False dawn

No wind up intended, honest. Your suggestion is eminently sensible. The point in question is the exclusion of NKI under the existing rules. Some seem to suggest that the referee was job's worth or that it didn't matter that a rider could continue gardening in direct contradiction to the instructions of the starting marshal and the referee. Or better still, the rules shouldn't be applied because the race had no meaning or the exclusion caused further delay. If the race had no meaning why did NKI spend so much time preparing for it or take part in it all for that matter?

So if you know you have less than a minute (actually less than 30 seconds) on the 2 minute warning left as you leave the pits, is it reasonably to take significant time gardening, ignore the starting marshal's instructions and to ignore the flashing of the green light by the referee?

It seems obvious to me that the central issue is the contract that has been signed with Artem Laguta. We all know that it must be a significant cost to the club (hardly a blip) and the party who offered to fund this has gone. And it may not be as simple as dropping the rider involved depending on the terms of the contract. Its hard to understand what is being discussed during this short lull in proceedings. The issues seem to be contractual which the British authorities cannot help with. So what do KL do? Continue to run at a heavy loss or shut?

The addition of a clock has been mentioned several times. With respect, can I ask what it would mean when the clock reaches zero? Does that indicate that riders have to be on track heading for the start. Or does it mean that riders have to be at the gate but still gardening? Or does it mean that riders have to be at the tapes ready to go?

No need for a clock. The 2 minute warning was sounded. An announcement was made A 60 second warning was announced. A 30 second warning was announced. NKI then emerged from the pit gate. He came to the gate at a reasonable speed but not with any sense of urgency. He then started a full gardening routine. This was permitted for a short time, but eventually the starting marshal called NKI forward to join the other 3 riders who had been ready to race for some time. NKI failed to come forward and the ref clearly felt that enough was enough. I have some sympathy for the view that this was not untypical. I had began to get a bit fed up with the delays at the start last night and generally, actually. But arriving at the start well within the 2 minutes and then gardening is one thing. Leaving the pits with less than 30 seconds to go and then expecting to take significant time preparing to race is taking the pee. And it wasn't just Leicester fans who cheered when NKI was excluded.

I couldn't agree more. The super-fluous heat is an invention by or for TV. But then to use a race formula which means the race winner can end up on the losing side is debatable for the faithful and downright bemusing for new comers and prospective new fans. So we're using this arguably confusing mechanism to decide results and in part, to advertise our sport. I'm tempted to say that you couldn't make it up, but that's not true.

You're very welcome. I am a nerd. I'm happy to own up to that well known fact. But my interest is during the meeting itself rather than preserving some sort of historic record. I like to get some view of a winning race time to assess later clashes in the meeting. It adds to my enjoyment but I don't expect everyone (anyone?) to share my view. This extends to other features such as gate stats. Last night's meeting was a particular case in point. The race wins and points scored from each gate is of interest to me and last night this played a significant part in the latter heats. Given that teams were permitted to swap gates between their allotted gates, and two gates were statistically were advantageous (3&4) both the pair of gate chosen and who started in which was of some importance. If you're really interested I can tell you who started in which gate in all races. And there speaks a proud nerd! P.S. it's "dawn", the time of day, not "Dawn", the girl's name. Sorry, I'm a pedant as well

61.03, 60.19, 60.35, 60.19, 60.91, 60.69, 60.65, 61.15, 60.85, 60.99, 61.62, 62.40, 62.31, 61.44, 61.84, 61.91, 62.43, 62.43, 62.37, 61.87, 62.19, 61.81, 62.22

If Max Clegg is signed, Joe Thompson could be forgiven for thinking, "You couldn't make this up". Joe was released by Scunthorpe (against their own wishes, if we believe the reports ) in a move that brought Max Clegg into the team. Max was then subsequently released, rather quickly, to bring Drew Kemp into the side. Now you're saying that he's a possible replacement for Joe again. Don't worry Joe. That's racing. Yeh, right.

But what about the away matches?

I thought it was an entertaining meeting. There was a good number of genuine overtakes including for the win. We've been a lot more critical of more than just a few GPs of late.

The simple answer is that if the 2 sides draw the 2nd match and they are tied on aggregrate, the super heat decides both the match and the aggregate point. But to pick up on what others are saying. You do know that super heat is an abbreviation? It's full name is the superfluous heat.

Or closer to home, Max?

Not sure who OP is, but sorry that you've gone. The file you mentioned would have been of real interest to a self confessed nerd such as me.

I do like that.

The track was dire. It is hard to argue otherwise. But how can it be that 2 out of the 4 gates are graveyards? And to add insult to injury, the same was true last year. And it was the same two gates. I hate gate and go meetings but let's prepare the gates so that they are fair. I guess Bart can claim a victory given that he was the only rider to win a race from either gate 2 or 3. A pretty sad indictment.

That's 2022 !!

Couldn't be there tonight and have just watched the recording. Great result for the Lions and I still hold to my assertion that Justin Sedgmen is the signing of the season. He's the Ellis Perks or Connor Mountain from the season when we won the Championship. As to the TV coverage. It was poor. Actually very poor. The commentary didn't even match the pictures at times. And "watching the leader" when there was obviously a good race going on behind just drives everyone nuts. Well me anyway. Sorry Eurosport, you have all the right ingredients (with one exception). Maybe when you can get "dialled in" you'll make it work. And if I haven't pi**ed everyone off too much, if there is someone out there who could post the race times, I would be most grateful.

Chalk and cheese. I love it.

I have 274.21m. But I heard them say a few minutes ago that they've made the track a metre wider and changed the track length.

Anyone near to the stadium with a weather update. I'm over near Cheltenham and the amount of rain we've had here would definitely make any track unrideable

The weather that's travelling Oxford's way from where I am is rain of Biblical proportions

It's interesting what you say as a (temporary) Leicester fan. In amongst a glittering list of names, Max Frick, Bomber and so on, Justin is surely the Lions signing of the year. He's scoring solidly in every meeting and seems to fear no one. Nick, on the other hand, who rode for the Lions last year, looks frustrated and possibly unsure what to do to regain his form. Belle Vue, recently grabbed a draw when we were 6 up with 2 to go and then won the Super(fluous) heat. Fair play to Nick, he "fronted it up" in the post meeting interviews but he was so upset that he couldn't speak. I wasn't cross, I really felt for him because it appeared he couldn't understand what had just happened. Maybe it's to do with his motors, I don't know. But I sense he's very competitive and it won't be long before we see him scoring good points again.

5.91 from 2016

Where did you pull that one from? And just out of interest what average would he come in on?