arnieg

That was an extraordinary meeting, agree with your assessment.

Normally at start of month, based on matches up to 23rd of previous month with new riders getting an average after 4 home and 4 away.

That at least explains why I couldn't book tickets, but it is pathetic. As a result I now have a ticket for Scunny instead.

Only occasionally, but there is an extensive junior programme where they compete against their peers. Helpfully reported on by racersandroyals here:

Supporters club coach away trips (even the ones where we broke down) Foreign riders felt genuinely exotic (with the 70s seeing the Danes and Americans going from nowhere to world beaters in the space of a decade) Most of your team re-signing for the following season The roar of the crowd during an exciting race (as opposed to today when all you get is the tutting of your nearest neighbour on the terraces 10 metres away) The ability to go to a different track every night without travelling the entire length of the country (my 1974 holiday itinery - 6 tracks in 7 days all within an hour's drive of our Coventry base)

CRAYFORD 48 Jamie Couzins 0 ( fell in 1st ride and withdrew), Keith Cornell 9+1,, Chris Watts 8, Wil Little 7, James Laker 7+3, Chris Laidlaw 0, Josh Couzins 9+1, Paul Whichello 8+2 CANTERBURY 70 Jack Kingston 14+1, Max Pankhurst 10, Rob Hollingworth 13+2, Mike Osborne 7+1, Nick Laurence 5+1, Rhys Laker 9, Chris Shallcross 9, Martin Tappenden 3

Good to see speedway minnows France and Ukraine represented in the final. I'd go Drew Kemp Kenyan Rew, and a second Russian (Laguta, Saydullin or Kotlyar) for wildcards

There is one due https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/133/josh-auty

Why is it whenever the BSPL negotiates a bulk contract designed to save money it seems to end up costing more? And what did happen to all those GTR engines?

Government only sets out the framework under which local public health officials produce detailed rules. Some local authorities (Wolverhampton, Newcastle, Poole?) seem to have been overly onerous in the restrictions they have laid down. ( and "the" Government only provides a framework for England, as Scotland has its own Government and a different set of rules)

One tac sub and one r/r

He's got ability on a bike, just not the ability to stay on one.

Clubs don't make the rules. Mask requirements will have been imposed by local public health officials.

It is easy to look at one or two matches in isolation, but those examples prove nothing. Chosing gates 1 & 3 probably cost Peterboro the win at Belle Vue on Monday ( the early heats there was little heat advantages, but in the later ones it was 5-1 for Gates 1 & 3 pretty much every heat, and that gave the Aces an 8 point advantage because of the unbalanced gate schedule.) You would need to analyse 100s of matches to get meaningful data.

Which of course will be TOTALLY impartial and unbiased.

I thought the spectator attitudes varied quite a bit too. Redcar: we're back let's party (but safely) Leicester: it's just part of the routine (well they have been in semi-permanent lockdown since last June.) Belle Vue: an air of clinical efficiency Peterborough: whinge, whinge whinge (although the Showground security operation does provoke it at times)

I sometimes have 4 windows open each following a different match update. Don't think I'd buy 4 live streams! Followed all four meetings on updates yesterday, but wouldn't have bought live streams for any of them, as I was at two of them, driving between Manchester and Peterborough while Kent was on and think trying to watch a live stream while at Alwalton would have been problematic.

Alternate rows and two empty seats between each group so worked out at about 25%.

But they are exactly the riders who have places because of the lower limit. If the limit was higher they would have been ditched in favour of other riders, such as Alex Spooner and Danno Verge.

Is Lawlor riding? He withdrew injured (old injury) last night.

The rule is that a "rising star" must be no older than Josh Bates. But Knight is, so can't be a rising star.

Could this be the first match (at either Premiership or Championship level) with both teams at full strength?

Very disappointing. It was naive to think there wouldn't be long term consequences to covid, but so heartbreaking that the first casualty should be such a great racing track and one of the sport's more professional promotions.

I have tickets for 7 meetings at 6 tracks. Two of them (Belle Vue and Kent) sold programmes. Kent appears to be the unique one in that they are doing it by phone.

I think Poole have badly misjudged the demographics of their fanbase and this has the potential to generate a fair amount of ill will.