E I Addio

Where does that information come from? I have just looked at the report in Speedwáy Star of 24th Oct and that doesn't fit exactly with what was said in the SCB statement but neither are crystal clear, which is a rather familiar situation with SCB press releases, so I suppose we can't be sure until the rules and/or the averages are published. However, as far as Rob Mear is concerned it would be incongruous if he came in on a 4.09'aversge from the second tier while Lewis Blackbird was only on a 3.7 from the first tier, so it is a little confusing . That assumes your information about Josh Bates is correct though which is why I asked. Going strictly by the SCB statement and nothing else it looks like all the second tier riders come in on a 3 and stay at reserve, it's only when you read the SS report carefully that it seems to say that they all get converted averages and can all move into the 1-5, so who knows?

Correct me if I am wrong. I am looking at the BSPA announcement after the first part of the AGM in October, posted on the Lakeside website 19th Oct. It says the draft system will be retained, then mentions modifications to Tier 1, I.e. They come in on a converted PL average and get an EL average after 4 meetings. Nothing is mentioned about Tier 2 so we assume no change, unless there is a subsequent announcement that I have missed. In relation to SCB's point about Mear having a 4+ EL average the fact is that even in the top tier the average is converted from the PL and Rob doesn't have a PL average, so we still come back to an assessed average.

BSPA announcement. Only Tier one riders start on a converted PL average and move into the 1-5. Nothing mentioned about tier 2 having converted PL averages or going into the 1-5.

Second Tier EDR rider comes in on assessed 3 and stays at reserve all season. Thems the rules !

That depends on the interpretation of "new" riders. They have all been here before and have averages.

Ooohhhhh yes he does.

I think that is true. Over the years Ronnie has hardly established himself as one of the worlds leading track experts. Gerald Richter, who does the track now was doing it at the back end of the Ronnie Russell era, but I think the problem was more to do with the sort or material that was used (or lack of it) , than the way Gerald did the track. According to what a long standing member of the track staff told me Ronnie had a lot of clay in the material to save money.

In one breath you say the Hammers won't compete with top clubs until they sort the track out, in the next breath you tell us they have a home advantage. Make your mind up.

If Watt is a second string it will be interesting to see who the 24 heatleaders ranked above him are. Davey has his howlers, but if he gets in as a second string he will be more of a key player in that role than Bucs ever is as heatleader Also if the remaining ones are Kurtz Watt and Holder , it makes Poole a very good side but not the virtually invincible side people are talking about.

I think HA was making a valid point. It's all very well to come out with platitudes like "re-write the rule book " which means different things to different people. In fact it's only a small section of the rule book covering racing rules and team building that needs attention. What's he going to rewrite on the technical aspects such as machine specifications, duties of officials, etc which cover quite a bit of the rule book ? And as HA says, there is no,point in rewriting any rules if they are not going to be properly enforced. It's good he has a positive attitude but let's see a bit more flesh on the bones before we carried away.

In the shipyard ?

We ? YOU are not champion of anything. Poole Speedwáy team, of which you are not a member are Elite League Champions. You are just a hanger on, even if your dream world tells you that you are part of the team.

Kerr had a slightly higher average (0.19 higher) in the PL but Newman had a much higher average in the EL. That is the root of the problem. You have to compare like with like, not what happens elsewhere. Logic says that if they are being picked for EL teams then it's EL averages that should count. If you don't take the EL averages you might as well do it on who is the best darts player or best snakes and ladders player for all the relevance it is. The PL is a different league with different tracks and different opponents with no protected heats. It's not rocket science. It makes no sense at all to take PL averages, except in th warped world of Matt and Muddlo.

For the record, the Speedwáy Star averages for last seasons EL matches are :- Newman 8.41 Garrity 8.09 Auty 7.29 Kerr 7..15 Birks 7.13 Worrall 6.98 Wright 6.63 Blackbird 6.37 Starke5.34 Sarjeant5.23 The others aren't listed It's also worth mentioning that according to the SS stats Newmans away average was better than anyone else's home average, except for Garrity's. No doubt about it that Newman was far and away the outstanding EDR rider.

Here we go again. Once more you use supposition instead of fact. You "think" Neil Vatcher did the draft this year so therefore we can't blame Poole for it. Have you got a link to say who actually did the draft ( if indeed there even was one ) or if this another one of your thoughts that turn into facts in your mind ?

Great. Let's just hope he finds an electrician that can change a fuse in less than three days so he doesn't have to cancel any more meetings in dodgy circumstances himself. Nothing like setting a good example.

You have got one thing in common with Mick Horton and vGary Havelock then.

Have they signed Newman and Ellis then ? I must have missed that one

Lakeside don't make anything from the bar, food outlets etc so they don't have an interval. Most meetings last season were signed off by the referee at around 9.35/9.40 pm from an 8pm start. The latest finish last season was, as I recall 10.10pm after Magic crashed and took 3 safety fence panels out. A few years ago we had a meeting in which Joonas Kylmakorpi needed to be away quickly to get to a long track meeting the next day and Chris Gay rushed it through in an hour and 15 minutes which seems to be about the optimum time doing it and works out at 5 minutes per heat, so realistically most meetings should be finished inside an hour 45 minutes even allowing for say 3 or 4 false starts of first bend incidents. Clubs should look at ways of cutting out long intervals which normally seem to run to about 20 minutes . Maybe one way would be to say there woukd be a five minute gap for track prep three times a meeting, then fans who want a cup of tea or whatever would know exactly how long they have got and it would stagger the ques more.

Rob Mear returns as reserve, plus Lewis Blackbird subject to him deciding to race next year. Not wildly enthustic about it but not exactly disappointed either. Could be a dream pairing could be a damp squib . More pleased than disappointed on balance I suppose. Wish them both well though.

Best post of the day. Poor old Starman walked head first into them every time

Nilsson needs to be back. He only missed about two meetings through other commitments. Despite missing several meetings through injury he still did as much as Lawson , Kennett and Bech. Kim's trump card is that he rides the inside line at Lakeside better than any rider since JD at his best which means that there is plenty of room round the outside for his team mate and he is very difficult to a pass. He will be available more than any British D/U rider whose PL club has priority. I don't necessarily agree with this idea about building teams for away performances. If a team can win all its home matches that's 42 point in the bag and within touching distance of the play-offs. You then only need to nick a few points away and you are there.. No point in getting points away and losing them at home. Focus on getting the home points in the bag and there will always be a few to collect away. Of course it does all depends on a reasonably injury free season, something that the Hammers have not experienced for a long time.

.. That is fair comment, but the thread is about attendances across the sport. As I said before ,if a promotion don't put the effort in then obviously that will affect attendances at that psrtcular track but it's not going to affect attendances where tracks are well prepared. The problem is that attendances across the sort and across Euriope are falling so the problems are obviously far more complex than mere local issues. The recent record of the BSPA is not helping the situation but there are other factors outside their control. Many other forms of motor sport seem to be similarly affected..

You would have laughed even more if you read his programme notes, unless you were a Lakeside fan in which case you would probably have cried.