SteveLyric2

Not this year!!!

Difficult to (gu)estimate but with big gaps in the main stand, loads of room in the glass stand and only a thin line of fans on the bends maybe no more than 1000/1200 - very poor for Poole. For those doubting the Lakeside report: - as it appears on the BSPA website!!!!!! - "It was cold in Dorset on Wednesday evening but the 2014 Vortex Hammers produced a heart warming performance in their opening match of the season against last year's champions Poole. It may have only been a challenge match but in front of a big crowd both sides rode hard from the outset and prior to racing getting underway not many in that crowd would have predicted that the scores would be level at 36-36 with just three heats to go. And whilst a Pirates 5-1 in heat 13 proved to be their undoing, the Vortex Hammers were still in with a chance of snatching what would have been a deserved draw going into the final race but the home side grabbed a 4-2 with Darcy Ward heading home Mikkel Bech to give the win to the Pirates by 48 – 42. The latter was the star of the show for the Vortex Hammers and showed just why they were delighted to have signed him in the winter and the other major plusses were the 7+2 return from four rides from Adam Ellis at reserve and the 7+1 scored by Richard Lawson at No.2 Singling those three out shouldn't detract though from the efforts of the other four on the night with both Davey Watt and Peter Karlsson being hit by engine failures in the second half of the meeting, which cost the Hammers points and will cost them to effect repairs. In addition Ben Morley did all that could have been expected of him The one tough fact to come to terms with is that Lewis Bridger's four point tally really didn't do any justice whatsoever to his wholehearted efforts in all of his rides and amply demonstrated that, under the new heat formula, the No.5 position away from home is going to prove tough for any rider." Maybe you should check the Lakeside report on the BSPA website, as repeated above in my reply to Bryn!! You can apologise later!!!

Should have put the BSPA in charge of this meeting and called it off after opening the gates!!! No pleasing some people!

Yes I saw that update and spoke to Davey last night, thanks.

Just for a bit of balance, I'd be interested to know how much money he actually paid out just to ride for Somerset - plus how much he was due to be re-imbursed by the club?!

Both sides were testing - not just machinery but racing positions as well!! As for the race format, some 'interesting' match-ups!! Bech being half a lap in front of Smart being just one. Although there was no T/R last night, for the away team I think it shows the importance of having a strong No.5. I guess there might often be different racing order home and away - we'll see. PS. Had to smile reading the Lakeside summary this morning - 'in front of a large crowd'??????? I dread to think what Lakeside's crowds are like if they thought it was a large crowd at Poole last night!! Very poor crowd imo - but probably understandable after the big attendance at Havvy's on Friday - and it was b****y cold again!!

I would imagine this is more about getting Holder a contracted ride rather than Ward 'going missing'!!! Maybe it will allow Poole to track both riders if/when they come up against strong European opposition later in the season. Its a bit like saying if Wolves were the EL representatives in a new European competition, they would probably want to add/include Freddie Lindgren in a competitive team!!!!

The programme editor went with the gate positions originally supplied by BSPA/SCB. A 2nd revised version was then apparently decided upon but not fully advised to all!!!!

Poole's webmaster should be back from his hols so race updates will be resumed via the Poole twitter feed and website forum.

The event WAS a BSPA shared event. Up until the last couple of weeks these BSPA events have been co-ordinated by David Hoggart, who many will be aware has been unceremoniously dumped by the new Sheffield promotion and as a result has been talking about severing all ties with the sport!! It may well be that as a short-term measure the ERC was undertaken by EL Promoters in the absence of a nominated and experienced Event Co-ordinator?! Ronnie Russell, as I understand it, is the Sky Track Co-ordinator for televised meetings. Not quite sure what those responsibilities entail - not much by Sunday's standards!! Anyway at least there appears a positive way forward after MH's latest statement today.

All will become very clear and above board later in the season Gav!! (All done with the approval and full agreement of Swindon and BSPA). Don't worry it'll give you another invalid reason to keep posting on a Poole thread!! Having seen Chris race twice in recent days, he is still understandably a little off the pace imo so makes Poole a little weaker for the Shield 1st leg!!

'Its what youngsters do at that age'!!

Who's ordered/paying for that - the stadium owners or the speedway promotion??

If his dad is bigger than yours it probably makes it easier for his dad to change the light bulbs at EOES!!? Oh hang on a minute...............!!

Holder in for Ward at Blunsdon for this 'friendly', as rumoured since Press Day last week!!! Incoming............!!!!!!!!

Some of us haven't thawed out from Friday night yet!!!!!

It'll be interesting to see how Go-Speed react if they don't get 'co-operation' from other track commentaries eg DVD production companies and the like?! With the launch of the new streaming service sort of announced (very quietly) when the new Sky deal was signed, I wonder if any undue pressure might be put on clubs/production companies to 'play ball' with Go-Speed - or else?!!!

Jason has the visa in his possession today - there's a photo of it on his facebook page!! His flight leaves Oz on Wednesday afternoon!! He is due to be sharing the Aussie 3rd man role in the World Pairs meeting in Poland on Friday!!!!!

Is Watt riding as he's listed (along with Doyle, who arrives Thursday!) as sharing the 3rd Aussie rider position in the Euro Pairs in Poland??!!

Quite so, but in that scenario the stronger rider would drop to the weaker heats!!! Whats not to like?!

So whoever makes the next 'official' statement is the one we are all expected to believe?! Mick Horton makes a statement and many (not all) have sympathy with him. Sandhu's man then issues a Stadium statement and 'everybody' suddenly sides with that overview of events!! This is just the expected 'sabre-rattling' over a situation where there is clearly some blame on all sides!! The main question for me is with 3 weeks of the new track man already passed and with no apparent improvements to the speedway track, how much longer is the expert track man going to need to get a raceable track before MH will allow his teams to ride again??

I think they are more a 'Special Hole In The Home Of Lower Expectation'!!

Why would you? If Milik or Josh are scoring that well then why go for the added cost of getting KK? They'd also have to be averaging 9.2+ to get Holder in, who now has Danish as well as Swedish and Polish commitments!! Holder would only come in if Ward got injured - and even then it would depend on fixture clashes!

Just for clarity, Its Ronnie Russell (not Terry) who is the nominated Track co-ordinator for Sky meetings!! Brother Terry co-ordinates everything else!!! Which is closer for Bees fans - Oxford or Peterborough?? Just thinking out loud!

Have to agree with that! I like Ty and he's scored some good points when guesting for Poole in the past (even if his points were erased from the result!! )