scotchopper

The thing that has been forgotten in all this is the person that is really punished is the rider. Edinburgh will have to move on, they'll sign someone else as they have to have a 7th rider who by the way will almost certainly be another new foreigner on 5.20 so the decision won't benefit any young british riders. But Luke Becker is going to lose a vital year in his speedway development, he's an 18 year old kid who has shown glimpses of real potential and is obviously well thought of in American circles. It is also a double whammy, he was in with a shout of becoming American champion when he crashed in the final of the 2nd round and broke his ankle. Depriving him of an almost certain top 3 finish (he was 8 points ahead of 4th place after that 2nd round), a big chance of winning the title and now due to this truly awful decision a contract to race in the UK. Now it isn't up to the BSPA to help develop young american riders but this is an 18 year old lad willing to move to the other side of the world to develop his skills and hopefully follow in the footsteps of many top compatriots. Apparently one of the things submitted with the appeal was a glowing report from Greg Hancock. The UKVI don't have experts in speedway that is why these discretionary processes are left up to the BSPA MC. They had 2 questions to ask: 1) If the rider did not miss a round of the American Championships would he have finished in the top 4 - The only answer to that is YES 2) Is the riders record in speedway at the highest level and will they contribute to the development of the sport - Now according to the MC winning races in the World Cup race off at 18 years of age isn't good enough. Now as some people have suggested they could state that they have decided no one is going to get a Visa as a result of an appeal but that should have been stated in the conference because it is effectively changing the rules. Either way they didn't state that they just effectively said they won't consider the appeal because others in the past have abused the system. Two wrongs don't make a right and as I said at the start they are punishing a young rider who's case exactly meets the requirement for a discretionary endorsement. So the only question outstanding I would ask is if it was a different team in the league, e.g. Scunthorpe, he was signing for would the answer be different....... I think almost certainly YES and shame on those who made this decision.

Steve Evans has posted the evidence that was endorsed by the AMA stating Luke's case for special dispensation for a visa on facebook. I believe this was presented to the bspa in December. It is pretty comprehensive and describes exactly the scenario that the special dispensation was set up for. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10156813358991754&id=646901753 Apologies I'm on my phone otherwise I would attach the images for non fbers

His average in the Swedish Elitserien last year was 1.058, a 1 ride average which would make him 4.232 for 4 rides. So 4 points isn't far off but I agree it shouldn't be a subjective decision there should be a system that works it out that is clear to everyone. http://www.svemo.se/sv/Grenar/Speedway/Elitserien2017/Rankinglista/ The 1.3 multiplier is anyone's guess as someone else said the rules should be written down and easily accessible. I am sure all clubs have a copy so don't see why they can't just put a pdf on the website. Last years regulations are there.

I'm going to half defend Glasgow here, the average system means it is not possible to have a win at all costs attitude. They have built a team that they think will win which is the same as most if not all other teams. They have an advantage in that if 2 teams go for the same rider they will almost certainly offer more money which will be a significant factor for most riders. But with bigger salaries comes more responsibility and we have seen/heard of a couple of riders where more money didn't turn out to be a good choice. As for riders negotiating saying so and so get £x at Glasgow it's no longer relevant as Glasgow cannot sign them they already have their 7 riders set. If there was 1 combination of riders with no worries about logistics/contract/availability that was cast iron guaranteed to win the league then everyone would pick that 7 in fantasy league teams but there isn't so I am confident that there will be several teams good enough to win the league. It's hard to compare teams at this stage but of the 2 teams that have declared all 7 riders I prefer the Ipswich team to Glasgow and I see other teams with the potential to be as good if not better than both. This is all before you take into account lack of form, injuries, bad luck, etc. An injury at the wrong time ruins everything just ask Wolves at the end of last season. But the point of the set days is to stop the issue of doubling up riders missing matches and I think it is a massive step forward for the league. An example is Sheffield coming to Armadale, they raced 3 times last season including the cup and Josh Grajczonek was racing for Somerset on all 3 nights. He's a cracking rider but not quite as good at Armadale so on all 3 occasions Sheffield strengthened their number 1 ran us very close twice and won the last match, there is no way Josh G would have scored what Harris scored that night. You can count on one hand the number of teams that turned up to race Edinburgh with their full 1-7 last season. I am led to believe there will be harsher punishments for riders who miss meeting for non speedway related injuries and illnesses so hopefully this will change significantly next year and the team that rides the best (as Sheffield did last season) win the league.

They crashed at the entrance to the first bend. Just because it was the entrance and not half way round shouldn't change the decision. As I said before get the result in track not in the referee box

They crashed at the entrance to the first bend. Just because it was the entrance and not half way round shouldn't change the decision. As I said before get the result in track not in the referee box

I wouldn't expect greaves to give up his line and neither would I expect Erik to give up his. No quarter asked no quarter given. What you described is first bend bunching, all 4 back every day of the week.

Hardly turned left. Twobriders competing for the best line into first corner. Agreed greaves was in pole position but too tight to make an exclusion. should have been all 4 back

Massive thanks to the Scotsman without whom we would never have made the match tonight, always good to spend time in your company as well. Thanks again hospitality next time you are at Armadale Shocking decision in heat 14. This is the play offs semi-final no holds back. Hopefully that isn't a deciding factor as it should be decided in track not in the refs box.

What you describe about stoney is how Monarchs fans feel about cookie absolute legend and I can't wait to see him in the GPs. Hopefully Workington can get over this hurdle and get a brighter future. Getting more fans through the door is a challenge for every club and we wouldn't want to see you go

Can't wait for the play offs, booked my flights this evening. Bring on the witches

Sarjeant was excellent last night possibly tired later on but the best I have ever seen him. The shared event shouldn't be anywhere near the cut off date and fair play to Workington for putting a meeting on that could still be vital to decide the play off teams.

Excellent 3 points from the Monarchs, with the Glasgow riders missing I thought we were up for a comfortable victory but fair play to Sarjeant and Morris who scored much better than the guys they replaced would have. That made a really close and tight excellent meeting. In fact after heat 10 I couldn't see where we would get the heat advantages from then step forward Max Clegg. To be fair he had looked strong a all night just a little unlucky in heat 7 but to beat Lawson and Summers comfortably in 12 and 14 swung the match our way. Sam Masters also pulled out a ride in heat 13 that we really needed. Everyone was thinking he's not fit possibly shouldn't be riding after 3 pretty average races. But it turns out it's mechanical he jumped on Marks bike and produced the sort of heat 13 we expect from him. Brilliant race with Richie and Erik also fighting hard in probably race of the season. All the Monarchs contributed with Mitch forcing a mistake from summers in heat 4 and Josh picking up a couple of vital 3rds. But almost every rider was inconsistent as well to win a 2 leg match we can't afford that. But a great nights entertainment good win for the monarchs and a deserved point for the Tigers. Barring some bizarre results we should be there now so Bring on the play offs.

excellent innovation, well done Redcar I think (unless you are getting humped or in the next race) a lap of honour should be mandatory.

This could be crucial for Monarchs, who should be at full strength 4 points will virtually guarantee their play off status. Workington hasn't been a happy hunting ground for us since cookie moved on so getting even 1 point was never a guarantee, if Redcar (or even Glasgow) could miss out as a result of getting points against a seriously weakened team. mind you, the same argument could be made against Glasgow tonight seriously weakened by injury

Any idea who will host the first leg of the final? Is it highest league finisher that gets 2nd leg?

Difficult conditions tonight track staff did well to get it in any shape to get the meeting on. well done to all riders for giving it a go but especially the monarchs who attacked the track and got the rewards for that. I hope bacon is alright, fair play for giving I a go in heat 4 but his injury made a long tail impossibly long for the Panthers. Great to see Max Clegg making a brilliant move to win heat 14 and Josh looking very good as well.

fair point on Morris, Sheffield are at Redcar on Friday so Grajzonek is out. if richie worrall is fit he would be first choice. be strange riding for us on friday then against us on saturday

The first thing that has to be said is well done sheffield, they have been close in the first 2 matches at armadale already this season so edinburgh had been well warned. But they were solid all the way through with lots of heat winners, the perfect guest and a little bit of bad luck for the home boys but very worthy winners. Ironically it was probably the best start monarchs have had against sheffield in the 3 matches with the top 3 looking impressive and a good win from josh in heat 2. But even whilst we were up there were vital points dropped with mitchell dropping a point to georgie wood and kurtz beating clegg twice. Kurtz win in heat 8 was also a surprise as he turned in a key performance for the tigers. So we were only 6 ahead when we could have been more but howarth (sheffield's best rider) had raced his r/r and 3 of his races you would have thought everything was ok and under control but then the match turned on its head on a bike failure and a brilliant piece of team riding. A comfortable 4-2 to put us 8 points up with masters miles ahead turned into a 2-4 and it was game on again. The tigers took full advantage with kurtz jumping out the gate in the next one and harris pulling off some of the best team riding seen at the dale to level the scores with a 5-1. erik was looking quicker in 3rd and i don't think there are many other riders in the league that would have prevented him getting through. Then another disappointment with bates beating wells and graversen who had been very ordinary so far beating davey and suddenly we were in trouble and then disaster struck. For half a lap it looked like the big guns were going to save the day with erik well clear and sam backing him up. Harris then drove underneath masters who tried to turn back off the 4th bend but just locked up a little too much and howarth could not avoid him, a broken collarbone the result. so another heat advantage was lost and insult was added to injury as erik missed the gate in the rerun, monarchs now needed snookers. with the momentum well in their favour both sheffield boys jumped out the start again in heat 14 and it took a brave ride around the boards ride from josh pickering to limit the damage but with clegg a poor last the match was lost. could they finish off and collect the bonus point for winning by more than 6, of course they could with sam masters in the back of an ambulance monarchs missed the gate and for his 3rd race in a row erik riss found himself trying to break up a team riding pair. never will have someone worked so hard for 3 points in 3 races but the cherry was firmly on top of the cake for sheffield. lots of things to think about for edinburgh, they are still a good bet for the play offs but Sam will be a massive miss and this friday is now huge. Bomber has had a look at the track and comes back with a peterborough team on a massive high after winning the fours without jack holder and a number of riders who go well at armadale. The guest will be important and when you add the 5% for home matches Craig Cook is the only rider in the league who is too high. However with the other matches on the same night the best and possibly only options are Ipswich and Glasgow riders. Using them will give them valuable track experience ahead of their own teams visit to Edinburgh. So it is going to be a very hard few weeks for the monarchs.

Absolutely amazing result. excellent from sam and erik, beating danny king 3 times on his own track. some really good points for josh too i feel for sedgy, didn't have a bad night until ht14. no need for the agent stuff that must be hard on his comeback from inury

Those days are gone when home advantage was the deciding factor if all you do is win your home meetings you won't get anywhere near the top, just ask Workington fans they have been specialists for the last few years. Especially with potential 4 point away wins, you can easily make up for a slip up at home with an away win or a couple of consolation points. It is the team who does best away from home that will finish top of the league. I'll be shocked and amazed if Glasgow don't finish top at the end of the regular season although Redcar's win on Sunday has certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons for the play offs. However if you take a step back Redcar's 4 wins have been 2 at Berwick and 2 at Scunthorpe it is the same for Edinburgh and Ipswich's 2 wins but they both have to go back to Berwick and Scunthorpe again. Sheffield have to go to Berwick twice. I know both teams are trying hard to improve but if those 3 teams pick up 5 or 6 points in these matches they are back favourites again. The form cookie is on right now I wouldn't completely rule out Workington yet but they will struggle to get all of their matches in before the cut off.

Seen Justin many times at ashfield and he was never that great there, he has a couple of tracks that he can't get his head around, Workington is another. I'm sure the 2015 grand final he was awful in the 1st leg but was then the match winner in the home leg with a maximum. Paid 8 is not a great score but it is also not terrible on a track he dislikes. He is a very good second string who can throw in some no1 type performances and a couple of poor ones too. Mike hunter describes him as one of the best gaters he has ever seen and I don't disagree but is a confidence rider who you have to keep happy. In a week where has been unfairly dropped by belle Vue I would think he has contributed to a good point for the witches

A Pretty flat evening with monarchs doing their best to keep the match interesting with a couple of riders really struggling for form. A pretty poor Scunthorpe team that we should be hitting 60 against with mpt their only decent rider, great pass on Sam masters in ht13. Kerr and wilko tried hard but Ricky shouldn't be losing to them on his home track, really need him to get back to his early season form. Sam looked under power and was really hard on Erik in heat15. Frustration after getting passed in previous race but an easy 12 points Theo was solid but looked a little rusty a last in ht10 was poor but paid 6 is ok Erik was fantastic and it would have been interesting to see if he could have completed the max if he hadn't been forced out of the last race Max is still giving everyone a head start and not enough grip for him to make up for it in his first 2 races, brilliant pass in heat 14 over Douglas coming from nowhere as it took 3 laps to pass his team mate Ricky shouldn't be getting beat by wilko and lost to Kerr as well as he struggled to pass. Good win in heat 13 Josh is making max look like a lightning gater. When he does get out he looks good as in ht2 and first run of ht11 but you cannot give everyone a head start all the time Mitchell Did his job and did look like he might pass a couple of times but without really getting there Track probably just too slick on friday but after the last 2 weeks it was good to see all 14 riders looking more strong and stable than theresa may would be nice to see a happier balance with more overtaking opportunities

3 fallers tonight and none because of the track.

Yawn