crescent girl

Nothing wrong with Alfie Bowtell. Raced his socks off for Bandits last week at Ippo for 2+2. Great attitude in the pits, too.

A bit unfair. Steve W is the Good Twin.

No you haven't. Ince a line-up is declared, the riders keep their places. If there is a guest, or r/r has to be introduced, they go into that slot

Oh dear, phone still difficult to manage - but the post l was going to add above is that there'll beno need for covers. The sun's gonna shine on Kev's deserved Day Out, the party starts at half-past three and finished sometime on Monday...

It wasnt so bad. Bandits were never going to win, but kept the Witches honest. Danny King in a class of his own and a pleasure to watch. Alfie Bowtell and Ben Morley applied themselves and did what the guys they were replacing might have been expected to. The big loss was Lewis Bridger. On that CMA he's impossible to properly replace. But the weather was gorgeous, the racing (often for the minor points) was close and anyone saying it wasn't must have a strange agenda.

I suspect you read the man from Wooler's post wrongly. Berwick's wish was to have this rained-off meeting restaged later in the season (Nick Morris was always going to be at Swindon tonight) rather than this evening. However, having reluctantly agreed to return on this date, they will of course honour their commitment, that would always happen. As luck has it, since accepting the date they've lost Bridger and Payne through injury, Howe and Etheridge have also been sidelined -- but are back now -- and Gappmaier (rather impressively) qualified through the GP system. But to say they agreed the date 'not knowing if their riders were available' is incorrect. No club knows when their riders might get injured. It is a shame to read posters saying they won't attend. It is a beautiful day, there's speedway on tonight and every prospect of some good races, be they in Heat 2 or Heat 15. Have a night out at the skids -- get over yourselves! Who knows what might occur? If we don't go, we'll never find out, never see it happen.

Berwick have never covered the track more than 24 hours before a match, usually it is on the Saturday morning if daytime rainfall is forecast.

Yes, three years ago -- when Berwick had completely different covers -- that was perhaps true. That was then, this is now. Different covering system, and each time it gets done it gets easier. Twelve people, about an hour and they are laid. Always plenty of helpers to lift them before the meeting starts, which then maybe takes 20 minutes or so.

Dave, Dave.... That's just not true. The current covers at Berwick were first used for a match against Redcar in April 2016, and again before another meeting, maybe two more, last season. This year, the Berwick promotion have saved SEVEN meetings more or less directly through the use of the same covers. To add to other posts on the subject, track covers cost about 50% of the cost of raining off ONE meeting. Now, I agree that other tracks aren't suited to being covered, and stadium access -- and availability of man-power -- might be a problem elsewhere. But problems are there to be sorted. I cannot believe other promotions have so far not investigated why Berwick have been so successful in this matter.

Yes, thanks.

Fixture change - Bandits v Redcar advanced one week to June 24. Now no meeting at Shielfield Park on July 1st. Good move - WTC at KL that night, and live on TV too.

In addition to being the sport's greatest statistician (statician?) in an age with no computerisation, Bryan was a great deal more. He was one of the main reasons for the early success of Ipswich in the 70s as "racing controller" where he pushed out racing and kept the meeting going -- and never forget, also a wise and dedicated manager of the BSPA's office in the good years.

Lewis is racing for Somerset at Swindon on Monday, too. I agree he is due a really big one, and Saturday might just be the night! He's at #4 for this one, partnering David Howe.

Somerset will perhaps be strengthened by Lewis Bridger coming in at #2 in place of Lewis Kerr on Monday.

Bandits took a solid point at Redcar this month, why shouldn't they take all three at home? Changes afoot, however -- Dany Gapp moves into team (at #2) and Jye will be at reserve when fit. Kevin Doolan will be #5 this week. However, last week's tangle in Heat 8 has sidelined Jye with a shoulder injury and Jack Parkinson-Blackburn will be at #6. In NJL mini-match, Border Raiders will be: 1 Kevin Whelan 2 Mark McIlkenny 3 Luke Harrison 4 Sam McGurk

Dany Gappmaier invited to guest for Panthers at Brough tomorrow......

Yes, that's the line-up.

As has been much-reported, Bandits haven't beaten Peterborough since 1998 -- too long! Saturday sets the clock back to zero. Berwick: 1 Nick Morris 8.97 2 Jye Etheridge 4.00 3 David Howe 6.72 4 Kevin Doolan © 7.35 5 Lewis Bridger 6.26 6 Dany Gappmaier ® 4.00 7 Lee Payne ® 2.61 Panthers: 1. Lasse Bjerre (6.64) (G) for Jack Hoider 7.16 2. Kenneth Hansen 6.74 3. Paul Starke 6.72 4. Simon Lambert 5.25 5. Ulrich Østergaard © 7.14 6. Bradley Wilson-Dean ® 5.02 7. Tom Bacon ® 2.00

Lasse Bjerre is 23 years old.

It appears Jack Holder will be off to Italy before Friday's fixture, so he'll be guested for by Lasse Bjerre (who also rides on Saturday, as the Wooler Man has already posted and indeed on Sunday too, at Newcastle if anyone's interested in that one) while Mason Campton will be their #6 instead of BWD. For the good guys, with Nick on Swindon duties on Friday, Bandits have invited the British Champion to do the business at #1.

Any suggestions?

The 5% is only for a home rider.

If he's at Terenzano, it is near Udine in the north of Italy -- about 800 miles from Peterborough. The meeting is on Saturday night, so he should be able to get there for practice (2pm) after racing on Friday night, but will obviously miss the meeting at Berwick. So a No 1 guest for Berwick at Peterborough and vice versa the following night.

Bandits new 1-7 confirmed by BSPA now. Onward and upward!

If Lewis Bridger hadn't been trapped in that terrible Revolution deal, if Dimitri Berge had ridden like Dimitri Berge and if Vissing hadn't gone missing......... Liam could have found his feet without the weight of pressure, and the club could have given him time to do so. Unfortunate circumstances, but Liam is definately a cut above NL racing, and will prove it in future. Hopefully at Berwick.