SPEEDWAY 

BRITISH Speedway vice-chairman Rob Godfrey says a busy Sunday of talks in Rugby proved challenging but positive.Godfrey and other club promoters and officials met riders in the morning to discuss a range of issues including proposals to introduce standardised, sealed engines to the sport in future.A panel comprising Godfrey (Scunthorpe), chairman Keith Chapman (King’s Lynn), Neil Watson (Coventry), Ged Rathbone (Peterborough), Martin Widman (Isle of Wight) and Tony Gillias (SCB chairman) then took questions from supporters in an open Forum lasting over three hours.Godfrey: “We’re very grateful to the people who turned out and we hope they got something out of it.“It was challenging to say the least, with a lot of questions asked, but we were absolutely honest and there was a lot of positivity.“People have got some grievances but they aren’t grievances of a level we probably all thought they were, and they accept that we’re trying.“We wanted to put to bed the conspiracy theories. There are no conspiracy theories, we do things in a democratic way and speedway isn’t as some people perceive it.“Moving forward, we met the riders in the morning and that was so positive. We had feedback from riders on an idea Keith has, and the riders want the standardisation to happen.”

SPEEDWAY 2

LAKESIDE bosses have reluctantly released Bjarne Pedersen from their team plans due to a series of fixture clashes.Hammers promoters Stuart Douglas and Jon Cook took the decision after agreeing Pedersen’s absence would have an adverse effect on their season.Cook said: “This has proved beyond Bjarne’s or our control and following an Elite promoters meeting last week it was clear this situation wasn't going to improve and if anything would worsen.“After last year’s struggles, for us to open the season in the knowledge one of our top riders would miss three meetings against title favourites Belle Vue as well as clashes with Coventry and Poole just couldn't happen.“We wish Bjarne well, this wasn't of his making or ours, but we believe we can't enter a season in this way.”