Grachan

Obviously a lot of them were, because he rode at number 2. He looks a good prospect. Going through his last few meetings: Against Glasgow he beat Craig Cook in heat one and also beat Claus Vissing. Against Sheffield he beat Danny King (King was off 15m) Against Newcastle he beat Steve Worrall. Yes he is still young, and there's no guarantee he can hit good scores in the top league, but on form alone he looks a good signing on a 3 average.

Looking at Rowe's scores for Somerset, I reckon that if he were a Pole, a Dane or a Swede everyone would be saying we should snap him up immediately. But, because he is a young British rider, there seems a reluctance to accept him as a signing. I haven't seen him ride, but on his recent scoring I think he can hold his own at reserve. He beat Claus Vissing as well when Somerset raced Glasgow. I was surprised at how well he is doing when I looked.

I think Rowe will do ok. I just looked up a couple of meetings on Updates and he beat Craig Cook and Rory Schlein in the last couple of meetings for Somerset last year.

I think that on team strength alone I would have gone with Toby over Rasmus Jensen, but the announcement said they couldn't guarantee that Toby wouldn't get recalled by his Polish club during the season. As for encouraging loyalty, someone had to be released. There was no avoiding that.

So, no place for Musielak. It will be interesting to see if he gets a team place elsewhere or is just lost to the league as a result.

Looks like the purple chinos guy to me.

No, it was voted down. But, did they, perhaps, allow two riders over 8.00 and a 2 point rider as a concession to Swindon?

Why not? He maintained it last year and the league is the same strength.

Swear words are pretty common in all forms of literature other than children's books. You pay your money and take your choice, I guess. Personally I'm not sure it is necessary in a sports auto-biography, but it doesn't bother me. It wouldn't have been wholly up to Tai. It would have been a decision made by both of them.

Tai told his life story to Peter Oakes, and it was up to Peter Oakes whether or not to use any swear words in the book. I think a lot of people would swear when talking at length like that. It was up to Peter whether or not to use those words in the text.

That's exactly what happens. People just go in and out, and the stadium numbers peak at lunch time when workers come in for a bet. A meeting goes on for a long time, with long gaps between races - very much like a horse racing meeting in the UK. There's no real fan/rider association. Riders don't even use their real names, but use a nickname - again, like a horse in the UK.

Good point. Rosco posted that he was in Portsmouth to get a ferry to France last night.

Who knows? They've obviously dropped the "no two riders over 8" rule, so it's possible.

The way Adam rode towards the end of the year makes him a "must" in my opinion. I would say Adam next, then Ellis Perks, then a couple of 3 pointers with a view to bringing Vissing in during the season.

Assuming he is at reserve, Sidney. Perks may well be in the top 5.

Good to see Rasmus back. Surely Ellis has to be in the side, too, which leaves three 3 pointers at the bottom end. I will not be happy is Adam Ellis gets left out.

I've been to a couple of Autorace meetings. The relationship to speedway is very tenuous. The best thing is the noise of the bikes. None of this silencer nonsense.

Certainly does. Unless Rosco forgot to check!

There was an interview - I think in the local paper - where he said something that hinted he would not ride here next year. I can't remember the exact comment, but a lot of people interpreted it that way.

It was there last season. I remember someone mentioning it during the season and then checking it was there.

Happy for Troy. He deserved to keep his place. From a team-building point of view is does put a big question mark over Rasmus, who looked a more likely returnee. But Troy deserves his place, although whether it's the best move in terms of the overall strength of the team is questionable. I think this will be a team built with mid-season changes lower down the order in mind. So, does this mean that the "2 over 8" rule has been ditched?

What I like about this signing is that Sheffield haven't relied on cast off Poole riders, or waited to see which riders can't be fitted into other teams, but have gone their own way and done it themselves. A very positive sign for how they will fare in the top flight, in my opinion.

Great news. Well done Sheffield.

Other than availability for some clubs, meaning they stay in a lower league, I don't see why fixed race nights are a problem. In fact, it has improved some of the problems that were occurring with riders being abroad or riding in lower leagues.

Fair enough. Leaves 3.81 for another reserve. Perhaps we would be weak at the bottom end at the start of the year, but that didn't work out too bad for us this year.