crescent girl

Always happy to have a good discussion on here.... My point is that play-offs attract people to speedway, create considerable revenue and keep the sport viable. Regarding the "top team wins the title" argument, the rules are laid down before the season, so everyone knows what's what. Taking it a stage further, what about this past weekend? Are Poland the "real" World Champions, with Denmark on the silver medal? Or were those last two races not worth the admission, or TV money alone?

Did nobody clock the crowds at Belle Vue and Peterboro last week? These massive roll-ups will have doubled, even trebled, the respective promotions' revenue over a regular meeting. Similarly, what about the huge interest in the soccer play-offs each year as clubs battle for promotion in their various leagues? Or the full-house attendances at ice-hockey play-offs at Nottingham every season? The revenue from being involved in play-offs is a massive boost to any club's financial year, and in some cases could make a difference between failing or surviving. Regardless of the "fairness" of it, they are here to stay, and the season-long league table is a qualification process, no more, no less. It is up to the promotions at every track to make their regular matches bright and entertaining enough to keep them close to their budget, while aiming for a shot at glory in the play-offs to put icing on the cake. Yes, speedway is a sport. It is also a business. Run a straightforward league with only one winner and see if you can stay in business. Money talks.

On Sunday at the Son, all four riders in the Final were still gardening as the clock ran down. Would the referee have survived with his life, had he disqualified Lambert (again) or Zmarslk and decided the gold medal?

There is also the little matter of Keynan Rew not currently qualifying for an kind of work permit/visa to race in these sceptered isles.......

She isn't, but you still don't want to mess with her! Or with Leon's mum, come to think of it.....

You have to think Sedgy might have been better......

Going to be a big day in Glasgow! As well as the Test, Celtic are now playing Ferencvaros (Europa League) on Tuesday afternoon at 3.30!

Long John Silver?

Ben Barker on standby in case of finger trouble

Kings and Cubs meeting will be without the Thompsons and Ryan Kinsley, who are on CL play-off duty. Play-offs take precedence.

Nae luck, Roo-boy!

Yes. But with Wolves!

Whoosh....

I rather think Michael gets more than one pie..........

As was proven by the huge crowd at the GB/Australia Test, people will turn out in their droves to see top names they cannot expect to watch in regular action. The names of Tai and Bartoz (five World titles!) alone will pull them in, and having the rest of their nations' SON squads on parade as well is just icing on the cake. Full marks to Allied, and to Team GB for honouring their sponsorship. Can't wait!

That's correct -- but it is Leon (and Jordan Palin's) successes that have proven the success of the RS concept. Moving on, next year's crop (which will presumably exclude these guys, plus the ridiculous "RS" like Josh Bates, have targets to aim for. No RS idea can be expected to create more than a couple of real "finds" in any one season -- on this basis, it has worked, and worked well in 2021.

Leon's 20-meeting rolling average is 6.04. He is fractionally above Aaron Summers (6.02) in Berwick's final figures. NBJ is still No 1, on 6.34. The total average for all seven riders is only 39.16. From the 2021 matches only, Leon is second with 6.40, with Kasper Andersen the top man on 6.50.

Drew Kemp won the U19 title last month, Leon Flint was 4th. Both are rated as 3* -- how is using him as a guest for Kemp cheating?

With Armadale (and others) possibly be facing a log-jam of fixtures in October, we should remember that -- while the rule-book states a season should end on October 31st, it also offers the caveat of meetings being held after that date with specific written permission of the SCB. Given the unprecedented circumstances governing 2021, it is surely the case that permission would be granted to allow final fixtures to run into the first week of November.

No limit to number of times, but the usual 8-day rule prevents using him at the same track in successive weeks, l think.

Bullets' win tonight -- when last did we see a 39-48 result over fifteen heats? -- puts them back on top of the NDL table. Some impressive scoring, too -- Luke Crang 16, and Kieran Douglas a very handy 9+2.

Well, if you want a result -- how about the win at Kent tonight? Top of the table again!

As the earlier post states, Poole get the choice of which quarter-final winner they will race against in the semi-final -- they will not be able to choose Glasgow, who will not have contested the quarter-finals. Poole also have choice of holding first or second leg of their semi (and final, if they progress). As quoted, this is all listed in rule-book: 012.1.1

Oops! My omission. As a side-note, Jade Mudgway and Ty Proctor are also returning to their saddles in this one.

Kasper Andersen included in field for Julie Lewis meeting tonight at Redcar, with outings for Greg Blair and Luke Crang too.