International Test Matches

[IainB]

57 minutes ago, iris123 said:

I just recall my first test match of the new Millenium

A Denmark U21 v Sweden U21 at Esbjerg

I made the mistake of thinking it was a meeting between bitter rivals and turned up well before the start time. And to my utter surprise i was about the only preson, maybe a couple of others apart from riders family and track staff that was there  And Denmark included Madsen, Klindt and Hougaard among others, although they were just starting out on 500cc

The last time I went to a "test" match it was at Leicester and I think it was an U21 vs Australia... it was terrible and I left with about 3 races to go lol

I think that was more to do with it being run at Leicester though in the bad old days of FTG and meetings taking around 2 hours to complete... they're was quite a healthy crowd though if my memory serves me correctly

Edited January 2 by iainb

[1stbender]

You often wonder in a world were money is a driving factor especially in sport, that the current speedway board don’t come up with innovative ways of promoting speedway. There are multiple ways of growing the sport especially when it comes to a National team. Can you imagine for example, a season starter of GB v Poland and a summer against the Aussies! The big names riding in the UK on a weekend I’m sure would pack out a place. Make it accessible for the kids. Everyone would benefit. I really think this year more than any needs to see a real shift change in all aspects, sure we will see some with Phil at the helm!

[Chris116]

I went to an England v USA test match at Crawley Heath which was held on a Saturday afternoon. After the Speedway I carried on to Coventry for the evening BriSCA F1 Stock Car meeting. A very enjoyable day which I think was in the early to mid 80s. The Cradley meeting was sadly the only time I visited the home of the Heathens. There was a very good crowd. I am sure that with proper promotion such meetings could be run successfully but the importance of proper promotion must be understood by those involved in running such a meeting.

I have just looked at the international speedway website which shows that such a test match took place on 5th May 1984 which being the first Saturday of the month fits in with the Stock Cars racing at Coventry in the evening. Not a happy series for England as they lost 4-1 in the five match series. The Cradley meeting was the third in the series and started with the series even at 1-1 after England winning at Sheffield in the second match.

Edited January 2 by Chris116
More information

[Bavarian]

 

The USA takes on the Rest of the World in a Speedway Test Match at Bakersfield, California, this Saturday, February 17, 2024.

Three Englishmen - Chris Harris, Tom Brennan, and Leon Flint - will ride for the World Stars.

 

The British Speedway Network (BSN) shows the meeting live on Saturday night 8.45 GMT.  
https://watch.britishspeedway.co.uk/

Edited February 16 by Bavarian

[szkocjasid]

Big shame, I used to love test matches in the 90s.

Not a fan of a match against the rest of the world, feels very meaningless, compared to racing against another nation.

I'm remember GB vs Australia test matches at Champ level previously, you'd think Champ clubs would be clamouring for more of these to fill up a empty fixture list.

[old bob at herne bay]

Test Matches of 18 heats with 8 man teams, comprising 6 riders and 2 reserves..... no chance of ever seeing such meetings in the UK.  

With UK speedway now on a downward path to extinction, they can just about cling on  to running a skeleton irregularly  scheduled  " league" programme during a March to October season.  Last season saw unscheduled breaks in the league programme due to "cash flow " issues and clubs unable to field a  competitive 7 man team.  the p.offs were only just completed within the season.  One competition was never completed at all. 

International Test Match organisation is well beyond the capability of whoever runs British Speedway in 2024. 

 

 

[Noelinho]

On 2/25/2024 at 7:42 PM, szkocjasid said:

I remember GB vs Australia test matches at Champ level previously, you'd think Champ clubs would be clamouring for more of these to fill up an empty fixture list.

I’m sure Glasgow would host one, if we could arrange it. We’ve hosted a match against Poland too, and they’ve been well attended. No FIM event up here again this year, so it would be our best opportunity of a high-exposure (for speedway) event.

[Bavarian]

Except for the Bakerfield meeting in February and the annual USA vs The World event at Auburn in October there is not a single International Speedway Test scheduled to be held this year anywhere in the world. There is nothing in Britain, and even Poland now seem to have given up on it as well. How dissappointing !

[andout]

I know I had been to a test match at New Cross in the early '60's....but I don't remember much about it even though I filled in the program. The first one I really remember is in 1964 at Wembley GB v USSR and I was hooked.....went to most Test matches from then until about 1973 loved them all, big crowds and well organized.....still follow them now whenever they are on, which is RARE. 

I am at a loss as to why they have fallen out of favour, not with the fans but the promoters.......there used to almost 30 home meetings a year at every track, I think you are lucky now if you get 20.....all those wasted weeks when SOME entertainment like Test matches could be done....even at junior level.....

[HGould]

I would not rush to lay blame with Team GB but at the doors of the BSPL Management Committee.

I was told by one of the ex Brummies Management Team pre Tolley - that in 2020 / 2021 (delayed a year by Covid) that a 2 match mini Test Series was planned and actually scheduled on the initial Fixture list draft for Team GB Under 21's for 2021 to ride 2 Test Matches - 7 man teams - against either Denmark (Under 21) or Team USA All Stars (no age limit).

The Matches were scheduled and planning was advanced and GB plans well set with the relevant Tracks. Team USA All Stars were able to fulfil 2 Fixtures in a week with no Polish Fixtures so would have included Becker and Nichol. 

Approx 4 weeks before the planned Fixtures Len Silver complained that it would take 4 riders (Kent and opponents) away from a rescheduled match at Kent - he had rescheduled after the original Fixture List was produced and conflicted one of the Fixtures listed for Plymouth - the BSPL adjudicated in his favour and at short notice Team GB and the relevant Tracks, had to cancel at considerable expense to Team GB and the promoting Tracks.

This caused massive consternation in Team GB management as it was not the first time it had happened and aside from a couple of Events at Glasgow, they have not attempted to try to fit in any Under 21 (or age limited) Fixtures since.  

 

[andout]

And we have had a test match this year....September 1, 2024 to be precise at Iwade.....

Here is the result.....

England 50

 

Ben Morley 3 3 3 3 3 3 18[M]

Rhys Naylor 1' 1 2 2' 2' 2' 10 + 4

Jacob Clouting 1 2 3 3 1 2 12

Jack Kingston 2 2' 1 1 FX FX 6+1

Sam Woods (track res.) 0 0 0 2 2 4

 

Australia 38

 

Dayle Wood 2 0 2 2 1 1 8

Patrick Hamilton 3 2 3 2' EF 0 10+1

Matt Marson 0 3 0 1 3 3 3 13

Senna Summers 0 1 0 3 inj. 5

Nathan Hargrave (track res.) 1 1 0 F F F 2

 

Heat details;

1 Morley, D. Wood, Clouting. Marson 60.8 [4-2]

2 Hamilton, Kingston, Naylor, Summers 61.8 [7-5]

3 Marson, Clouting, Hargrave, S. Woods 62.3 [9-9]

4 Morley, Hamilton, Naylor, D. Wood 60.6 [13-11]

5 Clouting, Kingston, Summers, Marson (fell rem.) 61.0 [18-12]

6 Hamilton, Naylor, Hargrave, S. Woods 62.3 [20-16]

7 (rerun) Morley, D. Wood, Kingston, Summers 60.9 [24-18]

8 Clouting, Naylor, Marson, Hargrave 60.4 [29-19]

9 Summers, Hamilton, Kingston, S. Woods 69.2 [30-24]

10 Morley, D. Wood, Clouting, Hargrave (fell rem, fell) 64.0 [34-26]

11 (rerun) Marson, S. Woods, Summers, Kingston (fell exc.) 63.4 [36-30]

12 Morley, Naylor, D. Wood, Hamilton (EF) 60.9 [41-31]

13 (awarded) Marson, Clouting, Hargrave (fell), Kingston (fell exc.), Summers (inj.) no time [43-34]

14 Morley, Naylor, D. Wood, Hamilton 62.3 [48-35]

15 (awarded) Marson, S. Woods, Harhgrave (fell) [three riders only] no time [50-38]

Edited September 3 by andout

[andout]

[Fromafar]

On 9/4/2024 at 2:38 PM, andout said:

Good to see Steve Ribbons putting Mr Barrie in his place regarding his maligning of the Event.The majority of the crowd turning up knew what they were going to see.There was no need to “knock” the event through his SS Column.

[andout]

You'll have to help me out with this one I don't get SS and would like to what was said about some trying to promote Speedway.... and specifically International Speedway.

My love is international Speedway and I don't care who gives it a try.....they have my full support.......Thanks.

[Bavarian]

Pictures like this one remind me of the great era of Speedway Test matches, that today's speedway public are denied of ever witnessing.

Such a shame that we don't get anything like it anymore. Shame on You, the speedway promoters.

[IainB]

GB riding in USA next Feb... while we still wait to see them on our own shores 🤷‍♂️

[Bavarian]

3 hours ago, IainB said:

GB riding in USA next Feb... while we still wait to see them on our own shores 🤷‍♂️

Hey, but in February it is better in California.

At long last we get to see an official USA vs Great Britain speedway test match again! That's awesome News! 

[Bavarian]

Team USA to race World Champions Great Britain at Kern in February 2025.

 

The USA National Speedway Motorcycle Racing team will break new ground on February 1, 2025, at its home track, Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway in Bakersfield, California. The USA team will take on current World Champions Great Britain in a groundbreaking International Speedway Test Match.

 

The event is the first of its kind in the State, with an official National team crossing the pond to take on the Americans.

 

US Team Manager Steve Evans explains, "For the last two years we've brought the USA World Championship squad to race at home for the first time since 1988. On both previous occasions we have raced against a 'Rest of the World' team, but this was a step to something even better. Racing against another country, not least the current World Champions, takes this event to a whole different level. Team Great Britain has set the highest standards not only on the track but off the track with a very professional and well-organized structure. These are levels we are quite a distance away from as a country currently, but we do want to eventually emulate and surpass them.”

 

Great Britain Managing Director, Rob Painter, said "Steve Evans and I have been discussing the possibility of GB racing an official Test Match in the US for a while, so we are both delighted to be able to confirm the event today. It will be a special occasion, going there as World Champions in the USA’s first ever home Test Match and I’m sure it will be a fantastic event".

 

The event is set to take place on Saturday February 1st, at 1 PM local time, and will be available in the UK via live stream at 9 PM UK time.

 

Kevin Harvick's Kern Raceway in Bakersfield is a state-of-the-art facility, featuring race circuits for NASCAR, sprint cars, motocross, and speedway. Multi time, NASCAR champion and Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick is among the ownership group of the facility. The track will be expanding to even more types of racing and events in 2025.

 

More event details, including team line-ups and ticket information, will be released in due course.

[IainB]

26 minutes ago, Bavarian said:

Hey, but in February it is better in California.

At long last we get to see an official USA vs Great Britain speedway test match again! That's awesome News! 

Yep, it's great for speedway In the USA

[Bavarian]

19 hours ago, IainB said:

Yep, it's great for speedway In the USA

Fair enough. It is also a start for the return of international speedway test matches after all.  

Who knows, perhaps a revival of the Ashes series against the Aussies is on the cards in the UK next summer?