arnieg

If there was a rule that a match would be cancelled if a team only had four riders, how long before a visiting team with only five riders available (inc guests) "accidentally" lost another rider and only turned up with four. I'm sure the home promoter would delighted to deal with refunds for all the angry and disappointed fans. RULE CHANGES THAT ARE KNEE JERK RESPONSES TO SPECIFIC INCIDENTS ARE ALWAYS A VERY BAD IDEA.

If I could give multiple likes for this I would. Must bookmark for future use. PS Nicholas Cage really has to stop making films - it is a matter of life and death 😜

Which means that with T/S a rider could have eight rides in 13 races. There may be others, but Bernie Leigh certainly came out 8 times for Reading at Newport that year.

Or is it like last year - top 2 to final and 3rd to 10th to semi finals from which only the winner qualifies for the final

Leicester have had more absences through doubling up than any other team (inevitable because they were so late in confirming their PL participation) Leicester have also had more riders missing than any other team (bad luck and having Jason Garrity in the team!)

Bare in mind Lions Guests Schlein and Heeps didn't score many either. The heat 15 decision was a 50/50 call and with another ref it could easily have gone the other way. Robbo's superb form compensated for KK's indifferent display.

surely you mean 'better' :nono:

Even odder the previous Friday Somerset management rang the referee to check that Heeps was eligible before nominating him in heat 15.

Nope, rule says: (NB: No facility is available allowing another rider to be elevated to the qualified list if any of those top 3 points scorers are unavailable due to be withdrawn or has no equipment).

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.

I had three thoughts on hearing Holder would be missing: a.. That's a shame Holder has been fantastic to watch on my previous visits to the Showground this year. Oh well I'll just have to make do with Barker, Wright, Cook, Heeps, Harris, Riss....... b.. Good it makes the competition more open c.. I bet there will be pages and pages of bitching about this on the BSF and facebook

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.

Exactly what I said yesterday.

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

So wouldn't that imply Chelsea cheat in almost every match by selecting from their squad instead of their strongest 11. Peterborough did not cheat, they did however let the sport down by failing to treat a BSPA marquee event with due respect. But the BSPA is a long way from the moral high ground it should occupy before it starts lecturing the Peterborough promotion.

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.