Col

Auty at 2 doesn't work, he can't gate. Same as Shanes by the time the track is how they like it their programmed rides are over. Morris & Shanes don't work together either, if they're chasing after a lap & a half Shanes is behind Morris but quicker. Then they just get on each others way.

That won't work!

That surely means Shanes at #2, that doesn't bode well, by the time the track is to his liking all his programmed rides will have been completed.

I see.

Good signing, solid team, not sure it will challenge for honours though. Doubt over Vissing after not riding over here for a few years, plus Auty & Shanes cannot gate for toffee and are likely to be partnered in the engine room..

But he's got a contract with Falubaz Zielona Góra (same as Fricke). I haven't looked what Ekstraliga have done about the team spots for the Laguta's & Sayfutdinov recently, but when I last looked it seemed as though they would use guests. Shouldn't affect either riding on Mondays or Thursdays in GB as almost all Polish league fixtures are on a weekend. If Zagar has ridden in Elitserien recently it has gone under my radar.

I wasn't able to attend SoN day 1 last year due to a wedding, the main stand didn't seem as full as it was Monday.

AFAIK Zagar isn't riding Ekstraliga, so the ruling doesn't affect him.

Belle Vue are on plan K now, the first that included signing Etheridge. I don't know why, but it seemed to me that if Steve Worrall had a bad meeting, half of the other Belle Vue team did. While Steve is the better brother, his peaks and troughs are steeper and last longer I think he'd gone stale at BV. Would have given Richie another year over Etheridge. I do think BV should have tried to tempt Cook back to the NSS as he was on a low(ish) average. Or is that bridge burnt? That said Zagar was the best rider at the PCM, he'd do! In terms of entertainment, I'd prefer Lebedevs though. After todays no show from Blodorn is there a double incoming re-jig?

Good start to the season with some good racing, heat 20 was exceptional, hats off to the 4 riders involved! Slightly disappointed Zagar didn't he was the best rider on the night, won the superb composed heat 20 despite being off gate 4 which had offered little in the previous few heats, just got into a battle with Woffinden that allowed MPT to catch and sneak past. MPT was always in the mix in all his heats so not a surprise. After a slow start Woffinden looked the quickest rider in his 3rd & 4th heats, then was no-where in his 5th off gate 4 - making Zagar's win in heat 20 all the more impressive. Fricke, Bewley, Lambert, Wright, Kurtz, Harris all rode reasonably well & had their moments. Iversen showed no signs of the catalogue of injuries of the past few years have affected him. Brennan was good value. Klindt was quick when he gated. Etheridge struggled in this company but played his part in the excellent heat 20 scrap. Ellis and to a lesser extent Musielak (first NSS visit?) were disappointing , they will need to ride better next week if the Aces have 7 riders! But nothing on Doyle, if he gated first he won, if he didn't he was plum last by a long way. Except for the SWC hosted at the NSS the first year it was open, that is by far the biggest crowd I have seen there, including playoffs, U21 SWC & SoN.

Planning to head North about 14:30. Weather Ok? Top 3 prediction - Fricke, Lambert, Doyle.

Even with Ellis, unless Pearson is a revelation I can't see Brummies troubling the Pugwashers or Scottish City Slickers, title wise.

I'm sure I saw a Bloordorn van driving to the SoN @ NSS last October - was he not the #3 junior German?

Welp, I'm guessing mystery rider will be starting the season at #3 looking at the p+p photos.

Team shot on Twitter, Etheridge is wearing 2 but there is no Bloodorn.

Ellis was 7.66 in 2021 for Scunthorpe. So if Pearson is less than 4.42, yes.

According to the thread at the top of this section. Claus Vissing 8.43 for Glasgow in 2019. Leaves 12.08.

Well Iversen is certainly an improvement on Barker. in 2021 Pickering was better than Riss. R Worrall is better than Andersen. Not sure on the other two, I've not seen enough of Mountain if I've seen him ever.

Yes Sheffield have put together an excellent septet, but do look weak at reserve. Fricke is ahead of Bewley currently so it could be argued that the team is stronger... all depends who the final rider is. You expecting him to be replaced by someone with a higher average than Etheridge then?

Vissing is far from inspiring, Ellis would be... but that would leave what? Guessing Morris & Neilsen wouldn't be at reserve?

Is Lindgren only Swede in GP's? Can't think of another - shocking from the historical Speedway power house nation. Except for Zmarzlik being top Pole, I'm not sure who'll be top rider from each nation ... well Dane, Brit or Aussie now.

Well that doesn't mean Tungate, as he's Aussie. I really hope it's Lebedevs! Think the BV top 4 including Lebedevs & reserves could probably carry a fairly weak #2 (fifth in averages) except at Owlerton.

Surely NKI's average is higher than Kildemand's. NKI was 7.9 from memory, wasn't Kildemand's last British average nearer 6.5? I'm sure he wasn't KL'S announced #1, whereas NKI surely would. Hope it's not the case and Stars start the year with a competitive team, always enjoyed watching NKI but have barely seen him ride even on TV for a while Kildemand was very poor when I saw him in Ekstraliga in 2020.

I was going to ask if it was still that annoying Porky chap but clearly it is! Kirkmanshulme Lane greyhound stadium was no better, possibly worse, it was as if you were below the track. The home straight at Owlerton annoys me, but the view from the third/fourth bend is good. Other than those I'd probably agree, although drudging my memory I don't remember Blunsdon or Station Road (that was what Long Eaton's track was called?) being any better.

Spent too long relying on his Monmore Green form. Did he get any Elitserien or Ekstraliga opportunities? If so, any commitment?