salty

Poole for me , with Newman as the trump card.

With the race so close for 8th I'm thinking that the 2 uninjured riders who miss out will possibly get picks alongside NKI. As it stands that would be AJ and Batch. The 4th spot will then go to a Dane and I would plump for Kildemand over MJJ. Obviously, the great unknown is what will be done about Ward.

Can't see Rory getting a wild card as he hasn't donned the Aussie colours in the WTC for a couple of years. Edit: I mean a one off wild card in Melbourne not as a permanent nomination.

So if Holder finishes 9th you would give Ward a nomination instead of him? Can't see it happening as I reckon Holder will be in the top 8. Ward's only hope is if Batch fails. Surely they will want 2 Swedes and will be hoping either AJ or Lindgren get into the top 8.

With an Aussie, a Brit and a Pole grabbing the 3 spots tonight, it certainly makes things interesting. Obviously things might change at the bottom 8 over the next two rounds, but I think you can ink in Greg, Tai, KK, Nicki, Matej and Holder. If the other two spots go to Lindgren and Batch that would leave us with.... 3 Aussies 2 Brits 2 Poles And 1 American, Slovenian, Dane and Swede. Puk is a shoo in which would make 2 Danes. I reckon THJ would get the nod to make 2 Swedes. Another Pole - probably Jarek, but it would help if he had a strong finish to the series. Another Dane - a toss up between PK and MJJ. Personally I think PK has been very impressive in his two wild card appearances and I would go for him. Can't see Ward getting picked if there already 3 Aussies in.

Why would that make you sad?

I refer you to the post above from the General Discussions section. No he can't

Don't think you should get any flak for expressing your opinion. I'd agree a 6 month ban would be about right, however, we then have the issue of the GP's and whether he should get a nomination for 2015 which clouds the issue. Give him a nomination and the ban seems superflous, but no nomination or being able to ride in the Aussie qualifiers brings us into the realm of greater punishment. Also, we have the issue (as you mention) of legal challenges by the Ward camp and (as mentioned in the Star of 6/9/14) that Middlo had advised him to look into whether the tests "were done in the correct manner". I think this approach from Ward and his advisors has the affect of hardening attitudes towards him as it makes it appear that no lesson was learnt. A feeling underlined when we hear Matt Ford saying "fingers crossed he gets away with it". Little wonder that people want to see such viewpoints come a cropper.

Thats Ok then, I just had read the Norrie v Mads thread. Hopefully Shamek will turn up at Brandon tomorrow so it won't be an issue.

Don't think anybody really bothers with the rules anymore. Didn't Mads ride Sunday and Tuesday last week but swerved Monday at Belle Vue? All the promoters turn a blind eye, because at some point they will all need to do it.

All the talk of Darcy "learning his lesson". From what I can see all he seems to have learned so far is to use a high powered legal team to try and find a way of - to paraphrase Matt Ford - getting away with it.

In a perfect world you would expect that in exceptional circumstances such as injuries there should be a facility to replace riders after the deadline. However, because of the tendency for promoters to continually try and circumvent the rules you just know that any loophole would quickly have a cart and horses driven through it.

So if this the official Ronnie Russell role it appears largely superflous, whilst giving him a licence to meddle and interfere?

I'm not so sure. I think the abandonment came about 9.15 with their programme due to finish at 9.30, so a finish after Heat 10 would have suited them.

Thank You. As far as I can tell that is not an "official" role. The Speedway Regulations certainly don't make reference to it as far as I can see. My understanding was that a Meeting Steward was appointed for Sky meetings and was situated in the pits to liase with the Sky team to ensure the meeting was run to help with their schedule. Therefore it is hard to see why there is a need for Ronnie Russell to be involved - he certainly shouldn't be "sending riders out to the tapes" As for last night I have a certain amount of sympathy for Middlo, he only did what all team managers would do. Keen not to ride when his team was losing, but less keen to stop if there was hope of a point. I suspect that the overiding influence on last nights decisions was Sky (possibly in the guise of Mr Russell)and it was strange how the meeting was swiftly concluded once the end of their 9.30 transmission time was in sight.

Just to clarify the ruling..... when a meeting steward is appointed one of their roles is to.... "to make at his/her sole discretion a decision to delay or order a postponement or abandonment in which case no further racing, practice or track use is permitted." Rule 14:6 In this case it was Mick Bates, and it is surely only Mick Bates who knows why he made the decisions he made last night and who was influencing those decisions. Edit: Quoting Daytripper's post above "Just to clarify, it was Ronnie Russell that sent the riders out for heat 11 so he must have deemed the meeting to still be on at that point." Again I ask the question if Mick Bates is the appointed Meeting Steward, why is Ronnie Russell running about with a headset on at all the Sky meetings and what is his official role. Is he representing the BSPA, GoSpeed or Sky and what power does he have over the proceedings.

Nothing to do with the referee when it is a Sky meeting. We checked this after the Belle Vue farce last season and any decision on abandonment is solely down to the Meeting steward.

The Ward conundrum is interesting. Teach him a lesson by giving him a ban to the end of the season, but then giving him a wild card? Thing is although his sponsors have less influence with the FIM, are they able to wield more weight when it comes to the nominations (think there was a precedent a few years ago when Pepe got a pick on the back of Pentel's patronage)? Or will his sponsors walk away following his latest brush with the authorities? I think MJJ may struggle to get a pick as with 5 Danes in the challenge he will be lucky if none of them get a top 3 slot.

One thing in common. At both meetings when the cameras honed in on the crucial dscussions about whether to carry on the unmistakeable features of Ronnie Russell loomed in the background. Given he was not the meeting steward, does anyone know why he is at every Sky meeting?

My understanding for a Sky meeting is that the sole decision lies with the Meeting Steward (not even the ref) who tonight was Mick Bates. Nothing to do with home teams or teams in the lead, though obviously the steward can take their views into account. Another unedifying spectacle tonight.

I think Pearson basically reacted to the pictures on the screen. The cameras mostly followed Hancock as he went into the pits (no paddock, Kelvin), so naturally he talked about Hancock when he was on screen, whilst not forgetting that Puk was still being attended to on the track.

Absolutely agree. But the fact is the pressure from international events is only going to get greater - especially with the burgeoning European calendar. Only answer I can see is for PL teams to try and avoid employing riders who are going to be missing riding on the continent every weekend - and that is easier said than done.

As an FIM meeting (albeit a joke one) the official re-staging date was tomorrow but it appears this has been changed to the day after the Torun GP, thus allowing Poole to ride at Lakeside tomorrow.

Can't believe Hancock would risk riding in a meaningless challenge, if he is fit then that would be amazing.