greyhoundp Posted October 5, 2014 Report Share Posted October 5, 2014 If I was introducing anyone to speedway the last place I'd take em is to a NL meeting. The skill level is close to zero and often a rider will fall when passed, with no contact. If you've watched the worlds best in the GP's on TV, going to a third tier meeting would be a bit of a culture shock I should think And there speaks someone who hasnt been to a great many NL meetings, Shads how can you say that when your local track is renowned for a lack of overtaking. The GP comment well you really are talking riders at the top of there careers and NL for the most part they are just starting out, you may as well compare chalk and cheese. Tell me when you were learning to drive how were you ? probably crapped yourself the first time you did a hill start.. or a reversed round a corner without hitting the kerb, i notice Lewis Hamilton curbed it a few times today in the F1 Gp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 And there speaks someone who hasn't been to a great many NL meetings...... Agree. As someone who has been to all The Storm meetings, except the double header, they have often been more enjoyable than watching the Bees. It was just unfortunate that on Friday the track was so difficult (again!) that the majority of the N.L. lads had trouble getting round, with the exception of James Sarjeant who is probably used to it being like a ploughed field now so can adapt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadders Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 And there speaks someone who hasnt been to a great many NL meetings, Shads how can you say that when your local track is renowned for a lack of overtaking. The GP comment well you really are talking riders at the top of there careers and NL for the most part they are just starting out, you may as well compare chalk and cheese. Tell me when you were learning to drive how were you ? probably crapped yourself the first time you did a hill start.. or a reversed round a corner without hitting the kerb, i notice Lewis Hamilton curbed it a few times today in the F1 Gp. You obviously haven't read the post properly. I did say that if I was introducing new people to speedway who'd only watched the worlds best on TV they'd be disappointed by what's on offer. Of course, likes of your good self and other hardened speedway nuts would probably enjoy watching speedway at any level. Personally, if my team was in the third tier I'd likely feel the same way as you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy2706 Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 If I was introducing anyone to speedway the last place I'd take em is to a NL meeting. The skill level is close to zero and often a rider will fall when passed, with no contact. If you've watched the worlds best in the GP's on TV, going to a third tier meeting would be a bit of a culture shock I should think I think this comment is unfair, unjustified and simply ignorant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadders Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 I think this comment is unfair, unjustified and simply ignorant.It's my opinion, so it's valid. Please feel free to justify why you think it's unfair, unjustified and ignorant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 And there speaks someone who hasnt been to a great many NL meetings, Shads how can you say that when your local track is renowned for a lack of overtaking. The GP comment well you really are talking riders at the top of there careers and NL for the most part they are just starting out, you may as well compare chalk and cheese. Tell me when you were learning to drive how were you ? probably crapped yourself the first time you did a hill start.. or a reversed round a corner without hitting the kerb, i notice Lewis Hamilton curbed it a few times today in the F1 Gp. When I was learning to drive nobody was paying to watch me do it. So thats a silly comment. As for the suggestion that NL riders are comparable to GP riders. Pull the other one. In any sport, you get bigger attendance at the higher level. I can think of no exception. Why do you think this is? It's ok saying that the GP rider of the future are in the NL (and I remember Woffys NL debut at Newport. And Watching Bomber riding for St Austell) but for every Woffy or Bomber theres 100s of Steve Austins, Dave Minnalls, Nick Malletts etc. A first timer at a NL meeting is one hell of a risk IMO. Like Shadders, maybe I'm ignorant but having watched ~100 CL/NL meeting over the year I think I've watched enough of them to comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 but for every Woffy or Bomber theres 100s of Steve Austins, Dave Minnalls, Nick Malletts etc. Surely one Nick Mallett is enough. Please don't tell me there are hundreds of him. All the best Rob 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greyhoundp Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 When I was learning to drive nobody was paying to watch me do it. So thats a silly comment. As for the suggestion that NL riders are comparable to GP riders. Pull the other one. In any sport, you get bigger attendance at the higher level. I can think of no exception. Why do you think this is? It's ok saying that the GP rider of the future are in the NL (and I remember Woffys NL debut at Newport. And Watching Bomber riding for St Austell) but for every Woffy or Bomber theres 100s of Steve Austins, Dave Minnalls, Nick Malletts etc. A first timer at a NL meeting is one hell of a risk IMO. Like Shadders, maybe I'm ignorant but having watched ~100 CL/NL meeting over the year I think I've watched enough of them to comment. The learning to drive comment is about as relevant a comment as comparing GPs to NL racing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhamboy66 Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 All this is a bit harsh on the NL. Whilst i primarily watch the PL i do watch a lot of EL and NL too If i was taking a newbie to Speedway i'd be more concerned what track to take them rather than which league. i've seen far better racing at Mildenhall and Sittingbourne this year than that i have suffered in the EL at places like Lakeside, Belle Vue and Wolverhampton. What you won't see at NL level are the wasters that are in our EL that are far from top riders picking up their earnings and doing zero for British Speedway. Gone are the days when the lower league riders turn up with sub standard equipment and are unable to stay on a bike. Yes there are some of those in the NL but their are many like that in the PL too and as far as taking someone to EL for their first taste of racing how long will it be before you find yourself trying to explain thorny issues like Guest riders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 I see both sides of the argument. I really enjoy NL racing, for example Buxton vs Scunny yesterday was an enjoyable meeting. But, if someone is used to watching the GPs on the TV, then NL is not the best place for them to start. Start them on the EL gating competition, and then educate them further into the proper racing of the PL & NL. All the best Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagpuss Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 All this is a bit harsh on the NL. Whilst i primarily watch the PL i do watch a lot of EL and NL too If i was taking a newbie to Speedway i'd be more concerned what track to take them rather than which league. i've seen far better racing at Mildenhall and Sittingbourne this year than that i have suffered in the EL at places like Lakeside, Belle Vue and Wolverhampton. What you won't see at NL level are the wasters that are in our EL that are far from top riders picking up their earnings and doing zero for British Speedway. Gone are the days when the lower league riders turn up with sub standard equipment and are unable to stay on a bike. Yes there are some of those in the NL but their are many like that in the PL too and as far as taking someone to EL for their first taste of racing how long will it be before you find yourself trying to explain thorny issues like Guest riders Hmmmmm Wolves is rarely anything less than very good racing and according to Halifaxtiger (whose opinion I'd take over most) the action at Lakeside and Belle Vue has been much better this year. I think the main problem with the EL is that it has a high percentage of ordinary racetracks. Replace Leicester, Eastbourne & Poole for example with Mildenhall, Somerset and Scunny and all of a sudden the racing in the EL would be a whole lot better. Having seen lots of meetings at all three levels over the years on thirty odd tracks I'd say that third tier racing is the least entertaining IMO. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy2706 Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 It's my opinion, so it's valid. Please feel free to justify why you think it's unfair, unjustified and ignorant No less valid than my opinion on your comment? I take huge exception to your sentence "The skill level is close to zero and often a rider will fall when passed, with no contact". It is rude, insulting and untrue to suggest that Simon Lambert, Paul Starke, Liam Carr, James Sarjeant, Dan Greenwood, Max Clegg, Tom Perry, Nathan Greaves, Benji Compton, David Mason, Lewis Rose, Dan Halsey, Stefan Nielsen, Joe Jacobs, Olly Greenwood, Ben Morley, Josh Bates, Steve Worrall (and last season Charles Wright) et al have skill levels close to zero! If it were true (and it plainly isn't) such riders would not be in demand to ride for PL teams would they. As for riders falling when passed without contact, this isn't true even for MDL meetings and is certainly nonsense for NL meetings. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadders Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 You're welcome to your opinion, I'll stick with mine thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teaboy279 Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 The quality of nl with two even teams is second to none in my opinion, especially for 10-12 quid it's certainly the best value but best of all I can pronounce the names in the national league i really don't like the amount of non british in the PL tbh. Live i have seen meetings at scunthorpe and rye house in person this year and on TV from Berwick and Sheffield and apart from a couple of races it's been gate and go. I think we must stick with the fast track but using 1 genuine NL number 1 and one under 25 brit, with a second fast track in the PL to consist of NL Heat leaders under 25. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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