False dawn

I'd be happy to give them another 5 years if they'll agree to keep speedway on our screens!

Does anyone else have a sense of deja vue? Didn't PK retire last year? Just kidding. It was great to see him turn up in Swedish speedway on Tuesday TV. And not just turn up, but winning races. Peter is a true gentleman and anyone would have been proud to have in their team. And I mean team, Peter was a trier, always, but he was also there for the team. A rare animal in my many decades of support but a pleasure to see, even when he was on the other side. The sport will be a poorer place after he retires. I hope he remains in some other capacity.

This is such a close call I'm tempted to go to BV on Wednesday to see the outcome. We can argue about the play off concept till we're blue in the face but this is what's it's all about. Home and away aggregate ties, built for for television. But wait, the cameras aren't going to be there. Pity really. Might be a better tie than the finals.

Sounds like Dan Bewley was a deserved winner. Well done young man, we celebrate your victory.

Is this it? https://www.classicmagazines.co.uk/product/5517/bookazine-broadslide-sideways-on-top-bikes-and-star-riders-from-speedways-golden-age Free postage!

But knowing the BSPA it would be a bit like that coin toss on TV a few weeks ago when Danny King managed to get the coin to land on it's edge!

Things aren't always what they seem..... Pinewood Studios: A speedway track complete with pits was built on backlot as a replica of New Cross Stadium. http://www.thestudiotour.com/movies.php?movie_id=388 Not the reference I was looking for. I'm sure someone, during a previous thread on here, posted a picture of that set which was just one corner of a circuit.

Might save this one for the long cold winter...... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt5aSHN_j_4

Did they also build a single bend set to film some of the scenes for this?

I tried to assembly a list of current track records for British clubs recently. It wasn't that easy (and at least one of the published figures was wrong). And here's you, coming back in just over half an hour with track records from the 40's. I'm well impressed.

Leicester is now an okay circuit. Having been to most of them and raced on a lot of them, Leicester is pretty good. They should have made it wider but as it has now been built the way it is, get on with it. And be grateful.

I don't have a sad life. The Aussies are more than welcome to ride here. But Don't tell us on which night's we can ride. Don't abuse our paramedics Don't abuse our paramedics (duplication deliberate) Don't push the camera away, Don't piss off and ride in Poland when your fans expect you to be here. Did I say "expect"? I meant to say contracted to ride here. Don't lead a walkout when you don't like the track conditions (I spent a lot of money to be there). Shall I go on?

I guess one can put any spin on the facts one wishes. Just depends on your point of view.

God forbid we get rain next week. Then what?

Sounds like a golden opportunity for a rider to lower his average without seeming to. But wait, who's this at the top of the score chart for Workington? Can the conspiracy theorists please explain?

Well we could devise a system that means that the total points awarded is always the same, say 4. But I suspect we'd be into half points for some results. The statisticians would love that! But wait, I have the answer. Double the points awarded so the total is 8. So let's see..... Draw = 3 for the home side 5 for the away (3H 5A) Home win 6 or less = 6H 2A Home win over 6 = 8H 0A Away win 6 or less = 2H 6A Away win over 6 = 0H 8A And let's have 1 point for the aggregate winner The only drawback is that we'd still be working out who should be in the playoffs after the final had been run I've just read what I've written and the topic title.... Whoops So how about 2 for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss? But I think we tried that!!

Water wings eh?

Not sure that's what you meant Just joshing with you.

I lived through those days and still miss seeing the big dipper running round in the fair ground and over looking the track. The Hyde Road stadium was iconic and it's closure was a sad loss to the sport, to this day. Get used to it? I don't think so.

My goodness, some common sense. Where did that come from? Be careful, you might find yourself out on a limb, here and in the sport in general. [sarcasm smiley here]. Seriously, I have been banging on about bikes and tracks for ages. And what do I know? Well I know what I can see with my own two eyes. And when someone tells me that this unsatisfactory mix of bikes/engines and tracks is costing the average rider a small fortune, I'm beginning to wonder if anyone "up there" has an ounce of sense. We have the makings of a good sport in this country, still.

I have a suggestion, assuming you go to live speedway.... Next time you go, imagine that you'd managed to see your team maybe three times all season and that you might NEVER see them again, EVER, ANYWHERE. Then come back and discuss the nuances of track shape or the number of overtakes. I'm not trying to invoke your sympathy, but have a care. This is almost worse than if we'd shut down altogether. It's not, of course, because there is still a glimmer of hope. Call me deluded, call me naive. But this is supposed to be about keeping the spirit alive. And it was there yesterday. Fans that looked like they still go every week, with there kids (and dogs). Don't rain on our parade guys and gals.

A somewhat rather large assumption backs up this statement. That being, "No one edits their bet ahead of tapes up". I sense this was already a bit tense. Now we have an extra two days to make up our minds this is even more interesting. Game on.

A big thank you to the organising committee and to Leicester Speedway for putting this meeting on. The spirit of Coventry Speedway was very much in evidence both on and off the track. There were a fair number of Bees fans there and a goodly number of Lions supporters. Thanks to all those that turned out. We never threatened to win this one but we did keep the home side honest providing 7 of the 15 race winners. The 10 last places finally did for us.

I think you can see the cord attached to the rider's wrist as he lay on the track after the accident. The cut out didn't.

The real point is that the bike appeared to be under power for several seconds after the rider had fallen off. This cannot be if the cut out is working correctly. An interesting near miss could have been a tragic accident to those girls and the other official that was nearly collected. When I was racing you had to demonstrate that a cut out worked correctly under scrutineering.