Main Man

don't tell halifax tiger that !!

ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR MDL PLAY OFF FINAL AT COVENTRY ON FRFIDAY AFTER ALL!! After a slight panic and alternative plans looked at for the Midland Development League Play-Off Final between Milton Keynes Knights and Belle Vue Colts it is now confirmed that it is now back on at Coventry on Friday after the Elite League K O Cup Final. Plans were put in jeopardy following the Elite League Play off Final being re-arranged for Monday meaning the Poole v Peterborough semi-final had to be delayed and early indications were that the leg at Peterborough was being re-scheduled for Friday . This would have caused the Final at Coventry to be moved but the BSPA have ruled that the semi-finals must be completed and that a result from the second semi-final between Poole and Peterborough will be declared by Thursday night. This ruling has please MDL acting co-ordinator Laurence Rogers , “ I was starting to look at the alternatives but then two of the possibilities had a stumbling block as several of the riders had committed to racing at Coventry on the Sunday in the Speedway : The Next Generation section in the Dirt Track meeting there. But then I had the news from Coventry that it was all back on for Friday so immediately informed Milton Keynes and Belle Vue.” “So it’s all systems go for Friday and the fans from both Milton Keynes and Belle Vue can make their plans to be at Brandon to see one of the sides crowned 2012 MDL Champions with the bonus of also watching the Elite League K O Cup Final .”

MIDLAND DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE FINAL PLANNING DISRUPTED. After believing they had finally sorted the three times cancelled MDL Play-Off Final and had it arranged for next Friday at Coventry , the postponement of the Elite League Play-Off Final at Poole on Friday night threw all the planning out of the window. The call off meant that the K O Cup Semi-Final due at Peterborough against Poole on Monday was seemingly being switched to Friday therefore giving no hope of the Final being staged until the closing days of the 2012 season. Unless there is a ruling on the fixtures made by the BSPA it would mean that the two legged final has five days to be arranged and staged. This gives acting MDL Co-ordinator , Laurence Rogers , a massive headache and takes his planning back to the drawing board, “ I am now working on Plan B , C, D and onwards to get the MDL Final sorted. I was so pleased on Thursday night that I had it all arranged for Coventry next Friday but now it is all up in the air. Until I know what is happening with the K O Cup Final at Coventry I must start looking at the alternatives again.” “Having informed the clubs who had offered to stage the Final that I had sorted it I now have to see where and when we could stage it and then liaise with Richard Ward at Milton Keynes and Steve Williams at Belle Vue to ensure they can get their riders sorted for alternative dates at different venues.” “I thought I had a peaceful and resting weekend but now I have a lot of sorting and planning to do!!”

COVENTRY STEP IN TO STAGE MIDLAND DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE TITLE DECIDER. The problems hitting the Midland Development League in staging their prestigious title play-off Final have been solved thanks to the Coventry promotion. The two legged Final has been hit by two rain offs and a curfew and with the co-operation of the two sides it was agreed to settle the championship with a one-off meeting at a neutral venue. There were offers from four tracks in the end to stage the Final with Coventry chosen as the venue following their K O Cup Semi-Final success over Birmingham that sees them through to the Final where they will meet the winners of the Peterborough v Poole clash next week. Friday October 26th is the date chosen for the Cup Final leg at Brandon Stadium and this will be followed by the MDL Play Off Final between Milton Keynes Knights and Belle Vue Colts. Speaking on behalf of the MDL, Laurence Rogers commented, “ I must pass on thanks to the promotions at Rye House, Stoke and Scunthorpe for offering to host the Final and to Mick Horton at Coventry who really wanted to stage the event but could not commit until they had qualified for the K O Cup Final. I went to Birmingham for the semi-final clash and to his credit as soon as the Bees had done their job and were through he came straight up to me to confirm the date.” “It should be a great night’s speedway to end the 2012 season and with both Belle Vue and Milton Keynes having drawn with the Mercia Vikings at Coventry this should be a cracking Final. As league leaders in the MDL table the Knights will be the home side. We expect a strong following from both sets of supporters who will be able to also take in the Elite league Cup Final.”

As I am not able to announce the venue until the end of the week Buxton on Sunday is not possible and there are other elements to take into account.

The venue for the final will be announced by the end of the week.

I am hopefully of finding a suitable solution to get the title decided on track and have had one offer of a date off one track but looking at the alternatives before discussing with the two clubs. I have also spoken with Alex Harkness the BSPA Chairman at the PLRC to discuss the course of action if the final is not run by the final day of the season.

Rained off!!!! I am now trying to see if the final can be re-arranged at a neutral track --otherwise it is down to the BSPA to decide how the league title will be decided.

MERCIA VIKINGS MAINTAIN UNBEATEN HOME RECORD –JUST!! The Coventry Mercia Vikings just about maintained their unbeaten home record in a MDL Challenge encounter at Brandon on Friday night edging out the new club Castleford Kings by 18 to 17. The Kings are tabling an application to join the MDL in 2013 basing themselves at Scunthorpe with prospective Promoter Peter Hibberd actively searching to find a piece of land to revive the Castleford Kings. From June 1979 to July 1980, Castleford had its own Speedway racing team, The Kings, based at the Greyhound Stadium in Whitwood. The circuit was very short (just 202 yards) and the team never entered the league – only challenge matches were staged. Their revival almost proved a successful one but the home side held out for a one point victory led superbly by MDL Riders’ Champion Dan Greenwood who raced to a three ride 9 point maximum. The 6 heat format used though saw another unbeaten rider on the Kings side in 15 year old Max Clegg with the duo never meeting ! The first heat saw a true maximum home heat win with Greenwood and Cam Hoskins recorded a 5-0 after Chris Widman pulled up with bike trouble and partner Adam Shepherd fell but remounted but was lapped by Greenwood. The scores then were topsy-turvy with 4-2 heat results , two to each side leaving the scores at 17-12 going in to the final heat . Connor Coles , coming in as a late replacement in the Vikings side had a torrid night ending in a fall on the first bend in the final heat. He was carrying a knee injury from a crash on the Wednesday but battled on with little reward. Clegg completed his nine point max followed home by Chris Widman with Andy Braithwaite , who had been baulked by Coles’ fall on the second bend, completing the four laps for the vital point that saw the home edge home to victory. The Vikings still have their five times cancelled away trip to Belle Vue remaining . Meeting sponsored by : Gary Drinkwater –CITY GEARBOXES (Coventry) Ltd MERCIA VIKINGS 18 : 1. Dan Greenwood 3 3 3 9max 2. Cam Hoskins 2’ 0 1 3+1 3. Andy Braithwaite 2 2 1 5 4. Connor Coles 0 1 F 1 Castleford Kings 17 : 1. Chris Widman R 1 2’ 3+1 2. Adam Sheppard X F F 0 3. Niall Strudwick 1 2 2 5 4. Max Clegg 3 3 3 9 max Ht1 : Greenwood Hoskins Sheppard (exc-lapped) Widman (ret) 5-0 5-0 66.1 2 : Clegg Braithwaite Strudwick Coles 2-4 7-4 66.2 3 : Greenwood Strudwick Coles Sheppard (fell) 4-2 11-6 67.4 4 : Clegg Braithwaite Widman Hoskins 2-4 13-10 64.8 5 : Greenwood Strudwick Hoskins Sheppard (fell) 4-2 17-12 Awarded 6 : Clegg Widman Braithwaite Coles (fell) 1-5 18-17 65.1

Martin is a great lad I have a lot of time for . His dedication (and taht of his dad andRay Purvis) is unbelievable. I told him i felt bad having sorted out the booking for him with Dale Allitt . He will be back on the bike as soon as he is fit --and aiming for some regular NL rides in 2013 to go with his MDL with Mercia Vikings and AJL

MDL title to be decided over one leg Saturday at Rye House Following the postponement due to the curfew of the 1st Leg of the Midland Development League Play Off Final 1st Leg at Belle Vue on Wednesday night it has been agreed that the title will be decided over one leg only. The leg at Rye House on Saturday (October 13th) will now be the title decider over six heats with a run-off 7th heat if the scores are tied. MDL Co-ordinator Kelvin Lapworth reached agreement between Milton Keynes and Belle Vue as a compromise after the home leg in Manchester was called off for the second time in as many weeks. He commented, “ It is not the perfect scenario but with time running out and the weather not being on our side something had to be done. Hopefully the sun will be shining in Hertfordshire on Saturday and we can crown the 2012 MDL champions. Due to holidays I am unable to attend myself but Laurence Rogers, who has assisted me in running the MDL this year, will be there to present the trophy to the winning team.” v

Jay went back to Australia at the end of last season and will still ride down under

Aljack -- well put. Congrats to the Fen Tigers on a determined display but the Heathens were hit hard by the loss of Byron ---Dan Greenwood in particular and I am sure the lad won't mind me saying it but he was in bits after the crash as Byron has become a good mate of his this year. I spent quite a while talking to him and must thank Tom Perry (who I think was hit by it as well as was subdued and not his normal self), Joe Haines, Gary Patchett and Jan O Pedersen for their input in getting him back on track after the crash. It was a speedway accident but riders are affected by such events and all credit to him and the rest of the team for getting on with it ...but it couldn't have been easy.

Thanks Martin ...had text off his mum this morning that he is Macclesfield Hospital awaiting an op to pin his broken bones in the arm.

Thanks Neil --got a text off Martin's mum to let me know about the crash. The bike and Marty took a battering from what Dale Allitt told me when he called. Broken arm as far as I have been told but he was lucky to get away with just that --can't believe I have tried to get him a NL ride all year and when I do this happens. The lad (and his dad and Ray Purvis) have travelled far and wide from their Cornish base to get Marty rides and he deserves to succeed ...get well soon mate!!

hope you did get an updater Sue as at Mildenhall and want to see how Martin Knuckey gets on for Kings Lynn .

PRESS RELEASE - 5th October 2012 British Dirt Track Championships - Round 5 British Dirt Track Cross Championships - Round 2 CANCELLED DOUBLE DAY OF DIRT TRACK CANCELLED This Sundays Double day of Dirt Track has been cancelled due to the track being Waterlogged and the poor weather forecast for the area. The event was going to be round five of six of the British Dirt Track Championships but due to the short amount of time before the final round at Coventry which takes place on Sunday 28th October, it has now been made into a 5 round series with the top 10 Quad Racers and 12 Mini Bike racers after 4 rounds will qualify for the Super Final event which takes place after Round 5. Round 5 will start at the Brandon Stadium at 1.30pm, with the evening Super Final event, with a Speedway: The Next Generation class being included starting at 6pm. Dirt Track Cross round 2 of was going to be also staged as part of the dual event and this and the remaining round 3 will be run during the winter months with dates and venues to be announced soon. For more info on Dirt Track visit www.britishdirttrack.co.uk British Dirt Track Championships - Final Round (round 5) 28th October - Coventry International Speedway Stadium - 1.30pm start British Dirt Track SUPER FINAL - incorporating Speedway: The Next Generation - 28th October - Coventry International Speedway Stadium - 6pm Start

A true gent. Had he been ill ?? Merv was a tireless worker for the club ..I remember when I was co-promoter at the OTA and had a static caravan put in the pits that I stayed in after the meeting ..with Merv and his merry gang back at the track early on the Saturday morning to pick up the rubbish and tidy up. RIP mate

Stoke Spitfires gained a comfortable away victory over Sheffield Tiger Cubs with a winning margin of 10 points, team manager Mike Gittings said "We're really pleased to pull off such a result I knew it would be a tough meeting as both teams are so close in the table. The lads really pulled together and the vital points early on really helped us in the later stage." "Iv got to say a big thanks to Max Clegg who stepped in to help us with a guest ride and went unbeaten all night. Its a pity all the riders we had tonight couldnt make all the meetings this season as I think we would have finished a lot higher up the table, but I can understand they have work and other commitments which come first and some of our guests we have had have not performed as well as our own guys might have, so I am very pleased that our Capitain Shaun managed to make every one of our meetings, he makes a fine number one." Sheffield Tiger Cubs 10 (Greenwood's scores removed) Tom Woolley 1* 2 2 -5+1 Connor Coles 2 3 R -5 Dan Greenwood 3 NS 3 -6 Sean Phillips 0 0 0 -0 Stoke Spitfires Shaun Tedham 0 2 2 -4 Max Clegg 3 3 3 -9max Andy Mellish 1* 1 1 -3+1 Martin Wrathall 2 1* 1* -4+2 1. Clegg Coles Woolley Tedham 66.0 3-3 2. Greenwood Wrathall Mellish Phillips 68.7 6-6 3.Clegg Woolley Mellish Phillips 66.5 8-10 4. Coles Tedham Wrathall Greenwood (NS) 68.3 11-13 5. Clegg Woolley Mellish Coles(Ret) 67.5 13-17 6. Greenwood Tedham Wrathall Phillips. 16-20 Dan Greenwood's scores are removed to comply with the one NL rider rule (Coles also rides NL) Adjusted Final scores 10-20

Blimey who's that bloke handing out the rider medals on the parade !!

as Kelvin said Liam's smile was a mile wide .... and like all the lads really enjoyed the night. Oliver Greenwood was on top form too whilst Andy Braithwaite did superbly to get to the final. ---in fact he told me after his first one he was shattered and when I mentioned that to him as we walked round to pick gate positions for the Final he said he was more than shattered!!

you did 21st century heathen! it was a superb night. I am pleased to say that Dan has done what I knew and expected he would do. When Dudley approached me about bringing him to the Heathens I told them what I thought he would do and he has just about done that. We must thank the superb sponsors who have stepped in to help him in 2012 ..the lad had nothing before the season and had worked three jobs and over 60 hours a week at the end of last season to buy a bike to make his comeback after almost three years out > he rode for me at Newport for the Hornets and showed what potential he had in his few meetings. We are working on his sponsorship and looking at what machinery he will use in 2013 ....which should be a big breakthrough year for him.

Crossi is a painter-decorator in France

don't worry at Leicester they announced them as brothers!!

Dan has ---- and has done really well which has helped him no end.