IronScorpion

Exactly. The guy has history, but that is it. IT IS HISTORY! We did not have a problem with Ben, rarely crashed, great with the supporters & had many guest opportunities.

His rolling average(20 meetings) CMA is 5.20 - 2.5% = 5.07 In meetings he had in 2019(9, 5 at home & 4 away) he averaged 3.76 & 4.50 respectively.

Nice to know some teams use alternative nights to get meetings on & out of the way.

Morris might have ridden in the NL but isn't the 2.5% reduction for British riders only?

Jake Allen 2nd to Ryan Douglas in Queensland Solo Championship. He top scored with 14 in the qualifying rounds then winning the 1st semi final. https://australianspeedwayriders.com/live-updates?fbclid=IwAR0SxfFmxM5qDP2MfLvGPpi2N6erAlxfhKdxpWVClvt09rq5qNwy8S_gjPU I thought that it was mentioned that Jake would be stopping in England over the winter, getting his shoulder fixed & running training schools over the winter. I thought when I heard this it was strange as the warmer weather in Australia would help in his recuperation post-op.

Ryan Douglas wins Queensland Solo Championship. Qualified with 13 points then won his semi & final. Jake Allen was the top qualifier with 14 points then winning his semi & 2nd in final https://australianspeedwayriders.com/live-updates?fbclid=IwAR0SxfFmxM5qDP2MfLvGPpi2N6erAlxfhKdxpWVClvt09rq5qNwy8S_gjPU

Looking at the Polish report, he beat everybody he should have done bar 1 scalp when he was second, Wright third.

It's clear as day, loyalty is used here, working both ways.

Long way for you to go to Poole!

Auty, Ayres, Aarnio & Lambert all arriving back at the EWR(Scunthorpe)

It has been said that an average rider cannot make the sport pay plus his travelling costs, & not just diesel but everything that goes with travel, must be very high. Profit margins if any probably low. mmmmlollollol ( ouch, pack it in )

Our management team & fans managed him ok!

So why did he get so many guest opportunities in 2019?

Jorgensen & Aarnio could be swapped round & would Palin get the easier no7 or the scoring power of Lambert at 7 for the team. The order of reserves can be swapped during a meeting so it will be about who is performing on the day. All the riders on their day can score well at the EWR & looking at the BSPA site, & at the away averages of the riders(with Palin still on a 2), we average 36.81, although the site is not up to date.

Put the feelers out that you are already looking for land for 2021. Would the landlords then lower the rent knowing they could lose the rent forever?

With Nicki being World Champion in 03, 07 & 08 & that he last rode over here in 2011 then the stats say he is on the decline but are there more better riders now than before. Never the less, he is still a top rider having averaging 8.13 in the Polish Extraleague (Doyle averaged 9.12) so his 8.61 might be close to where he starts. Maybe they will use the ruling that he has been away for so long that we will have to assess him, probably to about 8.5, so it makes little difference.

Last year at home, the Thompson twins race times were comparable to Perks & Hume so have decent equipment. They have, also, had schooling sessions with Tai & will have more. Two years ago, both Bickley & Bailey were regularly getting 0, 1 or 2 so the money will not have been coming in from points gained & both clubs said that they hoped to score some but it was mainly heat 2. Riders of the calibre of the twins & Palin will probably be on a low guaranteed plus paid over their 2 average.

On the BSPA site, there is a news item for our award for track of the year in 2019. The picture is of a race but NOT at our track. Now changed.

At the AGM, they seem to post about changes made or anything new. With nothing being said, I would think that the -2.5% still applies in 2020.

Dropping down a league should lead to a decrease.

I wrote down a system earlier in the year & it was based on Grades of A(3) B(2) & C(1). Teams are made up of a 6 man team but a 7 man squad. The team has a maximum limit of 12. This gives teams 3 x A + 3 x C, 2 x A + 2 x B + 2 x C, 1 x A + 4 x B + 1 x C, 6 x B The team also has a maximum average of 36 so no team is getting the top average rider in the grades. With this system, though, riders get 5 rides on average so the riders average would have to be per ride making an average between 0 & 3. The team average for this system would be 10. The 7th(squad) rider can be any graded rider but is used for injuries & unavailability ( riding in other countries) only. When used the maximum of grade & team average must be applied. Any riders not picked in the initial declarations go in to a "Guest Pot". These riders, also, have grades & averages. A "guest" cannot turn out for any team, in any competition, more than 4 times. This gives more teams a rider identity & removes the use of guests from other teams.

In order to defend the EWR, as you say, Rob is probably looking at "track specialists" & bringing back assets could make this possible. I would put Howarth in that bracket as at one time, he was near on unbeatable, but at times, when he guested, he was carrying an injury or suffering with lack of confidence. He was a go to guy that never or hardly ever, said no. To me, now, the track HAS to be prepared to suit our riders. They need more track time pre season to sort & fine tune their set ups to the changes in track conditions. This is about changes made to the bikes after the 1st 4 or 5 heats as the track slickens off. Also, we could practice in the dry then wet the track as if we had just had a shower & the track conditions change, We need to prepare a track to make it slightly difficult for the away team. Looking back to 2012 under the old scoring system(3 points for winning by 7 or more) suited more technical tracks & others with an advantage, we only dropped 2 pts at home with no draws or losses. Quite an achievement. Then in 2013, we dropped12. In 2014, finishing 5th, we dropped only 5. From 2015 we had the new scoring system & it was around this time that the track was re-laid. This became our downfall in results but entertainment was seen as the priority. In '15 & '16 from 12 meetings, we lost 5 dropping 15 pts. In 2017 we finished 9th of 10 having lost 10 dropping 30 pts. In 2018 & '19 we finished 9th & 7th of 11 having similar records dropping 11 pts. Injuries play its part & we had a good team but suffered towards the end of 2012 but our choice of guests pulled us through. To be in the top 4, it seems that you can drop only 6 points. Any more & you have to make up for that loss on your travels.

38 http://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/news.php?extend.35805

You just have to look at what Steve Worrall has done these last few years. Racing on the technical track at Newcastle, he averages 9.1. He then comes to Scunthorpe & unfortunately has a bad break to his leg & on the open & more fairer open spaces of the EWR, averages 8.2. He then goes back to Newcastle & lowers his average again to 7.6.

Stefan has not let the Scorpions down but has been beset with injuries(again) & confidence. He is always there at the post meetings in the clubhouse & is honest. I truly believe he is a better rider than Simon, who performed well on his return, with it showing that the sport is a confidence thing, being in your head & on track. I do not think Simon will up his average but Stefan would improve his to around the 6 mark.