Grachan

So we have 18.14.3, which says: "A Team Member (#1 – 5) is subject to a maximum of 4 programmed rides, with the possibility of one nomination as an RR (or IRR or TS) and for Heat 15. " And we have 18.12.2, which states: "A Tactical Substitute... Allows a programmed rider (including a rider taking an RR or an IRR) to be nominated as a TS." So, a rider can be used as a Tactical Substitute in an R/R ride, which, surely (it always did before anyway) would allow them to take a TS ride plus a R/R ride. But 18.4.3 seems to indicate that a rider cannot take a TS AND a R/R ride. Surely this is not what they mean. It pretty much stops you using a Tac Sub in a match if you are using R/R for someone. At Leicester, Swindon were prevented from using Troy Bachelor as a TS in an R/R ride.

Rosco is not too complimentary about the situation in todays Advertiser, saying it's ridiculous that the PL is protected on Thursdays, yet we have teams riding on Wednesdays when they don't have priority, with only Swindon riding on a Thursday.

You don't need him. I am correct. I spent my formative years obsessed with averages. Whether or not a rider is replaced is irrelevant in terms of average. It is only relevant in terms of how many rides are counted towards his total in the meeting. Two minute exclusion - not counted towards averages. Tapes exclusion - counts towards averages. Exclusion for moving at the start.. .er... dunno. You never had that when I was obsessed with averages.

It does. Unless there has been a recent rule change, a tape exclusion counts as a ride in the averages. If they are replaced, it doesn't count as one of the rides for the meeting, but still does in regards of the rider's average. A two-minute exclusion does not count towards the averages. The only doubt I have is that this is a fact from about 20 years ago, so may have changed. But it was certainly the case in the past and I'm 99.9% certain it still is.

It does, however, count as a ride in the averages.

He is correct though. You could have replaced the rider anyway, regardless of whether or not he broke the tapes.

Interesting to see that the top 3 teams are the 3 that were forced to load off an 8-pointer this year.

Following on updates, with Swindon 2 down going into the last, I just KNEW that Danny King was going to pop out and win heat 15. I was quite relieved when he wasn't used. Great win for Swindon, who looked out of it early on.

It's even in this year's rules that a rider can be used as a t/s in an r/r ride (rule 18.2.2). So lord knows why we were prevented from doing it. Bad refereeing.

It always could.

It's not just about riders trying, it's about the significance of the race for supporters in terms of how important it is. The frustrating thing is that the 2 points for a win of 6 or less was dropped because, apparently, it meant fans were disappounted if they dropped a point. Surely that was the whole point of it and why it worked. For me, if the match is won, I would be more than happy to see a rider who needs to bring his average down come out in heat 15 and throw in a nice, handy last place. Jason Doyle himself tweeted last year that it looked like he had ridden himself out of a job, which almost proved to be the case until Somerset picked him up. And I'm not even going to try to explain the "46 points to win a match but the average is 42.5" logic. It's been done to death on here.

Yup. And the home team supporters won't give a stuff if they do.

Well I think it has taken a lot away from what was a good scoring system. I would think that an awful lot of supporters couldn't give a stuff if the away team gets a point and would be a lot more interested in whether their own side loses one. Out of interest, were any Swindon fans gutted that King's Lynn gained a point from heat 15? Did any even notice?

Swindon didn't lose a point. It is now 3 for winning at home regardless of the score. It means pretty much nothing to home supporters whether or not King's Lynn get a point. If it meant Swindon losing one, it would.

It should be there in respect of keeping the meeting exciting. That's the main reason it worked. How many King's Lynn fams were there? They would have been the only ones who cared what happened in heat 15.

Stars get a 4-2 in the last to secure a point. So what? Makes no difference to Swindon, whose top two both scrored lower than their average in heat 15. They'd already secured 3 league points. Bring back the old scoring system.

Quite. I always enjoyed the Oxford press conferences, and that is where this idea comes from as far as I know. I think it was Waggy who introduced them.

Because it's the same situation for the opposition. There is, as Robert De Niro might say, a flip side to that coin. If Iversen gets injured, then when King's Lynn are at teams riding on a Monday or Wednesday they have a limited choice of guest. When they are at Swindon they can choose any guest from any other team. Just as unfair?

Everyone should have been riding on Thursdays. That was the day that was set to be reserved for British racing but everyone else went with Wednesday because they are Ipswich and Poole's poodles. Incidentally, their opposition on a Thursday will also have more choice of guests if needed, so where's the advantage?

It was a genuine comment, even if it does prove incorrect. Jason tweeted last year that it looked like he might have ridden himself out of a job, and I said at the time that I wondered if he would keep himself below 8 this year, so I'm just interested to see if he does. It's not a criticism. For example, why bust a gut in heat 15 if the match is already won and there's no longer anything to gain by winning by more than 6.

Looks like Jason is playing safe with his average this year and keeping it on the sensible side of 8.

Because he is allowed to. Which he shouldn't be.

I remember going to Exeter in 1975 while in Devon on a scout camp. We arranged a trip to speedway in the evening to see an Exeter v Hull match. In those days you could actually lean on the safety fence and lean out over the track as the riders came down the straight, which I did in one race. I leaned right out in front of Ivan Mauger as he came down at full speed and shot past. For a brief moment, I looked right into his eyes as he came past. I will never forget that image. He had such distinctive eyes. Lord knows what he thought of kids leaning out in front of him as he went past! It was a regular thing at that time. I still have the programme. Exeter won 51-27. Ivan Mauger? Paid maximum with 2 second places behind Exeter no 2 Mike Farrell.

It makes quite a bit of sense to put the stronger rider at number two away from home with no TS in heat 8.

https://www.totalswindon.com/sport/morris-frustrated-after-meeting-abandoned/