SteveLyric2

With all due respect to Davey Watt, I don't think he's going to be any good to any team until his 'off-track' stuff is sorted - it certainly won't be by 1st May but whether it is by May 18th, who knows?

What if the tweet by Buzz - about an hour before anything official - that it was off, was spot on. Any 'official' decision was then deferred until Sky went 'live' and they could praise all the hard work that had gone on and show the (pre-recorded?) interviews and rider discussions to make it seem that it was all a last minute decision?! Cynical? or what..........?? ;-) ps. Didn't someone on Sky say there was not enough dry shale available?! I thought that was exactly what Buster accused Poole of in the 2014 play-offs?! Double standards??

If the track is at all dodgy then expect a couple of bouts of GP-itis creeping in!!

Leicester had first choice!!

Yes fair point SCB, but I'm sure there could have been another 'add-on' ruling - as Starke's really only a Tier 2 EDR!!! ;-)

The thing is if Watt had stayed and ridden at Kings Lynn tonight with his current scoring, then his 6.80 average from Monday may well have dropped below Bjarne's average - thereby stopping the switch from taking place?!

I have 2 queries over this..... Is it the Danes or the Aussies that prefer wet tracks? Why have Poole gone for Bates? Surely Starke (with his main team EL experience) would have been a better bet and with a greater affinity to the team?!

He'll have the highest average for a week or so but won't be riding at 1. With Buzz and Bjarne as 2nd strings it shouldn't make too much difference to overall results (he says with a deep gulp!! ) Much more of a worry is how long Kyle will be missing??

The BSPA MC have decided that as Robson has an EL average from 2014/15 (even though no EL place this season), they have blocked the move even though the rule to allow a 6pt PL rider is correct!!!?? Josh Bates steps in for Wednesday New averages (Issue 8 today) are now an the BSPA website and give the new averages mostly for commencement Monday 2nd May. This should see Ellis go into the 1-5 in place of Kurtz who will drop to reserve. Ellis, Holder and Andersen should be heat leaders (ie. 1,3 & 5) with Bjarne and Buzz as 2nd strings - at least for the Wolves meetings!!

Tut Tut TUT to all those thinking that Matt would try to pull a fast one!!!! :-)

I hope Davey Watt gets another team place, but not until his 'off-track' stuff has been successfully sorted as he won't be any good for anyone - including himself! He may even re-appear for Poole later this season - who knows??!!

SCB Rule 17.3.6. states that for EDRs, a grading list will be updated and include a Tier One guest list!! So the Grading list and the info on the latest list is 'part of the rules'. (As MF has confirmed in today's meeting preview!!)

...although I've also read somewhere that rolling averages are updated after every meeting, which probably has an element of truth in it as teams are racing all the time!!

Isn't there usually a BSPA meeting on a Tuesday? I'm sure it will all be sorted well before Wednesday evening!! ;-)

Not sure what averages are in play for the next meeting on Wednesday so does Bjarne start as 3rd heat leader or as a 2nd string on 6.55? I guess Davey will remain as non-riding captain for the time being. ;-)

Well the meeting is at the home of the BSPA Chairman so if it goes ahead with the revised riders mentioned, then one has to assume that its OK with the BSPA and the SCB Official of which there will be more than one as its on TV. Post #101 seems to give the official clarification. Posted Today, 04:49 PM Looking at the last EDR list it does state "a Tier 1 EDR can be replaced by any rider on the list that is below them OR any PL British rider that has a lower PL average than the missing rider, apart from any PL rider that is in a declared EL 1-5." Based on the latest PL Greensheets Kyle has an average of 6.84 and Robbo's is 6.50 so appears to be legal.

Its every 2 weeks effective from the following Monday. They are all on the BSPA website - and they are usually mostly correct!!

The official statement says 'he wants to help a new generation of young British riders realise their dream'. Lets hope their dream isn't to appear in the British Final then!! :-) ;-)

You can have a guest for a 2nd string if both are missing due to doubling-up/down duties elsewhere. One can be a guest whilst the other has to be r/r

Only partially tongue-in-cheek!!! There were still considerable outstanding financial/contractual matters to be sorted before the start of this season!!

and he's probably still waiting to be paid for those!!!!!?

....and still with a lot of Poole sponsors, wherever he rides!!!!

Reading Mick Bratley's comments - most of his promotional actions (which are to be applauded) were involved in attempting to attract newcomers and lapsed fans by offering some sort of incentive to attend by way of special offers of some sort. Very little was based upon the actual product that fans were being asked to experience. However good the 2006 final was, or indeed any other individual meeting for that matter, there seemed little in the overall 'value for money/ entertainment' offer that might keep punters coming back, on the basis that they were unlikely to witness such a meeting every week!!. The racing - for the purist - is often enough to keep people attending at least semi-regularly but in this day and age people want to be consistently entertained in facilities that they can get elsewhere and which is provided at a sensible price. For me, you can and should get great team racing with 4 reasonably equal standard riders on cheaper standardised machines - ideally some of those riders are locally-based and media accessible. Good publicity and promotion can make stars of local riders in their local media if done properly. Personalities and 'grudges' between rival riders of whatever standard can be worked up?! What the clubs save by not paying out huge rider salaries to the GP-level riders can then be spent on better marketing and additional attractions to give greater added value. There is also a clear demand from many to see the 'top' riders and there is nothing to stop a domestic 'GP-style- competition, paying bigger bucks to those riders and charging more - say once a month - for fans to attend. If there is not enough fan interest then knock it on the head and try something else.

Is that when fans were still coming....???

The problem with 'stepping down temporarily' in order to get himself ok again (and replacing him with another) , is whether the averages will suit later on to get him back in - assuming thats what the club might want?!