szkocjasid

So it seems Plymouth are wanting a strong replacement at number 1 because Klindt won't be considered "withholding his services" as he's racing in Denmark. How can they be allowed to pick a weak guest to stop him getting a ban one match (when he should be there), but a strong guest the next one as he's got a legitimate excuse not to be there. I'd like the BSPL to grow a backbone & say - nope, you can have a 75% guest for any matches he misses for the rest of the season. The logic being Plymouth are happy to use 75% guests when it suits them. Probably not in the rules, but when has that ever stopped Speedway's officialdom lol!

But if a rider (Klindt) wants to pick & choose his Plymouth meetings, while still riding for Kings Lynn, a ban would stop that. But a ban wouldn't stop the Ben Cook situation, who would probably prefer a ban so he can carry on ringing in Poland while he's (checks notes) "injured"

I totally agree. Can't have riders for 2 clubs missing the same match because they are riding the next day, one gets a ban & one doesn't. Which could happen depending on the guest their team chooses to use!

Could always use a tac sub to award a rider who's done the best, even if you can't win. Maybe after Allen for Lambert in heat 14? Strange that Jake was one of the higher scorers but only got 3 rides?

I see Nick Morris is going to be on a very attractive average for next year now. His 8.8 average must have been a majority of good scores for Leicester (I think) in 2022 & a handful of disappointing scores for Birmingham in 2023 before his ban. Now all his 2022 scores have been dropped his rolling ave will consist of just his 2023 & 2025 meetings, currently 6.2ish. While I wasn't in favour of his signing, Berwick were obviously happy to overlook any "previous" so would be daft not to sign him up for next year ASAP.

While I agree with you, technically when a club gets "no facility" they are allowed a "75% guest". The rulebook should really call it a reduced facility. The rules should certainly be tougher on riders missing matches to ride in other leagues.

Yeah Belle Vue have passed the transfer cut-off date now. They were never gonna find a better RS than Mulford, but I did wonder how long they would give Zischke? On one hand I admire them for giving him time & not dropping him, but on the other hand think "you dropped Mountain last year, when he didn't do any worse" Mark Lemon favouring Aussies maybe? Although if you go by Champ from Zischke had improved for Workington, but not happening for Belle Vue (so far).

That happened from 94-96, when they went from the one big league back to 2 divisions, they dropped back to 15 heat matches.

If the BSPL really don't like draws, why stop half way? Award 2 points for a superheat win & 0 for a superheat loss?

I don't see the need for it. If a meeting ends in a draw then it's already been an exciting end to the meeting with a lady heat decider. While some say it's extra value for money for fans & an extra heat to watch. That's not something fans can plan for, a fan on the fence about whether they go to watch a match, isn't going to day "you know what, let's go incase we get an extra race for our money". I just don't see what's wrong with a drawn meeting!

Nicholls isn't an official is he, he's just part of the TV crew, he could ask them to arm wrestle for all I care. Surely the riders, managers or referee should have told him "no we need to do a coin toss"?

The problem with this match is both Hagon & Smith scored well, but Berwick still lost. Must be tough to be positive as a Berwick fan just now. Avoiding bottom is probably the aim, rather than chasing top 4.

Cheers

While I agree Klindt isn't treating Plymouth well, are they not just as guilty by allowing him to do that by not declaring him as "withholding his services"?

Pre season, on paper looked to always have one strong reserve. Should Borke have been given longer to find form? Or was he clearly not fit? While they have strengthened up on paper, isn't showing in the results. If Morris shows improvement by the end of the season, may be on an attractive average for 2026.

Been a very impressive newcomers to British Speedway. Was highly rated & showing why that was the case.

I think the r/r rules should be. 2 above & 2 below missing rider. If r/r is for 2nd in the averages then one rider can get 2 x r/r If r/r is for 1st in the averages then two riders can get 2 x r/r

I think he was guesting as a RS previously. I'm not even sure if riders need an actual (not assessed) average to guest. If a team had a reserve break down & had a local NL junior available, surely they'd be able to use him instead of 3 rider races.

Clever riding if he did so, even if it didn't work out.

He has an average now

This wasn't an anti Schroeck comment, as you say lots of managers automatically use r/r at 2. If a second string was missing, I'd totally agree with r/r at 2, as the reserves taking r/r outings are "protected" riding with the number one. As it was the second heat leader missing, I don't see the need for the remaining top 5 riders to be "protected" alongside Masters on their extra heat, as they don't need this protection in their programmed rides? Personally I don't think I'd ever plan to use your top rider in heat 8, but I think it was worse in this situation as it meant the top rider in the league getting an extra outing against the weakest second string in the league (no offence to Sam Hagon), I'd have said the same against Redcar if Jody Scott was at 2. Maybe if Oxford were racing a team with a strong number 2 (Edinburgh/Glasgow) I could understand it as Oxford may not expect their second strings to win heat 8. But I certainly wouldn't move r/r to number 2 automatically regardless of who is missing / who the opponents are.

I agree, think Cairns (this season) & Rushen (next season) would be wise not to jump into an RS spot too soon.

The Fox Cubs look a lot stronger now. Freddy Hodder & Jordy Loftus signed in place of Sonny Springer & Caydin Martin. Won't catch King's Lynn at the top of the table, but should help them get away from bottom spot. No changes yet for the Lion Cubs, although Springer has a lower average so won't have the same options. Calum Mitchell of King's Lynn looks the best option. There's not a lot of NDT riders without a NDL team spot.

Oxford didn't have an obvious "number 2" after Masters the others could really have filled any position from 2-5. Pre match I would've favoured them to have the beating of Hagon in heat 8, whoever went in position 2. Masters is the only one I wouldn't have put in that heat. If they worry was a weaker Oxford rider wouldn't win in heat 8, put McDiarmid at 2 maybe?

Both, if I bore you that much, just mute me. If I replied to the post saying "I don't agree with you" without giving any context / reasoning, what would be the point of that? So I pointed out his away average has actually gone up. Then @Woke23 sent a sensible reply with his reasons for his comments. Both of us gave an opinion, it would be boring if everyone agreed all the time, there was no insults or name calling, I'd say that's what the forum is for. Obviously I like stats, if others don't that's fine too. But I don't see why I should stop using them.