Sings4Speedway

Not seen any pics from this season but is Bomber using the wacky longtrack style rear guards and hugger or did they get outlawed?

Throw Berwick into that mix too. That said with enough non scorers in reserve race one of them has to take the win... Clouting needs a bit of confidence to get himself going but there are big gaps between meetings that may prevent that from happening.

I think you are being a little harsh on the Kent 'rabbits' as you refer to them given that of the tail Clouting has has broken spells of appearances for the club but is in reality one of the better slow burner new season novices, Cousins can't be classed as a rabbit, Mulford has already shown in the previous running season he has ability and has only had time to improve and Warren with the greatest of respect is included in the team for the wrong reasons. Don't forget that Kent came up against another serious title contender who have built a team with more strength in depth so are scooping up the minor placings in races. Too often the focus on Speedway is the race winners whereas the way to win matches is by having far fewer last places.

Its certainly on the steeper end as stated above Newcastle is £20 for their double headers, Berwick & Eastbourne are after £24 which isn't such a jump from the CL admission price. It does seem that Berwick have 'allegedly' had a lot of their demands met with regards to NL team building limits, fixtures to be run as double headers and so on..... That said with the reduced outlays required for double headers i can only see them increasing in the future to keep the sport viable. In fact if 'ghost' teams were allowed to return i can even see track shares becoming the norm in some places.

Its not just the amount of matches for Tero (and i don't believe any professional should be short of laps at this stage of the year) its the timing and availability of replacements. If as suggested there is a strong rider in the UK looking for rides and a rider in the team under performing and not contributing to the team then changes have to be strongly considered. No rider is bigger than any club and a positive message to loyal fans may be what is needed (plus wake up any others who have been off their game)

Good solid away draw for Eastbourne and thats certainly early blood in terms of the overall league standings. Kent have issues to be resolved as Warren aside the others know the track and are under prepared/performing. Cousins had later notice into the team but Clouting and Ledwith cost Kent. Good tactical move to run Gilkes at 3 and will do wonders for his confidence. Shame the next home NL fixture isn't until the end of July.

Whatever the limits in the past new riders on 3.00 averages have been signed into teams. They have done so because they are the best available and bettered the others. With the lower limit it has become a necessity to have 3+ riders per team around this mark increasing the spaces available and ultimately dropping the overall standard. Those listed above have started well but they have also been against a lower level of competition than previous years.

Hes on the CL rising star list. Plenty of questionable inclusions but if he is on there hes eligible

Stoneman is a gamble at the best of times especially at CL level but with no other league racing to keep him sharp it strikes me as highly unlikely. Id still wager it will be guests for a while then Knight.

With a British passport i assume? I didn't say i wanted him out but i do feel he is under performing. He has access to top kit, knows belle vue well and as stated had a years experience. Many coming into teams without a year under thier belt have being better thus far

Hats off to both McGurks definitely proving my doubts wrong. Expected more from Coles and both Rathbone and Macdonald need to up thier game or stop blocking places for others.

Citing Richards good attitude and not working as a unit i suspect there was various amounts of winging from those who are supposed to be leaders in the team? Fans will put up with underperforming riders far longer than they will those who clearly aren't trying.

Limited options as replacements. Andrews is the more obvious "like for like" or wait until the first set of averages apply and Knight is probably a stronger option? The extra points are likely to be needed elsewhere though......

Scunny got a decent result against a poor Plymouth side and whilst Leicester have Proctor but that still not enough to give a home win i fear. Can't see a row of duck eggs for any visiting rider tonight, 2nd leg will be a formality

Other basic changes will make this side naff but closer to being competitive. Wells or Starke for Proctor, Mountain for Kinsley or even Bridger. Hardly inspiring but certainly better than the starting 1-7

Whilst its harsh its Speedway. Cook occupied a fair chunk of the team building average at Lynn and on paper is the 3rd highest ave in the league (behind dis-interested Batch and assessed Crump). Don't forget that Kings Lynn will have chucked a decent sum of money Craigs way to sign on initially, laid out for the usual trimmings that riders expect and have released him after just 2 matches use. Had others been performing im sure Cook would have got a little longer to settle but Speedway is a business and another couple of home performances like that could finish Kings Lynn off as a viable team.

The problem for Lynn is that it would take two of the above to get nearer competitive and that costs (plus averages etc). KK is well out of form so would fit right in with the rest of the team and be grateful for the chance unlike the incredible sulk he replaces. Rasser would be a decent signing into any team.

I don't think many would mind if the rules are relaxed/amended/ignored for one season given the circumstances as long as that was the publicly stated stance on it all and all teams had to operate by the same model. As it stands the year will be a mess as we know so why not ditch RR for a season altogether? Every team must track 7 riders, guests up to the average of the missing rider and job done. Yes there will be a few ringers as always but at least the age old request of 7vs7 will finally be answered.

I think the powers that be thought that it could be filled with NDL second strings and reserves looking for extra rides. The fact is that these riders are not going to travel the length and breadth of the country for naff all and to wait around all night for a few rushed through heats at the end. Had all the Prem teams committed to joining the MSDL, then something more workable could have been achieved. It could have even been re-named and split into more local groups to assist with the overall travelling. There are plenty of opportunities to generate meaningful second half racing and offer a little more value on ever more expensive race nights but sadly the deluded board of directors miss it almost every time.

Teams aren't completed yet, those that have been are only better end MDL standard and those riders know little more than the general public. With fixtures slipping by and riders requiring a sensible level of time to plan such journeys it feels highly unlikely that anything will happen....shock

Out of interest can Jake guest in the CL? Would he be eligible as an unattached 3 pointer or does his previous league average apply? I know he is on the rising star list so in theory can guest for teams in need of a RS with an allowance up to 3 stars but can he step in and guest in the conventional manner?

Its the close of the previous season (2020 being declared null and void) so 2019 is where the rules point to and whilst Halder was unlucky again at the start of that year he was not in the 1-7 at the end of the year and therefore Leicester were not entitled to a covering facility

Don't know if Paul was allowed to be programmed to ride due to various sick rulings but he is certainly healthy enough to be on a bike.

Unfortunately i think many would share your view that you are happy to see Berwick run a NDL team and wouldn't want to pay to watch it. I think the promotion have made a sensible decision to test the water and i suspect the stand alone events will bare out that the venture can be sustained via double headers but not on its own merits. Everyone has their price point and their opinions of value for money, i certainly wouldn't have been excited to watch a CL meeting packed with guests and RR that was largely from the gate action at £17 a head.

Getting the in form Flint in for the injured Akins is a handy bonus (i must say i thought it would be an unattached rising star rather than other clubs rider but s a whole other discussion). Next home meeting is going to be very important for the zero men, its one thing to struggle on the road but if Cook, Ruml and Goret don't get going at home its going to be a long season.