False dawn

So building a new stadium (Coventry or Bristol) isn't an investment? I look forward to watching your "sport" on a field somewhere.

Just pack yourself on the back you're not in there fighting to make speedway great. Your negative analysis is less than helpful.

I wondered about CH's commitment this year. He nearly lost a point in my estimation for that. He disappeared off the bottom of my scale last Thursday. So yes, I can argue with that.

I've written elsewhere about Arnold Haley. Stay with me. It's relevant. I met him a few years ago and he told me about his days as an England International. He went to Oz with the Lions and was living it up. After a couple of meetings he got fed up and decided to come home. When the Aussie promoters heard, they opened their cheque books and persuaded him to stay. He had hire cars, the best of accommodation, top dollar. He didn't hold them to ransom. He got paid what it was worth the promoters were willing to pay. Do we want to be the best? Well employ the best.

You spoke in more detail than I, but I could have written your post. As a neutral last Thursday I came away disillusioned. What the home fans thought was more explicit. You're in a very small minority from what I witnessed last Thursday

I could be persuaded by such arguments. We could debate this back and forward but it would be a waste of time. Every form of motorsport spends endless funds on going faster. It's what competitors do. But as to the case in hand. No one has managed to beat Nicki Pedersen's track record of 57.6 set on 11th September 2002. Last Thursday we had a time of 58.06 set in heat 3 by Robert Lambert. My reaction was the usual, "The tracks too fast. We won't see good racing tonight". In the very next race we had the sight of a senior home rider, "flat tanking it" and finally "retiring". You tell me. If I see quality home riders setting (almost) record times and others giving up, what am I to think? My conclusion? Sometimes you have to attack the conditions that are put in front of you. If the track had been over watered or there was rain (beyond the Peter Kaye spitting) I might have a different view. The reaction from me and many home fans around me was "Get on with it". The impact of this debacle will certainly hit KL's income. Given the critical state of many track's profitability, it could end speedway at KL altogether.

Interesting though isn't it? Redcar have an equal "points scored on the road minus points lost at home" rating as....... Edinburgh! And they have scored more points on the road than anyone except Glasgow. Although Glasgow have done this from less meetings. The stats suggest there is a lot left in this league race to the play offs.

When a senior rider leads the call for a meeting to be stopped and refuses to appear on track, serious action is called for. I have this from someone who was in the pits last Thursday. I was on the terraces and I was ashamed of the sport I've followed all my life. I know about rider safety but I also know when riders have put themselves in danger by riding a track timidly. If every track has to be the same, we'll all be watching billiard tables with no shale. If a track is unsafe, it's the ref that makes the call to halt proceedings. Hang your heads in shame, those that let us all down last Thursday.

Hey. Bristol Thursday, Somerset Friday, Cardiff Saturday. 2018 - the future's bright!

As it happens, so did I. My less bet on Kai Huckenbeck, would have cost me my continued participation had he got to the final and come 1st or 2nd. In the event, what I lost on him was exactly balanced by what I gained from Martin Smolinski. So I didn't gain a penny and jumped up to 3rd in the standings. Whoohoo

Thanks for that. I thought I'd gone mad. I was trying to catch the end of the tennis and when I switched back the riders are announced and they don't match my programme. Then I realised they were on heat 6. It took me several heats and reading the standings to work out the result of that race and I finally worked out that Mikkel Bech was excluded for crossing the white line. It was a bit strange omission from the transmission. At the next adverts, me and the missus were placing bets on which race they would show next.

Another good night's sidecar action at KL last night. In the final analysis Mark Cossar with regular passenger Carl Blyth marched on at the head of the standings being unbeaten in his 4 qualification races and the winner take all final. However this only tells part of the story. The fight for the remaining rostrum places proved a closely fought affair. Leading the way was Mick Cave, also unbeaten in the qualifiers meeting Mark Cossar only once in the final. Tris Winterburn was not far behind and the best of the rest from the last chance semi final being Rod Winterburn. In the final Mark was well ahead but the three way fight behind him was a joy to watch with Mick Cave emerging as the silver medallist and Tris Winterburn third. An interesting twist in the rostrum interviews was the revelation that Mark Cossar had prepared Mick Cave's motor. It was good to see Mick back to form after recovering from some serious injuries. A good night's racing with no tantrums in the pits!

I'm banking on it

Martin Smolinski £150 less Kai Huckenbeck £150 less

Have you tried speaking to the ticket agents? I know the online system may have limitations, but a real person may be more accommodating.

Well I got that wrong. Let's hope tonight the riders actually want to ride.

I see that Buster has apologised to fans on the KL website.

Well there were riders on both teams that didn't given of their best. And yes, I was there. Unfortunately, for the good turn out of home fans, there were more of the home team who threw in the towel. When there are riders attacking the track and clocking times within half a second of that 15 year old track record, you have to question the commitment of certain individuals. The fans were incredibly patient during the major track work that took place after heat 8. But to witness an almost total collapse of the home team was shameful. What should have been a keenly competed tie between 2 sides with a real prospect of getting to the play offs, descended into farce. I wish I hadn't been there to witness this.

Well, well. They've just announced that the press conference with the team manager and riders that normally takes place in the bar after meetings, won't take place tonight!

How to get the result you want without really trying. Ask a question, get a 100% positive response. Thanks naffer.

I wish I could be understanding and generous. But hey, this is Poole we're talking about and I'm a Bees fan. No offence Steve

Two solid solid favourites for the rostrum, surely. Both, British if you look hard enough, of course!

Can I add to the "Horror" count? What I'm reading is a horror to the average BSF member. I would strike a note of horror at what I'm reading and as (not) a Wolverhampton fan I am horror(fied) at what I'm reading about the Wolverhampton track. Get real. You're all being a bit silly.

Come on guys. The idea is to keep Coventry, as a club, in the public eye. Oh, it would be great if all the riders we signed before the fateful announcement were riding for us, but they ain't. So we'll rely on a few ex Bees, so what? Bomber needs the practice and AJ and Greg are doing us a favour? Oh didn't I tell you? We have a few surprise team members? Now you're thinking of coming to Beaumont Leys on the 28th aren't you? Well have a care. We might have Robbo in the team (star reserve on Monday) or Andy Hackett for all I know, but whoever dons the Bees race jacket that day, I'll be there cheering them on. It'll be great to see some racing between two proud clubs. Am I right?

You could make decent trip out of going to this one by arriving a day early (like me and the missus) and seeing King's Lynn beat Poole