) , and Kay ( Redcar ) all of whom had ' new ideas ' didn't hang around long for various reasons and all had issues of some sort with the sports governors , it appeared, and with only one of the young Courtney's left at Berwick and Smith / Lemon at Belle Vue to bring fresh ideas to the table you have got to wonder where the change of direction will come from. We can hope for a miracle but then we are all waiting for another major one to get us out of the current situation and they don't come around that often.

Here's some reasons why speedway should not run , particularly behind closed doors. We are supposed to be avoiding putting any excess pressure on our NHS. Most tracks medical cover are usually NHS employees ( Doctors and paramedics ) doing a second job for extra money. They should not be asked to cover ANY form of Motorsport events whilst we are in the current pandemic situation. Sports injuries are classed as ' self inflicted ' by the NHS for a reason, let's not add to their stress. Money : no crowd means no income. One track I know of needs to find in excess of £35,000 annually just to keep the stadium running even without holding an event with rent, bills and maintenance costs . Then you need to find riders wages which are usually covered by turnstyle income, no crowd equals yet another financial loss. Sponsors want coverage, they get it via programme adverts, mentions on the track announcements and rider sponsorships, they won't be getting that sort of coverage with no crowd as there will be none of that. Most large sponsorship deals are paid in instalments. I doubt most clubs have been able to gather in their full quota of sponsors money. The majority of speedway crowds are elderly. They are the most vulnerable and should not be expected to attend any event whilst the threat of Covid is still around. They are also the least likely to have access to watch ' streamed ' speedway meetings or pay to watch such an event. Travel. Putting on events means adding to traffic on the roads again putting added pressure on our NHS with the increased possibility of traffic accidents. About 25-35% of riders are currently out of the country so are faced with not only the travelling issue they then face added lockdown isolation periods . I could add more but I think I've said enough. In my opinion NO SPORT should take place till this is all over even if that means we lose clubs through it then sorry but lives are more important than entertainment.

No but it does depend on what they put in the copy of the contract given to the border agency.

A lot of 'vastly experienced' individuals have not made good team managers. The bigger question would be why was Jason Pipe appointed in the first place, then sacked?

Ridiculous figure, how can you say 499 is fine, 501 is not? crowds / large gatherings should be banned, full stop.

BSPA rule book is written in pencil. Im not sure you are right with Buster but I'm sure someone will clarify it.

Newcastle should not get a vote for three years . The Stoke promoter was in the NL , that won't count for Championship issues but then who knows what they will allow these days as your not supposed to be a promoter at more than one track , but that one got overlooked if your on the committee! . Newcastle are the only Sunday track in the division.

Talks Less? Never going to happen.

It only has to apply for the last quarter of the season which could be as little as 4-6 weeks. How about a bad photo copy of an email from a supposed Danish Doctor saying " Rider sick , Not Ride" and a copy of a doctors business card alongside it? its been done before and lasted some considerable time even though it's authenticity was questioned to be answered by " this has gone on for years , live with it!".

Rules being made up after the AGM? so what's the point of the AGM! This is yet another one that will be manipulated by the more unscrupulous promoters with more dubious sick notes that cannot be questioned .

Shared events are not voted on. They are discussed, usually by the 3 on the top table as there's only 3 in attendance at 90% of management meetings , and then offered to whichever track they think can host it when the committee want it hosting, that's how it's always worked. You may have noticed the big meetings this coming season are being hosted by management members clubs.

Where's the contradiction? I never said there wasn't an asset base just that certain riders have ridden without being an asset of any club and there is nothing to stop them doing so. Each club and no doubt the BSPA will have a list of their alleged assets, wether they have ridden in the last 10 years or not!

Bunyan bought his own contract therefore was not an ' asset ' of any club, there's nothing in the book to say a rider must be someone's property because he doesn't. The asset system is only there to benefit the club's financial liability to the BSPA so that if a club folds they can claim the club's assets and then benefit from loaning them out themselves, like they did with Coventry. New riders become assets by default once they have ridden so many matches for what ever club they start their career with in the U.K. Some riders are ' owned' by clubs that they have never ever ridden for, the British Champion being one such rider. There has been no new asset list since 2017 as it was so out of date then it was embarrassing .If it was ever challenged it would have no legal basis whatsoever which is probably why there's been no attempt at renewing it.

Either you need to go to Specsavers are get a new calculator. Whilst the crowd is healthy replace your minimum with maximum.

No sure your right Dave. There's nothing in the rule book to say a rider has to be ' controlled ' by any club. Jason Bunyan bought his own contract and then rode for Mildenhall. The last club asset list that was published included riders who hadn't ridden for over 10 years and even two that are no longer with us!