Najjer

A few thousand? Jesus christ, just a slight exaggeration! Even if you're heavily inflated figure is correct, haven't many promotors been quoted previously as saying a rain off results in losing X amount of thousands? Whilst I once again appreciate your well constructed post and a very good arguement for tracks such as perhaps Lakeside and any others in that same boat, how many other tracks are there in the UK that has to have their fence put up and taken down after a meeting? I wasn't even aware Lakeside did to be honest, but there certainly can't be many others. There is no reason why a design can't be put together for this concept to be fixed to the top (or slightly behind) the fence on a permanent basis - so what's the excuse for all the other tracks, especially the stand alone tracks?

First of all, thanks for such a detailed reply and well constructed arguement - more than what anyone else has managed when I've asked the question, where their attitude was just to shrug their shoulders brush the issue under the carpet until another day. Rain offs is potentially one of, if not, the very biggest issue for Speedway fans today. How times have we heard someone say "It's not worth chancing it with the way the weather's been." However I'm still far from convinced - I see no reason why the track can't be left uncovered until some point during the day, when obviously the rain is at its most damaging. The issue about the track needing to 'breathe', surely the most sensible solution around this is to create a hinge effect which is attached to the top of the fence in which the covers are always situation and effectively rolls out towards the inside of the track and pegged in such a way that water runs off towards the centre green area. I don't expect this to be 100% effective, as it rains from morning until midnight, you have no chance of getting a meeting on. However for the cost of creating the covers themselves, weighed up against the costs saved in less rain offs for me is a no-brainer.

I ask the question yet again which no one has given a reasonable answer to yet, why don't tracks have covers on them? That way, it could have as many hours of rain as you wish and assuming it's dry at half 7, you get on with the meeting.

Ive asked a similar question on another thread... why do tracks not have covers on them? If it rained at 12:15, why wasn't the track covered to prevent this resulting in the meeting being cancelled? I was due to be coming to this, and whilst I appreciate the early call off so I didn't have a wasted journey... you can't help but feel this could be prevented.

So what number channel is it on Sky?

LOL - This has literally just made my day. It seems you're as clued up on the music world as you are the Speedway world.

Not a problem - I always use Swindon and formally Reading as their presentation and music choice was superb before they sadly closed. They play modern up to date music from the charts of today, as oppose to the 1970s that actually have something about them and can create a great atmosphere around the track. Obviously there is exceptions to this, but anything would be better than listening to the Beetles in segments in between races all night long.

You're easily pleased clearly. The fanfare stuff is cringeworthy to say the least, but I hope they sort the music presentation out at Somerset this season as it's been nothing short of awful for the past few seasons. Blaring the boys are back in town and the final countdown just doesn't cut it anymore.

With the asset system on it's ass, what's the point?

Do you remember the Thomas Jonasson one too?

Teams would be foolish to put all their eggs in one basket, and go out narrow minded aiming to just sign a set 7 riders. Say one of them joins another team, there must be a plan B just in case. Maybe Claus Vissing was just a plan B, it's all rather irrelevant really as the team is complete and whilst it's sad to see, he's not part of it. Personally would of taken Monberg over Claus anyway - although Claus was superb entertainment value. Teams would be foolish to put all their eggs in one basket, and go out narrow minded aiming to just sign a set 7 riders. Say one of them joins another team, there must be a plan B just in case. Maybe Claus Vissing was just a plan B, it's all rather irrelevant really as the team is complete and whilst it's sad to see, he's not part of it. Personally would of taken Monberg over Claus anyway - although Claus was superb entertainment value.

Watch out Tyson Nelson!

You don't 'double down', you can only 'double up' - All Somerset meetings take priority over any date clashes in the EL, hence why Swindon never signed Doyle. The only issue for Somerset really is who a loan free is being paid to.

Wouldn't bother me - They'd more than likely put as good as, if not better, showing than any Brit would.

Who said anything about representing NZ? Didn't Ward ride a round at Torun last year as a wildcard, and Vaculik took a wildcard somewhere too from memory.

I believe Ostergaard and I think it was Doolan reached 10+ in 2008, the season after Zetterstrom. Although Zorro was by far the best rider I've seen at PL level - 3 seasons, achieving 9+ in his first followed by 10+ both times after that and winning the PLRC in the process too, and part of the Fours winners of 2006 also in his first year. Not to mention, winning the 'Chase' at Kings Lynn too. Credit where it's due, he was leading his first race too only to pack up and push home for a 3rd.. thoroughully deserved as Fisher and Barker apart, was the next best on display.

Unless I misheard, I think they announced part way through the meeting he was in the clubhouse.

So which part of the last post stating convience did you not understand? None blinder than those who won't see.

Maybe he is, I haven't doubted that. But it's been well muted he's at Berwick because of convience of coming in and going out of the country. We're very happy with our team down here in Somerset... You don't get called league favourites for nothing

Granted my signature is probably a long time out of date and needs to be updated or removed. I rarely use this forum other than on my phone where signatures don't get displayed which have something to do with it - so that point again, is also irrelevant. I refer back to another point made, but it's well publicised Robin Aspegren would rather be elsewhere than Berwick but due to flights in and out of the country, it doesn't allow it.

A promotion going places? A few weeks back they had us believe they were going one way, and it wasn't forward. If a whole speedway team is run relying on one sponsor, I don't hold out much hope for them - Newport comes to mind putting all their eggs in one basket and relying on one income which all went ** up. And riders signing for Berwick because they host major meetings? Give over, what difference does it make to them, they aren't going to compete in them anyway so it's all irrelevant. Takes your rosé tinted specs off and don't be so biased for once in your life.

Surely not another Main Man team to finish bottom of the League?

No, he was fully fit until he crashed at Scunthorpe and broke his wrist. Not sure of the exact figures but up until then he couldn't of been averaging much more than 6 for us.

Shame a year later he was completely useless for us.

You've got that spot on Willow. The only difference in the Sheffield side is that they have two assessed 5 point riders, so they can decide who starts at reserve.