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Now that's better, a rostrum containing three riders who earned the right to be there !!! The three riders who went through the GP Challenge qualifiers last year monopolise the rostrum again. That is good to see though as I think it is important for the series to maintain the opportunity for all (it's obviously not that open of course) to be able to qualify.

If they knock the current stadium down by mistake then I'm sure the builders will agree to rebuild it before the season starts ... unless the police and insurers get involved !!!

You are allowed 3 EDR riders, two of which must be Tier 2. Morris and Clegg are both declared as Tier 2 riders. So all appears above board here. The higher average is used for team building, but they are both on a 3. Because of Morris's declaration, I guess that makes Roynon, Mear and Rose eligible #7 guests which they wouldn't be if only Clegg were declared.

It's worth noting that the signing was not prevented due to fixture clashes. Cook could have been available to ride in EVERY Peterborough fixture and EVERY Belle Vue fixture, yet he would still not have been allowed to double down.

I'm confused !!! EDR riders use their PL averages for original team declarations. Newman has a lower average than Kerr and Wright. Newman's PL average has dropped. Kerr and Wrights have increased. Yet both can replace Newman. But presumably Newman has moved up the EDR list. So he was the top (or nearly?) EDR rider last year on average. Drops down the list due to his PL average and climbs back to the top after 4 meetings ... although the comparison isn't equal as other EDR riders have been riding against Heat Leaders. Had Wright not dropped to second string yesterday, Newman would have been replaced by a Heat Leader. A very confused system.

Now I'm not so sure !!! I thought ARR was the additional rider in the rules; but of course its the Additional Rider Replacement. So now I move from the certain camp that its not allowed, to not having a clue !!!

He has been listed as a Number 8 all season on each issue of the official BSPA 2016 Elite League Team Declarations. Jakobsen has been listed in the 1-5.

No Huckenbeck is not eligible to ride at reserve. The rules are crystal clear. An absent Number 6 (who is NOT an EDR) can only be replaced by a Guest. The additional rider (AR) can replace any top 5 rider. The rules explicitly cover a non-EDR at reserve and explicitly do not permit an AR as cover. There is no ambiguity. Now whether the rules are ignored is another issue.

Wow. I hadn't read about that. A bit of a shame for Ellis, especially as he was under the impression he couldn't be promoted to the 1-5 so wouldn't have expected his success to have back fired on him. It will be interesting what options Ellis has for a team berth. I suspect he will remain a Tier 2 EDR but carrying a heat leaders average. It may be possible for a team like Coventry to bring him in as a second Tier 2 EDR as per the rules. He would then ride as heat leader and probably reduce his average to a more reasonable value, allowing space for a further big signing in their 1-5. So could work at well for one of the teams currently struggling. Will certainly be interesting to see who has space for him next month.

Just for clarity (sic) can anyone explain as I think I'm confused !!! 1. The EDR list says in accordance with Regulation 17.6, but then proceeds to list an entirely new set of rules that in conflict, not accordance to 17.6. 2. An EDR riding at reserve can only be replaced by another EDR according to 17.6. But according to the EDR list, he can be replaced based on his PL average (plus some restrictions on who can replace him) by a non EDR. 3. An EDR riding at Heat Leader (we already have an example) can be replaced by a Guest. The suggestion is that this is based on the EDR's EL average, which of course will in 99% of cases be significantly higher than his converted PL average. 4. It is likely in the early season an EDR may well jump between reserve and heat leader until his time as a heat leader starts to deflate his average. 5. Meanwhile your weak 5th string rider is riding at reserve. 6. Is there anything to stop a double move at that point? EDR rider has an inflated average for a short period. That rider could be injured or dropped and replaced by a world class rider due to the inflated average. Whilst the 5th rider is replaced by an EDR. You'd hope that wasn't permitted. To be honest I don't know how much of that is true, But it has got me wondering. I can't believe point 6 would be permitted. The mixing of PL and EL averages I'm not so sure.

There will be changes, but not to the race format. Do you seriously think the promoters will pay points money to "expensive" riders riding at reserve whilst cheap FTR riders are getting virtually no points money when riding as heat leaders. This is one area I thought the promoters would not have got wrong. Assuming the points money is as I suspect, then something will happen. But it will be for money, nothing else ... although the accompanying press release will obviously refer to anything but money !!!

Did they all agree? I'd assume the list was a consensus. Perhaps he was left off because a decision couldn't be reached !!! Let's not forget that Ford has been known to complain against decisions made by the promoters collective. It is an interesting sport in that the promoters vote on a rule, yet those who oppose the decision will happily publicise their anger. Their are not many businesses where conflicts resulting from internal decision making are played out in public. Unless its the House of Commons !!!

We know he was a man. And we know he was somebody in the know. That could only be one person ... it has to be Starman !!!

I obviously can't comment on the validity of that specific scenario, but this is one type of example of the issue I have. The standard answer is that Poole have an equal vote on all issues, except equal doesn't necessarily mean equal. As an example, what happens if the deal is KK cheap plus support us on Vote Z. Alternatively we won't make our assets available until its so late your team building is screwed. You only have to read the insinuations he makes in the press to realise the pressure he will put on individuals behind closed doors. I'm not claiming that Poole have done that here, but just an idea that when promoters vote in something they have different agenda's. Ever been in a meeting where a majority can't be reached due to two extreme factions. Those who don't care on the topic eventually jump one way or another to move on. Imagine if that were done with an offer to support a vote that did mean something to you. Other promoters aren't as naive as sometimes portrayed. In a straight off the track battle with Ford they will lose. They may win the battle but lose the war. It's easy for us to sit here and criticise promoters for apparent lack of ambition, but in many cases they are trying to protect their business before worrying that Poole may gain an advantage towards winning the title. Promoters have different objectives and Ford's is the master of this. They don't even pay their riders as much as some other teams, but Ford has created a strategy that will provide the best team virtually every year. However good he is, that shouldn't actually be possible within a sport with strict points control.

Ford from 2009 (from Heathen Chemistry's link) “We have probably won as many trophies as anyone else in 10 years. “In fact, Coventry are probably closest to us in that respect. Between us, we’ve won the lion’s share" Then consider why Ford went out of his way to derail Coventry and his reaction to their 2010 victory. Nobody objects to Ford attempting (and generally succeeding) to make Poole the best, where he doesn't abuse the rules. It's the deliberate attempts to weaken the competition that causes the issues. That is just destructive to the sport. What on earth good does it do to insinuate he could prevent KK riding against Poole. That can only impact another business (team). Who knows !!!