marko

On a warm day like this in East Anglia any little showers, and that’s all they really have been, should not come anywhere close to the amount of water that would normally be put on the track through the use of tractors. Probably needs a good shower to really get some moisture into the base.

Who is Dickson going to sack after tonight?

If that’s the best effort they can make no wonder they haven’t raced for two months. Once again they will be holding up the entire league because they have failed to get meetings on when maybe a little thought and effort could have saved them.

Most tracks are so slick now that if it rains a lot you would have to wait hours for it to dry out a bit. If tracks actually had shale on them, they could soak up the rain and then you could scrape the excess shale off and put it back on the next day to dry out. Its what they always used to do, why has these old skills been lost and forgotten about?

Brummies have signed Batchelor, good luck with that one.

Nil point Nil money used to be a thing, not anymore, I think you will find most are on some sort of guarantee, especially the heat leaders, just a question of scale. The days of riders only getting paid fuel and start money if they score nothing are long gone.

If they had been able to fit Alfie Bowtell back in the team at reserve 100% they would have been play off contenders.

Next season I think we will see just two divisions, a “top” league and a “junior” level league and Plymouth will be in the latter, maybe just maybe that would allow them to hold Nora meetings too? That would probably be their ideal scenario. No pressure on having to be competitive with teams they can’t hold a candle too financially, just run the sport as a centre of development which is ideally what Iwade and Workington will be. South, South East and North West covered.

Also meeting completed in 70 mins included grading breaks, which is excellent, well done to the scunny promotion.

Redcar pretty poor except Conner Bailey who put most of his team mates to shame.

Don’t know what they expect Brady to do? A team manager should have experience of the sport either as a rider or a mechanic, not just some fan who has friends in high place like also that waste of space Aliitt.

Said rider might only score a few points per meeting, but how many is he actually being paid for in his contract? If he is on a guarantee of say 7 points, you might as well keep going unless you are dropped. Most top riders nowadays are probably on a decent downside guarantee, clubs can’t afford it but hey ho.

The race night issue certainly did not help, the club lost a huge amount of money at the end of 2018, had they been able to complete their fixtures at home they might have been in a better position to maybe work with Rye House the following season in order to carry on in the short term. Fact is, it seems there was no reason to stop the racing at Arena after 2018 as the site has remained untouched since, it would have been better to have the site used than sitting there doing nothing.

Playing devils advocate though, just because a lot of riders would seemingly be available, doesn’t mean they would in fact be willing to take the booking. Their bikes might be in pieces, the distance to get to Plymouth could be another factor. I personally wouldn’t drop Starke, he is often such a battler and no rider is immune from having a poor run of form. This meeting shows just how much of a fine line often exists in sport, Plymouth we’re 0.08 off from fitting Bowtell in, would have uttered last night on its head.

Really enjoyed watching this meeting, Tobias being able to turn the bike inside out was awesome. Really enjoying the coverage BSN are putting out again this season.

I wouldn’t have blamed Lambert if he stuffed Thompson in the fence after that race, I would have been absolutely livid if it had been me, red mist would have certainly descended. Absolutely clueless ride which cost not only his team but himself.

Probably doesn’t help that these riders have different team mates most nights of the week, most are not team players anymore, they are riders who ride for themselves whilst being part of a team which itself is a collection of six/seven riders depending on who is available or fit on any given night.

I thought Ipswich was racing this evening, that’s what it said in the speedway star, oops

Was I imaging him pulling up constantly whilst at the back or pulling out of challenges?

Why would anyone want Batch back? This is a team sport, Batch is not a team player, he only rides for himself and then only when he feels like it.

Why indeed but not the first time and won’t be the last, I recall back in 03 or 04, Arena Essex went to Swindon for the fours event and Ronnie Russell forgot to tell the fans that Joonas Kylmakorpi was never going to be there and reserve Lee Herne rode in his place.

Proper team riding, love to see that

No one has mentioned the elephant in the room! The Bikes! They can’t handle grippy tracks now so it has to be slick and slick means you can’t water it or if it rains your basically stuffed. Welcome to modern speedway ☹️

Been saying it for years. Reduce costs on the bikes and riders will be able to take a points money pay cut and still earn more than they are now. Thats less money for the promoter to pay out so they could use that to reduce admission prices or keep the prices as they are BUT put that money back into the speedway by way of track covers or improving the drainage etc We have to get more youngsters involved but they won’t with the costs needed to get setup, if we had more youngsters coming through some will turn out to be good riders and fill the teams out better or possibly take the place of a average riders who requires a lot of finance to travel from abroad.

They should wait for new averages then replace Nathan Stoneman, I don’t think he is good enough for the second tier or ever will be.