Steve Shovlar

Horribly sudden and unlike an illness or cancer, where the person has time to say goodbye to friends and loved ones, I was told this evening it was an aneurysm that took Nigel away. I lost a friend several years ago to an aneurysm and they are fine one day and gone the next. Truly awful and at this time my heart goes out for Nigel’s family. RIP.

Coming up for this. Pirates all on good form and demolished Oxford with ease tonight. Much tougher tomorrow though and Leicester have a team dialled into the track and have slaughtered the opposition this season. Going to be very difficult to come away with anything, being realistic. But they will be giving it a good go and if we can come away with a point it will Be a good result.

Meeting not a patch in last week even with the exact same scoreline. Oxford a poor excuse of an opposition tonight. Just didn’t put up a fight and Pirates could have had 60 points with ease but for an EF to Drew Kemp, a collision with Ablitt and Stoneman and bike issue for Steve Worrall in heat 15. Oxford just weren’t at the races and if a team is outgated and tailed off they are not going to do well. The racing did improve in the last few heats but the track didn’t offer much out wide today. Perhaps a little underwatered although there was no dust. Poole showing already why they are favourites to retain the title with this demolition. Very good performances for 6 of the team though Ablitt certainly got stuck in on his last ride. A bit over eager. Rest of the team very solid with a special mention for Drew Kemp who has started the season on fire and has been banging in the points. Both Cooks very good, King getting better, while Steve Worrall and Richard Lawson rock solid. For Oxford Nicholls always gives 100% but Batchelor was awful and Heeps is a Heep of Sh*te. Thomas and Ruml both tried. Big crowd, dominant Pirates even if the racing was below par. Most of the crowd went home very happy. Onto Leicester tomorrow and a much tougher test.

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Shocking and very sad news. Speedway loses one of its best announcers and promoter of our sport. Huge commiserations to his loved ones.

Shocking news. Passed today. Commiserations to family and friends.

Big queues at the gate. Beautiful night. Very sad rumours circulating tonight about a well known speedway personality.

Bloody hell. Makes them far stronger. Best wishes to Josh for a speedy recovery. That’s it. Oxford to win now.. In truth I have no idea whether it strengthen or weakens Oxford.

More confident than I but reckon it’s going to be very close. Fantastic it’s sold out again so quickly. I really hope the Oxford promotion all the success possible. Except when they are riding against us! Fans of both clubs knew it would sell out so if they hadn’t got their tickets, tough luck. Will we see ticket touts outside Cowley next week? There’s a thought!

Hopefully the meeting will be re-arranged in the summer on a date that will bring in a very large crowd.

They must have both been starting out in the sport in their late teens/early 20s. Not likely to be of much use to them. But it’s the same for all teams this year. The shape isn’t too dissimilar to Wimborne Road, a little smaller perhaps.

With the first meeting going quite smoothly, according to reports, it’s time for the big boys to show up at Cowley. Pirates are a little stronger that Scunthorpe and this meeting should be a cracker. Oxford riders will now have a practice session and a meeting under their belt, so a little home advantage. I doubt any Poole rider has ridden at Oxford? So it will take a ride or two to feel their way around and get the setup right. Think it will be a close one, 4 points either way. It was reported that many of the 2000 tickets available have already been sold so Poole fans, get your ticket now as turning up on the day might see you being turned away. A look at the ticket site already shows tickets inside the stadium have sold out and only outside terrace tickets are left. https://oxfordspeedway.club/tickets/

The forecast for tomorrow is good so no doubt the meeting will be on. Wonder if we will get a splattering of Oxford fans making the trip down to support their new club? With Nicholls and Batchelor both solid around Poole it should be a decent meeting.

Heard it was reported that over half of tickets for next week have now sold and it’s expected to sell out before the day.

I was driving through Perry Bar between 2 and 3pm when it absolutely tipped it down, there was a tornado, hail, lightning, total Armageddon. Afterwards, when it had cleared away, I have never seen the area look so improved.

Just got home. Got lucky considering only got 45 mins into the journey and just checked and saw the news. Not had a spit down here and perhaps would have gone on to watch the meeting at Oxford if it had not been a sellout. It looks like the track got hit by a monsoon.

Just read this as about to leave from robs in Chandlers Ford. Seems a hasty call off.

Perhaps the promotion should have contacted Andy who streams weekly from Poole and Plymouth. I very much doubt he would have charged anywhere near that.

Little bit early Oink! Snort snort! I am not leaving Poole for another hour! And that will still give us time to have something to eat in the shopping centre before heading to stadium. How do MI5 pigs write top secret messages to one another? Through invisible oink!

Looking back, the last time these 2 clubs met at Poole was April 11, 2007. 15 years ago. I am surprised asI didn’t think that was the case. Am I wrong here? Anyway instead of the usual 11 am dust fest we have suffered on a Good Friday fixture, common sense has prevailed and it’s a 7.30 start. Oxford come along with track specialist Scotty Nicholls, who has in the last couple of seasons been brilliant value for money with his from the. Ack battles, and Troy Batchelor who has blown hot, and cold. Kyle knows his way around, but really Pirates would need to have a shocker not to win this fairly comfortably. Glad to see them back. More returning clubs, the better. Thoughts?

Well I thought I would get this one started as meetings are now coming up thick and fast. Pirates riding three meetings in 4 days, with some of the team riding 4 days on the trot. Will certainly be race fit. Leicester have looked world beaters at home so far, slaughtering the opposition. It’s looking like all they have to do is turn up and the points fall into the wallet, such is their domination. Will they rip the Pirates a new one, or will they actually have opposition of note?

We should beat Birmingham whether Shanseys riding or not. No excuses to not get three points on Wednesday. Having said that, last year I expected us to win an we were never close to it. We lost Stefan to an horrendous crash and the boys were never on it after that. Track then was very poor and ref came down to inspect with ongoing track work all evening. Heard it’s a lot better since then. Best wished to James Shanes on a speedy recovery.

Looking forward to coming up a week Wednesday. Got our tickets. Likely to be a sell out and hearing a lot of Poole fans are making the journey up for that one. Hope the track is smooth and rides well and the fans on Wednesday are treated to a fantastic meeting with no horrible first night failures.

Wrocław look stronger than any other team by a distance. Torun lucky Ostrow are so weak.