lucifer sam

Well done Steve. Just to add, Rob Godfrey was full of praise of the commitment put in by Gino last night: http://scunthorpescorpions.co/?p=8627

Most Olympic sports do have a sudden death final at the end of a couple of days of qualifying heats. For example, the 100m has heats one daytime, semi the following day, concluding with the final by the end of the evening. When Bolt had a poor final last year, that was it. He didn't still win the event, because he'd been first in a qualifier. The curling has a whole round-robin to determine the top four, but then becomes knockout. One exception is the heptathlon or decathlon, but those are a combination of different sports and a different kettle of fish. Otherwise there is nearly always some sort of final.

But, crucially, without a sick note. So no replacement allowed under SON rules.

It's real, unfortunately: That's the OFFICIAL account for the new GB set-up.

He cannot be replaced, unless ruled out by injury or illness. Which was obvious all along, otherwise why was there a deadline for submitting teams?

Complete shambles! Mr Rossiter, that's a great way of totally undermining one of your riders just prior to the Speedway Of Nations.

Have people not learnt? Shovvy's on the wind-up.

So there's already been heavy showers, plus a 95% of rain at 14.00, a 95% of rain at 15.00, a 95% of rain at 16.00, a 95% of rain at 17.00, a 75% of rain at 18.00 and a 50% of rain at 19.00, and you think this is something other than a rain-off?

Oh, for goodness sake, take that chip off your shoulder. I've seen my club die. I hope one day it is resurrected, but in the meantime, if you think I want Swindon to fail, then you're on a different planet. I don't to see any club close. Doubling-up is here at the moment, and sadly it isn't going away anytime time soon. While it's here, then there is a necessity for the two leagues to have different race-nights, and for the clubs to honour any agreement regarding those nights. Monday and Wednesday nights have not done Wolves or Poole any harm. They are perfectly acceptable nights for speedway.

Don't be daft. You've got this dangerous 'us' and 'them' mentality when it comes to the two leagues. It's about both leagues working together. And also about neither thinking they're more important than the other one.

Sorry, but you've got it wrong. Mondays and Wednesdays were the dates agreed at the AGM by the promoters from BOTH divisions - not Mondays and Thursdays.

Yes, typical arrogance from a top-flight fan.

Nice try, but there's far more many riders of second division standard doubling-up than those of first division standard. Almost every second string and reserve in the top-flight is a second division standard rider. Add in some second and third heat-leaders as well. If the top-flight want first call, then it's about time they put out genuine top-flight teams. If not, then the two leagues need to avoid racing on the same night. And with three teams to one, it's clear Thursday has to be a Championship night. It's an agreed night, and needs to be stuck to. Swindon either need to run on Mondays and Wednesdays next year, or otherwise down drop to the Championship and race on Thursdays.

The whole problem stems from the top-flight using riders who are second division standard. If the top-flight clubs want everyone to fit around them, then I suggest they go out and sign proper top-flight riders. That would stop the need for doubling-up and allow more freedom on race-nights. While doubling-up is so common, then fixed race-nights are needed to avoid a repeat of the total farce of last season. And the agreement in place is quite clear. Mondays and Wednesdays for the Premiership, and Thursdays to Sundays for the Championship.

I don't really see how Thursday is any different to Wednesday. Thursday is out, because Sheffield, Ipswich and Redcar all ride on a Thursday. Hopefully the stupid situation where Swindon are allowed to ride on Thursday will only last this season, and Robins have to fall into line and run on Mondays and Wednesdays next year.

Nicolai Klindt is riding for Workington: http://scunthorpescorpions.co/?p=8563 Still a big test for Scorpions, even with Bewley and BWD missing, especially with Tero booked in as the guest at No 7. It should be a great night of speedway.

Kyle Howarth guests for Steve Worrall.

Best wishes Brett Saunders!

ALL ROADS LEAD TO THE EDDIE WRIGHT RACEWAY! HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions – fresh from a brilliant 54-36 away victory in the Championship Shield at Redcar last night – will be looking to get their league fixtures off to a winning start, when they entertain the Bears at the Eddie Wright Raceway tonight (Friday, 7.30pm). Scorpions will utilise the rider replacement facility to cover for injured skipper Steve Worrall. Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey says: “Tonight’s match at the Eddie Wright Raceway is a very important one for us, because it represents our opening league match. “We’ve already beaten Redcar home and away in the Championship Shield this year, and there’s no reason why we can’t defeat them again, but the scores start from 0-0 and we still have a job to do. “We feel we’ve got a team that can challenge on all fronts this season. We’ve taken a major step towards the semi-finals of the Championship Shield, and now we turn our attention to the most important competition of all – the league championship. “I feel it’s going to be another terrific night of racing at the EWR and one that our supporters are not going to want to miss. All roads lead to the Eddie Wright Raceway!” There will also be 160cc racing in the second half, a recently introduced class in the Amateur Meetings at Scunthorpe that is rapidly expanding. Admission prices for tonight: Adult: £16.00 Student/OAP: £14.00 Child (10 – 17): £5.00 Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult) Family Ticket £37 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-17) Match Programme: £1.00 Expected teams for tonight: Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Rider replacement for Steve Worrall, 2. Stefan Nielsen, 3. Josh Auty, 4. Jake Allen, 5. Jason Garrity (captain), 6. Danny Phillips, 7. Gino Manzares. Redcar Bears: 1. Ben Barker, 2. Tobias Busch, 3. Jonas B. Andersen, 4. Mikkel B. Andersen, 5. Matej Kus, 6. Jordan Stewart, 7. Theo Pijper.

Thanks very much.

Cheers Norbold. In addition, I looked one week further on in the Speedway Star regarding the home match v Wolves (i.e. the week after the match report), in which it mentioned Mauger's 'homecoming' after the World Final and that he broke the tapes in Heat 1. So it was indeed a tapes exclusion, rather than one for two minutes, so Grand Central your thinking was right. That's everything confirmed expect for the Leicester away match on July 29.

Thanks very much.

Thanks Grand Central and DaveAllan81. I've also checked through the Speedway Stars of that year: Hackney: mentions excluded for tape breaking Glasgow: simply mentions "excluded" (but Dave Allan has confirmed completed programmed says he broke the tapes) Leicester: simply mentions "excluded" West Ham: mentions excluded for tape breaking Belle Vue (home v Wolves): does not mention exclusion in write-up: in heat details it does include exclusion but merely states (exc) So it's Leicester (A) and Wolves (H) that still need confirmation.

I’m putting together some stats on Ivan Mauger’s remarkable 1969 season with Belle Vue, when he was almost unbeatable in races that he completed. I’m trying to get to the bottom of the five exclusions he suffered during the course of that season. According to the brilliant Speedway Researcher website: April 18: Hackney (A) Heat 11: Chris Pusey, Jimmy Gooch, Des Lukehurst, Norman Nevitt (fell), MAUGER (tapes) May 9: Glasgow (A) Heat 9: Oyvind Berg, Tommy Roper, Russ Dent, Eric Broadbelt, MAUGER (tapes) July 29: Leicester (A) Heat 11: 11: John Boulger, Chris Pusey, Malcolm Brown, Bill Powell, MAUGER (tapes) August 26: West Ham (A) Heat 1: Ken McKinlay, Steve Waplington, Eric Broadbelt, Stan Stevens, MAUGER (tapes) September 27: Wolverhampton (H) Excluded from Heat 1 (2 mins) However, according to a Peter Oakes article in Speedway Star in 2003, Mauger was excluded for tapes infringements against Hackney, West Ham and Wolverhampton. No mention of either Glasgow or Leicester. Speedway Star did not include tapes or two-minute exclusions in their heat details in 1969. Is anyone able to clarify the nature of Ivan’s exclusions from these 1969 meetings? It would be great if someone had original marked programmes. Thanks for any help that can be given.