Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

    This season kind of fizzled out domestically (Wolves' thankfully stopping Poole adding another title aside) and in terms of the SGP series.

    Greg Hancock clinched the World Title in his first race at Melbourne on Saturday and then was promptly disqualified from his second for letting Monster stablemate Chris Holder pass him to try and help him score points towards finishing on the final series podium. Hancock then walked out of the rest of the meeting in a fit of pique, though hung around to collect his trophy. Absolutely farcical and sort of sums up the season in a way. There was some good racing (especially for a temporary track) through the evening now though Holder winning his home GP sort of stuck in the throat give the earlier nonsense.

    I wasn't able to get to as many meetings as I would have liked to this year due to a busy summer of other sports (mainly the Euros) and various other commitments. I probably made my lowest number of meetings in 4 years or so and didn't do a single GP or new track.

    I plan to change that next time out, do a scad more club meetings and tracks and definitely get to another GP in Poland at least and hopefully Cardiff again.

    With that in mind, the list of 15 permanent riders for the GP circuit has been released and the return of Emil Sayfutdinov after four years of turning down a slot is the headline news :



    2017 FIM SPEEDWAY GRAND PRIX LINE-UP (in ranking order):
    1 Greg Hancock (USA)
    2 Tai Woffinden (Great Britain)
    3 Bartosz Zmarzlik (Poland)
    4 Chris Holder (Australia)
    5 Jason Doyle (Australia)
    6 Piotr Pawlicki (Poland)
    7 Antonio Lindback (Sweden)
    8 Niels-Kristian Iversen (Denmark)
    9 Matej Zagar (Slovenia)
    10 Maciej Janowski (Poland)
    11 Fredrik Lindgren (Sweden)
    12 Nicki Pedersen (Denmark)
    13 Patryk Dudek (Poland)
    14 Martin Vaculik (Slovakia)
    15 Emil Sayfutdinov (Russia)

    SUBSTITUTES

    20 Peter Kildemand (Denmark)
    21 Martin Smolinski (Germany)
    22 Max Fricke (Australia)


    The top eight qualify via their placings in this year's series,

    #2
    Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

    Yeah, I think I did FIVE meetings in 2016 - down from almost 50 the last few seasons. They've got a lot of work to do at the AGM but the rumours are more sticking plaster than surgery. They are, should my source (a NL promoter) be right:

    EL & PL stay the same (but with Somerset, Rye House & Glasgow coming "up" & Leicester moving down).

    All riders to use PL averages where they have them (God knows about those that don't) because EL averages are worthless. 50 point limit in EL, 40 points in PL.

    Erm, and that's it.

    Hopefully there'll be more, major changes made to a fundamentally sound but irretrievably damaged product.

    The Hancock thing was interesting because, by the letter of the law, he should be stripped of his title. The rules say that if you withdraw from a GP for anything other than injury then you are disqualified from the rest of that year's series - it doesn't state that your points would be expunged but you could assume they should. Of course, he rides for a major sponsor so I expect they've ordered a new carpet for this one...

    Comment


      #3
      Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

      The new owners at Rye House seem very ambitious but I struggle to picture the club in the Elite League - unlike Somerset and (especially) Glasgow who seem well set up to make the jump.

      Comment


        #4
        Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

        I remain hopeful that I'll be able to contribute in thia thread with Devils news.

        It's beyond quiet, but it appears that there is, at least, one name looking to take the club forward.

        That name is Mike Bowden, and one that divides our supporter base like no other. His previous era was before my time but I'm told it was both chaotic and comedic with family fights on the track and short cuts in basic maintenance leading to the lights going out.

        There may be others out there but they arren't the ones putting stories into the local press so we wait and see. If Mike Bowden does take us on then it'll certainly be in the NL and he (or anyone else for that matter) will need to find an airfence, tractor and water bowser to get the track up to spec.

        Comment


          #5
          Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

          Lakeside Hammers will not compete in the 2017 top flight...

          Bloody hell!

          Comment


            #6
            Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

            Yeah, that's come out of left field, although I seem to remember them at least considering something similar before. NL on Saturday/Sunday for 3 years, by all accounts.

            Comment


              #7
              Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

              A huge amount to take in here :

              "BRITISH SPEEDWAY GETS MAJOR REVAMP"

              Comment


                #8
                Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                Way outside of my knowledge zone, but the noises in the local media are that Workington Comets are far from certain to be competing next year. There was a lot being said by their owner (promoter? not sure of the terminology) before their final home meeting of the season around how people had to support them or it could be their last ever appearance, but as I say I don't know enough about it to know whether it's a real threat or just drum-beating.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                  Workington confirmed last night that they'll be competing.

                  Talk is that Poole aren't happy with the new set-up (and they were specifically - along with Peterborough - criticised in changing their team so late), which immediately gets my approval.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                    All going mad at Rye House. The first two signings for the Rockets' debut Premiership season are former GP riders, British Champions and World Cup captains Scott Nicholls and Chris Harris.

                    This is an absolutely seismic change for the club on so many levels. It's exciting but I just hope it isn't a short-lived, financially-disastrous experiment (and that they hadn't slightly rebranded the club in advance of it).

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                      Plymouth Devils will be racing in the NL in 2017.

                      After weeks of cryptic messages floating around the Devils forum two new owners have emerged to take us forward....Mark Phillips and Laurence Rogers.

                      At the moment this is all we know.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                        That is brilliant news, hope it all comes through. The National League looks like it could be fun next season, when I'd their AGM?

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                          I think the NL AGM is sometime around the 13th December.

                          We're being told that our (re)admission is already agreed in principle and just needs the rubber stamp at the AGM, but with regards team building I'm guessing we'll have to wait for official approval before we can sign up riders.

                          Among other things our new owners are going to need to find a new air fence which isn't gping to be cheap.

                          For me NL is the only option for us as the loss of Somerset and Rye House from the new Championship has given the two rebranded leagues a real north-south split and we'd have been more out on a limb than we are now.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                            So the day of the NL AGM is here.

                            Here's hoping that the Devils get the necessary permissions to move forward. I presume Lakeside already have as they seem to be team building already.

                            If all goes to plan then we should know much more on Thursday when the new promotion hold their first open meeting. Apparently there are riders lined up already and we've got new colours and a new logo and all. This I'm not enamoured by as the Plymouth devil is one of my favourite in the sport (alongside the Buxton hitman).

                            Rumour abounds that Rye House won't and Coventry may not ride in this league in 2017.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                              Well Plymouth and Lakeside arrive in the NL, while Rye House will concentrate solely on their Premiership side and Coventry don't withdraw but double up with Belle Vue to 'share fixtures' whatever that means. I presume they'll have one team but race some meetings at BV and ohers at Brandon.

                              Our new owners must have been confident as we're getting four riders announced tomorrow.

                              Exciting times.

                              Comment


                                #16
                                Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                                Good to have you and the Devils reconfirmed as on board again, Greenlander.

                                Rye House actually announced the withdrawal of the Raiders from the NL some weeks ago with the demands PL racing is going to put on the club. I realise I didn't put the final team up on here because frankly it looks bloody great on paper :

                                Edward Kennett (captain)
                                Scott Nicholls,
                                Chris Harris
                                Davey Watt
                                Stuart Robson
                                Rob Branford
                                Ellis Perks

                                Really happy to see Eddie back, he's a hero at the club and I couldn't imagine the team without him even if it was stuffed with star names like this one is.

                                Comment


                                  #17
                                  Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                                  Thats's some team and you're dead right that Rye House wouldn't be the same without Eddie. I think you'll enjoy young Perks too. He started slowly down here but comstantly improved giving some of the top end riders real scares and occasionally beating them too.

                                  And so as not to derail the 'new badge' thread on the football board - take a look a our new logo/ bib... It's certainly different

                                  Comment


                                    #18
                                    Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                                    Oh dear lawd, that is a monstrosity!

                                    Comment


                                      #19
                                      Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                                      What a shitty winter for the sport - Plymouth, Belle Vue and Leicester make it through but one of the real names of speedway doesn't.

                                      Coventry Bees have appeared to be royally fucked over

                                      I don't pretend to know the first thing about the ins and outs of the situation but it sounds like the usual tale of greed and incompetence from promoters and the BSPA.

                                      Comment


                                        #20
                                        Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                                        Greenlander - being more of a Stock Car fan I've been following this. Basically, its the promotors rather than the BSPA here. Very very roughly, you have Avtar Sandhu (Stock Cars) and Mick Horton (Speedway) who represent their respective sports. Since the current agreement with Brandon Estates ran out in 2016, both parties have been trying to get an extension to use the stadium while their (quite frankly fruitless) search for a new venue continued. Instead of working together, the two cannot abide each other and have been negotiating independantly. In December, Horton announced a deal for the Speedway, so Sandhu threw out his teddies and removed everything from the stadium that he claimed belong to the Stock Cars; lights, seats, fencing etc etc; even the shale! Of course, more war of words between the two whilst the already crumbling Brandon was in no fit state to host either sport, but, with Rugby Borough Council being a peacemaker, they hoped it could all be sorted and back up and running for June 17.

                                        With no work starting to even bring Brandon remotely up-to-scratch for this date, costs were estimated conservatively at £250k, Horton brokered a deal with the struggling Leicester Lions for the 2017 season. However, it was reported that they would need crowds of 800 per meeting to break even, and would have to lay on transport for the 60 mile round trip. It was then found that the deal was only for 8-10 meetings, not the whole season, and that there were no financial plans in place for the entire season, hence the licence being put on ice.

                                        For the stock cars, what was the premier track in the country, the 2016 "World" Final there attracted 144 cars (a record turnout since records began) and a crowd of around 10,000, the future is even bleaker. The nearest running traks to Coventry are the tarmac at Brafield (aka Northampton International Raceway - if you ever want to experience oval motor sports in 1950's surroundings then this is the place for you), or Stoke, which is at least shale but more run-down even than Cov.

                                        Without wishing to be seen as overly pessimistic, it's highly unlikely that one of the genuine big names of British Speedway will be seen anytime soon.

                                        Comment


                                          #21
                                          Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                                          Is that the Stoke Potters' track in Newcastle-Under-Lyme you mean, nmrfox? Jeez, that really is run down, with Rye House being upgraded a bit it rivals Edinburgh Monarchs' Armadale as the most decrepit speedway stadium I've been to - but at least the Monarchs get good crowds.

                                          Caught up on the terrible news about Coventry on indysleaze's twitter over the wekeend and it was a massive shock. I knew Brandon was finished but thought the deal with Leicester was going to be a workable stop-gap. What a shambles.

                                          It somewhat takes the edge off the good news last week that Belle Vue finally have a promoter and will race next season, one step forward and two steps back as so often in speedway.

                                          Comment


                                            #22
                                            Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                                            Yes Ray. The Stock Cars always refer to it as Stoke when as you correctly point out, its at Newcastle-Under-Lyme.

                                            Comment


                                              #23
                                              Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                                              nmrfox wrote: Yes Ray. The Stock Cars always refer to it as Stoke when as you correctly point out, its at Newcastle-Under-Lyme.
                                              Showing my age here but when I started going (the year after Crewe closed - 1994-5ish?) it was called Chesterton.

                                              Terrible news about Coventry - had read about it from the stock car angle in Motorsport News but had also assumed that the Leicester deal would keep them on life support for this season while they tried to resolve their track issues.

                                              Comment


                                                #24
                                                Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                                                My first visit to this thread (since I'm not really into Speedway) but...

                                                I've only just found out about the Haynes International Motor Museum, down near Yeovil - and it turns out they've got a small Speedway collection down there. At £14:50 admission, though, I'm not sure it's worth it. (I dread to think how much Beaulieu must be, these days, then!)

                                                Apologies if this has been mentioned on here before, but I thought I'd better pass it on, just in case it's of interest.

                                                Comment


                                                  #25
                                                  Steel Shoe News - Speedway 2017

                                                  Not much to add here, really, except at the moment I feel like wishing a quick death on the whole sport. I'm sure I'll get over it.

                                                  Comment

                                                  Working...
                                                  X