lucifer sam

Surely he'll ride for Birmingham in the PL, if they are back. All the best Rob

Yup, this season the monsoon month was August, next year it'll be a different month. You can't predict the British weather. All the best Rob

A lot of the examples so far have been two meetings rather than one; even the fours is arguably three meetings (two semis and a final) all rolled up into one. How about the longest time for a single meeting? The 2005 Conference League Pairs at Wimbledon took 4 hours and 15 minutes to stage 19 heats of speedway. Can that be beaten? All the best Rob

Flagrag pretty much confirmed that was the case. All the best Rob

Not a bad selection, but Kildemand is a far better rider than THJ. All the best Rob

Benji was brought down in a first bend accident in Heat 6 at Scunny. He popped his shoulder back into place and went out in the re-run. He subsequently came out in Heat 8, was in third, but went very wide on the final bend, lost third, and crawled over the line. His shoulder had popped back out, and there was a delay between Heats 10 & 11 while he was tended to. All the best Rob

Didn't the 2013 Fours at Peterborough take 5 and a half hours? All the best Rob

Last weekend, Scunny ran stocks on Saturday and speedway on Sunday. The start-time on Sunday was moved back from 3pm to 5pm to give the track staff a bit more time. Thomas Jorgensen was 0.01 outside of the track record in Heat 1. All the best Rob

Hold on Phil, I'm now confused. If anyone pulls out, such as Gollob and Sayfutdinov this year, then we're not just talking about temporary replacements for one or two meetings, are we? Will any reserves for the WHOLE series (e.g. in the way Chris Harris and Troy Batchelor were for this year) come from the GP challenge or be selected by BSI/FIM? All the best Rob

Bye, bye genuine world championship. Hello invitational event. All the best Rob

Blimey, so you want teams to only have 12 or 13 home meetings a year? Some teams would finish their fixtures in July All the best Rob

I would imagine the BSPA will send out confirmation regarding the shared events, including the pairs, after their conference in mid-November. I'd be highly surprised if the pairs did move, but in any case, it would be 99.99% certain that Somerset would stage a meeting the night before Cardiff, when it's a guaranteed bumper crowd. All the best Rob

There's no guarantee that any month will have nice weather. This year, August was the worst of the lot. September was nice this year, other years it's a been a washout. Yup, the weather for this week is not good, let's hope for something better next week for the two legs of the final. Late October finals are squeaky bum time in case it does rain, but the weather could be fine next week... you never know. In any case, it's the final, your team are in it, get along and support them and have a great time. All the best Rob

It was a hard-fought group, and I did wonder looking at updates around Heat 6 last night, whether there was one last little twist in the tale to come. Unlike some, I didn't see the group as a foregone conclusion, and there's absolutely no guarantee that the matches would finish the same as the league matches earlier in the season, some of which took place as long ago as April. Ippo proved this last night - they didn't go to Somerset thinking it was a hopeless case, they went to get the result and gave Somerset a match. As for Scunny vs Ipswich, you'd like to think every team would put in as much effort into each match, whether they are still in contention or not. It would be unfair on the other teams if not. Ipswich were probably kicking themselves on the result of this one, it was a great opportunity to get the draw or win they needed, but in the end, the likes of Auty and Howe pulled out some superb races towards the end of the meeting. From the 4 matches I saw, each of the three teams in this group can take credit on a closely fought group, with Somerset triumphing despite suffering from their own share of adversity. And the Edinburgh vs Somerset final is a fascinating one. In this case, the league matches weren't all that long ago, and I think they can be looked at. In which, it might be pretty close on aggregate in the PL final for a third successive season. The play-offs in the Premier League are a winner every time. All the best Rob

Well, I'd ask for a refund from the charm school if I were you, whoever this is the second account for, as all you do is to appear to insult people. Appear once in a blue moon to back up other posters and then disappear again... rather obvious don't you think? All the best Rob

Incredible amount of history at Brandon. As well as the 67 continuous years of operation of the Bees, there's countless British Finals, several World Team Cup Finals, and even the British Grand Prix for three years from 1998 to 2000 - the biggest speedway event in the UK. All the best Rob

You're not going to start talking to yourself again, are you? But suffice to say, Somerset completely deserved to win the group. All the best Rob

Well done Somerset - deserving winners of the group. All the best Rob

Have joined. All the best Rob

DOUBLE-HEADER TO BRING DOWN CURTAIN ON 2014 SEASON THE EDDIE WRIGHT RACEWAY stages its final 30-heat feast of speedway of the 2014 season on Sunday (please note start-time of 5pm), before the long break for the winter months, with a mouth-watering double-header featuring both Scunthorpe sides, with Sheffield and Buxton providing the opposition. There’s local derby action between the FluidAir Power Scorpions and Sheffield Tigers in a Premier League match, with the Scorpions having had the ‘Indian Sign’ over their nearest-and-dearest in recent seasons. It’s the sixth clash between the two local rivals in 2014. Scunthorpe have won all three meetings at Sheffield’s Owlerton Stadium, while it stands at one apiece at the Eddie Wright Raceway; the Tigers having won a League Cup match at Scunthorpe right at the outset of the season. Looking at league meetings alone, the Scorpions have a remarkable run against Sheffield, having won every PL encounter home and away against the Tigers since 2012 – a run of seven meetings. And while the Premier League match normally takes star billing at the Eddie Wright Raceway, the following National League clash on Sunday, between the Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Stags and the Buxton Hitmen, is just as highly anticipated. The Stags are chasing their first win of the 2014 season, against the team just above them in the league table. They put in a fighting performance at Buxton last week, before succumbing to a narrow 40-51 defeat, and the Stags are looking for revenge against the Hitmen on Sunday. Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “It’s a long break for the winter months, and it’s going to be over five months, nearly six, until the next speedway meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway. The fans are going to be starved of action over the next few months, so this is the chance for one last feast before the end of the season. “There should be some fantastic action ahead, during the two meetings in the double-header on Sunday. “Everyone loves to have the upper hand on their local rivals, and we have a chance to make it four wins out of four in Premier League matches against Sheffield this season. We want to take the bragging rights into the winter. “Plus we have the young Stags looking for their first win. These lads have improved so much over the course of the season, hitting the 40-point barrier in their last two outings, and it would be great if they could finish the season with a victory over Buxton.” Nicolai Klindt and Ryan Douglas are both ruled out by the spate of scaphoid injuries that scuppered the Scorpions’ chances in the play-offs, with Somerset’s Todd Kurtz stepping in as a guest, alongside the rider replacement facility. Skipper Ashley Birks is set to return from his scaphoid injury. Scunthorpe also give another opportunity to club asset Matt Williamson at No 6, who won his first race in Scorpions’ colours last Friday, much to the delight of both management and supporters. Sheffield are another side who have suffered due to injury, but bring in a number of former Scunthorpe riders, in the shape of Carl Wilkinson, Benji Compton and James Sarjeant, none of whom are slouches around the Eddie Wright Raceway. Heat 15 of the Scunthorpe vs Sheffield match has special significance, as it will determine the winner of the Kenny Smith Memorial Shield, the former Scorpions’ team manager and co-promoter, who passed away in 2009, after a battle against cancer. Sunday’s adult admission price for the double-header is £17. It’s just £2 more than a single Premier League meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway, for 15 extra heats of action. The circuit rightfully has won the award, several times, for being the best racetrack in the Premier League, so a full and exciting afternoon/evening of racing is ahead. Don’t miss it – it’ll be a fair few months until the next chance! Admission prices for Sunday: Adult: £17.00 Student/OAP: £15.00 Child (10 – 17): £5.00 Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult) Family Ticket £39 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-17) Match Programme: £1.00 NOTE REGARDING ADMISSION PRICES FOR SUNDAY FOR THOSE WITH A VALID SCUNTHORPE v SHEFFIELD RE-ADMISSION TICKET: Admission prices on Sunday for those with a valid re-admission ticket from the abandoned Scunthorpe v Sheffield meeting from August 15th will be as follows: Adult: £15.00 (£2 deduction) Student/OAP: £13.00 (£2 deduction) Child (10 - 17): £3.00 (£2 deduction) Family Ticket £33 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-16) (£6 deduction) Expected teams for Sunday (English unless stated): FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. David Howe, 2. Rider replacement for Ryan Douglas (Australia), 3. Thomas Jørgensen (Denmark), 4. Todd Kurtz (Australia), 5. Josh Auty, 6. Matt Williamson, 7. Ashley Birks. Sheffield Tigers: 1. Aaron Summers (Australia), 2. R/R for Taylor Poole (Australia), 3. Ben Wilson, 4. Carl Wilkinson, 5. Leigh Lanham, 6. Benji Compton, 7. James Sarjeant. Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Stags: 1. Sam Chapman, 2. Arron Mogridge, 3. Danno Verge, 4. Reece Downes, 5. Steve Jones, 6. Ellis Perks, 7. Ryan MacDonald (Scotland). Buxton Hitmen: 1. Liam Carr R/R, 2. Tony Atkin, 3. Adam Extance, 4. Tom Woolley, 5. Ryan Blacklock, 6. Stefan Farnaby, 7. Paul Bowen. KENNY SMITH 1954-2009 A legend of Scunthorpe Speedway Kenny Smith died in 2009, after a brave battle against throat cancer. He was both co-promoter and team manager of the Scorpions. Just two days before he passed away, he was taken around the Scunthorpe track on the back of David Howe’s bike for two emotional laps of honour. Kenny’s grandfather was one of the pioneer riders in the sport’s early days back in the 1920s. Kenny began his own racing career in grasstrack, before taking up speedway in the late sixties at Doncaster. However, he is best remembered for his involvement on the other side of the speedway fence. After being involved at Middlesbrough, he switched to Newcastle when the Teesside club’s Cleveland Park track closed. Newcastle boss George English, soon made him Assistant Team Manager and Kenny took responsibility for the Newcastle Gems when they entered a side in the Conference League. With speedway returned to Scunthorpe to 2005 after a twenty-year absence, Kenny offered his services, as the Gems had withdrawn from the Conference League following the 2004 season. He was taken on board as Scorpions’ team manager, and was delighted when the Scorpions carried all before then to sweep to successive Conference League titles in 2006 and 2007. Kenny’s unswerving passion for the sport and the Scunthorpe club was rewarded in 2007 when he became a co-promoter and the club could have never wished for a greater ambassador.

DOUBLE-HEADER TO BRING DOWN CURTAIN ON 2014 SEASON THE EDDIE WRIGHT RACEWAY stages its final 30-heat feast of speedway of the 2014 season on Sunday (please note start-time of 5pm), before the long break for the winter months, with a mouth-watering double-header featuring both Scunthorpe sides, with Sheffield and Buxton providing the opposition. There’s local derby action between the FluidAir Power Scorpions and Sheffield Tigers in a Premier League match, with the Scorpions having had the ‘Indian Sign’ over their nearest-and-dearest in recent seasons. It’s the sixth clash between the two local rivals in 2014. Scunthorpe have won all three meetings at Sheffield’s Owlerton Stadium, while it stands at one apiece at the Eddie Wright Raceway; the Tigers having won a League Cup match at Scunthorpe right at the outset of the season. Looking at league meetings alone, the Scorpions have a remarkable run against Sheffield, having won every PL encounter home and away against the Tigers since 2012 – a run of seven meetings. And while the Premier League match normally takes star billing at the Eddie Wright Raceway, the following National League clash on Sunday, between the Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Stags and the Buxton Hitmen, is just as highly anticipated. The Stags are chasing their first win of the 2014 season, against the team just above them in the league table. They put in a fighting performance at Buxton last week, before succumbing to a narrow 40-51 defeat, and the Stags are looking for revenge against the Hitmen on Sunday. Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “It’s a long break for the winter months, and it’s going to be over five months, nearly six, until the next speedway meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway. The fans are going to be starved of action over the next few months, so this is the chance for one last feast before the end of the season. “There should be some fantastic action ahead, during the two meetings in the double-header on Sunday. “Everyone loves to have the upper hand on their local rivals, and we have a chance to make it four wins out of four in Premier League matches against Sheffield this season. We want to take the bragging rights into the winter. “Plus we have the young Stags looking for their first win. These lads have improved so much over the course of the season, hitting the 40-point barrier in their last two outings, and it would be great if they could finish the season with a victory over Buxton.” Nicolai Klindt and Ryan Douglas are both ruled out by the spate of scaphoid injuries that scuppered the Scorpions’ chances in the play-offs, with Somerset’s Todd Kurtz stepping in as a guest, alongside the rider replacement facility. Skipper Ashley Birks is set to return from his scaphoid injury. Scunthorpe also give another opportunity to club asset Matt Williamson at No 6, who won his first race in Scorpions’ colours last Friday, much to the delight of both management and supporters. Sheffield are another side who have suffered due to injury, but bring in a number of former Scunthorpe riders, in the shape of Carl Wilkinson, Benji Compton and James Sarjeant, none of whom are slouches around the Eddie Wright Raceway. Heat 15 of the Scunthorpe vs Sheffield match has special significance, as it will determine the winner of the Kenny Smith Memorial Shield, the former Scorpions’ team manager and co-promoter, who passed away in 2009, after a battle against cancer. Sunday’s adult admission price for the double-header is £17. It’s just £2 more than a single Premier League meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway, for 15 extra heats of action. The circuit rightfully has won the award, several times, for being the best racetrack in the Premier League, so a full and exciting afternoon/evening of racing is ahead. Don’t miss it – it’ll be a fair few months until the next chance! Admission prices for Sunday: Adult: £17.00 Student/OAP: £15.00 Child (10 – 17): £5.00 Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult) Family Ticket £39 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-17) Match Programme: £1.00 NOTE REGARDING ADMISSION PRICES FOR SUNDAY FOR THOSE WITH A VALID SCUNTHORPE v SHEFFIELD RE-ADMISSION TICKET: Admission prices on Sunday for those with a valid re-admission ticket from the abandoned Scunthorpe v Sheffield meeting from August 15th will be as follows: Adult: £15.00 (£2 deduction) Student/OAP: £13.00 (£2 deduction) Child (10 - 17): £3.00 (£2 deduction) Family Ticket £33 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-16) (£6 deduction) Expected teams for Sunday (English unless stated): FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. David Howe, 2. Rider replacement for Ryan Douglas (Australia), 3. Thomas Jørgensen (Denmark), 4. Todd Kurtz (Australia), 5. Josh Auty, 6. Matt Williamson, 7. Ashley Birks. Sheffield Tigers: 1. Aaron Summers (Australia), 2. R/R for Taylor Poole (Australia), 3. Ben Wilson, 4. Carl Wilkinson, 5. Leigh Lanham, 6. Benji Compton, 7. James Sarjeant. Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Stags: 1. Sam Chapman, 2. Arron Mogridge, 3. Danno Verge, 4. Reece Downes, 5. Steve Jones, 6. Ellis Perks, 7. Ryan MacDonald (Scotland). Buxton Hitmen: 1. Liam Carr R/R, 2. Tony Atkin, 3. Adam Extance, 4. Tom Woolley, 5. Ryan Blacklock, 6. Stefan Farnaby, 7. Paul Bowen. KENNY SMITH 1954-2009 A legend of Scunthorpe Speedway Kenny Smith died in 2009, after a brave battle against throat cancer. He was both co-promoter and team manager of the Scorpions. Just two days before he passed away, he was taken around the Scunthorpe track on the back of David Howe’s bike for two emotional laps of honour. Kenny’s grandfather was one of the pioneer riders in the sport’s early days back in the 1920s. Kenny began his own racing career in grasstrack, before taking up speedway in the late sixties at Doncaster. However, he is best remembered for his involvement on the other side of the speedway fence. After being involved at Middlesbrough, he switched to Newcastle when the Teesside club’s Cleveland Park track closed. Newcastle boss George English, soon made him Assistant Team Manager and Kenny took responsibility for the Newcastle Gems when they entered a side in the Conference League. With speedway returned to Scunthorpe to 2005 after a twenty-year absence, Kenny offered his services, as the Gems had withdrawn from the Conference League following the 2004 season. He was taken on board as Scorpions’ team manager, and was delighted when the Scorpions carried all before then to sweep to successive Conference League titles in 2006 and 2007. Kenny’s unswerving passion for the sport and the Scunthorpe club was rewarded in 2007 when he became a co-promoter and the club could have never wished for a greater ambassador.

Thanks for the explanation - it's revealing to see how much a rain off costs Sky. I think the more dedicated fans would watch the races on the Sky Sports website, although obviously not in the same numbers. All the best Rob

Surely Sky already have it in their diary to go to Poole next Wednesday? All the best Rob

One year in, and I can't see that the Coventry fans have done a single thing, despite Colin Mills trying to prompt them. Two years and counting, folks, if you let Sandhu get his way. Time to oppose him in every single way you can. Go down the Oxford route and see if you can get the stadium designated as a conservation area - that'll put in a huge hurdle in Sandhu's way. The more you can do is mess him up while the stadium is still operational, the more chance of it staying that way. Don't fall for 'let Brandon get knocked down and then open a stadium elsewhere' routine. That never happens. Look at Reading. The Oxford fans have found that you've got a surprising amount of power on your side, if you win over the MP and local council. Come on Coventry folk, if you tackle this now, you CAN make a huge difference and keep Brandon open. A start would be 300-400 fans in attendance on October 18th, making their feelings known. You've got to forget any past successes under Sandhu. He is now trying to kill your speedway club. Oppose him at every turn, and stop him getting his way. All the best Rob

Scared of facing the Rebels in the final, then. All the best Rob