daveallan81

22/05 Can you confirm Louis Carr's score in heat 13? Speedway Star reports (ef, 1pt), pushed home perhaps. 25/05 I have Margarson at position 2 for Workington - who did he replace? The Teesside meeting works out as Ellesmere v Newcastle v Workington v Teesside but it seems strange that the home team are in position 4 in the line-up. Can you clarify this for me? Many thanks.

I'll put it on my 'to do' list.

No I am merely a contributor. If you're talking about a full 1984 season review file, I don't know if anyone is currently tackling that. If it's something more specific you're after fell free to PM me and I'll see if I can help.

A mystery! Possibly matches for which I hadn't located an official scorecard, or matches that required some more information.

I make it 613 matches in 2014, including 44 abandoned fixtures. The result stood in 31 of those abandonments.

Interesting. The second half heats I have see Kevin Lock in y/b in 14 and Guglielmi in y/b in heats 15 & 17, details here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/mimpv17kkqlmrt4/19780601ExevCov.pdf?dl=0

10/09 That also answers another query concerning Mr. Harris' forename! 15/05 Bob Watts appears to ride in the #16 position - who did he replace? Can you say if he's been promoted to #17 or remained at #18? 01/06 Is this taken from a marked programme? Mortiboys doesn't appear to ride in the second half which I find a bit strange. If programme is marked, can you provide the 2nd half times, I know someone who would greatly appreciate them. 13/10 Ackroyd appears to be in the team at #7. Thanks for your help.

Bristol 14/7 - I make the Exeter team 1. Autrey 2. Rumsey 3. Prinsloo 4. Koppe. Who did Rumsey replace? Thanks for all that info, much appreciated.

Can anyone provide me with answers to the following: 11/6/78 Boston v Kangaroos Select - Roos include a John Dole at #6. Programme notes state "At No. 6 and on trial from Birmingham is John Dole." I can't find reference to a John but know of Robert who also rode out of the Midlands. Is this just a programme mis-print and it should be Robert at #6? 6/10/78 Hackney v Wimbledon (LC) - Wimbledon have a M. Harris at #6. Forename isn't included in yearbook, anyone know?

Robert Dole's entry in the 79 yearbook gives his date of birth as 2/8/1955 so not Ray's father, Ray being born in 1962. Brothers perhaps.

I remember Ray Dole but it's definitely not him - he would only have been 15 at that time in 1978.

Thank you.

Jim Beaton of Glasgow sustained dreadful injuries to his right arm which rendered it practically useless. He switched the throttle controls to the left side where he employed a thumb-operated lever system. He simply tied his right arm to the handlebars. I'm sure there was a junior at Swindon about a decade ago who was deaf but to my eternal discredit I can't recall his name. Both Michael Holding and Paul McHale rode in the 80's after each losing an eye.

Here you are: http://www.dropbox.com/s/im2kegwxjbic7ev/19831015BLRC.pdf?dl=0

1980 http://www.dropbox.com/s/zd8u7kkgypjbls4/19801018BLRC.pdf?dl=0 1981 http://www.dropbox.com/s/7kgne4l6c0q7kpd/19811017BLRC.pdf?dl=0

The book Sidney and I are referring to is Robert Bamford's "Swindon Speedway: The Definitive History of the Robins". Not available online as far as I can see. Regarding Holloway's figures, that looks like 1980 BL and KOC combined, although there seems to be an extra bonus point kicking somewhere.

I'd be taking the information from the history book as read - there can't be much Rob Bamford doesn't know about Swindon and he was always a stickler for accuracy. I believe the website combines all 'official' matches for their figures.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for your comments regarding Lawson and assume that they are just poorly worded as the inference that Lawson wouldn't take a TS under any other circumstances is total and unequivocable garbage.

The formula for the Coatbridge round is the standard 4TT format with helmet colours denoting starting positions. I note that if you're expecting Yeates in heat 12, and he was replaced in heat 16, he'd have to be riding at number 1 for the home team for that to work. If as I suspect he's riding at 13, he should be out in yellow in heat 9. If Harding is at 15 he should be out in heat 12 in red. In this scenario Yeates' heats should be 2, 7, 9 and 16. Harding heats 3, 6, 12 and 14. I'm wondering if there is another error in the reporting compunding the problem. Any chance you could reproduce the heat details?

How do Yeates & Harding's rides stack up, Steve? Does reserve Charley get at least one ride?

Based on 686 British & National League fixtures in 1975: 5 points difference: 166 last heat deciders (24.20%) against 520 (75.80%) 4 points difference: 161 (23.47%) against 525 (76.53%) Adjusting the 2014 figures to discount abandoned/declared result matches: 5 points difference: 95 (22.35%) against 330 (77.65%) 4 points difference: 86 (20.24%) against 339 (79.76%) It's practically imposible to compare the league points scored due to the different race formulas and rules. However, it is perhaps interesting to note that in 1975 matches that arrived at the final heat with 11 or less points between the teams were practically level, 344 to 342. Again adjusting for unfinished matches, 2014 produced 209 against 216. 2014 offers up roughly twice as many last heat deciders for league points but it must be remembered it is operating in a points window (plus/minus 10 or 11) just over twice that of 1975 (+/- 4 or 5). It seems, to me at least, that the current league points system makes no discernable difference to the number of last heat deciders based on these two disparate seasons.

From 449 matches raced under the league points system in 2014: 24 matches (5.35%) failed to complete, or in some cases reach, heat 15 but had the result declared. 209 matches (46.55%) arrived at heat 15 with league points undecided. 216 matches (48.11%) arrived at heat 15 with the points already settled. These figures are based on differentials of 11 or more points, meaning a 5-0 would be required in the final heat to affect the league points. Based on a more likely 5-1 requirement the figures alter slightly to: 193 matches (42.98%) arrived at heat 15 with league points undecided. 232 matches (51.67%) arrived at heat 15 with the points already settled. For straight-up win/lose/draw last heat deciders based on a team requiring a 5-0, there were 95 (21.16%) with 330 (73.50%) already settled. Adjusted for a 5-1, 86 (19.15%) and 339 (75.50%).

Aye it certainly does and ties everything in with the published scorers and rides. Though not with Mimmo's programme, be interesting to compare the two. Here's the file based on Barrycudas results: http://www.dropbox.com/s/sbuhy636zalbnya/19780514BostvBrisILKOC.pdf?dl=0

This is actually a query of mine which Steve couldn't solve without further input so many thanks Mimmo for that information. Barrycuda, I look forward to your findings.

EL guest and rider replacement stats for 2014 taken from 144 matches: Total guests for 1-5 riders: 173 (split 68 home & 105 away) Total guests for FTR: 103 (38 & 65) Total uses of r/r: 35 (13 & 22) By team, G - FTG - RR: Belle Vue Home: 3 - 7 - 1 Away: 7 - 5 - 4 Total: 10 - 12 - 5 Coventry Home: 13 - 5 - 3 Away: 13 - 4 - 3 Total: 26 - 9 - 6 Eastbourne Home: 5 - 7 - 2 Away: 11 - 15 - 2 Total: 16 - 22 - 4 King's Lynn Home: 5 - 5 - 1 Away: 11 - 10 - 2 Total: 16 - 15 - 3 Lakeside Home: 7 - 1 - 1 Away: 14 - 8 - 3 Total: 21 - 9 - 4 Leicester Home: 17 - 4 - 3 Away: 15 - 7 - 1 Total: 32 - 11 - 4 Poole Home: 8 - 4 - 0 Away: 14 - 7 - 1 Total: 22 - 11 - 1 Swindon Home: 3 - 3 - 0 Away: 4 - 4 - 2 Total: 7 - 7 - 2 Wolverhampton Home: 7 - 2 - 2 Away: 16 - 5 - 4 Total: 23 - 7 - 6 26 matches ran with no guest programmed. Total number of guests per match/number of matches: 1: 41 2: 31 3: 21 4: 17 5: 7 6: Nil 7: 1 Number of guests + rider replacement per track: Belle Vue 35 + 13 Coventry 43 + 12 Eastbourne 31 + 9 King's Lynn 24 + 6 Lakeside 26 + 10 Leicester 43 + 11 Poole 24 + 6 Swindon 31 + 13 Wolverhampton 19 + 7 By day of week: Monday: 62 guests from 39 matches (average per meeting: 1.59) Tuesday: 4 from 2 (2.00) Wednesday: 42 from 27 (1.56) Thursday: 41 from 19 (2.16) Friday: 58 from 28 (2.07) Saturday 60 from 27 (2.22) Sunday: 9 from 2 (4.50) Food for thought: 13.9% of all riders were guests. Nearly one quarter of all riders that should have been at Coventry (55 out of 224) and Leicester (54/224) did not ride. Over one third (22 out of 64) of Eastbourne's FTR were guests. Bringing r/r into the equation, only 23 matches started with both sides tracking their declared 1-7. 276 replacements equates to 39.4 teams or 19.7 matches composed entirely of guests.