Halifaxtiger

Fingers crossed it will be. All forecasts say good weather this afternoon and in my experience a downpour overnight or in the morning dramatically improves the quality of the speedway at Hi Edge.

Personally I'd say from that camera angle its difficult to draw any conclusion, although it seems to point to Tungate going out to hit Auty. If the camera had been on the third bend looking directly down the back straight or in the middle of the back straight (precisely where I was) you could have seen both incidents clearly. I'd maintain that Auty should have been excluded from the second running for being the cause of the stoppage (and in my view it was not a speedway accident it was reckless riding)and that Tungate's actions were deliberate. I doubt if Tungate meant to injure Auty but take a rider off and you risk that. That's something Tungate knows only too well.

Ipswich fan are we ? Tungate almost certainly didn't intend to injure Auty, but he definitely intended to run into him and he knew the potential consequences. Auty and Rob Godfrey might not have acted professionally, but no-one got hurt as a result. If they are idiots, I am struggling to find a word (at least one I can post) that describes a rider who deliberately knocks another off after a race.

I am not quite sure how it can be coming into turns 1 & 2. Its either turn 1 or turn 2. It happened part way round turn 2.

Completely agree. Tungate should definitely have been thrown out. Had he got the decision right on the first running of heat 10 (and, at the risk of repeating myself, it was very clear one indeed) Auty would not be injured and Tungate facing an enquiry. Again, completely agree. Take out the Tungate incident for a second and that was easily the best meeting I have seen this season. So much for all those whining about the effects of wind and sun on the track. If Scunny can do it, why can't everyone else ?

It seems to me that what you are saying is that you don't need Nicki Pedersen's set up to be competitive and I think you are dead right.

As I say, almost all NL riders self fund and so have to have outside occupations even during the season. I think your point about Richard Lawson hits the nub of the issue. Riders all want to have the pit crew and equipment of Nicki Pedersen and spend large amounts of money to get it in the full knowledge that their pay won't cover the expense. They then complain about being unable to make ends meet. I remember Dean Felton a few years ago saying that he made money out of NL speedway and had beaten all the top riders in that league that season. He, too, did his own engines. If Lawson is able to ride at a good heat leader standard in the PL and double up in the EL by doing his own engines, driving himself about and cutting expenses there's a lesson there for the Richie Worrall's of the speedway world.

Tungate did go from gate 1 to gate 4, but Auty went from gate 4 to gate 1 to gate 4. Had they crashed going into the first bend, all four back (or Tungate excluded). But that's not what happened. Tungate got to the outside first, so Auty cut back and went 45 degrees across the track coming out of turn two and ploughed into him. My view was very good indeed because as Auty exited bend two he was heading straight for me - hence he was heading diagonally across the track from the inside to the outside. I know my mate in the stand on the bend 1 side of the tapes didn't see it at all, so bend 1 wasn't a good view (as my view of Nielsen/Wilkinson wasn't). To be fair, you're right that the referee's start line position wouldn't have been the best place but he's certainly up higher and he can't have missed Auty going from the inside to the outside at 45 degrees straight into Tungate's path. In the incident with Richard Hall last season, Auty was definitely at fault and it was said at that time that he is notorious for reckless moves that result in crashes and that Hall's reaction might have been provoked by Auty's reputation. That reputation certainly doesn't lend itself to supporting the position that he did nothing wrong here.

My view is an entirely unbiased one. Is yours ? I had no barriers (bar the catch fence) in the way, I was looking at it head on. Auty went from the inside to the outside and straight into Tungate. He might have being trying to block but he completely misjudged it and definitely should have been excluded. Indeed, all four back wasn't just poor, it was laughable. Some riders might get the benefit of the doubt in such a situation but Auty most definitely isn't one of them.

I think he's saying that Tungate hit Auty. Definitely not the way I saw it and, as I have said, Auty has history for making reckless moves that lead to crashes.

I had a poor view of that one but a mate who was on the home straight told me that Nielsen never touched Wilkinson. For what its worth, I think Superstar's account and mine are almost entirely consistent.

I had a very good view of both incidents as I was part way down the back straight. In the first running of heat 10,Tungate bolted for the outside off gate 1. He made no contact with anyone and was clearly in front. Auty was off gate 4, moved to the inside on the second bend and then turned right and wiped Tungate out. The referee, to my total disbelief, ruled all four back. In the re run, Scunny took a 5-1. As the race finished and the riders slowed round the second bend, Tungate ploughed into Auty and I simply don't believe it was not deliberate. Riders do collide after a race but that is rare and clearly Tungate had a motive to hit Auty. I don't believe he intended to injure him but Tungate must have known that that could be a consequence. Tungate's actions were totally unacceptable. He should be heavily fined, subjected to a lengthy ban and should have been thrown out of the meeting. I should say, though, that I don't have an ounce of sympathy for Auty. He did exactly the same thing to Tungate in the race and, as some have pointed out, he has big history where reckless riding is concerned. Some are rightly blaming the referee, Peter Clarke. Had he got the first decision right and excluded Auty, the Scunny No 1 would not have a suspected broken arm and Tungate would not be facing an SCB enquiry. The decision to allow Tungate to continue to race was ridiculous. I should say that putting this (and the punch up between Lunna and Morris) aside this was a brilliant speedway meeting, easily the best I have seen this season. The racing on a superbly prepared track was simply top draw and I doubt if FTG was mentioned in the updates. I think Rob Godfrey's actions were a bit tongue in cheek but even if they weren't, they were entirely understandable. His team are bottom of the league and struggling for survival and he sees his returning No 1 break an arm in his first meeting back in a totally avoidable incident. Which of us, in such circumstances, would definitely have behaved differently ?

If its anything like last week (and there's every chance it will be) you have made a wise decision. It was extraordinary.

While admittedly more racing is at weekends, the NL seems to survive (and indeed prosper). With rare exceptions, their riders have to have some other form of income to even compete. Speaking to Adam Kirby on Wednesday, he self funds because he's on NL pay rates. He has to - what he has earned this season in its entirety probably wouldn't pay for a bill he has received for a blown engine, and he blew another the same night. I think its remarkable that some of these lads keep going. I agree with (and indeed applaud)95% of this. But I think the point is only the top EL riders (or those at the top end of the PL doubling up eg Craig Cook) will make a decent living out of speedway. It simply has to be recognised that that is not going to be the case for most of the rest and that that is not new - its pretty much always been like that. In addition to Mick Bell (see above) I can remember Dave Morton saying after his move to Ellesmere Port in 1985 that he repaired and bought and sold cars during the season to make ends meet. I suspect that there might be some who believe that speedway is a quick way to earn a lot of money.There must be an understanding that speedway isn't going to pay the household bills even during the season.

Indeed so. Graham Drury mentions it in the programme from Wednesday night.

I think that's very fair point. I can recall Mick Bell saying that when he rode for Coventry's championship winning teams in the late 1970's speedway was just a good paying hobby, not something you could rely on for full time employment. Even in the hey day of the sport, only the top boys really made money at it.

Its a question of trust. The person who told me has links to both Kent and Lakeside and has invariably been correct. Its also a question of plausibility. Is a move to Kent any less plausible than a move to Romford Greyhound Stadium or Crayford (no offence to those who have suggested it) ? Is it, indeed, any less plausible than a new track being built next to the existing one ? As I understand it, the initial position was that Lakeside were to be out of Arena Essex this season, that subsequently being changed. Given that (arguably) the best speedway stadium in the country is around 30 miles and 40 minutes away and its promotion have made no secret of their ambition to take the club to a higher level, to my mind it would have been surprising if there had been no attempts to move the Hammers there.

According to the radio, Morley didn't ride because he had machinery problems. Another meeting where the score rather than the racing made it riveting, although it was most certainly possible to pass. Kent deserved their point but while they benefited from rider replacement the Brummies lost out big time, effectively having a 5pt rider for an 8.5 one. Bates (or Perry) would almost certainly have scored more than 6+1. It also didn't help that Ellis fell off in his first two rides - on both occasions on his own. Wajtknecht was very impressive for a first season rider but I was also impressed with Ayres, Shanes and, not for the first time, Bacon.

I must admit I didn't look. Even if I had, I'd still have said they were keeping quiet. Saying disappointed but accept it is hardly a comprehensive statement regarding what happened, is it ?

Word I got was that the Hammers moving to Sittingbourne was a done deal. While I also heard (at the same time) that that will definitely not be the case, I don't know why it didn't happen.

No - all being well I am off to Coventry for the match against the Brummies. I should be there against Plymouth, though. The celebrations at EWR on Friday weren't much behind yours, I'll bet.

I am not certain how you are laying this all at the door of Redcar and the referee. According to the SCB report, R/R for Graverson was discussed prior to the meeting starting. Somerset had no issue............until heat 12 (by which time, of course, they were losing). Who on earth checks the average two thirds of the way through the meeting but not at the start ? There is blame on all sides - in my view, the principle one at fault was the referee. After all, he made the decision on R/R and is therefore responsible for allowing Kus to ride. If a statement needs to be made by anyone, surely its Somerset ? They, after all, were the ones that protested and in terms of match points they lost out. I suspect they are keeping quiet because anyone who makes public noise about an SCB decision usually gets poleaxed from all sides but it could easily also be because if they do go public they'll look foolish. As I have said above, who checks the averages two thirds of the way through but not at the start ?

If you didn't go, you wouldn't know. I wouldn't say he was impressive but he was much better than his score suggests.

Actually, and at the risk of sounding contrary, to me an illegal ride shouldn't be allowed to stand. But for that to be the case present regulations need to be amended, so the decision is correct. There should be a time limit on protests but it should be longer than 4 hours. In some cases, you're right. This one seems pretty simple to me, though.

Its not just their error, its the referee's and Somerset's as well. The thing is though is that not to take action is - for right or wrong - the rule that applies in this case and its been applied consistently and explained in detail. I get annoyed when the rules of the sport are deliberately flouted and no explanation at all is given (Bradley Wilson Dean's PL average is one that springs to mind)but that's not the case here. You make fair point about an illegal ride and whether it should stand, but if the clubs don't like it then it is in their power to change the situation.