NeilWatson

I agree that I exaggerated my response to 'Iainb's ever more unworkable 'one size fits all' regulation suggestion, just to prove a point. The Speedway Regulations already contain a protocol for postponing meetings: 02.2.8 Promoter / Associate Must sign the Meeting Certificate and remain in attendance during and immediately after the meeting. They are responsible for the organisation of the meeting, ensuring all requirements of these Regulations prior to and during the meeting are met, including payment of the appropriate fees, insurances and other statutory requirements. Specifically, the staging Promotion is responsible: - a) to never advertise an event in a misleading manner; not to classify a meeting as an ‘International’; or ‘British Championship’, except with prior BSPA permission, nor ever use ‘Grand Prix, World Cup or World Championship titles’ b) to ensure the track receives timely and adequate preparation c) until 2 hours prior to the advertised start time may postpone the meeting if there are exceptional conditions as would make racing impossible, except where: i) the SCB specifically forbids a Promotion from so doing ii) if a Meeting Steward is appointed to the meeting and must advise the Referee at the earliest opportunity Despite 'iainb's denials, economics does come into the equation because of the significant amount of money a late postponent will cost.

Just pointing out why your 'one size fits all' prescribed regulation would not work.

Muff is in in Mildenhall’s 1-7 so is a legitimate choice at No 8 No Correct

I've explained why a 'one size fits all' policy would not work. To speak to your proposal: 1 - on a Saturday afternoon a major fire destroys all electricity supply to Monmore Green, but Wolves can't postpone until the Monday morning. 2 - In the case you describe the meeting would be postponed, not abandoned, and no further racing is permitted on the track that day.

It seems to me that trying to place any firm parameters on rain-offs is futile. Local knowledge is the vital thing - stadium access, track conditions, machinery available (and if it can actually get on the track) all point to what might be possible. Add in weather forecasts and the financial considerations I outlined above. In the end the buck stops with the Promoter, who has to make a decision* - right or wrong. I’ve postponed meetings that could in the end have been raced, and not postponed ones that led ultimately to either a very late call off or an abandonment. The one thing I hope we all agree on is that in the current climate no Promoter can afford to incur all the fixed costs of a meeting without a high level of assurance the meeting can be staged. * Prior to the arrival of the referee who then assumes the role of decision maker.

You said that after 10am no meeting should be postponed before 6pm, by which time the majority of fans would already be well on their way. That would be a sure-fire way to alienate fans when a meeting that should have been postponed at midday wasn’t postponed until 6pm because of your artificial rule. As for today, I expected the meeting to be off early in the day but it’s no longer my decision!

It's got everything to do with economics. At 12.00pm, torrential rain leaves the track under water and clearly impossible to get ready for racing. 2.00pm Is the deadline for postponing the meeting without full rent being paid 3.00pm The medical staff bill becomes due whether racing takes place or not 5.00pm Riders begin arriving at the stadium 6.00pm Meeting postponed, all riders have to be paid travel (and any other amounts due under their contract for flights etc).

That proposal bears no relevance to the economics of modern speedway.

It was postponed last week Steve, now 29th August

I’m here and agree with ‘Noodles’ - it’s poor :-(

We’ve just seen Flyin’ Ryan Sullivan

The GP is nothing to do with BSPL

The crowd is very sparse. Top tier almost empty, only five rows in the lower level and middle level patchy.

http://www.scbgb.co.uk/news.php?extend.127.1

010.2 MATCH AVERAGES (MAs) 010.2.1 Established MA’s Are calculated, up to and including the cut-off date for a specified number of applicable meetings. Taking account of the number of heats and points (excluding bonus points) that a rider has scored. The applicable meetings are: - • Premiership League Table meetings • Championship League Table meetings • National Development League League Table meetings Semi-Finals, Finals and Play Offs are not included. Speedway Control Bureau Regulations 91 Riders appearing as a Guest or as a #8 are ignored (Premiership & Championship only). The BSPA are responsible for the calculation, production and circulation of rider’s MA’s. At the end of each season the BSPA will produce a listing of all riders who have completed in British Speedway during that season and following approval and/or amendment at their AGM. The MA’s, excluding bonus points but including other allowances will be the riders MA for the following season. These MA’s will remain affective for team building, team positioning, facilities, rider eligibility for heat 15 until new MA’s become effective. Updated MA’s will be calculated monthly on a rolling basis on all eligible meetings, up to and including 23rd of the month, to become effective from the 1st of the following month. A Premiership Assessed League rider will establish an MA after completing 3 home and 3 away qualifying fixtures. A Championship Assessed League rider will establish an MA after completing 8 qualifying fixtures. Should an Established MA not be achieved to be effective from 1st May, then the BSPA Directors may issue a revised MA, based upon actual rides if the team re-declares. The most recently established MA will be used. If a rider has an established MA in both the Premiership and Championship Leagues, established in the same season, that leagues MA will apply to that league. NDL established MA’s are issued when a rider completes 4 NDL meetings, irrespective of whether home or away. To be effective 7 days after the last qualifying meeting. A NDL rider, who is not in a NDL, ‘League’ Team Declaration will be given an Established MA after completing 4 meetings, irrespective of being home or away in any official team competition. Speedway Control Bureau Regulations 92 010.2.2 Assessed MA’s Given to riders who: - a) are new to British Speedway or are without an established MA b) fails to achieve an established (or converted) MA below the 2.00 minimum c) have to apply for a new CoS due to transferring from the Premiership to Championship if the riders established MA is below the minimum required as a new entrant Assessed rider gradings are calculated as follows: - Riders new to Premiership League racing are categorised as follows: - a) a rider riding in a professional league in the previous or current season will be assessed on a Grading List. Based upon results obtained in all other professional Speedway leagues and given an Assessed MA accordingly Riders new to Championship League racing are categorised as follows: - a) a rider riding in Danish, Swedish or Polish Leagues in a previous or current season will enter on a 5.00 MA b) a rider who has never ridden in a Danish, Swedish or Polish league will enter on a 4.00 MA c) a new rider who is eligible to participate in the NDL will enter on a 2.00 MA No rider with a current or previously assessed MA, other than a rider who has never achieved an MA in a professional league, can drop below 4.00 at any time during the season. 010.2.3 Amended MA’s With the approval of the BSPA GC or Directors for: - a) riders who have been absent from British Speedway racing for more than 3 seasons (The MA may be increased or decreased) b) riders who have been absent for more than 1 full season due to injury c) any rider who has been or is eligible to compete in the NDL (and has not represented another FMN, other than the ACU) will receive 2.5% reduction on their MA Speedway Control Bureau Regulations 93 d) a rider who moves between the Premiership and Championship leagues and requires a converted MA. The conversion factor will be 1.5

While Kennett is in Plymouth's declared 1-7 but unfit to ride the facility for a replacement rider remains in place.

Tom Brennan is first reserve, alongside Leon Flint

Tom may get the chance to show what he can do in this year's GP as he is first reserve for the meeting.

Once the decision was made to restage the meeting the rule book is quite clear on procedure. Don't forget that once the meeting is abandoned no further track action is permitted so a race-off on the night wasn't an option.

My suggestion is to abandon the meeting tonight, with Brennan and Harris to race-off at Cardiff at the Friday practice.

Brennan's average is fractionally higher - 6.621 compared to Ulrich's 6.615.

You’re misunderstanding the (admittedly badly written) rule. If two riders have the same MA the BSPL office will check both averages to three or more decimal places to see if the equality can be “determined”, that is to see if one MA is fractionally higher than the other. If the two are truly identical then the rest of the rule comes into play.

They are - to differentiate between two riders with the same average to two decimal places. See below SR010.3 TEAM DECLARATIONS Teams must be declared prior to the start of the season. Changes must be made at least 3 days before the start time of the meeting at which it is intended to be used. In any declaration where 2 or more riders hold an identical MA (cannot be determined by a 3rd or more decimal point) then the re-declaration must nominate the hierarchical order. Where riders have a previous MA, then the higher placed rider from the previous issue shall retain the higher position. A rider in a teams declared 1-7 at the end of the previous season, not included in that teams new seasons initial declaration, may not be subsequently re-introduced into that team without the express permission of the Directors.

Are the two averages identical, or can they be split by calculating to more decimal places?

It’s all in the rule book. I’m out at the moment but IIRC a guest can be used for 1,2,3,6 and 7. For 4 &5 - one out is usually RR, both out RR & Guest, but if they’re representing their FMN a guest can be used - so 7 guests is possible.