Noelinho

You say Marcin is weak at 5, but then you also say reserves are more important. Well, if Marcin is weak, you need someone with a higher average. But then if the reserves are weak too, you need reserves with higher averages. So you’re now shoving in three riders with higher averages. Out of Bomber, Claus, Tom and Ben, who are you kicking out to make way for those in your team building? And when you’ve done it, was it worth it? Does it makes the team better to get rid of any of them? Theres more than one way to win. We saw Peterborough win with strength in depth. We saw Poole win with a reserve averaging 1.5. To be honest, the one of the biggest factors is healthy riders in September.

It's still June. It's the final. It's not going to be a problem to finish it. But I suspect that would be the new date. The only other free Friday before September is 21July, and Oxford makes a lot of sense for that date as we are away there two days earlier.

Maybe, but I'm not sure the promotion would really want to run on an off-night at this stage of the season. We ran a Tuesday against Redcar but I think that was because with both teams being Friday nights at home, fitting the fixture in another Friday was going to cause issues. Both teams are available on Friday 14 July.

Nice rant, but did you know Claus has increased his average from 5.00 to 5.69, and Marcin has increased his average from 5.00 to 5.94? Or that Ace, who "won't help us win anything", has exactly the same home average as Lee this season? Our top four have better averages than Poole. Their reserves have higher averages than us. Which will prevail at the end of the season? It'd be hilarious if it's Redcar, because currently they have worse averages at both ends, and they've beaten us twice!

I really can't see this happening on Friday. Forecast has been for rain from midday Friday, and it's been that way all week. May as well write the comments now... although I noticed no-one seemed to question Edinburgh failure to call off before last Friday's meeting...

Who’s better, available, and has a lower average?

The weather will change throughout the week, no point worrying right now. On paper, Poole don't look scary, but they do have a knack of getting it done.

I was thinking that… does he realise, if the bikes are 15% faster, he must be 25% slower? I don’t mind Zmarzlik winning, but I do mind the lack of any real racing. Too much from the gate. Hold a round at Ashfield. They’ll bitch about it being dangerous for the first eight heats, and when they realise they can roll off the throttle it’ll get a lot better. Added bonus: Phil Morris won’t get in so the track won’t drown.

Yeah, they both impressed me tonight. Drew looked more focused and Nathan held his own, having been miles off the pace on all previous visits.

To speak of the racing, heat 9 was a good one. I thought About was unfortunate to be excluded as all four were pretty much together, but the racing between Allen and Bidding was very good. A few unhappy home fans that Allen caught the back of Claus's bike starting lap four, but I thought it was fine. Claus came across hard.to clamp the inside and he gives it out pretty hard. I think he's big enough to look after himself on that one.

Also remember, there were quite a few heats with away riders running consecutive heats, so the referee had to make an allowance for that. Even then, he didn't give them long.

The meeting started bang on time. The two minutes for heat 1 went up at 19:28. There was no grading after heat 4. There was a very quick grade after heat 7. Everything else is in the control of the referee. He didn't dither either. There were two stoppages for Scunthorpe riders who hit the deck. And the Glasgow riders were at tapes first in every heat. Heat 9, Scunthorpe the Scunthorpe riders both appeared on track with 6 seconds on the clock. But somehow the promoters are at fault. There was no issue with the running of the meeting.

See? Can't win. Call it off? Get pelters. Run it? Get pelters.

Clouds are getting ominous now.

There is no interval tonight.

What's the issue?

Eight heats gone, mental drops has turned into a light drizzle.

It's always 7:30.

Yes. Track looks great.

A few odd drops occasionally but holding up.

It's not a terrible forecast. It might rain, and it might rain at the wrong time if it does, but it's not a lot of rain that's expected. The skies have looked like opening most of the afternoon, but still no drops. Anyway, I am convinced it will rain, and I'm always wrong!

Conversely, my forecast, which was bad from 6pm earlier, is now good until midnight!

They're pressing ahead, according to the track staff. Should be a good meeting as long as the rain doesn't get in the way later on.

It’s one of those days when it’s hard to know what the best course of action is. If they call it off now, and the predicted rain after 6pm arrives, it probably looks a good decision. If that rain doesn’t come, the rest of the predicted rain during the day wouldn’t be enough. So would it be better to risk looking silly calling off a dry evening, or losing out financially going ahead with a meeting that doesn’t get completed? People will throw stones either way…

There's rain in the forecast all day, and particularly after 6pm. Could be a frustrating one. They might be tempted to call it off.