Najjer

This excuse has come up for Schramm for about the past 3 years now, and we're told at the start of every year "he's invested heavily in much better equipment". So, lets be honest and say he isn't up to being in the main body of a Premier League side anymore.

Well after much umming and ahhing, I've decided to make the journey upto deepest darkest Scunthorpe. Been there a good few times in the past, and ranks up there for being one of the coldest places on the planet. I think the last time I was there was when we lost Travis McGowan to a broken wrist a few years back now. What's the weather supposed to be like? Cracking news that Nick Morris is back, and with Jorgensen missing for Scunthorpe, we should have a pretty good crack at taking something away from this without doubt. Stefan needs a big performance at reserve to outscore the Scunthorpe pairing.

It's not ideal, you Are right - the only thing that would be ideal would be for the sun to remain out all year round but that isn't ever going to happen so we need to make the best of a bad job so to speak... And in my opinion, we aren't doing that at the moment. From my research too, I'm led to believe track staff are at the track for the majority of the racenight, so Friday in our case as well as numerous other times throughout the week. Common sense would be if the heavens open on Friday daytime the track is covered until such a time when they can removed. Lets be honest, it can only help towards matters and could be the difference between keeping a meeting on - especially since I've proven that CVS quote of 40,000 and previously a quote of over 100,000 in previous discussion are completely way off the mark. The most frustrating thing for us fans is that no one has even bothered to give it a go and trial it. Last night is the most frustrating thing about Speedway and is something that no one has attempted to address. Trying something new will bring up problems, but as you say a solution is well within reach.

You are all missing the point. Tiny you said the track can't be worked on for the 15 minutes that the track is covered, but the usual event is that whilst the rain is coming down it isn't worked on anyway. The work started last night when the rAin had stopped and understandably so - so that's another 'problem' that isn't a problem. The track staff would then be involved in untying a few wraps around the fence and unrolling the covers and being pegged inside the centre green. The water drains to the inside of the centre green. Who cares if that gets wet, were racing speedway and not grass track. No new drainage system is required whatsoever, so that's another problem you can tick off the list. Starman, why does the covers need to be stronger for? It's got to withstand water, not a downpour of rocks. This is exactly what tarpaulin is designed to do, we don't need to develop something that is already developed. So you need a few spares of the sheets, what did I find a price that they were.. 17 quid was it? You're starting to clutch at straws and I still haven't heard a good reason why it can't work. With regards to air flow, I can't see how this is an issue either. The covers Are angled from the top of the fence, ie not sitting on the track - so there is still adaqute air flow although slightly reduced that if there wasn't covers. You are also missing the point in that this could work leading upto a meeting, days before a meeting or anything. Say for example a downpour is predicted at 6 o'clock - prepare the track, cover it for the downpour, remove it and go racing when the rain has cleared. Last night was just an example and maybe a little extreme, but there is no reason I've been made aware of so far why this isn't possible - not just at Somerset, but anywhere in the country. This is one thing that makes me laugh, the bspa And it's promotors, more often than not CVS especially get slated for being corrupt and talking constant rubbish - yet they make a point which falls in line with your arguement so they must be right the irony and shows another complete flaw.

If the covers are attached to the top of the fence, and then pegged on the centre green (ie. angled downwards) it would mean the water would run somewhere onto the centre green. Can't see what the time curfew has to do with anything really, the rain came about 8 oclock in which time I went and stood inside, before going back outside once the rain stopped at 8:15.. I was still stood in the same place until just before 9 when the meeting was called off. There is no way it would take 45 minutes to remove some tarpaulin.

Granted it wouldn't be a 2 minute job but I can't be convinced without covers tonight that the meeting wouldn't of been saved. I understand from various sources that rain offs such as tonight costs thousands to clubs so surely you are better off spending that extra few thousands now, and only incur that cost once. A quick google search, and even if you search for tarpaulins in ebay shows just how cost effective this idea actually in especially in the grand scheme of things if it means in the long run it saves the club thousands of pounds in the years to come. For example, this is the first thing that came up on my google search: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEAVY-DUTY-TARPAULIN-TARP-LIGHTWEIGHT-WATERPROOF-GROUND-COVER-SHEET-CAMPING-TENT-/370795671554?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item565524f002 Working on a rough guide that the track is 300metres round (984 feet) which is around the white line I believe, obviously further around the outside - but gives us a good guide to start from. 984 feet track / 20 feet panels = 50 panels required 50 panels * price @ £17 = £850 A very rough price, which would increase for the extra panels required to cover the whole distance - which would also be offset as Im sure that the price could be bettered at the £17 as this is literally the first one that I have come across. After allowing for fixings to the fence and to the inside of the track we are looking at around £1000 for a rough figure. So I ask the question again, if rain offs costs the clubs thousands... WHY OH WHY in Speedway are track covers not used?!?

So yet again, you keep saying it's easier said than done, yet can't give me any reasons as to why not. And what difference does the air fence make? The existing fence still remains, and the sheeting would just fix to the top of that - so it makes no difference what so ever. So what's your next reason?

Why does everyone make out it's so incredibly difficult to do - I was involved in a pretty long debate about this back along and I was never given a reason then that made me think otherwise that isn't possible to do it, so maybe if you claim that I'm dreaming you can give me one why it shouldn't happen? Literally all sports governed by the weather have some sort of covers, Tennis, Cricket, Horse Racing, even Greyhounds. If I was asking for some sort of retractable roof mechanism I could half understand all this "it costs too much" but it simply needs to be some sort of plastic sheeting suspended from the outter fence.

If ever there was an arguement for track covers - this was it! Rain comes... pull the covers on... when it stopped, and the sun remained out, pull them on and get on with the racing. It really is that simple.

Disappointed and somewhat surprised if that's actually true - I'm not a massive fan of Mitchell's but he couldn't do any worse.

Sad to see him go to the Monarchs, as quite fancied him joining the Rebels. He's far from being a world beater, but we need any kind of inspiration we can get at reserve.

What an absolute farce it is that the rules stipulate Doyle must ride for Birmingham tonight. What an embaressment this could turn into if we drop any points tonight. Not what the official website says.

Just imagine if Len had used some sense and got him to reserve, you'd wipe the floor with everybody.

Must say I'm amazed it's off due to a waterlogged track, we had heavy rain upto about 8oclock last night, we've had alot worse though especially as there hasn't been a single drop today.

Just read this, and thought it was some sort of joke - It's been dry all day and the sun is still shining now, literally a couple minutes away from the track

It was Craig Watson for I think Glasgow wasn't it? I remember they came second. The rules were changed after that year. Alex doesn't qualify anyway, as he isn't in the teams top three averages.

As already stated, there is no way that Kennett could qualify for this event - if we're being consistent of course.

I believe it's done on a basis of meetings ridden for the club, not whether they have a new average or not - which is actually where common sense prevails.

Surely Kennett doesn't qualify anyway.

We'll win this at ease, this Sheffield team is beyond poor so it won't take much of an effort to see them off, with or without Alex. Terrible news about Nick Morris, who was stunning last Friday. Could Mr Monberg be tempted back over for a hand full of meetings? Especially Scunthorpe away, as we could take a hiding there otherwise. Remember Jesper came within inchs of winning us the league there last year.

Having obviously showed a liking for the OTA, with the pressure mounting on Tom Perry to improve, could he be in line for a place in the Rebels side in the coming weeks?

This was always going to happen with Robin. It was clear at the start of the season the team he wanted to ride for but he couldn't be fitted into their team plans and had to settle for 'second best'. This was always going to happen.

Literally just wanted to say what a superb username you have. A Nigel Pearson classic - "This is OBSCENE!"

He Didnt cross the white line. Could be half a shout for 'unfair riding' but certainly Didnt cross the white line.

A thoroughully enjoyable meeting with passing inside, outside, crashes and even controversial decisions. Still failing to see how Newman got excluded when Graversen fell on his own in heat 8, but at the same time he was lucky to stay in heat 1 when he came through and whipped Graversen out cleanly on the inside. That said the referee made the right call when Nielsen came past Karlsson who literally just chucked the bike down on the track. EDIT: http://ihitchcock.zenfolio.com/somerset_v_leicester_p_l/h5e020882 IDHs superb pictures prove my point on the Newman front. From that position how on earth can he be excluded when Graversen is jus laying the bike down when Newman is clearly way in front? For the Rebels the top four were immense, with only Alex dropping points in one ride. Not bad going when you think they had 18 rides between them. Kyle looked much more on the pace and looked to be alot more attacking. Impressed again Nielsen, scoring points in every heat in the tricky no6 role. Perry only beat Branford from memory all night, and was lucky when stone dead last that the collision between Nielsen and Branford allowed him to get into 2nd. To me he's looking so underpowered and a concern for the Rebels. Leicester tried but was never going to be in it after losing Kauko who is normally pretty good value at the OTA. This added to Bjerre's absense who was washing his hair and cutting his toe nails in preparation for a meeting tonight - one that I was led to believe Leicesters very own Simon Nielsen is riding in.. Hmmmm. Nielsen looked half decent early on and faded, Branford looked poor, Karlssson never interested until he made a good gate and was soon picked off. Top notch racing, more of the same next time... And we had some half decent music last night too!! No, not really, lived upto the hype I gave him on the opening page of this thread. I bet he was thinking he was completely seeing things when a 10ft rooster came over and asked how he was feeling