daveallan81

Interesting. There should be no password required to open and use the files. I've just downloaded both and haven't received any password request. Can I just confirm that this is as you are double-clicking the file to open?

Thanks - yes missed a bit of the coding. Should be sorted now. Appreciate the testing, anything looks wrong at all keep letting me know (although hopeful that's it sorted). Started on a SWC workbook as well, thought it might come in handy.

He's Chris's evil twin... Thanks Kiwi, I'll fix that ASAP. Edit: Fixed

The 2013 workbook is now available along with a tutorial for completing it. Enjoy

I've been working on a full series Excel workbook for the GP and to check it all works I ran it for the 2012 season. All the rounds are on YouTube so I was able to fill the results in 'real-time' and after not a little jiggery-pokery everything seems in order so I should have the 2013 one ready shortly. In the meantime if you'd like to take a look via the link in my signature, then navigate to the Speedway Grand Prix folder, you'll find the completed Excel workbook and a PDF file compiled from the finished workbook pages. The Excel sheet is read-only just to show the layout and formatting. All comments/opinions welcomed although I will add that the layout of the sheets are directly related to producing the PDF file or printout so the sizes have to remain as they are. And it's best viewed in 'full-screen' mode especially if you have a widescreen monitor.

Sorry, I'd add that to the top of the naff list along with the aggregate bonus point system that it replaced.

Have a look here

Did crowds improve in the late 80's when the demise of World of Sport condemned speedway to the mainstream television bargain bucket? I seem to recall that it was seen as an issue of critical importance that the sport returned to our screens as soon as possible. The sport needed the exposure or it would slip from the public consciousness seemed to be the standard they lined up behind. That in itself was a noble quest supported by everyone. This time around the starting gate has shifted however. The money involved now assumes the position of importance, jostling the public eye clause down the pecking order a touch. So just how vital is Sky's involvement? Without raking around too much, I found a quote that one speedway deal cost Sky £3m over 5 years. That equates to 200,000 adults at £15 a time having to come through the turnstiles just to return to the position speedway finds itself in financially today, which even by the longest chalk could not be described as 'healthy'. Let's break that down further: each track operating in Britain will have to increase it's gate by circa. 1400 per season. Over a 20 meeting season that's 70 folk per meeting. Perhaps foolishly I am assuming the Sky money filters down evenly through all 3 leagues but for the purpose of this post I'll play the fool. So, Sky are paying for the loss of 70 spectators per track per meeting, or give or take a nicker £1000 per meeting. A tidy sum I'm sure you'll agree. Again without going too far into figures, if you take the money as going almost entirely to Elite League teams, losing that cash could equate to £4000 (260+ paying adults) a meeting over a 15 home meeting league season. The tidy sum now has the potential to be a fatal blow and I have serious reservations about clubs meeting those levels of shortfall.

Excellent Steve, many thanks!

Thanks Sotonian. That's the first 9-rider I've heard of. On the meeting notes on Researcher site it says "Russians double booked so only 4 riders arrived for this match. Fortunately the whole team didn’t arrive as we would probably have been swamped if they had." Perhaps the Stars pre-empted the rider situation because the notes also add "This meeting originally advertised as a Best Pairs Event."

Anyone interested in what I've been creating can take a peek here https://www.dropbox....c259/EABcE0sfjH There are PDF examples of completed sheets in different formats and a working but not 100% finished 13 heat excel sheet if you want to have a play There's also a wee instruction file on how to complete the sheet. If you're interested in the working archive sheets then hang on to the above link because I'll be posting them in there in due course, along with sheets for this seasons UK leagues, plus Poland and Sweden. Thanks to everyone for their help so far

Can anyone provide heat details from the following 1986 meetings: Sunday 15th June Berwick (28) v Middlesbrough (24) v Edinburgh (36) v Glasgow (8) (NL4TTQR) Wednesday 23rd July Long Eaton (53) v Glasgow (24) (NL) Thursday 28th August Middlesbrough (43) v Glasgow (35) (NL) Thanks in advance.

Leicester Hunter, thanks for that info. The Sigalos meeting is on the researcher site - Bobby Beaton bust his max in the last heat. Produces a weird looking scorechart but exactly the kind of thing I was looking out for. Thanks again for that. The 10-a-side match finished 60 all according to the site. This looks similar to the King's Lynn meeting I mentioned in my first post. I note both sides had to use R/R! I'm up to over 20 different formulas in the 'regularly used' category. The old NL pairs is the daddy of them all so far, 32 qualifiers plus 4 reserves over 27 heats. I'm discounting two-day meetings of and double headers of course. See if you can add to this list - it's a Sunday in the close season, what else is there to do? 2TT 12 Heats UP TO 8 RIDERS PER TEAM 2TT 13 Heats UP TO 8 RIDERS PER TEAM 2TT 14 Heats UP TO 8 RIDERS PER TEAM 2TT 15 Heats UP TO 8 RIDERS PER TEAM 2TT 16 Heats UP TO 8 RIDERS PER TEAM 2TT 18 Heats UP TO 9 RIDERS PER TEAM 2TT 20 Heats UP TO 10 RIDERS PER TEAM 3TT 12 Heats 4+RESERVE 2 TEAMS PER HEAT 3TT 18 Heats 6+RESERVE 2 TEAMS PER HEAT 3TT ?? Heats ?? Riders ALL 3 TEAMS IN EACH HEAT (I think they ran this at Swindon - one side had 2 riders, other 2 sides had 1 in each heat - anyone has the format I'd be most greatful) 4TT 16 Heats 4+RESERVE FLOATING HELMET COLOURS (a la old NL format) 4TT 16 Heats STATIC HEL COLS (World Team Cup etc) 4TT 16 Heats 2 TEAMS EACH HEAT 4TT NL FINALS TRAD 8 TEAMS 3 X 8 HEATS IND 12 Heats 12 RIDERS 2SF & F IND 15 Heats 16 RIDERS 2SF & F IND 20 Heats TRADITIONAL IND 20 Heats 2SF & F IND 20 Heats 1SF & F IND 20 Heats 32 RIDERS PAI 21 Heats TRADITIONAL PAI 15 Heats 6 PAIRS PAI NL FINALS 36 riders PAI PL FINALS 20 RIDERS

Hello, promoter. What's that? No, I don't have any ideas to boost revenue. Here, aren't you're the promoter, can't you think of some? Anyway, I'm already in your stadium, why are you hounding me? Buy a what? A 50/50 ticket? Well, OK. AND a programme? Three quid? What is this, a ski resort? Oh OK give me one then. Anything else? No sorry, I don't have any friends left. You see, after an eternity of careful badgering about how this amazing sport really was the best show in town, I then made half of them stand around for an hour and a quarter watching a tractor re-arrange dirt while the person who failed to book the ambulance, booked the ambulance. Pardon? No, they threatened me with an injunction so we don't speak now. However the other 50% heard the tale and when I convinced them it was a rare, nay freak, occurance they agreed to come. But then it...no, I don't want a raffle ticket, thanks... rained for 24 seconds at start time and we all had to go home leaving our cash on...yeh I'm sure and I've got a 50/50 thanks...deposit for another day. They won't be back though, which is a real shame because I'd spent fourteen hours going through the basics of speedway and they were definitely beginning to get it. Except for that part where the rider can ride for any team who pays him. And that double points rule thing. And the fact the points limit is less than the points needed to win a match. All that trivial stuff, you know? Some members of the group felt slightly perturbed at the thought of requiring a miners lamp and a divers' helmet to visit the toilet but you know newbies - always finding something to complain about... Now what's this you're pressing into my hand? A leaflet eh? O M G! This says you're really skint and on the brink of closing? Not again surely? Did you not tell me this last year? And the year before. Come to think of it have you not been telling me this since the day I first darkened your doors? Ah, but this time it's absolutely really for totally real is it? And you want me to help you out? Oh right, not help as such just to give you money. OK, so you want me, who has faithfully handed over the requisite readies at your turnstile since Adam was a boy, to give you even more? Hang on a minute here. How much does it actually cost to stage a meeting? THUMP... Sorry, passed out there. How much? For what? Everyone's a volunteer surely? Well, yeah we've all got utility bills and rent and maintenance to pay but where does the rest of it go? The riders' wages? Aye I know it's a dangerous sport and they deserve adequate compensation but there's only 500 folk in your midden - who does your budget, Imelda Marcos? So let me just see if I've got this correct. You want me to give you money over and above what I pay every week because you can't do your job and facilitate enough bodies to cover the outrageous wage bill you persist in paying when you don't, frankly, have a styrofoam cup to fill with yon stuff? And if I don't you'll take away my men on motorbikes? Hmmm, I'm not sure I care for your tone... Tell you what. You do some promoting. Aww don't give me the petted lip routine you'll enjoy it once you've started. Why not talk to the guy at the bowling club that gets 400 through his door to watch a man dressed as Elvis singing, he seems to know how to get them in? And reduce that wage bill a bit and you won't need to keep begging the 500 for a handout. Oh, and stop talking about 'bringing in the kids' will you? This is an adult sport in which adults compete for adult prize money run by, and I use this word advisedly, adults. They're not poncey holiday park entertainers - they're hard men, in a hard sport, where when the going gets tough, the tough punch you in the face even though you're still wearing a helmet. You can't get tougher than that. Any sport peddling 'family' as a byword is either desperate or coughing its' last, doomed to eeking out a meagre existence amid deserted crumbling stadia to the decaying strains of the announcers' favourite band. Sell the sport to the grown ups and then worry about the weans later. No mummies and daddies (other parenting options are available) equals no kiddies but not vice versa. This isn't Crackerjack you're punt...oh, you've gone. Bye, promoter. So in answer to the question posed by this thread - the day promoters stopped promoting and began huddling for warmth around the begging bowl. Bikes, tracks, telly, weather, stadia, music, prices. All irrelevant. The buck stops at the person who's sole purpose in speedway life is to get as many paying customers through the door and maximize revenue at every possible opportunity. Happiness was once 40-38, now it's five quid off. Go figure.

Arnieg, many thanks for that piece. I ploughed through the results I could find for 1976 and found another 8 ride Reg Wilson performance at Hull and Carl Glover in the return match also took 8 rides so plenty of examples to confirm this slightly strange rule. That Henny Kroeze 24 pointer rings a bell as well. No nine ride finds so guessing there was an 8-ride limit? Tellingly, perhaps, the templates used on some of the Speedway Researcher scorecards carry 8 score boxes so maybe something in that. The only programmes from 1976 I have are from National League and they all only carry the 6 score boxes so was this rule for British League only, and for one year only? And as if to mock my efforts so far, in the course of my meander through the result sheets I found a 4TT challenge where Tom Owen took 7 rides! If anyone has any recollections of riders taking an innordinate number of rides in a 'challenge' meeting I'd love to hear them.

Interesting...thanks TB. I've had a look through some results sheets for 1976 on the Speedway Researcher website (unfortunately the meeting you mention isn't listed yet) but haven't found anything similar. 7 rides is in evidence with multiple R/R rides and opportunities for a TS that weren't taken, but no 8's so far.

Has there ever been a UK team (inc. league, cup, international, challenge etc) meeting format where the rules allowed a rider to take 8 (or more) rides? And can anyone think of any team format used that required 9 (or more) riders per side? For example, I remember King's Lynn used to stage a challenge meeting called a 'double decker' over 20 (?) heats - was it with 10 man teams? Any help appreciated - I'm constructing Excel spreadsheets for use in archiving results and want to cover all the bases, or at least as many bases as possible!

From http://www.speedwayr...castle/1975.pdf 30 September - Ellesmere Port 41 Newcastle 37 (Challenge) Ht 1: Jackson, Meredith, Havelock, Henderson(ef) 81.0 Ht 2: Casey, Micheledies, Watkin, Smitherman(f) 84.8 Ht 3: Owen, Hughes, Allott, Swales(ef) 78.0 Ht 4; Havelock, Casey, Micheledies, Goad(ef) 80.6 Ht 5; Owen, Hughes, Allott, Henderson(f) 77.6 Ht 6: Jackson, Meredith, Havelock, Watkin 78.4 Ht 7: Owen, Casey, Swales, Goad 79.6 Ht 8: Smitherman, Henderson, Meredith, Micheledies 81.0 Ht 9: Owen, Allott, Hughes, Havelock(ef) 79.4 Ht 10: Jackson, Owen, Swales, Meredith 76.6 Ht 11: Havelock, Henderson, Goad, Smitherman 79.0 Ht 12: Jackson, Owen, Allott, Havelock 79.2 Ht 13: Hughes, Swales, Henderson, Goad 81.8 Ellesmere Port - John Jackson (3,3,3,3) 12 Wayne Hughes (2,2,1',3) 8+1 Steve Casey (3,2,2) 7 Duncan Meredith (2',2',1,0) 5+2 Nicky Allott (1',1',2,1) 5+2 Gerald Smitherman (f,3,0) 3 Colin Goad (ef,0,1,0) 1 Newcastle - Joe Owen (3,3,3,3,2,2) 16 Brian Havelock (1,3,1,ef,3,0) 8 Ron Henderson (ef,f,2,2',1') 5+2 Tim Swales (ef,1,1',2) 4+1 Phil Micheledies (2,1,0) 3 Mike Watkin (1',0) 1+1

Some information and results from 1984 here http://www.speedwayr....uk/barrow.html With no disrespect intended, Barrow's 1985 side was dreadful. After their only 3 away matches, Paul Price headed their averages on a mindbending 4.86, closely pursued by Eric Broadbelt on 4.00 and Kevin Armitage on 3.67. The track's remote location certainly didn't help signings but the National League was collapsing under it's own weight in 1985 and there was a real lack of decent riders to go round. Scunthorpe also failed to see out the season, folding in May. That minimum limit was 43 by the way! Barrow raced a further 10 challenge/open licence matches, 7 at home, two of which with current British Touring Car star Dave Newsham in the side. There, your boring fact of the day

Thanks for your help so far folks

I'm in the process of compiling Excel spreadsheets for 2013 events and despite reading posts on this forum and trawling through rule books I can't find concrete answers. So I wonder if some kind soul or souls can clarify a few queries. Bonus Points 1. Will the third place bonus point be paid to a rider who is on a TR and finishes behind his team mate? 2. Will it be paid if that were reversed and 2nd place rider was the TR? 3. Do the same BP rules apply to the National League in 2013 or just the Premier? Grand Prix 4. If a rider qualifies for the semi-finals but is unable to take his place for whatever reason (but is not excluded), is he replaced by the next eligible rider from the qualifying heats or does the race start with 3 only? 5. Slightly different scenario, if the semi has to be rerun and a rider or riders cannot take part due to injury what happens then? World Team Cup 6. Is the 'Joker' being retained for 2013? Thanks in advance for any help.