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At least Palin is actually a rising star

Meanwhile at Sheffield the 1-6 can learn from former GP rider Josh Bates

Mixed feelings about Kingsley, to me he kind of fits what the scheme should be about as he is local, a club asset and reasonably young, however he is weak compared to others and is going to struggle away from Lynn if not at home too. However on the other hand he is probably past the point where he is ever going to be an established top flight or international rider IMO. Would rather have Ryan than Bates or Bacon who really shouldn’t be in the scheme at all but can’t help but being envious of Kemp, Brennan and Palin.

The determination of what is a rising star does seem a bit arbitary. In particular, the CMA(s) previously achieved. The Premiership average cut off of 5.50 does seem rather high to me. And the CMA achieved in the Championship vs the Premiership makes no sense. There is an established multiplier between the two leagues i.e. 1.5 Yet you're allowed to have a Championship CMA up to 6.50 as opposed to a Premiership CMA of 5.50. Either it should be 5.50 x 1.5 = 8.25 in the Championship which is silly. Or it shoud be 6.50 / 1.5 = 4.33 in the Premiership. Maybe it's just me.

A little fall out 5 years ago hardly seems sufficient reason to prevent Mountain riding for Lynn.

Very conveniently Bates was 25 on Feb 1st...... has a Prem ave just under 5.50 ......and a Champ ave just under 6.50 ........ Is everyone getting it yet....... Looks like the criteria were written using the Bates career bio as a template

Small tracks just needs a different set of riding skills, that some riders don't possess these days. Good riders can ride all different types of track

Exactly my point, basically some teams have gained an advantage by using older Rising Stars, if every Premiership team had used a rising star with little or no Championship experience their would have been no real difference. I think Palin is a cracking young rider and in time could be very good but he isn’t at the same level at the moment that Josh Bates or Tom Bacon are, if Rising stars had been given 4, 3, 2 and 1 point starting GSA and were included in a 1-7 team total I doubt a few teams would have built the same way.

It won't be bike set ups from Bomber...

You sure you’re not a Poole fan? It stinks and you damn well know it

Glad he has been signed up. One of the youngsters with real talent.

Very quiet on here - wouldve thought there would be some delight at the Bates announcement Perhaps it's just that you're embarrassed he is even an option...........

I would be disappointed if it turned out that he was despite Bates being the best available on the list from a likely points scoring point of view Him being on the list though is wrong and picking him would show a lack of integrity For me integrity is at least equal to winning.....

My thoughts exactly.

I've no idea tbh the promotion is keeping all guessing, obviously the remaining 5 riders will be lesser names but I just hope they have potential to improve and make the most of being in the same team as crump and pedersen who between them have so much knowledge and experience to pass on it will hold them in good shape for a bright future

Exactly. Some great racing at Mildenhall, Plymouth, Wolves, Redcar.

Mildenhall is a good example of a small track that produces good racing...

And there’s the rub as 2022 season it’s 2 rising stars to find if Palin gets recalled to BV after a great season with Peterborough! Perhaps it will encourage teams to find and develop their own riders like they did once upon a time.

So is "being related to one of the directors of BSP Ltd" one of the criteria?

The rising stars signings for the Premiership clubs makes sense in most cases, but with no dis-respect to the riders intended, how on earth Josh Bates and Tom Bacon can be described as rising stars is beyond me. They have clubs yet someone like Leon Flint is left on the sidelines.

Wolves when prepared right is good track not sure where trick track comes from to be honest. And coming from a brumies fan

I remember him causing carnage one year at Glasgow and had to be escorted from the stadium by the police

While Josh Bates qualifies as a "rising star" it's believable the restrictions put in place were designed to allow him entry! 1) 24 as of the 1st January of the current year (Bates turned 25 in February) 2) have an average under a Premiership League CMA of 5.50 (Bates is 5.07), or under a Championship League CMA of 6.50 (Bates is 6.19). Now if these regulations stay in place for 2022, I'll trust all is above board, however if the "rising star" requirements change It'll be very suspicious!

It’s not just you.....

I did a training school with Olle (what was probably) 16/17 years ago at Kings Lynn as part of his 'sliding school' programme. Lovely bloke, very approachable and supremely knowledgeable. He had time for everyone attending and it was a very enjoyable weekend!

Shale going down today!!!!

it's funny you mention Ivan's training schools in this thread. I did one with Ivan WAAAAAY back in (what was probably) 2002 at Newport and I distinctly remember him telling me that if a rider gets a bit too close on the way to the first turn to 'give him a kick' and that will put him off on the way into the first corner

I have a feeling they asked each club who they would like to use, then made up some random rule to make that viable

Guess I shouldn’t be surprised but just smacks of the easy option. Enormous gulf between the likes of Bates and Kinsley. Ryan could be a spoiler at home but fear for him away. Just hope the promotion to the main team doesn’t have the same effect on Ryan as it did Josh Bailey. Travelling for hours to run 0, 0, 0 and be off the pace will do nothing for his confidence or development. He’ll just end up losing any enjoyment and walking away from the sport. The exact opposite of what the scheme is designed to do.

He is one that really is a rising star.He's only a one star because he hasn't competed in a professional league.He got nearly a 9 average in 2019 with the Belle Vue Colts at the age of 15.Imo he will easily achieve more than Kinsley in 2021

signing Tom Brennan as a rising star is a great move. I do hope Jordan enjoys his year at Peterborough.....it will be a fantastic learning experience for him....but re 2021 Tom is the best signing. Jordan is a very talented rider and I am sure he will rise to the top... would love to see him at the NSS riding for the Aces at some time in the future.

So the club can’t ( or didn’t want to ?) use its own asset ? The running of this sport gets stranger and stranger.

So I could take up racing and be a rising star at my age

Sandwiches

Certainly some riders who wasn't chosen who could have been better choices.

Spot on.

Whoooosh

I went to all of those at Wembley, most at the NEC. I also went to the London Arena, Manchester GMEX, Milton Keynes Bladerunner, Hull Arena, Telford, Murrayfield, Bournemouth and Brighton!

Maybe wrong but I Don’t think. You can ride in 3 leagues so that would rule out Bickely and if the NL team ave is said to be now 35 one of the big hitters will need to go so he might be the one to be dropped

Or diet/eating habits

Personally i think its good move for Jordan in the long term. Still a big fast track at Peterborough and gaining vital experience. Riding all his home meetings at the NSS isn't going to boost his interest or help him prepare in the right way for either level (providing he satays in the Colts team). Bickley has some work to do to prove he ready for the step up and its not essential that these riders get dunked into the top flight at the first opportunity as it will break just as many and it helps.

Thanks Chris, glad you are watching and enjoying the streams.

Tom Bacon it is

Up to the top!

Fair call. .. The fundamental reality is that without a national mainstream recognition of the sport by 'the layperson' then it will never move forwards.. At least this now seems to have been recognised with attempts finally being made to put the National Team first by bringing through UK lads to hopefully develop to top level, rather than train up the rest of the world, which has been the plan in the past.. A highly successful plan too wasn't it? It must have been because it went on for decades... Get the National Team dominating the sport, and getting the wider level of publicity that comes with it, and you may then start to get some bigger companies involved in sponsoring it... A long, long way off though, and still maybe just too late? Hide the shovel just in case...

Fully agree, plus as already previously stated there aren’t enough riders to fill all teams.

Blimey! Just received mine today after ordering it only yesterday!

Thought this was a reasonable post till you mentioned Gavin Parr

Can confirm Newport Queensway Meadows was a well-tidy set up, big shame it is no more. On building a new stadium one should also check in which direction the sun sets to aid track prep and avoid possible 'sun breaks'....

No doubt it is a fantastic coup for the Witches and a boost for the sport in general. I remember the excitement when it was announced the Falcons had re-signed Ivan Mauger (for home meetings only) in our ill-fated return to the British League in 1984. Although he still managed an average a fraction over 8pts - which is today's standard would be good - he was a shadow of the rider he once was and was at time beat by some pretty average riders who would not have got near him when he was in his pomp. It may have been only a fraction of a second out of the gate but in modern racing it made all the difference especially for someone who prided themselves on their gating ability. It was similar for Verner when he returned - although not renowned for his gating - his fence scraping escapades that made him such a favourite was largely gone. No doubt some of the hunger must go also as well as the realisation of the risks must be greater. Still all were great riders, Mauger the greatest, Verner one of the best all action riders around the County Ground and as for Jason Crump I would urge anyone if you get the chance to see him in action to make a special effort to go and see one of the greats of modern Speedway.