"I fully support Dudley Jones regarding the Body Colours worn by current Speedway riders. I am lucky - I regularly attend Redcar where the 'Bears' motif is boldly displayed. However I must say that the standard of identification these days is, in general, very poor. There used to be no finer sight than seeing four riders hurtling round the bend and being able to see straight away who was in the lead and seeing two TEAMS battling side by side - EASILY RECOGNISED. Now we have to make do with helmet colours.

Earlier I used the words 'Body Colour' this is the expression that I was brought up with - the very words mean, to me, identification of TEAM. In these days of bikes all looking the same some form of IDENTIFICATION is essential. I hate to use the expression but in the old days you could identify a rider in a number of ways: Body Colour, Style, Bike and Helmet Cover. Today, basically, it is the Helmet Colour. SUPPORTERS need to have something to identify with - so come on the 'powers that be', this is OUR sport as well, surely there is plenty of adverting space on the BACK of the Body Colour. LEAVE THE FRONT FOR THE TEAM AND THEIR SUPPORTERS."

"Totally agree Dudley. But hey, Oxford Cheetahs race suits are superb. The race jackets that really annoy me are the GP ones. All adverts and a tiny flag of their country. Come on BSI lets get back to a full flag race jacket."

"I fully agree with Dudley Jones about the present day race jackets. They are meant to identify who you support, they mean something to the supporters, "look they are riding for us, that's our team they are riding for". Todays race jackets are meaningless, simply a hotch-pot of advertising. They are really bad at international level with only a tiny little flag on the shoulder to signify which country the riders are representing. Quite often this can't be seen as it is too small. If a rider is proud to represent his country, then he should be proud to wear his countries colours, big and bold. Or at club level, again big and bold. Today the fans want something more to follow than just a helmet colour during a race. With riders and bikes looking more and more alike, we need a race jacket that can be clearly seen."

"I totally agree with Dudley Jones's comments. Although I accept that speedway needs sponsorship to survive, the traditional colours and logos should still be prominent. It is what identifies the wearer with the club he represents. Mind you, I wouldn't hold my breath expecting the BSPA to do anything about it any time soon. The worst offender in my opinion is the body colour worn by the riders at the GPs. What are they supposed to signify I wonder?"

"Yes I totally agree with your race jacket article, a sense of identification works wonders for team support (just look at Reading Bulldogs), it has not worked. Bees should be BEES, Wasps should be WASPS and so forth. Let's keep this sport simple and bring back the crowds, in the best interests of speedway let's do it."

"I agree with the content of this article whole heartedly, but whenever I bring the subject up my comments meet with a stony silence or I am acused of living in the past. Having been introduced to speedway at an impressionable age the thought and sight of old, instantly recognisable club colours evoke memories of excitement with the visit of such great teams and riders to the track I supported then, and still do today, Oxford.

The green and yellow of Norwich Stars and the red and white stripes of Southampton, such a basic design, can be added to the writers list, even along with the original Oxford colours of a yellow sash on a blue background. Not only do the team colour designs seem to change every season but we are now faced with the spectre of 'team suits'. On the face of it this is a step forward especially on the first night when the 1 to 7 are dressed the same although there are still those who think that riders should have that individuality of wearing their own suits. But it is better that wearing football shirts under the body colour, which is something that used to happen and quite inovative at the time.

But what happens when your number 4 gets injured or your star foreigner is away on some championship round or other? The guest or Premier League replacement appears in your team lineup wearing what? - a football shirt. So the spectre is immediately broken with some of the team now wearing suits and others football shirts. Throw in our team last season and you not only have suits and shirts but sometimes a Conference League race jacket as well!! What does that do for our great sport?

For me a set of race jackets is paramount. In club colours with the club logo prominently displayed. All riders look as if they belong, if only temporarily, all the time. What can be more rewarding that being handed your race jacket, just before the meeting begins, with a word of encouragement from the Team Manager? Or is it true, I do live in the past?"

"Couldn't agree more with Dudley Jones' article. The race jacket pic in the article sports all the corporate graphic design blandness of a European rally car. Speedway must exploit its obvious uniqueness amongst other motorsports with big bold team logos. They exhibit camaraderie and the romance of "going into battle" with another team. Surely team sponsors can just occupy the back of a jacket?"

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