PHILIPRISING

FROM what I've been told it actually wasn't the same rule.

HAS been for weeks! Still some bickering going on but will happen.

THE attempted rule was illegal and never accepted by the SCB but the BSPA stubbornly refused to accept the inevitable until now. It wasn't changed to fit Scott as it was never implemented in the first place.

THE fact is that the original rule as drafted by the BSPA was illegal, not just in speedway terminology but law which is why the SCB steadfastly refused to accept it.

AGREEMENT REACHED OVER NEW RULES BRITISH Speedway bosses have held top level talks to mutually agree interpretation of new 2018 regulations. Members of both the British Speedway Promoters’ Association Management Committee (BSPA) and Speedway Control Bureau (SCB) have worked together to ensure more opportunities for home grown riders are available. In simple terms this means the high profile case of Scott Nicholls has now reached a satisfactory conclusion for all parties and this fine servant to British Speedway is now eligible to race in the middle tier, the SGB Championship. After deliberation an agreement was reached allowing further opportunities for the use of "home grown" riders ensuring that in particular Championship teams will all have the opportunity to commence the season on competitive terms. Riders who have previously been eligible for the old Conference League, or the current National Development League, are now eligible for the Championship. A BSPA spokesman said: "We are pleased to be working alongside the SCB to clarify and reach agreement over this very delicate issue and it is now time for us all to look ahead to the new season with much enthusiasm." An SCB spokesman said: "The members of the Bureau fully appreciate the complex issues facing promoters at this moment in time. "We are fully committed to assisting them to re-establish a firm foundation for the sport from which to move forward."

RICHARD Clark succeeded me as Editor of SS early in 1996! Andrew Skeels has been on the staff since 1983. Since 1996 I have been both Managing Editor and Managing Director and the majority shareholder in Pinegen Limited, publishers of Speedway Star, so my responsibilities are much wider than the editorial content of the mag. We are committed to further improving the mag and Andrew (or Scunny as he is affectionately known, hailing from Scunthorpe and being a massive fan of the town's soccer and speedway clubs) is the person to drive it forward at a very challenging time with speedway attendances, and hence our potential readership, dwindling.

PROBABLY not if, as has been suggested, Hancock or Woffinden could ride in the CL but not Kennett or Nicholls.

THE SCB say yes ... THE BSPA say no. But as it is the SCB that sanction the rules and the are a higher authority than the BSPA the answer is most likely yes.

MAYBE because you got exactly what it said on the tin which is more than be said for many speedway meetings these days!

SPOKE to Middlo at Paradise Park yesterday and he confirmed significant work on the Poole track has been done. Has always been a good shape and like the improvements also undertaken at Glasgow, Ipswich and Leicester should haver a profound effect on the racing there.

THANKS as ever for the info...

LAST time I went was via Hamburg. Not too bad a drive. Have always found cars cheaper to hire in Germany than Sweden or Denmark for example and generally superior models.

And they were against the domestic TV deal ... no clashes there

NEW Ivan Mauger section in the speedway museum

MIGHT have been a year earlier ... was on Quest when Eurosport (same ownership) wasn't available.

IT'S not about when TV are there. Workington claim that they lost 300 fans last year because of speedway on TV. Work that one out.

CAN think of countless reasons why crowds have gone down, notably lack of regular fixtures, never quite sure who will be riding for your team on any given day, lack of promotion, but don't see TV as one of them.

WHETHER it is deemed a success by all the participating countries who, via the governing body, are part of the process. There are speedway nations who felt no real affinity to the SWC because off a lack of riders (4) but who do think this offers them an opportunity to compete at the highest level. They have a voice.

DONT think so

THEY don't want TV ... believe it affects their attendances. Utter nonsense. Neither BT nor SKY are desperate to cover domestic speedway and if the door were to close it is hard to see it opening again.

GO Speed (Terry Russell) no longer involved with TV negotiations going forward but deal for 2018 has already been done, although a small number of promoters are still bitching about it.

WITH respect I doubt that will be the determining factor. The FIM will look at a much bigger picture.

NOT sure ... much will probably depend on whether this one is a success or not

MY money would be on a venue nearer to home

WHEN has anyone ever suggested that?