Encourage British Riders!

The majority verdict is that British promotors, tracks the SCB / BSPA just don't do enough to encourage British riders.

What is the point in kids investing in the state of the art Marvyn Cox 50cc / 150cc or 250cc mini bikes when there are no mini tracks!!!

Eastbourne, Kings Lynn, Reading, Swindon, Sittingbourne and Lydd are a few tracks whose names spring to mind having the smaller tracks - yet they cannot get the available funding or support to make these tracks get up and running.

Sittingbourne and Lydd are the only 2 tracks up and running at the moment for the mini bikes. Yet they are run soley by the owners on a non-profit making basis.

Once a child gets to the stage where they are able to handle the 500cc machine - there's still no where to ride!

As a test, all the tracks in the Premier League and Elite League were telephoned asking if it was possible to part-take in an 'after the meeting' practise or 2nd half.

Every single Elite League Track said they no longer had the time to do '2nd halves' and only if you were a contracted rider could you practise. Yet at Poole, Coventry and a few others riders have been seen practising - it's a case of 'who you know' not 'what you know'.

Oxford Speedway even declared that "we no longer do any 2nd halves because the juniors cause too much trouble"

Then in the speedway star they try to make themselves look as if their trying to encourage British Talent by getting Marvyn Cox to pose for a picture with the mini bikes - they've done nothing about it since.

Only one Premier League track (Reading) had no problems with how many 2nd halvers wnated to turn up. They said "Just turn up. If we have enough to race, we will .If not you'll definately get a practise"

Newport do have 2nd halves but charge £25 for the previledge. Not much encouragement there!

The problems seems to lie with the promotors. Once the main event is finished, there far more interested in going to the bar or home to bed then staying on for an extra 20 minutes to put a few Amateurs through their paces.

What wold have happened to David Howe, Simon Stead and Oliver Allen if a few years ago Peterborough had taken that attitude?