leander

I very much doubt Martin being his dad has anything to do with it, otherwise Danny would have been in the team last year. It's more likely a case of the main sponsors wanting him in the team. If you remember they wanted him in the team when they came on board last season, but were persuaded otherwise (by George and Martin) due the 'enforced' way the team was built. to their credit though they went out and helped make him a club asset. So it is more likely their influence that has seen Danny in our team this year. And, if I'm honest, better that than no speedway at all.

With who???. We can only change like for like. so that means another 2.00 for Danny. They are thin on the ground. Ask Glasgow who are struggling to replace Chessell. Scunthorpe are trialling bad boy Lawlor to fill their vacancy. There aren't that many 4.00 s around either. People mention Jedd List who rode last night but was at least a second PER LAP slower than the average time during the main meeting. Part of the problem, in my opinion, is the lack of home meetings especially with the track seemingly changing every time we ride. No home meeting next week means we've had three blank dates in the last six weeks. The "new" boys aren't getting enough regular home time. and there is possibly another two blank dates at the end of next month.

Nope. My understanding of the rules is that if we are over the limit (which we are) then it is like for like. For example if you drop Simon ( 4.2 )and Danny ( 2.00 ) you can only bring in another 4.2 or under and another 2.00. You can't bring in 2 x 3.00 pointers. You could bring in Newman as a straight swap for Bjerre but would you really want to? Kyle seems to be really struggling these last two seasons Birmingham managed to bring in Ellis and Stoneman because their overall revised team total was still under 38.00. Not sure who you would get to fill Danny's shoes should you make that change. Glasgow haven't replaced Chessell yet, and Scunthorpe have turned to Joe Lawlor to possibly fill their vacant two point slot. Jed List was out on track last night again and looked okay, but his times were nearer the 68.0 to 69.0 mark (about a second a lap slower than the average time during the meeting). Lasse just needs to get his bike issues sorted out, and quick. (People forget that when Kenneth first signed for us he was rubbish for the first three months, then outstanding from about June onwards).

Not true. Polish league can say to riders " You ride for us or the GP. One or the other". Then probably most of the current GP riders will pick Poland for regular high earnings which will totally devalue the GP. Mind you it would probably give Craig Cook a better chance, lol. Also Polish Federation could order their riders to ride in Poland or be suspended then you wouldn't have any Polish guys in the GP. Quite simply money talks. Every Polish Extra-league match is televised live this year. Two on Fridays, two on Sundays, so the Polish Federation are obviously getting mega zlots for this. They are hardly likely to choose to lose that money by saying no we are not riding on GP Fridays.

Nobody was "excluded" from qualifying. Tai, along with two others CHOSE to ride for their polish clubs in a league meeting as poland has decided to run 50% of their meetings on a friday now. Thanks, no doubt, to TV money. Tai was left with what he was given. No choice. Not his fault nobody picked No. 15. he is penalised to an extent that no. 15 has two rides in a row. Not ideal if you struggle, for whatever reason, in the first. Zmarzlik, who also missed qualifying, was drawn with No. 16 which also has two rides in a row. Make practise/qualifying compulsory? Now that would certainly put the sh*t in the pan. Polish league saying if you don't ride you are out, GP saying the same thing. Do you want to be world champion, or do you want to earn mega bucks (assuming you actually get paid) by riding in Poland.

But it can because the fastest rider gets to choose which number he wants in the main meeting meaning he can avoid getting a number which, for example, gives him two rides on the trot or a number which gives him his fifth ride from a more unfavourable gate. In the days of one-off world finals and multiple qualifying rounds it was pre determined which number you had in the next round depending on where you finished in the the qualifier. Ivan Mauger would often forgo winning a qualifying round, deliberately finishing second or third in order to get a more preferable number in the next. That's not to say I'm in favour of it.

Practise has been optional for quite a few years now.

And this is a rider who wonders why he can't get a place in the premiership!

Especially if your captain can't be bothered to turn up. Feel sorry for any fans that made the trip.

Depending on the circumstances, he could be hit with a 28-day ban. Lindgren was when he didn't turn up for Newcastle's last meeting at Workington last season. Fortunately for Newcastle it was the last meeting.

Not to the extent where they have to pump water out of the puddles on a hot August evening. The first 5 heats are like racing in a paddy field. That's why it's not as good as it can be. I've yet to see a tractor during a meeting. Nothing wrong with one or two tractor breaks to drag the dirt back. if timed correctly it needn't impact on the meeting at all (i.e. during the interval, or when a rider has two races in a row).

It's always wet. Even if it's the middle of a heatwave the tracks always flooded to saturation point.

Friday 14 June is a blank/reserved date for both clubs so that would seem to be the obvious solution. Alternatively Glasgow are due at Edinburgh in the league on 28th June, so that could be switched to Shield fixture or run a double header on that date.

Maybe, but then we would probably have two reserves averaging around 2.00, taking up 6.00 of the team strength.

it depends on the rest. For example Eastbourne's number 5 is averaging 2.54 ( and they are over the limit) and a lot of people are expecting them to reach the play-offs at least.

Unfortunately there is a problem not of Jedd's making to anyone who signs him. He comes with a 4.00 assessed average. After his first 4 home and away if he's averaging (for example) 2.75 then he will still be assessed as a 4.00 pointer as that is, and always will be, his minimum average for team building purposes. That'll mean he stands a good chance of being stuck in a team's top 5 even though his actual average would put him at reserve. Unfortunately I can't see him averaging anywhere near 4 this year.

Same number of meetings as BEFORE Workington withdrew. Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Berwick all lost 2 home meetings (before Shield groups were reorganised) when Workington withdrew ( 1 Shield, 1 League). Somerset were originally in a group of four so they had 3 shield + 11 league = 14. They have actually lost two meetings 1 each in the Shield and one in the league. If they were in the group of five they would have the same number 4 shield + 10 league = 14, if they were in the group of six they would gain 1 as per 5 Shield+ 10 league = 15. Now they have 2 shield + 10 league =12. That's home meetings, same applies to away fixtures, so they are 4 down overall home and away.

No. The one's following, effective 01 July.

Two groups. North and south. Top two from each qualify for semi's. With Workington dropping out that would of resulted with the group of 5 having EXACTLY the same number of fixtures they would have had before Workington withdrew. The group of 6 would have had one extra fixture to fit in during the season. It's not like everyone has 20 fixtures to fit in during the season. This season we've started later and next week sees our 2nd blank week in 8!

I'm not sure that will be the case with the rolling averages that they use. It depends on what scores they drop from last season. Simon has been there or thereabouts with his average so far this month. His GSA for May actually increased on his start of season figure despite his scores being below par. Max's scores have dropped off a bit this month. It'll be close.

He would fit at the expense of Simon, but he would be in the main body of the team.

It's calculated on an average basis of points per meeting or something like that. That actually gives the three team group a slight advantage as each meeting is worth more percentage-wise. Glasgow need two points from their outstanding fixture (14/6 = 2.33) to have a better record than Somerset (9/4 = 2.25). 1 point is not enough (13/6 = 2.16). Berwick have qualified irrespective of whether they finish first or second in the group.

Whilst I can understand Luke Chessell's decision, he should have rode today at Newcastle. Then Glasgow would have had two or three days at least to find a permanent replacement. As it is Luke is deemed to be withholding his services and will surely be hit with a 28 day ban which will impact on his appearances for Stoke in the NL.

Didn't ride in the premiership last season, so I would assume he would come in on his 2017 finishing average which was about 3.6.

Not sure that is the case. True we are over the limit, as is everybody bar Birmingham and Edinburgh, though Edinburgh have added near on a point to there team average. It's just that they were on a really low average to start with. most of our increase is down to Max who has put 0.83 on his average. danny remains on the minimum 2.00. Rolling averages has somehow resulted in Simon's actually increasing to 4.2. He must have dropped some really low scores from early last season for that to happen. There is no sign of Ben riding anywhere this season as of yet as far as I can see. An added bonus is that Max stays at reserve for another month