arnieg

Exactly my thought (as posted on updates). Incidentally last Friday at Somerset every single Somerset rider was eligible for heat 15!!!

But it wouldn't stop Somerset changing their race night to another day (say Wednesday). They'd just need to apply for a change in the wording of the planning condition.

Here are the PL stats for 2017 to date: Guests 2017 @ 8 August 2014 2015 2016 2016 up to 8/8/16 2017 @ 8/8/17 Matches 144 112 111 83 74 Total Absences 319 277 175 112 127 Absenses per match 2.22 2.47 1.58 1.35 1.72 Guests 282 246 116 70 87 Rider replace. 36 31 58 41 39 No rider 1 0 1 1 1 Reasons for absences: Injury 159 182 73 44 71 Double up riding elsewhere 60 40 22 18 23 Riding abroad 73 32 58 35 27 Illness 6 4 10 7 2 Suspended/w’holding serv. 18 16 8 5 1 Other 3 3 4 3 3 Commentary: Fewer matches ridden at this point in the year than last year, there will be a struggle to complete matches by the cut-off When comparing with full season figures note that there always tend to be more absences for matches in Aug/Sept (more re-arranged dates with fewer alternatives, AND in 2017 no ability no replace injured riders in a team's named 7) Absenses higher than 2016, but still lower than previous two seasons, Increased absences due to increased injuries (a return to 'normal' levels after an exceptionally good year in 2016) and an increase in doubling up absences As usual substantially more guests are used by away teams than home ones

I updated my PL guest stats yesterday morning. Will post a summary in the PL section Now here: http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=84894&hl=

Guests will be a nightmare - only KL not riding of the PL teams, and three of their riders will be in the Championship double header at Scunny.

Unless it quickly establishes meaningful channels to communicate with the BSPA and some semi-official status (for example a slot at the BSPA conference to give a presentation on fans views) then it will be just another echo chamber of the dispirited and dwindling faithful lamenting the decline of our beloved sport.

Interesting article here, which may hint at future difficulties for Aussies coming over here https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/08/just-not-cricket-english-clubs-cry-foul-over-new-ruling-on-amateur-status While few Aussies come over here on holiday visas the story foreshadows a possible tightening of visa eligibilty across the board. Also note the suggestion that it may make it difficult for Brits planning to winter down under.

Riding in a benefit meeting in Sweden (so no facility) http://www.aktuellspeedway.se/sverige/dennis-jonsson-race/match/10598/

Good to hear reports of a healthy crowd. The 250cc class has been excellent this year with six or so well matched contenders.

They are a good team, nothing special other than that they have wildly exceeded expectations (particularly Bellego).

Assuming PL x 1.25 for Huckenbeck this team lines up with a 40.71 combined CL GSA. That is below 8 of the 10 CL teams, only Berwick (39.88) and Scunny (39.95) are lower, so with home advantage you would have to fancy Berwick and Scunny to win at home against that side

But we shouldn't have to imagine. At least we should know how and by who the decision to approve the new KL line up was made. The lack of transparency is shocking.

Didn't I read something about that in Backtrack :)

Danny beat Wells, Robson and Harris when riding at Rye for Leicester earlier in the season.

Yes they thought about supporters when they responded to the howls of outrage on this very forum last season over Lindback's replacement by Andersen (and also Kylmakorpi by Woffinden). Belle Vue wouldn't be in this position if the BSPA had ignored supporters.

Yes, one of those three

No the team manager has to ASK for it. I have seen a match where IRR was available, but not used - I heard the referee explain to a fan after the meeting that 'yes IRR was available and the TM could have nominated one of the eligible riders' but he simply omitted to do so and used reserves. The team lost the match narrowly so the TMs omission probably cost his team the match - no prizes for guessing who this genius was!

Over three rounds. Tabaka won with Magosi second and Benko third (young Zoltan Adorjan is fourth despite missing a round) http://www.aktuellspeedway.se/ungern/ungerska-masterskapet/serietabell/ As is often the case it doesn't look 100% correct!

New team - Would that be the one that thrashed Somerset on Wednesday and stormed to a 22 point defeat last night? And as for Worrall not riding Poole for toffee - remind me who top scored on Wednesday.

"The racers are a bunch of young tanned and extremely fit athletes" ...so not coming to Stoke then! And thinking of past team USA tours in the UK - not Tuff McBride, Jim Terchilla, Jamieson Dilkey or Eddie Castro.

Correct - as set out in 15.14.3 "In a re-run of heat 15 a non-disqualified rider who is unable to take part may be replaced by a reserve or another ‘qualified’ rider." for a starting offence it's 15 metres or a reserve.

Weekend school term ends, please NO.

As far as I know nobody has managed to find any evidence of any speedway in Germany this week. The last one I can find is the German under 21 championship last Sunday (won by Daniel Spiller)

Given the importance of averages I'm also surprised we don't see more riders shutting off early and letting their team mates pass them, thus keeping their average down and making them more marketable for the following season.

To be fair most sports use 'minor' competitions to experiment with rule changes. One of speedway's problems is the inability of its administrators to manage the change process sensibly. In particular: I) proposed changes that are frankly bonkers don't get weeded out at the drawing board stage (often they are forced through by one strong personality with a chip on their shoulder) II) The failure to adequately consider the law of unintended consequences and consider the knock-on effects of proposed changes III) The lack of planning for change - too many times a new rule suddenly emerges or is 'discovered' in some unpublished memorandum.