MARK246

He's not really lucky to be seeded, he is lucky that there is no British alternative capable of being competitive at GP level.As such he's become self selecting, but that has to be better than just one British representative or none . The fault is not his but the system's, anyone given the chance to ride at the GP will do it. (The wild card riders shows this) While this situation occurs the best thing would be, for other British riders to push their names forward for the nomination. Although like it has been said on this, and other threads, they in turn would only get the same response on the BSF. For all his faults he's British and as such should receive support from this forum.

Glad to see this is being run. Good luck to everyone involved,hope you have a good meeting .

While the riders you name are improving and will become british "stars" without better coaching they will only be british "stars". IMO the problem with british riders is a lack of overseas experience as demonstrated by the poor WC qualification rounds this year, the best brit was R.Hall. British fans and riders think that the only league is the BEL. The world stops at the English Channel, after Coventry the "we can win the SWC" posters were out in force. Then comes Poland and the truth was clear for everyone to see, a sad day for British speedway indeed. Other than the current GP riders and M.Loram who has the experience. A. Smith, D Norris, you can make your own list but these are the people who need to be involved with a serious coaching system if British speedway is to have an international future.

Thats a real shame I was there thursday and it was a great meeting with Solkatterna.Good quality racing all night, plenty of passing and real close finishes. It's a shame it attracts such a small crowd. After watching BEL (division 1) for twenty years the entertainment is much better in Sweden, sad it may be lost.

I thought the heads and barrels for this engine (Hesketh) were the same as the single they used in road racing. I was always under the impression they were 600cc. Not so sure now, but some one out there must know?

Maybe they will use Danish Elite league after Pedersen "wins" the circus this year.

Thats a bit unfair on Szczakiel and Muller, both won on home tracks but they were the best on the day. Mauger crashed in the run off in 1973, thats not Szczakiels fault. Muller won in 1983 because he used a GM engine which was better suited to the track, plus the fastest man on the day Mike Lee didn't make the start when he needed too. The biggest farce of the one day finals was the Ermolenko win in 1993.How the referee allowed him back in the rerun in heat 15 when he, wasn't under power at the time of the stoppage, and had caused Hamill to crash was beyond belief. Strange every ten years is a fluke champ !

Ask Manu he may know

The one I had was originaly sold to an American Mike Caruso (unsure on the spelling) who rode at Poole.I sold it to Broadside racing two years ago. Richard Hellsen and Finn Thompsen also tried to use them,Thompsen wanted his for the world championship but didn't use it. When I owned mine I was lucky to know Bob Jones at Swindon, he had seen several used (Malc Holloway tried one ) but it was unsure whether it was the same one doing the rounds or not. The SOHC flat top I have has a eng no,2267 T L P S. The conversion from double to single cam was done on two engines ( I know off) that were used on grasstrack by Tig Perry at Antig. I would think that if you contact either Chris or Dave at Antig they would be happy to supply the information you want. They should also have the records from the Weslake factory in Rye.

Not as much as the man who should have won it Les Collins.

Trees, the problem you would have is, IMO if you use contracted riders you will get little help from promoters. In answer to Brian the St.Johns cost about 120 pounds (for a grasstrack meeting) which included a paramedic so you don't need a doctor,parents can rake tracks if needed. The oil,fuel and spares supplier comes free as normal. The public liability insurance at grasstrack is caculated on spectaors but normally less than 300 pounds. The interesting thing to me is everybody is negative, but, Buxton hold grasstrack meetings no problem. The 500cc sidecar association race at IOW no problem. Buxton can run training at 25 pounds per rider no problem. But noone puts on an U 15's champioship.....The only problem is no profits. Like I put before 2,000 pounds will cover your costs.

I'm not sure on price to be honest, but I was led to belive Kings Lynn was around 1,000 per day. There are people more qualified than myself to talk with on this forum. Maybe it's better to start a new thread on the subject. I'm sure if you contacted sittingbourne they could help,perhaps even with the hire of their facilities. When I was involved with S.T.R. they were always realy good. Also Stevehone sounds like he has good contacts at Kings Lynn. As iris123 said on another thread ask people you may be suprised who will help.

I'm just a frustrated fan worried about the future of British speedway. The problem of money for the meeting is easy to solve. You cannot charge admission to U 15's meetings, so you print programmes and sell them at regular speedway meetings. Then entry is by programme only, if you sell 2,000 at one pound each you have enough money and a good crowd, if they turn up. If the standard fan is not prepared to pay one pound then it's time to stop running British speedway.

I'm not a parent of a rider (just a parent), just concerned about the lack of opportunities for kids in sport. As for the others I have to hold my hands up and say yes. IMO if the Southern track riders can rent a track and run a championship, why can't fans and parents with an interest in youth development ? On this forum you have people who have the knowledge, know how and enthusiasm to set up and run this meeting. P.S, Sorry it's on the wrong thread.

I wasn't refering to the fans rather to the powers that be. But maybe if fans do care, do something. Is it impossible to get anything done in speedway ? Or just sign another foreign rider so GB fails again at the SWC.Then you can all start a new England (GB) manager thread next year

Anyone would be better than what we have. Does anybody but the parents even care.

How many are on 80cc's, there were no British entries in the championship this year ? The 80cc class is popular in Scandinavia but I don't hear much about it in the UK. Russia bought 60 new 80cc bikes (if the rumours are true) at the start of the season.

And trust promoters to play fair ?

Not a bad idea, he could try for 7 years nothing much will change. Middlo still manager of Poole. Rosco still manager of Swindon. Racing in a two team elite league, using 14 foreign GP stars in front of 20 fans paying 1,000 quid each for 15 races.Racing each other 14 times a year. The same s--- on the BSF, our tracks better than your's. The real problem is on another thread, the Under 15's championship at Weymouth looks like it's to be cancelled. Shouldn't the GB manager be pressing the BSPA to ensure this meeting happens. This is the only chance any manager has to improve his chances in future SWC's,to start producing talent. No one can make a silk purse from a sow's ear. Perhaps the pressure of combining club and country is too much, for one manager to do both jobs must be hard.The booking of guests,R-R etc sorting through rules for team changes etc. for the league must take considerable time.But it does not help the country who also look for success. If the kids that want to ride get some encouragement maybe it might help ? It's about ten years ago Eastbourne used to run the 125cc meetings on their practice track, nothing much has changed. Isolated pockets of reisitance to check- book promotion.

You must have a bigger TV than me, they wheren't in the same camera shot on mine.

Stupid question I know but, do normal punters bet on the speedway or is it just speedway fans ? Just out of interest, because for a walk in punter Chris Harris must look a good bet. He's in the top five, winner last time out etc. I don't gamble personaly but just an interested observer.

Of the tracks listed for the EL, IMO only four would be classed as certain to run next season, Coventry,Poole,Wolves and Swindon the rest I think will have problems maintaining the level of team required.In sport in the UK in general there is a decline in attendance. It will need promoters with deep pockets to cover loses incured by the lower clubs. The only way to encourage PL teams to go up? and the other EL teams to stay is to reduce wage bills.This would mean removing costly GP stars and then you have a weaker league, (not so Elite any more) but maybe getting a more even spread of the remaining talent. Effectivly this takes us back to the one big league that was tried before but with smaller costs. The only other altenative is a smaller EL consisting of eight teams running an A and B series. Quite why a PL club would risk financial security to join a dying league is beyond me.

This problem was faced in the 70's, British speedway had a season without foreign riders. It didn't IMO, alter the quality of the racing, but there was a strong 2nd division with British and commonwealth riders who filled the gaps in teams.this is no longer the case as all teams are now dependant on foreign riders.(catch 22) Because of ECU regulations it would be difficult to enforce a limit of riders as they will complain about restricted practises. The other problem will be promoters saying one thing doing another,they all want to win.It would need someone with real control to make it work (BSPA IMO not) The best way is to encourage promoters to run junior teams,run in the interval, so the assets they gain remain with the promotion.If you don't produce your own you buy others.When there is a larger base of riders to select from then you can reduce the oversea's riders. IMO there are not enough British riders to remove anyone from the league setup without effectingl the quality,but promoters must be encouraged to train prospects as none will do so on their own.

IMO you are looking through those specs again in Britain. The reason Stead, Mcgowan and Harris are reserves in the Elitserien are their averages. If you need a reality check the result from the SWC is on another thread.

The early season international series in Sweden,the Santa cup have provisional dates already 26-12-07 @ Örnsköldsvik 27-12-07 @ Östersund 28-12-07 @ Bollnäs 29-12-07 @ Gävle Most of the riders will be Swedish, but there is always the best from other nations as well.