stick man

Weather forecast I've checked looks pretty wet for Saturday. Does anybody have a more local view or reliable site to try. I am happy to keep trying until I get a forecast I like.

I notice that Mr. Shovlar did not mention the "throngs" of speedway fans at the race-off at Poole. The racing produced that night was fantastic but how many people were there? This is no longer a week long festival of speedway now they have split up the rounds to three different countries. The location does not need to be a holiday town. It needs to be held in the best speedway stadium in the country which is without doubt Coventry. It is only a series of one off meetings with the home promotion hoping like hell that the home nation is in the race-off.

I thought BSI were trying to raise the profile of the sport!? Surely Swindon cannot be their choice for the World Team Final. Imagine the hoots of derision when you tell people that the World Team Final is being held at a place where you stand on a grass/muddy bank, trying to get as high up the bank as possible to try and get a decent view, having queued for ages beforehand to be at the front of the rush for the "good" places, and if you want to sit, take your own chair. The toilets on the back straight are like old football stadiums of the 1950's and are appalling. The VIP "lounge" is the top of a double decker bus, open to the elements and behind the grass bank! The racing is usually poor with most riders on the one racing line. No viewing in to the pits for the kids or kids at heart. Good car park though! Until you come to leave. And all this for a similar price as a seat in the marvellous stadium in Cardiff!! Please, not Swindon.

I know Coventry may have "cut their nose off to spite their face" last year with BSI, but surely Brandon has the best facilities of the lot; Centrally placed in the country. Easy access. Plenty of free parking at the stadium and facilities for overflow parking. Best viewing in the country all round the track, no need to queue for hours before hand to scramble for limited good views (as you do at Poole and Swindon). Capacity for 10,000 at least. Excellent bars, plenty of food outlets. Large enough pits with easy views for fans. VIP lounges. A good racing track when well prepared which fortunately has become more of the norm this year. Home track advantage? Scott, Lee and Chris.

For £22 I'd expect a seat and a decent view! Not standing at the top of a grass bank exposed to all weathers and appalling toilets. Have you noticed that the Swedish round is about £12 to stand!? With the meeting being on Sky many will opt to watch it on tele, the crowd will be sparse and look crap. They keep banging on about speedway being a family sport, where's a family ticket or heavy discounts for kids, you are not talking about kids taking up expensive seats at a place like Swindon. Surely with prices closer to Elite league prices and help for families there would have been a much bigger crowd which not only looks better for the tv it would cover the difference in the gate receipts. As usual very shortsighted by those concerned. This is a qualifying round with potentially one very weak side, not the World Team Final.....pass the remote control!!