Aces51

Bewley withdrawn from Glasgow meeting tonight, let's hope it's just sensible resting after racing every day since last Thursday. He had said he was finding it difficult racing so much after his return from injury and almost withdrew from the NL Riders meeting on Sunday.

We are certainly not hot favourites. Much will depend on Schlein, who has had good meetings at the NSS, British Final and bad, Wolves last visit, Howarth and Masters, who like Schlein can blow hot and cold at Belle Vue. Masters will find it easier to cope with his injury on the wide open spaces of the NSS than at Monmore with its tight turns. If they can all manage decent scores including r/r rides Wolves with their 13 point lead will win on aggregate. Our hope has to be that our heat leaders can beat everyone apart from Lindgren and keep his score down to about 13/15'from 6 rides. Tungate can also be excellent at the NSS and enable us to get some 5-1's whereas Worrall has struggled at home recently so needs to up his game. Bewley can be our trump card at reserve but will need to be as I can't see Shuttleworth scoring many, if any, points. It's going to be a big ask but if everything goes our way we can do it.

I think that is exactly what happened. I said as much to a Wolves supporter next to me after seeing it replayed on the big screen. We had an interesting but ultimately friendly exchange of views. Just so unfortunate that the crash resulted in Thorsell's injury.

Firstly, very sorry to hear that Thorsell has broken vertebrae in his lower back and wish him a complete and speedy recovery. I was there last night and have now watched it back on TV. With so many falls, was it 10, there was clearly a problem with track. Cook, Tungate and Worrall have shown in the past that they can perform well at Monmore but last night all 3 had at least one fall.I can't bring to mind a meeting anywhere in the recent past with that number fallers. Monmore is usually better prepared but last night it wasn't but probably because of the problems caused by the weather. Having said that, Wolves deserved their victory. Lindgren showed again his mastery of the circuit and Schlein did exceptionally well. Worrall and Fricke rode well for the Aces. It is going to be difficult to overcome a 13 point lead but not impossible. [quite name=stevebrum" post="3036458" timestamp="1506374612]Seems the Aces are under instruction to take out as many Wolves riders as possible. Shocking riding from some of them. With Thorssell out its game over. Steve, I appreciate this was probably a heat of the moment comment but you need to apologise and withdraw it. Very nice of Adams to say he hopes that we win it if we get through to the final.

A remarkable career and a record to be proud of.PK has been loyal to British Speedway and Wolverhampton in particular over many years and was a rider I always looked forward to watching. I hope he enjoys whatever he does next and that we still see him involved in the sport in some capacity.

That's a reasonable assessment. Smith was showing a marked improvement before his injury. I doubt he would have scored much, if anything, at Monmore but he is better than Shuttleworth so may have picked up an odd point that Rob won't. At the NSS Smith could easily have scored at least 3 whereas Rob may not score any. However, we are where we are, Fricke is back and on form and Bewley can be a match winner. Let's hope for two brilliant meetings and may the best team win.

Cement dust and a very wet track doesn't sound like a good idea, especially when the bikes have turned it over a few times. Sounds like a fun way to mix cement though but what would I know.

I can't see anything in the rules that prevents it. Arguably, when BWD was fit, proven by his intention to ride for Peterborough before it was postponed, a guest shouldn't have been allowed. In fact wasn't the guest allowed on the basis of his unavailability because Peterborough had preference, nothing to do with injury. I can't bring a particular instance to mind but know there have been examples where a guest has been replaced by the unavailable rider when he unexpectedly became available.

Wolves have a huge home track advantage and riders who do well at the NSS. I think we will win overall but it's going to be close. I'll be happy if we lose the first leg by less than 10, delighted if we win but it's going to take an exceptional performance to do that.

As I said in my post that you quoted "he may have a terrible night". Roscoe explained before the meeting why he had picked him despite his recent poor performance at the NSS, because he was the best of what was available. Even when BWD became available Roscoe preferred THJ and who knows that BWD would have scored more. At least it puts me and others in the same"knowledgeable" category as Roscoe, although I'm not sure that's a compliment.

Far from the best racing this year at the NSS but after the amount of rain that fell the track staff deserve a lot of credit for producing a track that was safe and that did produce a few decent races. Despite the conditions it was an exciting match as slowly but surely the Aces clawed back what became a 15 point deficit. Bewley was brilliant, dropping just one point to the opposition, Cook put in an excellent performance and everyone else gave 100%. Andersen was unhappy with his performance but he was worth more than his 5 points and it was good to see him encouraging his temporary team mates and offering advice. Swindon, Ellis and Morris apart were poor. Doyle would have made a difference but so would Fricke and let's not forget our misfortunes in the away leg. Ellis rode exceptionally well, he was fast and determined, the best I have seen him ride. Onwards to the final, it will be a close encounter if it's against Wolves, which looks very likely at the moment.

Previously it's happened both ways. When a rider being replaced by a guest has become available the guest has still raced and on other occasionsthe guest has been replaced by the rider he was guesting for. If THJ is riding it means that Swindon think they have a stronger team with him than with BWD. Nothing like feeling wanted and valued.

I think you misunderstood. SS was suggesting the two guests tonight might get practice for Poole in the play off final. My point was they won't be eligible to ride as guests for the teams in the final.

Now we'll see whether Swindon think THJ makes them stronger. He was fit enough to ride for Peterborough so I can't see any fitness problem.

I think you'll find they do. It's just taken a long time for them to understand that it's a problem.

I thought riders from other play off teams couldn't ride as guests.

Nobody can resist an opportunity to ride at the NSS but it's upsetting to see their disappointment when told we can't offer then a team place next year.

Good to see Dan Bewley managing 5 rides last night although his score indicates he needs a few more meetings to get back to race fitness. I hope he isn't feeling any ill affects today. Hopefully riding tonight and at the weekend will see him getting closer to being 100% for next week. Apparently Fricke is feeling battered and bruised after his crash in Sweden last night, it looked a bad one but fortunately it seems that neither he or AJ are suffering anything too serious. We'll have to hope that Max is also fully recovered by Monday.

I don't doubt they are doing the best they can, nobody wants to lose money and I am sure they all want the sport to prosper. However, it is obvious that their best is not good enough. They have had ample opportunity to get things right and failed. Not everything they do is bad, the proposed fixed nights is a move in the right direction but too often they fail to see the big picture. To me every idea, every proposed change, should be tested by asking not only is it affordable, is it practical, is it credible, but most importantly, will it bring in more fans. No matter what they do it won't help unless it increases attendances. It is time now to acknowledge that they don't collectively have the vision and skills required to rejuvenate the sport and need to to bring in someone who can. The trick is finding that person with the limited funds available, no easy task.

I think the point is that he might have been "nothing short of dreadful" but even so has virtually the same average as BWD. We know he is capable of doing much better whereas BWD is doing as expected for a rider of his experience and ability but he is still improving and next year may be a different story. "Sound like" better get help now if you're hearing voices when you read posts.

Yes, for the reasons I set out in my post that you quoted. Riders like BWD occasionally perform exceptionally but the operative word is occasionally. His form has dipped and in my opinion a repeat of that paid maximum or even anything approaching that performance is extremely unlikely.THJ has been in poor form but as is often said, form is temporary but class is permanent. In my opinion it is more likely that THJ will score more points than BWD would have done. He may have a terrible night, I hope he does but I believe that most knowledgeable fans given an option to choose between the two would choose THJ.

It's the luck of the draw. But for the weather he would have made his comeback for Belle Vue on Monday in a semi final. In fact Belle Vue's remaining matches are semi finals and hopefully, finals. At least his 5 rides tonight will have helped his race fitness for tomorrow.

Don't be silly!! Wan is from the Chinese side of the family.

Of course they are. All of the semi finalists and the BSPA share some responsibility. Considering all of the weeks without meetings that most clubs seem to have suffered it is madness to now be in this position. Having said that and knowing the number of guests used this year, the probability is that none of the teams would have had their full 1-7 whenever the meetings were arranged but surely they could have avoided Wolves having to put out a side with so many guests. They devalue the competition by not themselves treating it with any respect and then wonder why the fans do the same. The facts are that all of the semi finalists were known by the 26 June and they and the BSPA should have ensured that the draw and the dates were sorted out soon afterwards.

Doyle is going through a lean spell/ keeping safe for the GP's and I think the chances of BWD repeating his previous score were pretty remote, his form has dipped since then, in fact I'd have bet your house on it. Fricke is a big loss on his current form but I think that Andersen and Kurtz will even things out with neither scoring as many as the riders they replace. Jonasson is potentially a plus for BWD but even so I think we will win but struggle to win on aggregate.