INCOGNITO

While the return of Freddie Lindgren was a vital signing the issue of Tai and Piotr were the key factors in assembling the best team possible. With Jacob and Freddie sorted the main aim had to be getting a second heat leader to assist Freddie as he is going to find it hard to get anything like his starting average so a good heat leader was very important. Tobiasz Musielak is a great signing but on a 6.50 average this would have meant the last place would have to have been a very low average rider. With 12.31 left most of that was needed to get another top scorer in and had the rumours of Greg Hancock been true we would be looking at Wolves as potential title contenders. Even someone like Maciej Janowski or Peter Kildemand or even Shamek Pawlicki would have given them more top end power. This is not saying any of these would be available but even Bjarne Pedersen was linked to Wolverhampton and is a consistent scorer as a heat leader even under the format used in 2014. Peter Karlsson and Ricky Wells are decent second strings and under other circumstances they would be looked at as good signings as long as there was more strength at the top with Tai and Piotr Add Musielak to those and you are looking at a more balanced team even if they have a lower combined average.

Lewis Blackbird is a Mildenhall asset

Quite true and that is why many felt that Ricky was unlucky to lose his place last season as Jacob rode in just seven matches as a heat leader compared to twelve for Ricky. Ricky was possibly more consistent away with fours and fives while Jacob had a few good and a few nightmares. Basically you are looking at roughly ten points between them away from Monmore Green and much the same for PK and Tobiasz which leaves about 25 between Freddie and the reserves. They have to be looking at ten points away at least and that is without dropping points at home which considering the teams already sorted is going to be hard to achieve

Think Blackbird only misses a few meetings for Wolves where as Lawson and Birks miss quite a few for Lakeside

When you look at the main reserves in each Elite League team starting the forthcoming season there is no reason to make it easier for them as it was last season and they need testing more. Worrall Auty Kerr Garrity Newman Wright and Blackbird are all six plus riders in the Premier League and need to be facing the likes of Thorssell Morris Stead Watt etc a bit more than fellow reserves and second strings

Lakeside may struggle more than many think especially now Lawson will be missing a number of matches and they don't have the best reserves so I could see them near the bottom if they lose a few at home. Wolves don't look great but if Ben Barker fills the last place it could be a decent signing and if the averages of Lindgren and Musielak drop in the first half of the season you could see Woffinden or Pawlicki coming in at the run in. Swindon are not too bad but can Meidzinski get anywhere near an 8 average in this format and will Morris be able to score as a heat leader. A long with Leicester those look the four weakest but Belle Vue always seem to fall short and if they do again it could be Wolves that step up to the top four. Poole Coventry Kings Lynn and Wolverhampton in the top four with a Poole v Coventry final yet again Leicester the wooden spoon winners but Swindon not far above them.

Garrity is a Rye House asset and now won't miss a meeting for Coventry but I doubt Wolverhampton will be in for him

As good a signing as you can hope for really but even with Meidzinski Holder Jonsson Zengota and Lindgren back in the Elite League it only covers up the fact we have lost more respected heat leaders than have come back. Woffinden Kildemand Worrall Toft Hansen Kylmakorpi Wells Barker Lahti Woodward Gustafsson Pawlicki Gracjzoneck Milik Pawlicki Ward all not included so far in the Elite League from last year.. Some may be in like Barker at Wolves and at least one at Poole but the trend is still riders turning there back on Britain. What we do have though is riders on inflated averages due to the impractical heat formula used last season.

Magic deserves a return ticket to Poole and I would think that a season on the side or a year at Swindon is best for Darcy Ward to move forward in his career. Would certainly make the Robins a competitive team as they look like they need a big scorer and big name to attract new fans for the future

I can't see the problem with gardening at the tapes as long as they are ready when the race is due to start. The problem I see is having a rider being called to the gate and still carries on digging and then pulls back to clear his goggles or adjust his clutch lever. When all four riders are at the tapes the referee should flash the green light a few times and this means that they should be still at the tapes and ready to go. The green light is then put on and if any rider is not in position they are excluded. This would soon ensure all riders would be ready when the green light flashes and races would go out in time. The starting area should be maintained through the meeting by the start Marshall or a member of track staff so little gardening is required

Surely if you buy back a rider you use him instead of having loan riders

Ok. Without looking can someone please list league titles Greg has won ?

The interesting point is riders averages the following year and this could mean all non EU riders having to have at least a 7800 average in the Premier League and possibly 6.00 in the Elite League. This would mean no young Aussies coming over to learn their trade and instead possibly having to go to Swedish or Polish lower league teams instead of here. The thing is how many are included in teams at the moment on lower averages than should be and will these have to be changed as well ?

Nicki doesn't get on well with certain people and there is quite a few in this country that would not want him around and if he returned to Wolverhampton then there is every liklihood they would lose some well loved riders. Plus Nicki does not win league titles and apart from in Denmark I don't think he has any to his name even after a long and successful career as an individual

Lewis Bridger can be a match winner or a liability but I think you will find he will be going all out for the points and unless he has a bad start with falls or engine performance then you will have a great signing. All those that question his inclusion in the team. Let's see how many are demanding he is in the Team GB line up come June. Coventry Belle Vue and possibly Poole will be the three strongest line ups and play offs should be easily achievable

Lewis Bridger set to come out of retirement Good signing and with Daniel King will provide good back up especially at Eastbourne ..... well Lakeside then :-)

Pawlicki has already been allowed to talk to Poole about this season but obviously they are waiting to see what the situation is with Darcy and Holder

Pete Adams is a financial adviser and has been behind Tai for some time. Tai has this season all planned and it's a shame it doesn't include Wolverhampton but he has a great team behind him this year and will be up for the title. Mads Korneliussen is not interested in riding here so the list gets shorter

Kylmakorpi doesn't fit and Korneliussen doesn't want to ride so it's looking like Ricky Wells or Ben Barker for the last place. Some teams are looking at new signings due to the visa problems and Coventry could possibly be replacing Woodward so six point riders are in demand now

So a rider like Max Fricke for instance can ride for Belle Vue and Torun for example but not Belle Vue and Sheffield. Surely the best way is to stop them earning money in other countries and more here where they would be liable for tax and can be tracked easily rather than let loose across Europe

Now this may be wrong but something that someone has indicated to me that could be a problem with the new visas. When riders get a visa to ride and live here they do so by having a sponsor (employer) that says they are backing their application. However as these riders also ride abroad this is done without any control by the sponsor and therefore could be a problem as that is not part of their deal with a visa. So any rider that has ridden here and in other leagues abroad could be the ones that will struggle to get new visas. Don't know if this is the case as it came from a conversation with someone more connected to that style of work and not speedway

If a rider is not an asset of either the Elite or Premier League club then it can depend on what the meeting is as the league matches take priority over challenge matches. In the case of Lewis Blackbird he is an asset of a National League club and regardless of who signed for who first it is usually the Premier League club that will get priority but the rider can request in a case like this to be prioritised by the Elite League club if he so wishes. It has been pointed out on the social media that on March 27th Jason Garrity is missing the meeting v Wolves as it clashes with Peterborough v Rye House but Lewis Blackbird is scheduled to ride. Did notice the number of meetings that Ashley Birks is missing is quite high and will have to have a guest in roughly 14 meeting's

Wolves have said they are waiting to see if the rider they want is going to be used by his parent club. Well Leicester have no assets and Swindon have 8.69 left for one place so are unlikely to be using a rider under 6.19 for their last place so Mads Korneliussen is possible or is he a Leicester asset ? Otherwise there is only Poole waiting to complete their team and the only riders they have that would fit are THJ Madsen and Mroczka and they are all unlikely to be riding here. Simon Gustafsson is an Eastbourne asset and they can't use him but in a team with three other Swedish riders he could benefit from the close support. Can't be long now before they name the last signing surely as the list is not very long

If a rider scores 6+3 from four rides his average is 6.00 not nine. Meidzinski is a quality rider and go back to his Swindon days and he was virtually unbeatable at Monmore Green one meeting and helped Swindon get a rare win at Monmore Green. Not too sure if he can average much more than seven under the current format and will have a few low scores away so a 7+ average could be acceptable

Here is something that could benefit everyone. Why not have a line or tape roughly three yards before the start gate. All riders must wait at this line until all four are called forward together and must get in position straight away so the referee can put the green light on. The track staff have this area to level as best as possible in between heats using the loose dirt thrown out to the kick boards.