Parsloes 1928 nearly

'Advertised' is a rather grand word. It was one line in the Next Meeting box on page 9 of the prog. if that's what you call 'advertised' - and was there because it was at that time planned. Unfortunately (as if often the case across all tracks accross the sport) circumstances changed and sadly we can't stage sidecars. Of course we apologise but I think to call this a "poor show by manahgement" is a tad OTT...

Tony was one of the real stalwarts of TV sport - when you think about it he's been around for ever (so though I too was surprised to see he was 74, makes sense actually..). Part of the golden generation alongside other greats like David Coleman. He will be massively missed.

I agree it's a problem, how else to cope with missing heat leaders, but it would be good if we could dispense with Guests... We DID manage for a number of years in the third tier (Conference League then...) without them and I can't recall civilisation as we know it crumbling to the ground! Certainly VERY difficult (indeed impossible, so I wouldn't try!) to explain to a newcomer to the sport how a rider can be a stand in number one on one day for a side he rides against the next day!!

I know because the declared team (which is indeed submitted for inclusion in the programme) has R/R at number 1. I concede that's a tad unusual when at no. 1 a guest is permitted but can tell you that's what's been 'declared'... Please Note all.. There will NOT be Sidecar Racing at Central Park in the second half on Monday. This was an error in the last week's programme.

Can assure you it's R/R not a guest

Yes R/R for Blackbird.

Sheer quality!!!!

It's the old Anglo-Saxon spelling!!!

NOT a 6.30pm start...! This coming Monday is a Bank Holiday so start time is 3pm. This has clearly been shown on our website and in the programme from day one! Can you get this amended gustix (via a Mod if necessary) as the last thing we need is people arriving late to find it's all over!!

I can tell you that the programme for these shared events (eg Sunday's Fours, the Pairs at Mildenhall) are 100% produced by the staging club and the BSPA have no input. Thiis was the first time out of all the times that Stoke have staged the CL/NL 4s that the pogramme wasn't produced by Speed-away Promotions and the first time I'd not contributed a preview of the teams. I've not seen what the prog was like but it does not sound anywhere up to the standard of those previous progs and arguably, not up to an acceptable standard at all. Which is a shame...

btw am a big fan of Oli Greenwood - top lad!

I agree - a daft argument, sorry I let it go on so long! We all agree that Robert is a brilliant young rider. And for what it's worth IMHO, I'd like to see Robert and Adam Ellis both parachuted straight into the Team GB World Cup squad next year!

Yes - but you said I brought up the concept of the 'home country' first - I patently did not, as I've just pointed out!!! My posting was (as is blindingly obvious...) purely in response to gustix's contribution I just quoted. Your posting, on the other hand, about Britain "letting [Robert] down" and how ,as a result, he "owes them nothing" and how British Speedway still "hasn't learnt from it" is the matter under discussion... What is it that you want the authorities to do to change things then..? You've just conceded that you don't want the age rules changed. Apart from those rules exactly HOW has Britain let Robert down? And what, as I say, would you like to be changed to stop a repeat?

Nonsense.. It most certainly was not me who brought up the concept of country first! I was commenting on this posting about it being comparable with Poles who put their home Polish commitments before their foreign racing ones... You on the other hand DID make the frankly daft comment about his country "letting him down".. As you now seem to accept that it's right to have rules preventing 13 and 14 year olds racing in adult Speedway are you finally going to withdraw that remark...? This is that posting by the way!!

Ha, Bert Weedon was born in 1920... Alf would need to be about 120 years old to be Bert's father!!!!

At no point have I 'had a go' at Robert. And the comment that his country has "let him down" Is without question completely OTT... That implies some deliberate sleight or prejudice against him and there's been none. Gustix is 100% right - the day a rider is crippled or dies on track and they are 14 years of age (or is 13 alright for you too...?) and have been in a race against riders in their mid-20s is the day Speedway would be in danger of being closed down for good by the authorities. Every sport (not just motor sport) has lower age limits at certain levels and for good reason. When you're a school-boy/youth you compete at that level. Just because Germany allows younger riders to compete against adults doesn't automatically make it right. Besides which, this was relevant last year when he was 14 and couldn't ride competitively here at all - now he can and is with great effect in the NL. I was at a meeting a few years back now when a rider, days only after his 15th. birthday had a terrible crash. It was so bad at the time that at the end of the meeting officials (and I was giving an official a lift, so I stayed too) were made to stay behind by the Police who interviewed everyone, as at that point it was being treated as a fatal accident enquiry. Thankfully the young man recovered completely but one could see the surprise in the Police Officers' faces at the date of birth of the injured rider. I am actually only thinking of Robert himself - because I know of other riders who were brilliant prospects as youngsters who didn't take the chance to win titles they surely would've walked, because they only saw the future. I think some may now regret that. If Robert is NLR champ this year it's in the record books - the first step in a glorious BRITISH racing career. As a matter of interest, what kind of events is young Lambert riding in every weekend in Germany?

That frankly is a very out of context comment. The rules in this country say you can't ride 500cc competitively until 15 and can't ride in the PL or EL until 16. These are NOT rules designed to have a go at Robert, they're just the rules! There does have to be an age limit or are you happy allowing 12 or 13 year olds to ride in fully competitive meetings? Totally over the top to say that his country has let him down...!!

Is he riding league Speedway in Germany or just individual stuff..? If just the latter then I'd respectfully suggest he's learning about the bread and butter of our sport here by competing in the NL.

Hmm, can't actually see the logic... Robert's home country is here, his home COUNTY club is KL...!

I don't disagree but Sunday is the NL 4s and you might have thought it would assist young Robert's development in ride in major championships at this level (which before people say anything is, because of his young age, the appropriate level for him in this country atm). I do hope he does ride in the NLRC at least as that meeting would lose something without him..

Blimey, MM sorry I couldn't make it last evening (work commitments) - sounds like the normally serene surroundings of the Track Shop became a war zone...

The YS have a very solid look about them now. Get to the play offs and provided Lambert rides in both legs in semi & final I can see more heartache for Dudley and a Lynn league championship. I hear Lambert's not riding at Stoke on Sunday... I know young Robert has these strong German commitments but surely he could miss the odd continental jaunt..? Must be frustrating for KLYS fans to have such a star rider and know he virtually never rides away from home. I wonder if he'll miss the NLRC (on a Saturday night) as well..?

No idea! If it doesn't though, he'd have an average far higher than 10.07..!!

Lambert's first four meetings..? I make it he got15 from 6;15 from 6; then 21 from 7 followed by 21 from 7. Interesting that in both the matches he got a 'dot ball' in his final ride, it was heat 15 in matches the YS had already comfortably won... Without those zeroes he'd have had an average way in the 11s - maybe even a perfect '12'...

Yes Beddington Lane was looked at then... I can't recall what was said then but I'm guessing residential areas can't be too far away so a new site always has that as a problem.