INCOGNITO

Luke Becker and Broc Nicol are on 4.00 averages but it depends what's left as only Drodz and Fricke have been leaked so far and Cook expected to be number one if they can agree terms. Chris Holder looks to be a real possibility as spaces are getting taken up and f he is riding in Britain it can only be at Kings Lynn (Unlikley) Poole (doesn't want to) Rye House (KK) or Belle Vue. Would be a great signing if Aces can secure him along with Fricke and Cook as a decent top three.

With what's left it would look like Andersen, Holder and Shanes but Leicester have snapped up Hans and Holder wants to be elsewhere so maybe they could be looking at Zengota and Richie Worrall ? ? Hope they stick with Shanes as the lad has potential

Lambert will be back which is good for the club and British Speedway but the number one race jacket may be a surprise to many if rumours are true as they haven't ridden here for a while. Dont see Kings Lynn as one of the challengers but just hope they get the track right as it can be a great circuit

9.29 Freddie Lindgren 8.64 Jacob Thorssell 8.00 Tai Woffinden 8.00 Piotr Pawlicki Before the one 8 point rider got voted in there was thoughts of using possibly three of these for the new season but with that rule coming in it meant you can only sign one and the loss of the TV deal meant on a business setting you had to go with possibly the cheapest option. With the accidents and injuries suffered by the Swedish pair, Woffinden or Pawlicki do look the bargain signings but at least one could become available if the new averages come out and allow them to come in

Damian Drodz on a 5.00 average is a good deal as he has potential and should soon settle in at home plus having Max Fricke with him should be a bonus for both as they start at new tracks. Quite a few posting if this rider signs it leaves X but at present only this early announced signing of Drodz and naming Fricke in the item are the only two Aces signed and there could be another surprise signing on the way if some rumours are to be believed. One be thing is clear is Belle Vue have some good riders to call upon and as long as Dan Bewley is back they know they will have a team challenging for honours again.

Everyone would love to see a last heat decider with four top class riders battling it out but fans and promoters have to see what the reality is and the fact is British Speedway CANT afford to try and use the big earners. Crowds are vastly down in most cases so the revenue has gone and with the lucrative TV deal money now all dried up, clubs are now getting towards a six figure sum less than a decade ago. With riders we want to see race here earning wages in excess of £3,000 a night at least, it takes the first 200 (300) through the turnstiles just to clear that issue and you still have the rest to pay plus expenses and running costs. However the idea of one big league at a lower level would considerably lower the wage bill and give tracks much more variety to promote on a more weekly basis. Current Championship tracks don't want to move up or be forced to sign stronger riders, but if they carry on as they are or at a slightly lower level, they would get more meetings and matches against local rivals that are currently in the other division. So while it's fine saying we want to see the big names back in Britain, these fans have to see the facts that they have outgrown this country and working abroad is the only way to make serious money and chase the big rewards and sponsors. Fixed race nights were bought in to stop fixture clashes and not entice the big earners back but having these two race nights can be seen as some as a possible way of getting good track time like Vaculik has and maybe even another possibly on his way to make a return to Britain. Bit the future of British Speedway has to be with British riders getting chances to develop and more riders given team places and at a level that the low turn out of fans and no TV deal can afford to give this country a marketable product for everyone. One Big League has to be the way forward soon before the lights go out

Leicester carried on using the facility for him knowing he wasn't risking further injury and Torun had important matches ahead

Home form should be fine but can't see this team doing much away. The modern day Lakeside

All riders that have appeared in the Grand Prix Series in the last three seasons and those riding in 2018 that did NOT appear here in 2017 will be given a 9.00 assessed average. This includes Woffinden, Zagar, Lindback, Pawlicki etc but doesn't include Chris Holder 7.16 as he rode here while Lindgren keeps his 9.29 average and Doyle his 9.69. Iversen will be 9.00 as his previous average was just short of nine. The one rule that does seem to have been forgotten is a rider coming to Britain that has achieved a certain average (6.00) in either the Swedish or Polish top division is assessed at 7.00 however Woryna keeps his 4.65 average from 2016 despite reaching an average just under eight for Rybnik which was higher than Doyle, Woffinden, Holder and Hancock. Despite winning the Gold Medal as a member of the World U21 SWC and the fact Coventry failed to start in 2017 (even though he wasn't signed) and he was at reserve in Poland (one easy race only) they have managed to keep his 2016 average

No but Doyle, Cook, Thorssell, Morris, Vaculik and Cook will start as 8+ riders and be listed as that during the season. If you allowed them to get a new average below 8 by May, you are opening the way for six point riders to be dropped to bring in another 8 plus rider (if any want to come) Look at it the other way. If Woryna has a first average of 8.32 and Kurtz is on 8.55, do you have to drop one ...... No because Woryna isn't on the list of 8+ riders and won't be even if they are averaging nine or ten. This is rule has been in before and one team wanted to bring in a new top rider but couldn't because it meant they now had two 8+ riders even though the one that started was now averaging under eight. The same when they bought in the rule no team was allowed more than three riders on 6.50 as these were heat leaders. These stayed classed as heat leaders all season even if they dropped to a figure below 6.50.

Martin Vaculik starts with an assessed average of 9.00 so forget Zagar or any other big name.

Brady Kurtz will still be classed as an 8+ rider even if his average drops to 6.59 and Woryna is averaging 8.76 it is only Kurtz that is classed as an 8+ rider so any new signing above 8 could only replace the one who is in the original line up. Woryna and Szczpaniek will both increase their averages anyway so will be above 42.5 and don't be Suprised if Holder (or Kasprzak) take the final place at Rye House

Chris Holder or Kaprzak at Rye House

Well Done for Somerset signing Doyke and securing his visa backed by Britsh Goverment but one rider doesn't make a team and can't see this team being strong enough to challenge. Suprised Somerset can afford the wages of the World Champion especially with no TV deal but maybe that is getting help from a third party to finance his move back.

The problem is that while they admit things needed to be done they still have the attitude that British Speedway is fine and a few twists will sort it. However the facts speak for themselves when you have the AGM it should be ALL the promoters voting on ALL issues not what is I your league. Take the 8+ rule which does have a small bit of credibility to it, the vote was done by just seven teams in the Premiership with Belle Vue not allowed to vote as its anew promotion even though Mark Lemon was there and spent years in the sport and at the club. Tje vote went 4-3 but Redcar, Ipswich, Lakeside etc should have all got a vote as its the BSPA AGM not the Premiership AGM and really Aces should have got a vote. So self interest comes into it and the correct procedure in an AGM is the Chairman only gets to vote if it's deadlock. So the vote would have been 4-3 against or 4-4 with the assistant Chairman getting the deciding vote if you don't include Championship voters. The he sport needed to be rebuilt and one big league done to Championship level should have been bought in using any night from Wednesday to Sunday and tracks like Poole and Wolverhampton coming down to the level of Redcar or Workington and not the way it was done years ago when they made the small tracks sign riders they couldn't afford. THEN if the big clubs wanted to race in a so called ELITE status let them run on a Monday only using the main five riders from their team and any other two riders in a season doing 14 fixtures only like Sweden and Poland and get it so BT will want to film it as it may be Woffinden and Lindgren v Doyle and Sayfutdinov or Zagar and Bjerre v Iversen and Kildemand etc. However they choose to carry on regardless and the only reason for fixed nights is to avoid fixture clashes between the two leagues and not to get star riders back. The funny thing is that they struggle to get all the fixtures done in a season anyway and now have to fit them in just 54 race nights

Anybody that is interested in riding for Kings Lynn please apply to 999 Norfolk Looks like being a battle of contracts between Zagar and Doyle for the number one jacket but will Thomas Jorgensen be second heat leader or can they convince someone else to join them ? 2018 looks like being a drawn out season for a few and certainly nothing new to attract more fans, but they are fine as things are ..... aren't they ?

Finished 2017 with a battered team that looked unstoppable but injuries cost them and the form of the two Swedes couldn't be replaced and thoughts went straight to who they get to team up with Freddie and Jacob in 2018. Rory Schlein had become a firm favourite on and off track and thoughts were he would get the call over Sam Masters and there was little doubt Kyle Howarth and Nathan Greaves would be back as both improved dramatically during the season. However when hen it became clear that only one of the Abba twins could return and a limit of 42.5 was in place, it meant bringing in a 3-4 point rider to replace them or rebalance the team in order to fit in with what others could field and signing Sam, Rory and Kyle straight away gave them two ways to go. sign Freddie or Jacob and have a weak tail end or go with a strong and equal top five and a strong but potential reserve. In the end they have opted to replace Freddie with local lad Ashley Morris who hasn't progressed much over the years and bought in Cameron Heaps to replace Mark Riss and give the Monmore team a look of the outback with Three Aussies lining up with the Three Brits and for the first time in ages, only one Swede ! Personally I think if they were going to name Freddie or Jacob, they needed to release either Rory or Sam and bring in a stronger middle order leaving a decent top five and more strength in depth and potential rather than two low order riders. Poole already look strong with Woryna on a very false average that should really be at least two points higher going on his improvement since 2016 and Mateusz S is also better than the rider from a few years ago and has challenged big names in big competition over recent years. Will Buczkowski be the next on a low average to back up the two Auusies (possibly three) but either way they already look much stronger than Wolves. Swindon are also rebuilding with much the same but didn't have as much to drop and look to be strong already until the mid season rotation .

Masters, Schlein and Howarth signed leaving 20.22 for the remaining four places With not many big names included in the league in 2018 you either look at it as having to get that one big name like Freddie but that restricts what you have left for the other three places. Signing Freddie leaves 10.93 but if there is so little in the way of big names, do you want to put so much into one rider and hope the tail end improves or hold their own. If Freddie is out injured and other teams also racing that night, there will be little to get in as a guest so rider replacement will possibly be the better option and having a weak tail end would mean you team is effectively 33.21 v 42.50 Jacob Thorssell holds a slightly lower average of 8.64 but he rode most of the season at four which is more of a second string role while Sam Masters is back on 7.92 which was achieved riding at number five which includes heat 13 and also struggled when returning from injury and could be considered to be on a par with Jacob. So would it hurt so much in starting with Sam as the number one and building a more solid team and a powerful reserve ? Bringing back Ricky Wells 6.75 and getting Nathan Greaves 2.54 in as the number seven leaves 10.93 for the last two which could be a new 6.00 number two and Mark Riss 4.69 at reserve which could be a better option than having a top heavy team when you think what the other teams will be putting out and more cost effective if there is no TV deal and the added income clubs require. Masters, Schlein, Wells, Howarth, 6.00, Riss, Greaves OR Lindgren/JT, Masters, Schlein, Howarth, Riss, Becker, Greaves

A new asset that hasn't ridden here before certainly gets a fee as no transfer was used but most riders get a signing on fee that helps them set up for the season. Having an asset can be a plus as you get first chance to talk to them or you get a loan fee. I remember Wolverhampton paid £18,000 for Nicki Pedersen from Newcastle and since he left the club as a rider they got more than that back from loan fees which was usually done according to their averages so the higher the average the higher the loan fee was. Now with only eight tracks in the top flight assets aren't much of a bonus as they want to race and will take on most offers where as in the past riders didn't want to ride for certain tracks for various reasons

Don't think it has. The rule was Poland and two other leagues with most having to do their home nation as one option. i presume with the massive TV deal they have, British clubs will again have to sign up that Poland get priority on riders with meetings mainly on Sunday's but also the odd Friday, Saturday and Monday's.

It's not so much owning the rider but owning their registration to the league. Poole own considerably more than they need and could probably run three or four teams but obviously get a loan fee when they are used by other British clubs.

They had the chance to sign him last year but opted not to and Edinburgh stepped in to sign him from Somerset and will receive a loan fee from Wolves just as they paid out for Schlein, Howarth, Riss, Greaves etc and in the last twelve months have sold a number of club assets like Klindt and Musielak

Kacper Woryna will do a decent job at Poole and was voted the most improved rider in the Polish Awards which is a major achievement when you consider in the same year Symon Wozniak lifted the PolishChampionship and scored well for Wroclaw who only just missed out on the league title. Since he rode for Coventry, he has not only become a much better ride but also been a member of the Polish U21 World Champions team with double figure scores, so anything other than a reassessed average of 7.00 (maybe 6.50) would be wrong. Last season Pawel Przedelski came in on a 7.00 average and while he had no previous experience here, they are both at roughly the same level now. Another rider that had a massive improvement in 2017 was Jakub Jamrog who in Poland was on fire and much better than the rider that also rode for Coventry but struggled to score points. Would he still be on a low average ? (Did he achieve an average)

It seems clear that if both Freddie and Jacob are fit for next season, the preferred choice is Freddie at number one, a position he holds down easily year after year while Jacob hardly ever rides at 5 and is used at 3 or 4 instead. So you have to think that if Freddie backs out or can't make it back in time, is Jacob the only other option for the number one position. Piotr Pawlicki is now given a 9.00 average, something he is certainly capable of holding down and now he is out of the GP's and likley to be out of the new SWC teams, he may see a season in Britain as the right move next season. HOWEVER Without the money from a TV deal, each club is going to be considerably down on income and even if they can afford to finance the deal themselves is only putting the finances of the club at risk and no track should really be considering such a move if there is no TV deal. Without a TV deal maybe Jacob Thorssell is on less than Freddie and would be affordable or do you build a team more cost effective with riders like Rory, Sam, Ricky Wells or even riders like Danny King or Richie Worrall. Think a few tracks will be awaiting the news on BT before committing to contracts that would only jepodise their clubs.

Freddie is the obvious choice as number one and with Sam Masters 7.92 and Rory Schlein 7.72 you have two of the best back up riders you can get under the eight average, so that should be the strongest trio next season on paper. The fact that Kyle virtually averaged the same home as away and including bonus points nearly averaged the same as Sam, on 6.64 he has to be included to make a strong top four. Obviously that means the bottom three have to be either bargains or riders that can improve and hold down a number two position while also holding their own at reserve. With just 10.93 left and using Nathan Greaves 2.54 at seven leaves 8.39 for the other two positions and going on the fact you don't want Nathan to be the better of the two reserves, rules out also adding a 2.00 riders to then form a strong top five. Luke Becker and Broc Nicol at 2 and 6 could be one option and both should feel more at home around Monmore than anywhere else but while you get potential, you also get inexperience Thomas H Jonasson 4.64 would be a bargain and alongside Freddie should make a decent pairing but I'm sure others will be contacting him with that average and wouldn't be surprised to see him on the south coast and would only leave enough for Ellis Perks or Max Clegg. However not including Nathan could give you enough for Nicol and a 2.00 1 Fredrik Lindgren 2 3 Kyle Howarth 4 Rory Schlein 5 Sam Masters 6 7 Becker, Nicol and Greaves THJ or Starke 5.08, Clegg or Perks and Greaves Lasse Bjerre or Patrick Hoogaard plus Greaves and 2.00