arnieg

Guest for Harris on Wednesday should have been within the rules as Iversen was riding for Esbjerg in Denmark (as was stated beforehand). BUT when I looked at Esbjerg result Protasiewicz rode (and got 19). So how was use of guest legal, (unless NKI is now subject to 28 day ban)?

This year has been worse than most years, in large part down to the change in régime at the BSPA resulting in promoters changing their mind about the rules mid winter long after the AGM. In particular squads with three types of number 8 were introduced (largely to accommodate John Cook) without first deciding how they would work. The result is several confused situations, most recently over King's Lynn's line up last week. The rules for facilities for squads haven't been bent twisted or ignored - they simply don't seem to exist (except perhaps in some private memorandum we are not privy to).

But Esbjerg were riding last night.

Go back to 2010 and ask how many people would have suggested Woffinden, Hancock, Doyle for top six in 2016? Janowski and Lindback would have been regarded as bold and speculative picks while 15 year old Zmarzlik was still a year away from his Polish league debut. Holder, Hampel and Sayfutdinov would most likely have been the first names on people's lists six years ago.

Since his last match for Leicester (4June), he appears to have ridden twice: 3 July Diedenbergen in the Bundesliga 5 pts (4 of them gifts or for beating teammates) 10 July for Lokomotiv Daugavpils in Nice Polish League 11 pts (riders beaten include Lampart, Baran and Porsing - but he also got beat by all three)

I'd like to see some of Buxton's critics do as well as you do with so little to work with. Keeping speedway going for 23 seasons in such a remote spot is a true testament to all the effort that you and your family have put in over the years.

Gorzow... Nordic Somebody's got an unusual atlas

Nicki P, Emil and Piotr Pawlicki combined score of 14+1 for Leszno. Riding against thgem - Rune Holta also 14+1, a maximum!

It would appear Zagar has an average of 0.00! This is not unique to BV, Redcar's team total excludes no 1 David Bellego as well. And earlier in the season Cradley's team average included EIGHT riders.

But that is not you said. Anyway as Tina says he was booked to ride for Glasgow so regardless of whether or not he rode a facility was available under 19.12.a. And that facility was guest or R/R

There's no such thing. A facility is available for an absent rider, and that facility may be a guest or rider replacement depending on the circumstances. In this case a facility was available and one was used.

Yes there is always a facility, and Kent used one.

There's always a facility in the NL.

Here's my best guess (and given how much could happen it really is no more than that). Assuming the format is unchanged and that the age profile is similar, we can expect : 3 veterans who are already world stars 9 riders in the 25-34 age bracket at the peak of their careers, but currently in 2016 still working their way towards the top 3 Younger riders who aren't even riding 500cc machines yet The problem is that when I review the candidates I end up with way to many Poles! The veterans: Woffinden, Sayfutdinov and Janowski Central/'peak' group: Patryk Dudek (my best guess at 2026 World champ), Piotr Pawlicki, Bartosz Zmarzlik and Michael Jepsen Jensen - all of whom are already well on their way to long term GP status; plus five younger riders currently on their way up in: Max Fricke, Robert Lambert, Maxym Drabik, Krystian Pieszczek and Pawel Przedpelski. The Youngsters: Pick any three from - Mads Hansen, Matthew Gilmore, Casper Henriksson, Benjamin Basso and Kyle Bickley (but given they are so young these are highly speculative, and I haven't even considered any Polish youngsters) [it is worth noting that under 16 success is a very poor guide to future world stardom. The winners of the FIM Youth Gold Trophy between 2001 and 2007 were: Casper Wortmann, Nikolai Klindt, Kenneth Hansen, Nicki Barrett, Simon Nielsen, Michael Palm Toft and Anders Mellgren] That gives us seven Poles (and that is before considering the merits of riders like Smektala and Kubera), so I'd suggest that some of the Poles will fall by the wayside/get overlooked and leave room for Jack Holder, Brady Kurtz and Joel Andersson. And of course we should expect at least one 'slow-burner' like Kildemand or Doyle to establish themselves

Did Leicester get one for Paul Starke in similar circumstances earlier in the season?

Well that depends if they select the right person!

There is no money from the SCB, it is an administrative body almost entirely funded by licence fees (for tracks, riders, officials). If there is going to be any investment it will have to come from the promoters, and to be fair there has been some investment in the youth development programme (largely time on the part of Neil Vacher). There certainly seem to be more opportunities for youngsters to get track time than a decade ago. Ultimately the issue is funding, so it comes down to more sponsorship, bigger crowds or higher admission charges. The single thing that will generate more British talent on track is getting more youngsters interested in taking up the sport, and the development of the British Youth Championships has been a positive step in that direction. But speedway is a niche sport that few people have heard of; and as long as that remains the case it will be difficult to get more youngsters involved.

Probably - but he is not the oldest rider to score a maximum in Britain's top speedway league. PK is only 46, but Jack Parker scored his last maximum for Belle Vue in the 1953 National League when he would have been 47.

It would mean Leicester dropping Klindt as they already have Summers and Ludo doubling up.

Having looked at the weather forecast all I'm thinking is RAIN.😣

There was no space in the programme to write the time in anyway!

From an objective look at the riders eligible the top three U21 nations are easy to spot: Poland, Denmark and Australia. After that I'd say it is pretty close between GB, Sweden and Russia for fourth spot - hardly the basis for some of the running down of team GB on this thread.

He's long made it known that he intends to settle over there on retirement from British racing- if he hasn't already I suspect it is only a matter of time before he becomes a naturalised New Zealander.

Non-flamable tickets Do you think they are taking these no smoking rules too far?

Interesting read here https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jul/27/wimbledon-greyhounds-afc-plough-lane-stadium But not a mention of speedway.