Gambo

According to the FIM Referee's spreadsheet Haarahiltunen was excluded in Heat 20 and therefore scores 7+1 for the event.

And despite what the TV commentators might say about the length of the delay between Green Light & Tapes Up......... 15.2.9.1 After a pause of not less than 1½ seconds, sufficient to enable the Riders to spin their engines and focus attention, and provided all riders are stationary the Referee shall release the Tapes to signify the start. Therefore, if riders are moving, they are the reason that the delay is longer!

This weekend is 6 Teams. Previous years it has been the 7 Team format.

Maybe because the old FIM/BSI World Cup contract is based on 4 Televised Meetings?

According to Phil Morris at a recent NSSC meeting, the GP Riders were given the opportunity to test a new tyre, by which I presume he meant Anlas. He also said that there were very few who took up the opportunity! Greg Hancock was mentioned as one who had undertaken testing.

Copy of my submission, below. Having been a Coventry Bees supporter since 1965 I feel I must object to the loss of a venue which has been a major part in my family social life. My Mother eventually became secretary of the first official Supporters Club, and my sister and two brothers were all regular stadium goers, and our children, and my Grandson, have all become enthusiastic Speedway supporters. I also feel that those submitting the Planning Application are deliberately playing down the fact that Brandon is a MOTOR SPORTS stadium and not just a Speedway Stadium. The Stock Car promotion regularly stage the World Final which brings in thousands of fans from around the world, providing a boost to the local economy in the days preceding the event. I also feel that the site owners, who by their own admission have noted that 85% of the latest responses are negative, are trying to abrogate their responsibility in law to provide or fund a suitable alternative site for the MOTOR SPORT stadium.

Gaming International’s Head of Racing Bill Glass said: “Although the circuit will be shortened, it won’t affect the run to the bend from the 480 traps. Effectively, we are losing the area behind the 480 traps so we will no longer have a 509m distance, which we never used for graded racing anyway. The plan is to continue to run over a standard distance of 480 metres by moving the winning line.” Will this effect the position of the Speedway start/finish line and/or the positioning of the Referee's box?

And, to be pedantic, James Sargeant is actually James Sarjeant.

Hmmm... Depends who's asking!

So his 2013 average (7.17 for Coventry & Peterborough) should be increased accordingly?

In the ACU Sidecar series, (at Leicester, Somerset, King's Lynn & Belle Vue) the entrants all paid a fee to race, and were paid a set amount per point gained during the meeting.

As far as I am aware, Rolling Averages will start in 2019, using 2018-2019 stats. I am not aware of the reasoning behind this, so please don't shoot the messenger!

Christmas Statement from the Save Coventry Speedway group. WE would like to extend our Season’s Greetings to all supporters of Speedway and Stock Car Racing at Coventry. Our thanks to all who have supported the Campaign Group efforts over the course of the year, and also to everyone who helped organise and supported the Challenge matches run in 2017 with Coventry Bees not running as part of the official league structure. It has been the worst year imaginable for everyone with a love for the sports at Brandon; from the shattering news that ‘agreements’ for future racing were not to be fulfilled, to the eventual omission of Coventry from the 2017 Premiership, to the deterioration in condition of the stadium throughout the year arising from the lack of security on-site by the owners. Brandon Estates bought the stadium for their own purposes, but in doing so they have shown zero regard for the 89-year history and heritage of the iconic venue, nor the fact that regular visits to Brandon to watch these family sports remained a way of life for many thousands of people throughout the season, right up until the end of 2016. In addition, the intransigence of the owners to engage in reasonable communication is a further indication of their motives, along with the material included within their official representations and public exhibition material – much of which is open to serious question. At the Exhibition in October, comments from the public were invited by planning consultants Framptons. We have seen a number of these responses, and the local reaction is clear - but as with the 2014 Exhibition arising from the initial plans, they appear to be a closely-guarded secret at this time. The display boards also indicated that an outline planning application would be submitted in Autumn 2017. At the time of writing, this has not taken place. We do not know the reason for that, but we can assure Brandon Estates – and their front-man, Monaco-based businessman John Downer – that as soon as their planning application is submitted, we will be ready with strong opposition. They must understand that they cannot simply take two major sports away from the region – sports which were both perfectly viable running in tandem at the stadium – merely on an outrageous speculative bid for development on land which had not been earmarked for that purpose, and expect everyone to sit back and let it happen. Our Campaign Group came together in its present form in the immediate aftermath of Coventry’s exclusion from the 2017 SGB Premiership, and our primary aim was to bring about a return to racing at the stadium for 2018 as well as establishing plans for the long-term continuation of both sports in the area. In those respects, we have regrettably been unsuccessful. The sheer depth of issues to be considered and resolved arising from the activities of recent years has been eye-opening in the extreme, and we have to respect the fact that the timescales of official business are sometimes longer than we would wish for. We believe there is tremendous momentum behind our campaign and overwhelming opposition to Brandon Estates' proposals. So our work will go on into 2018, and there are various events and hearings in the early part of the New Year which will play a vital part in matters going forward. Finally, we must emphasise to all who pass comment on the situation, often on social media, that the status of Brandon Stadium remains absolutely fundamental to the entire argument, and an acceptance that it has been lost to sport permanently is simply not an option. We wish every supporter of Speedway and Stock Car Racing a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and we hope 2018 provides some encouragement to everyone who wishes to see our two famous sports restored to their rightful place.

May Each Day - Andy Williams

But would you drive to Peterborough to watch the Kings Lynn Starlets in the NL every week?

I believe the 2017 Final Green sheets will be published after they have been 'signed off' at the AGM. They would then be used as a basis for the 2018 season.

It's Fair! ....is my opinion.

And the first 20 heats in an Individual Speedway Meeting are known as "Qualifying Heats"

But he only tops the qualifying rounds! Are you saying that Vettel should be named as winner of the F1 in Mexico as he topped the Qualifying?

And the 'Money' team would have 2 x 12 + 2 x 7.99 + 2 x 5.99 = 51.96 The 'just keeping afloat' team would have 2 x 8 + 2 x 6 + 2 x 3 = 34.00 Been tried before and it doesn't work.

A very clever tactical move by the Save Coventry Speedway group! Ensuring both sides of the story can be heard. Well done guys!

Shame that there is no GB reserve. It would have been an ideal opportunity to give someone like Dan Bewley a go. Watched him yesterday at Leicester. He was a class above the rest of the field.

Yep.

Nothing more to add really. Sub Total of Programmed Rides only + Bonus Points. Anyone from Top 3 on CMA or top 3 (I think) on meeting scores is eligible for Heat 15.

Couldn't have explained it better myself!