Col

From 12 fixtures Gusts averaged 2.43 (0.607) in Ekstraliga for Wroclaw in 2024, replacing Woffinden post injury. Less than Anders Rowe. From 2 fixtures Gusts averaged 4.40 (1.10) in Eliteserien. On a par with Adam Ellis. Struggling to find much else on him league wise, didn't seem to race in Denmark

Great signing, had seemed to be on wain but after replacing the injured Doyle for Grudziądz in the Ekstraliga last year he was solid for them.

Kurtz had a great 2024. Big year for him back in the Ekstraliga & GP debut season. I'd take Kurtz over Jack Holder, probably not quite as quick when the track suits him but more craft & far less selfish.

That would mean Rew & Jepperson at #2 & #4. Brummies would need Zmarzlik as the other rider to be competitive is Sedgeman signed

Sedgeman on 6.00? He's never averaged that. He'd be an Ok reserve but I doubt Jepperson would be much more and Rew should be riding at 2. I couldn't make that not rhyme. Sorry. Brummies need two riders that can be more than solid reliable middle order merchants at the very least... ideally they need one of those & a rider that can push Musielak for #1.

Spires have more chance of being competitive in heats 13 & 15 than Stars do. One good T/S works against teams that are built on overall strength.

If the Swedish duo of Kim Nilsson & Jacob Thorsell complete the Brummies septet it has an aging but reliable solid look to it

He has considerably less experience on British tracks than those riders, if he averages more than any of them in the premiership I'd be surprised.. Blodorn will be at #2 for the Aces most of the season I'd suggest. Considering how the Stars team has been built, NKI will probably have a period at #1 and a period at #6, when all were fit for Kings Lynn last year NKI rode at 2. Harris likewise will probably spend some time as Stars #1 and at reserve.

Averaged 7.11 (1,779) in Denmark in 2024 for Esbjerg, second in their averages. Less than Becker & Holder Snr but more than Blödorn and NKI. From 4 fixtures, averaged 5.26 (1,316) in Elitserien for Vargarna, Less than Douglas & Tungate but more than Milik & Harris. Last appearance in the UK was for Somerset in 2018 in the top tier where he averaged 3.81 from 6 fixtures (2 home, 4 away), plus two appearance in the second tier with Ipswich where he averaged 4.00. Finished 5th in Danish Individual Championship last year, 7th in 2023, 10th in 2022, 7th in 2020. Looks like he'd be a solid #2 but not anymore than that.

His 2022 average attained with Belle Vue, obvs. Jepperson should be on 4.0-5.0 no more if assessed.

Don't know a great deal about him TBH, I've seen the name on scorecards but not much else. Haven't had time to look any further than Sportwoefakty. He averaged 7.32 in the Polish third tier in 2024. Higher than Worrall, less than Riss.

Unlikely to be available to ride many weekend Championship fixtures if he is riding in Poland again next year.

Kildemand didn't appear to ride in Poland last season. Last stats I can find for him are 2023 Stal Rzeszów when he averaged 7.68 (1,919) in the second tier, for reference that's lower than Krystian Pieszczek & Jacob Thorssell who were in the same team. Can't see that Kildemand rode in Elitserien either last year. He did ride in his native league, averaged 4.93 (1,232) for Fjelsted. A little more than Adam Ellis & Nicolai Klindt averaged, but distinctly less than Luke Becker & NKI.

Milik on a 4.11 average is worth a punt.

If Janowski can hit the ground running next season he'll be top 5 in the averages. Are Spires going to start with Tungate &: Janowski as their spearhead? If so a solid 1-6 can be forged with points aplenty available.

There is no obvious space in Wolverhampton for a speedway stadium, if a stadium could be built near Wolverhampton then it would have to in a South Staffs area rather than an area which is in Wolverhampton itself. The obvious space is near the i54 industrial estate, which is next to the M54 junction 2 however while access for those who drivers is good, I'd think public transport links would be rather limited. Wolverhampton are in a better position generally than Cradley, Wolverhampton is at least the north of the West Midlands conurbation with Staffordshire countryside surrounding some of it, Cradley is smack bang in the middle of the conurbation. I don't know the area as well anymore, I haven't lived in Dudley for several years and didn't live in that area of Dudley anyway... but I cannot think of any reasonable development space near it. The nearest none densely populated urban area is the other side of the sizable towns of Stourbirdge & Halesowen. When there is Greyhound racing at Dunstall, I do wonder what on earther will happen to Monmore, surely 2 Greyhound racing venues 3 miles apart is not sustainable.

Swapped Rew for Brennan is strengthening in a way, Brennan is a better rider currently but Rew has more improvement potential.

I'm fairly adamant I've predicted Bewley, Lidsey, Rew, Brennan, Blodorn, Janowski & a fair few others will improve their starting averages. Lawson must be early-mid 30's, he ain't getting any better than a solid engine room rider. His average may increase as he won't be riding with a rider as good as Fricke for 3 of his programmed rides. Stars don't have a rider as good as Fricke in their septet

Rugby Union *cough cough*

Don't know what happened to Janowski in 2024, maybe losing his GP spot hit his confidence. I thought he was very unlucky in that regard having been on the podium the previous year. But the same has happened to Madsen this year. If Janowski can hit the ground running he hold his own in the Premiership as a #1, Tungate is reasonable backup. No one can expect Riss or Wright to be much more than be solid #2 & #4. Possibly match winning reserve? Another hear leader is required, hope Spires can pull a rabbit out of the hat. If not Janowski & Tungate are better heat leaders than any riders Kings Lynn have signed

Belle Vue, Ipswich & Sheffield will make the play offs Leicester have a better team than Kings Lynn as it stands... hoping Oxford & Brummies can be contenders. I really don't get the love for that Kings Lynn team. I've loved watching Bomber & NKI over the years but they're both in their 40's and are not reliable double points scorers these days. Cook is some way off a #1 as is Kvech. Lawson is a solid engine room rider but nothing more and will be starting his downward arc and Klindt will be injured out for the season by the end of May in all likelihood.

As expected from Belle Vue. Blodorn, Cook should improve their starting averages, as should Lidsey who needs to become more effective away from the NSS. Kurtz was exceptional in 2024, same again please, but with GP's & Ekstraliga I'm expecting a dip Still waiting for Bewley to have a few Nielsen seasons, when he averages 10:50+ and is almost unbeatable. Mulford can hold his own at RS hopefully. Never seen Zischke, Voulas must feel hard done to. Along with Tigers & Witches, the Aces complete the annual 3 horse title race as expected.

But Zagar spent several months at #1 with a higher average than Fricke & Kurtz. Aces were actually better at home when Zagar was at #1 than when either Aussie was in hat position. Hmmm. Having seen every heat of the SoN, Thorsell benefitted from the general poorness of the Danes & Poles, he got out the gate & made himself difficult to pass but Lindgren did all the hard yards for the Swedes. Pawlicki is probably a better rider than Zagar now, but his attitude wasn't right in 2024. On a 4.11 average I think Milik would be worth a punt to start the season at resreve. I'm expecting serious improvement this year from Rew, average wise, could push on to be second heat leader if he has a good season.

Hmmm.. Thorsell & Nilsson are surely on the downward ark & can't have ridden here for 5 years. I'd probably take Nilsson on 6.00 but 7.33 is expensive for Tthorsell.

Kildemand used to be great every track... then it all went wrong... I think it coincided with him signing for Poole!