Patience, Procedures and Prestige

As a year 2020 promised so much and has largely delivered so little.

The Covid drum has been beaten to death and we are frankly sick to death of hearing about it. We know it has ripped the heart out of so much this year to the point of rendering 2020 a total write off.

However…there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, and we will see some live speedway action at Shielfield Park in 2020.

Not only that, it just so happens to be one of the more prestigious events on the calendar, the British Under 21 Final.

While it is an event that we have hosted in the past, this one feels that little bit more special given the unprecedented circumstances surrounding it.

I’m pretty sure that I have written at great length about the prestige of this event in the past in terms of past winners etc, but it no doubt bears repeating.

Names like Scott Nicholls, Gary Havelock, Joe Screen, Carl Stonehewer and Mark Loram would claim the title on their way to bigger and better things and in the more recent past Tai Woffinden and Robert Lambert have done the same.

From a Bandits perspective names like Mark Courtney, David Howe, Scott Smith, Lewis Bridger and Eddie Kennett have all been podium toppers throughout the years.

Basically the roll of honour for this event reads as a who’s who of British Speedway.

Whilst we await confirmation of the lineup for the 2020 version of the event, you have to assume that names like Dan Bewley and Drew Kemp will likely start among the pre-meeting favourites.

That isn’t to say that our very own Leon Flint and Kyle Bickley won’t have something to say about it and unlike past years where there has been perhaps a clear favourite, this years meeting has the potential to be a more wide open affair.

For some of the riders on show this meeting will perhaps be a stepping stone to greater things and for some it may be the biggest meeting of their career. Whatever the circumstances you can get your bottom dollar that all of them will want to win and etch their name alongside some of the greats who have topped the podium in the past.

From a purely selfish point of view this meeting will mean that for the 22nd season in a row, I will witness speedway at Shielfield Park.

The cursed Covid already forced me to break one streak and it sure as hell isn’t going to ruin another.

Another interesting point about this meeting is that it will allow us to finally get to see the new and improved, wider and faster Shielfield Park Circuit in all it’s glory. New lines, different approaches and plenty of hungry young riders out to prove a point, it should make for a very interesting dynamic.

Oh yeah, and the small matter of a new track record to be settled to…colour me very interested!

If someone would be so kind as to remind me how many points for a win, how many laps in a race and how to fill a programme in, that would be much appreciated.

Don’t worry though, I will still be able to find my way to the burger van no problem!

Of course if you wish to agree, or disagree with the Mythman, have an idea for a feature, or you simply want to chew the fat over all things speedway, you can email me jbspeedwaymedia@hotmail.com or get in touch via the JB Speedway Media Facebook page. If your compliments, or indeed gripes can be contained to limited characters, you can send me a tweet @Mythman666.

Until next time…and there will be a next time.

Right I’ll hae’tae gan

Mythman