Barney Rabbit

I understand what your saying but, after he signed, Coventry had 24 EL matches left, of which he rode only 11 - not 9, not 10, not 12, not 13, but 11. It's that unique number that immediately makes people ask questions. Missing 54% of the matches must make him one of the most unreliable riders over here. I'm pretty sure there was 'a legitimate reason for him missing every meeting' but all the same, missing 13 out oif 24?

I know Ford's hardly the person to question the legality of the use of a rule but he may not be totally wrong. The question must be asked as to whether the #8 came about to cover the (authorised) absence of double-uppers who could easily be riding PL matches on the same day without the use of guests or whether the #8 was introduced as a squad rider covering unauthorised absences. Speedway's unwritten rule is that a 1-7 is declared and that 1-7 should be used whenever possible with the #8 as cover for legitimately missing reserves. Leaving a declared rider out because 'we want to' has always been wrong and I can't actually see anywhere in the rules where that is now acceptable. Although I accept that somebody wishing to can read the rules pertaining to #8's that way, is that what was meant by the rule when it was introduced (in the same way as 6/6 meant 7/5 when Wolves wanted JBJ)? I don't see Pawlicki missing the Swindon match as a problem because the club tell us he was injured but he did miss an awful lot of matches for no apparent reason prior to that. Were Coventry acting within the spirit of the game/law when they left a declared rider out just so as he didn't get to the twelve match point? Coventry obviously think so but Poole may not. I don't care whether a team that started a point above every other team in the league or a team that finished nearly half-way down the table are declared champions of this year's EL, but I would question a rider deliberately being pulled out of matches so as not to get an average being used at reserve next year.

Not really much different to Mroczka riding 4/10, ringing in sick 11/10, riding 13/10 - in fact, Pawlicki had one extra day to get fit.

Peterborough don't charge extra for the stand for EL meetings. I do recall going to a couple of tracks where I've had to pay extra to get into the stand, one of them was competing in the Fours last Sunday. And that was on planks in an uncovered 'stand'. I thought £15 for 28 heats was exceptional value for money these days. £17 for a decent seat in a covered stand was hardly excessive.

You may be right, but I notice the programme is 'a BSPA Production' so I thought that the rest of the paraphenalia, ie medals, trophies would have been to. Surely though, wouldn't it be cheaper if all the year's Super7 trophies were sourced and purchased in bulk by somebody within the organising body. I know I got considerable reductions on purchase price and engraving getting all the trophies I needed to purchase for a year's supply of league, cup and individual needs in one job lot. Also, wouldn't the body buying trophies - either individually by event or in bulk, be advised of how far down the line trophies will be awarded? As I said, just surmising as I'm not sure either.

We read constant criticism of the EL, specially around WTC time, that not enough Brits are given the chance at EL level so the GB team suffers internationally as a result. Here we have a team from lower down the Team GB preparation ladder tracking 5 non-Brits in a team competition (and winning the event to maybe prove the point) and, on checking their web-site, I find they actually only have one Brit in a PL septet. How are British riders meant to progress to EL and International standard if some PL promoters prefer to use so many non-Brit riders. The 'Aussies' part was just for convenience - I could, and probably should, have used 'non-Brits'. Not to me, but I'm nothing to do with Team GB and don't have to look to see where the next generation of top-level International British riders is coming from. And here it is, the expected 'how many has your team got' post. Let's have a look at yesterday's riders. Jason King started with Peterborough Pumas. Carl Wilkinson started with Peterborough Thundercats and given a chance at EL as #8. Paul Clews started as a Thundercat, also rode PL with Panthers. David Howe started as a Thundercat, had a season at PL then onto EL with Panthers. Ricky Ashworth given his EL bow doubling-up with Panthers, rode over 20 matches that year but declined a second year. Simon Lambert, Lee Complin, Andrew Tully, and Ritchie Hawkins all given their chance at EL as doubling-up riders. Richard Hall given his EL bow as a Panther. For PL teams not in yesterday's event, Oliver Allen started as a Thundercat, was given his PL bow in Panthers' 1998 PL title-winning team, then his EL debut as a double-upper again as a Panther. Chris Schramm started as a Puma. Gary Havelock had a couple of seasons at the EoES and Andre Compton was given a chance at EL level. Craig Cook is Panthers' current #8. Now onto the riders who did make the Team GB side last month. Scott Nicholls, an Ipswich asset at the time, was given his League speedway debut in the 2nd tier with Panthers. Simon Stead started as a Thundercat, progressed into the PL with a team spot as a Panther then rode as a double-upper for the club in the EL. Chris Harris was given his EL debut as a Panther doubling-up for a couple of seasons and Lee Richardson had an EL year at EoES. Danny King started as a Puma then came back for a couple of years in the EL with Panthers and Paul Hurry rode at EoES for a couple of years back in the 90's. So, I don't think Peterborough's contribution to the development of current British riders can really be criticised. But to answer your point, it's not really surprising that Peterborough - or other EL teams for that matter - don't have many Brits in their squads, given that some promoters lower down the progression ladder prefer filling their teams almost entirely with non-Brits. After all, if a rider lacks PL experience, he's hardly likely to get a call to ride EL, is he?

Does the 'home club' actually run the show or do they have to do what they are told by the event/super7 (or whatever the series goes under the name of) afficionados? Certainly, Peterborough have a podium that'll take the top three so if the one used was different it might not have been their's. And I'm sure Peterborough didn't supply the trophies so you can't pin that on 'Peterborough'.

I've just re-counted the fingers on my hands and I have four and a thumb on each and I agree with Arson Fire - very little passing. There were a few tussles, well, riders going round fairly close to one-another but not much actual passing. I've witnessed some good meetings at EoES but this wasn't one of them being very close to a bore-fest. Got the same moans about the programme and the extra quid to park but we'd come prepared and ready to sit out on the bank by the third bend so the £2 extra for the stand wasn't an issue and, in answer to someone who posted three or four pages back there's no extra charge to sit in the stand for Panthers' matches. Congratulations to the Birmingham Kangaroos for a deserved win but four/five Aussies in a PL team? They looked a good bet when I first saw the team with their old EL campaigners - Lyons usually picked up points off of lower-order riders around EoES and you could always guarantee Johnno would pick up a heat win - just one - a meeting and he didn't disappoint. I thought Sheffield's beleaguered team performed well getting to the final and it certainly took me back a few years to see Richard Hall and Ricky Ashworth winning heats at the EoES, ditto for Shane Parker. Not the racing I expected but the weather held up well and for the tenner it cost me it was an enjoyable enough occasion.

Confirmed. Red button, SS1.

Excellent as always. Thanks.

Excellent as always. Many thanks.

As you say, a 'racing incident'. Both could claim to be wrongly excluded for the actual incident, but one fell, one didn't. The fallen rider caused the stoppage. IMO, the ref got it right.

Nice one Kenneth. Now let's see that sort of form in EL matches.

OK, cheers. Never thought of looking there as I didn't think wild cards have anything to do with the price of tickets.

Can anyone tell me who the wild card is for this GP please?

Thanks DW. Excellent, as always.

Thanks DW. Excellent as always.

QUOTE (Robbie B @ Jul 20 2009, 09:20 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> My Sky + HD box recorded the speedway OK even with the overun of the programme. My Sky+ box seems to do what it wants to do. Previously, my recordings have been OK when others posted their recordings had cut off at the scheduled finish time but yesterday mine decided to shut off when your's didn't. Seems very hit and miss to me. Fortunately, by the time I got round to watching it last night and finding out it hadn't recorded the whole programme, the break co-incided with the Sky re-run at more-or-less the same spot so I saw it all. Mrs R and I would not have been happy bunnies if we'd missed that finish!

Thanks very much for the race cards. Accurate, and easy to use.

Mine arrived this morning.

Just this minute come off the phone after ringing See-tickets. I was told the tickets have only just been printed! Querying this, I was told that details were received from the promoters earlier today (whatever that means) and they (See-tickets) prinred them straight after. They will be sent out tomorrow or the next day, but if the tickets haven't arrived by Saturday, to ring them and they will arrange collection. I was going to ask why they sent them out so late and how do you go on if you're on holiday and are taking the event in as part of it, but there seemed no point since I was told they'd only just got the info from the promoters! (Or was that just to stop me asking or having a go at her?)

Many thanks for the excellent race cards. They are well set out and very easy to follow.

The result of the final was probably not fixed in the conventional sense that the finishing order was predetermined before the race started. But you have to question whether a rider, knowing he will get the same amount regardless of where he finishes in the race, is going to race the same as he would have done if he had to actually come first to win anything.

Has Nicki given his £15000 away then? Since the deal was done BEFORE the final he never had any more to give.

Not exactly up with the times, is he!