Aces51

We don't yet have the 2019 regulations but this year's regulations said; 16.2.3 Assessed rider gradings are calculated as follows 16.2.4 Riders new to SGB Premiership & Championship League racing are categorised as follows: Cat 1 & 2 Any rider riding in a professional league in the previous or current season will be assessed on a “Grading List. Based upon results obtained in all other Professional Speedway Leagues and given an Assessed MA accordingly. Cat 3: Riders who are eligible to ride in the National Development League. 16.2.5 The Assessed MA's for new Riders to the SGB Premiership & Championship League racing is: Cat 1 as per the grading List Cat 2 as per grading list Cat 3 2.00 16.2.6 No rider with a current or previously assessed MA, other than a category 3 rider, can drop below 4.00 at any time during the season. That says based on results obtained. I would say one race where he was last couldn't reasonably be argued as sufficient to assess him at 5.

So far as I can see Lidsey had one race for Leszno in April and came last. He was subsequently named twice as their number 8 but didn't get a ride on either occasion. Surely, the higher average assessment was intended to apply to riders who are Polish first division standard, not someone who races regularly in the third division but had one pointless ride in the top division.

Watching both the Aces and the Colts at the NSS I have seen brilliant racing in meetings involving them both. However, the overall quality of racing is undoubtedly better in the PL meetings. Generally, there are more good races involving more passing and closer racing, which is what I would expect because of the higher skill levels of the riders. However, having said that, the entertainment served up in the NL meetings is good and arguably better value for money at half the price of the PL meetings.

The Aces had the highest aggregate averages total in 2017 and need to lose the best part of 3 points to get under the 42.5 team building limit. It is obvious that we had to lose one of the top four or have a very weak second string and reserves. I think that explains the unfortunate loss of Tungate. The loss of Cook could be to bring in someone on a slightly lower average, like Bjerre, who was superb in 2017, to give us a better chance of building a more strength in depth team. Whether that is the right way to go or whether there were other reasons for not including Craig we shall have to wait and see. In my book his loyalty and commitment is worth a lot and weighs heavy in the scales when considering letting him go but if it was a question of asking for more than the club can afford then the financial stability of the club has to come first.

Very disappointed that Craig apparently won't be in the team. He has always given 100% and been loyal and to many supporters is a vital part of the club. However, I will wait for it to be confirmed and to see if there are reasons given before deciding what I think about it.

The vast majority of riders become more familiar with a track when it becomes their home track. Even if they have previously done well there, they get more dialled in. Particularly, when it is a track with a significant home advantage. Morris will be no exception and will improve on the 7.27 he averaged in his two Swindon meetings at Monmore last season. I will be surprised if he doesn't average at least 8/9 at home. Coincidentally, last season he also averaged 7.27 at Blunsdon but only 6.85 away. That to me shows that it wasn't just his problems with the Swindon track that adversely affected him last year.

Knowing exactly what the rule says will help even more. The press release may or may not be what eventually ends up in the rule book.

Looks like a solid start for Wolves. Morris will soon get dialled in and the significant home advantage should guarantee that he improves his average. He should also do better away after his poor season this year but I'm less convinced about that.

Dan will be ok. He is young, brave and rides within the limits of his ability. In sure that we will sign a temporary replacement if he isn't ready at the beginning of the season. I'm sorry to see Tungate leave, it was a a pleasure to watch him at the NSS. We should keep Cook. He's proved his commitment to the club and I've a feeling that he will improve significantly on his starting average.

Stevehols74, you seem very concerned about Poole having to lose 2.64. Belle Vue have to lose even more, 2.84, despite winning nothing. It just shows how unlucky we were with injuries at the business end of the season but I've not seen anybody constantly mentioning it. That's how it goes sometimes, you just have to get on with it and only mention it if we lose to Poole.

I'm no fan of Buster Chapman. I think his chairmanship of the BSPA has done nothing to stop the ever decreasing crowd levels, failed to improve the credibility of the sport and the integrity of the application of the rules and even failed to implement his initial promises of openness, transparency and a new rule book. I favour a 2 league structure as the only way to enable the sport to live within its means and to build a solid base from which it can then grow. However, given a 3 league structure, I agree that he deserves a lot of credit for his actions in ensuring that there is a viable top league. He has put his money where his mouth is and that shows faith and a commitment to make it work.

The Polish system of riders having 2 minutes to be ready to start the race is the best way to reduce delays and improve the flow of the meeting. I assumed that the introduction of the 2 minute clock would also see the introduction of the Polish rule. It will do nothing to stop the messing about at the gate, that irritates so many fans, if the clock only shows when riders have to be on the track. Theoretically, they have to be on track now once the 2 minutes ends and the race should normally start within 4 minutes of the previous race but that has had little or no effect on the amount of gardening.

They won away at Somerset and Swindon when it really mattered and got into the play offs. It could have been a completely different story if Bewley and Cook had not been injured but that's speedway. I would certainly keep Fricke, Cook and Bewley. Garrity is too inconsistent and too injury prone and would presumably come in on his PL average of 5.71, less 2.5%, if it applies to all who have ridden in the NL. Worrall is on a very attractive average if he can fully recover over the winter and return on the form he was in at the beginning of last season. We need stronger reserves and Allen would certainly fit the bill as would Lidsey, who did well in Poland.

It depends how you judge it. Far too few meetings for me with only 7 teams.

I'm no fan of the BSPA or Chapman. They have done nothing this year to show that there is even the beginnings of an effective plan to overcome the many current problems but to suggest that the end is nigh and imminent is ridiculous. It may be that if no radical plan is devised that riders will have to realise that most, if not all, will have to become semi professional but I would be very surprised if team speedway is still not about for the foreseeable future.

That's right, you could build to 43.56. Hardly worth the trouble, you're better off signing riders likely to increase their average.

DanBewley was the most improved rider and his progress had been nothing short of exceptional but Robert Lambert was the rider of the year because of his step up to be an outstanding number 1 andthe best British rider in the averages.

I can't see that a super league structure with a second team at Championship level will work. It doesn't matter how it is dressed up, fans will regard the championship level team as the reserve team and it will not attract fans in sufficient numbers. In 2017 the Aces had an average crowd of over 1400. The Colts averaged less than 500. Arguably, the racing was as good and the facilities, presentation etc., the same but fans wanted to see the best on offer and for that and for some, not being able to afford to attend both, voted with their feet. It would be a big financial gamble to run a super league team. Clubs would no doubt have to increase the admission cost to pay for the super stars and it could be a financial disaster if fans didn't then turn out in sufficient numbers for either, or, both teams.

I agree with everything you say which is why I said, if we have to go with fixed nights, meaning either Monday, Wednesday or Monday, Thursday. In my opinion to continue on a Monday will be commercial suicide. Mark Lemon did say in this week's SS that crowds had improved as the season went on but that he didn't know why. I suspect that school holidays, the prospect of getting into and then being in the play offs and the latter stages of the KO Cup may have played a significant part. As for returning to Saturdays, even putting aside all of the practicalities, I am not sure that it is now a better option than Friday. Saturday is the night when TV puts on it's most popular programmes, many football games are played and the main night for people to go out. The competition for the leisure pound is much greater now than it was when many tracks operated on a Saturday whereas Friday has the advantage of no school the next day and people still have Saturday to go somewhere if wife/husband/partner is not a speedway fan.

I haven't seen that Thursday has now been approved by the FIM for Sweden. In this weeks SS Damien Bates, was discussing which league Sheffield and Leicester may race in next year and it was said that a change to the Monday and Wednesday fixed nights introduced last winter could be a key factor in his decision. Bates said, it's said that following pressure from the three CL clubs who race on a Thursday, as well as Poole, who were keen to keep their Wednesday race night, Monday and Wednesday were picked for the PL protected evenings............ With only Swindon making use of Thursdays currently, Swedish Elitserien clubs are now pushing to occupy that night and make the move from Tuesdays. This pressure could force Premiership teams to revert to Thursdays and race on that day. From that it would appear that If a decision has already been made by the FIM giving Thursdays to Sweden, Damien Bates doesn't know about it.

If we have to go with the fixed nights then it should be Monday and Thursday. Wolves, King's Lynn and Poole on Mondays and the remaining existing PL tracks on Thursdays. Any newcomers to be allocated to keep the numbers on each night as equal as possible.

I wouldn't judge any rider on one performance. I am amazed at the number of times I see fans claiming we should sign or drop a rider based on one good or bad performance at the NSS. Over the season Tungate did a good job for us and as Halifax Tiger said, provided some brilliant entertainment.

So you pays your money and takes your chance that they will qualify for the semi and final of the KO Cup and the play offs. If they do you've had a good bargain and if they don't, much less so. I think I prefer to know what I am getting for my money and what my saving is going to be but it's a matter of personal choice. Meanwhile, back to the Leicester Lions. It looks as if they have a good idea of the riders they have in mind. Let's hope that the happenings at the AGM next week don't disrupt their plans. They've had a difficult time since they moved up but I think that the addition of Stewart Dickson could see their fortunes change.

Belle Vue include the KO Cup but not the semi final or final, or the play offs, because there is no guarantee that they will qualify. The price plus any added benefits compared to the number of guaranteed meetings is the only way to assess if it is value for money.

Different clubs seem to have a different approach to season tickets. At Belle Vue you save a relatively small amount over paying at the gate, I think when I worked it out it was something just over £1 although I can't now quite remember. However, you do get a free programme, which costs £3, so it seems to me a good deal if you normally buy a programme, which I do but probably not if you don't. Belle Vue also arrange centre green visits for season ticket holders, give them priority to book their usual seats for meetings not covered by the ticket and this year included the KO Cup semi final to make up for the lost Rye House meeting.