Roger Jacobs

It’s bound to rain, so the BSPA should postpone them now …

Provided they can prove they’ve been trying to get a replacement, the facility can be extended.

I assume you mean postponed - or aren’t they going to bother trying again?

Postponing, not cancelling (check the SCB Regs). Very surprised it was postponed based on the forecast, because everything indicated the afternoon would be clear - even the Met Office predicted that. For info: there was a brief shower about 09:00pm tonight.

We’ve had fish & chips on the beach at Aldeburgh, in sunshine!

Details: https://britishspeedway.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/c26_issue_24.pdf

New date: 07/09/2026 with the other matches already postponed. Date chosen based on the fact that they know no rain is forecast for that Monday.

There weren't likely to be major changes - the Witches rode only four league fixtures between 24 July and 23 August. If Ipswich decide to dispense with Lawson's services, would they be eligible for a facility? There's something in the Regs about a rider in dispute with their club, but not (as far as I can see) about a club releasing a rider ...

I'm told that Lawson often turns up with dirty equipment (corresponding to when he's been at Poole the night before?). There's an interesting video on the Witches FaceBook page, showing the machinery in the pits last night, and this is a comment from his mechanic: "It's ok it's Richards bike they're like that on a normal day I'm used to it. Good night we even started with bike building."

I think that a lot of riders are on guarantees, with bonuses for exceeding the agreed "standard".

Thompson has declared himself fit to ride. R/R for Norris. https://www.leicesterspeedway.com/News/Details/8028

Thompson has declared himself fit to ride. R/R for Norris. https://www.leicesterspeedway.com/News/Details/8028

He wasn't withholding his services: SCB statement.

I don't think there was ever a rule about promoting junior riders - it was more a case of if teams had two similar riders missing there could be a "gentleman's agreement" between the promoters to use juniors. Certainly if, for example, one team had a heat leader missing, but the other had a second string missing, it was highly unlikely that juniors would be used.

But British Speedway still hasn't worked out how to encourage those watching the Semis and the Final to return for the standard league matches ...

A short drawn-out season ...

I’m iainb, and so’s my wife!

Apparently Kenp was using an engine borrowed from Joe Thompson!? He said on BSN that the track had to be ridden hard and fast, if you held back you were more likely to struggle on the loose surface - which happened to him when he had to take avoiding action when entering the bend hard while chasing. The track was awful.

Spot on. In the Prem, Harris' 2026 GSA from 10 matches is about a tenth higher than his starting GSA - whereas from 12 Championship matches his 2026 GSA is more than a point lower than his starting figure.

Duplicate.

I guess Simon Lambert turned them down …

Don't forget the huge difference in prize money between finishing second from bottom or third from bottom! Arthur Fery is now guaranteed £900,000, irrespective of his result this afternoon. Indeed he was guaranteed £80,000 just for reaching the First round - I don't imagine the British Speedway Premiership Champions actually get anything except a medal ...

On Witches Facebook responding to a taunt from a Witches fan about retiring at the back, Kemp said he lost his steel shoe in one race and had a puncture in another. I'm guessing his fall was tactical - certainly the sort of thing John Berry would have expected, e.g. if we can't get a 5-1, then keeping us 6 behind for a tactical is the next best ...

He's not allowed to ride because he missed Leicester because of illness. The other week he rode for the Witches, then missed a Danish match due to illness, then rode for Poole on the Wednesday. Danish teams have squads so replaced him, and because he didn't miss a Prem or Champ meeting he could keep riding here. The big worry has to be: is he actually unwell or, even more worryingly, is he picking and choosing for some reason?

Palm Toft ?! 🤣