This has been made possible by the new club sponsor, Excalibur Communications, and the purple "away" racesuits match their corporate colours. Although both Peterborough and Eastbourne have had away racesuits in the past, it's something that hasn't been seen in recent years, and it will be worth watching to see if any other clubs take up the initiative in future seasons - certainly Sky, who insist on black legs on the current racesuits for TV, may be interested, if they keep the Elite league beyond the end of the current contract, which expires at the end of this season.
A pleasing aspect of the Robins' 2013 racesuits was the prominence given to the Robin emblem - large and in the centre of the chest, right where the old race jackets used to place it. In previous seasons, the old, fat robin had slipped down the frontage, almost resting over the belly, with sponsors' logos given preferable placing. Something similar has happened to Coventry's fighting Bee this season - it has shrunk to a tiny size, and is buzzing around the riders' collars, an annoyance rather than a warning.
Of course, sponsors are ever-more important to speedway clubs but there has to be a balance struck. Ask a newcomer what the Coventry team nickname is, and he's likely to be confused, and wonder what kind of animal a Buildbase is. I exaggerate, of course, but hopefully this is a blip and the Bee will take pride of place next season.
Racesuits are a part of modern speedway I'm yet to be convinced by. My early years in the sport were during the race jacket era, with riders expressing their individuality through their choice of leathers. I can understand the need for a uniform, especially when the sport needs to be taken seriously by television, but this is often compromised by new signings and guest riders, who either wear an old-style race jacket or one of those horrible team shirts, flapping in the wind and making the non-racesuit wearers look like they've forgotten their PE kit.
At least we don't make them ride in their pants.
ITEM: I've cast a cursory eye over the National league in recent season, and even attended a few meetings, but this season - with my local track entering a team for the first time - I'll be more than an interested observer. So who's going to win the thing? yes, it's time for my National League predictions!
It's a tricky prospect, because Kent have yet to name their complete 1-7. I've worked things out - SCIENTIFICALLY! - assuming they will name two 3.00 newcomers, who will ride around that level, as their last two riders. If by any chance they manage to name Robert Lambert as one of those two, then jump then jump them three or four places up the league. He's that good. Anyway, here we go...
1st - Isle Of Wight Islanders
2nd - Dudley Heathens
3rd – King's Lynn Young Stars
4. Stoke Potters, 5. Mildenhall Fen Tigers, 6. Coventry Storm, 7. Kent Kings, 8. Buxton Hitmen
As always, the margin for error is MASSIVE. Send me hate mail if you disagree.
ITEM: The 2013 season got off to a fine start last night with a farewell meeting at King's Lynn for Stars' legend Tomas Topinka. The weather stayed dry, despite rain and fog enveloping the rest of the country, and there were no serious falls or injuries. Just as it should be.
The sight of the fixture list in this week's Speedway Star brought it home, of course - the new season is here, with all the excitement that brings, with every club and rider starting afresh, and everything up for grabs. The reality is that the same old faces, and the same dominant clubs, will take the lion's share of the glory, but there's always a surprise somewhere.
Tonight is the Ben Fund meeting at Berwick, weather permitting, and I hope there's a big turnout for this important cause. I attended last year's at Birmingham, and although the crowd was perhaps a little down on what it usually is, a lot of money was raised for some very deserving riders.
Riders can dip into the fund on a short-term basis, or request assistance for bigger, life-changing items. Last year the fund spent £125,000 helping out current and past riders, and most seem to value the cause very highly. Not everyone, though - fund co-ordinator Paul Ackroyd claimed in this week's Star that a couple of riders who received assistance last year, and had agreed to ride in tonight's meeting, pulled out to ride in the Topinka Farewell last night and/or Freddie Lindgren's testimonial tomorrow instead. Disappointing, and I only hope those riders take a long look at themselves.
So if you're going along to Shielfield Park tonight, wrap up warm and dig deep. This crazy sport of ours needs our commitment and occasionally our money. These Ben Fund meetings give us a way to provide both.
ITEM: There's a new speedway magazine coming out soon, Inside Speedway, and these things are as rare as hen's teeth. For the last twenty years or so, since the demise of the Speedway Mail, the Speedway Star has enjoyed a virtual monopoly on the speedway magazine trade, althouth a new publication will occasionally appear. Some have stood the test of time - Classic Speedway and Backtrack, both from former Mail editor Tony McDonald, are both well past 50 issues - but most are doomed to failure, surviving only a few issues before they disappear back into the mire.
Inside Speedway is backed by the Speedway365 website, and will publish four issues a year, available at track shops and through subscription. It looks to be feature- and interview-based, which the publication schedule probably necessitates, and it will be interesting to see how it differs from what the Star already offers on a weekly basis.
There is room for at least one other speedway publication, though whether Inside Speedway will provide it remains to be seen. A more irreverent, less likely to toe the official line, publication would be good - something along the lines of When Saturday Comes, which has lasted over twenty-five years providing something different to the mainstream offerings.
The usual naysayers are out, dooming the magazine before it has even hit the stands, but I wish them luck with it. There's precious little to read about our fantastic sport - anything that can pass the time between meetings is a welcome addition to the racks.
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