Aces51

He's a British youngster with less than two years experience. He obviously has a natural talent, a racing brain, maturity and looks to have the skills necessary to progress to the top. Whether he will is at this stage a matter of opinion and many factors can get in the way, injuries, not remaining dedicated and prepared to make the sacrifices necessary etc. My experience is that every now and again riders come along and you can tell that they are exceptional, Collins, Carter and Lee are examples. Having watched Bewley from his first ride with the Colts to the present I think he is in that same mold.

This has got to cheer up anybody who doubts we have British talent coming through or that speedway can be as good now as it ever was. http://www.speedwaygb.co/news.php?extend.32948

On Twitter this morning he said his leg was pretty bruised but that he would be ok. Maybe it started to feel worse later in the day.

Tungate at the track but unable to ride because of injuries sustained at Swindon last night. Somerset to win with ease, reserves will now have to cover two of Fricke's rides and all of Rohan's. It's a pity we didn't know about Rohan earlier, we could then have had a guest either for him or for Max. Edited to add that according to the Updates site Rohan can only be replaced by a reserve in one ride and there will only be 3 riders in his other rides.

Sounds to me like a good argument for keeping speedway admission prices at present levels and leaving the other half at home.

From memory and including only those currently riding in the UK, Belle Vue have, Fricke, Steve and Richie Worrall, Bewley and Hougaard. Bickley is only 15, so not yet old enough to be an asset but I anticipate he will sign for the Aces in due course.

Tungate has a badly bruised leg following his crash last night. Hopefully, it won't affect him but we'll have to see. Bjerre is on fire at the moment but Bellego should be a good replacement if he can produce his previous form at Somerset. Cook, by his own admission, isn't riding as well as he was earlier in the season but had a solid return from injury on Monday so we may not suffer by having to use r/r. It looks like a close match which could go either way.

Yes, as we will at Somerset on Friday, although Bjerre's absence then is due to the Danish championships.

The Woffinden signing was the reason for making the end of July the deadline for changes not for changing the rules to prevent replacing an injured rider. However, as I've said, the rules are what they are and unless the BSPA use their discretion to allow a change in the best interests of the sport we shall just get on with it as we did in 2005. Hopefully, this time with a better result.

Only R/R unless someone else in the 2-5 is injured or riding elsewhere in a fixture that enables the use of a guest. In that case you could have a guest for Fricke and r/r for the other rider or vice versa.

When you get to the final there is only one other team in the play offs so you have a fairly wide choice from which to choose track specialists.

I suspect that Holder's average may fit when the next greensheets are published but the rules are the rules. There is always the "in the best interests of the sport" exception that could be applied but somehow that seems only to apply to certain clubs and we are not one of them. I also have sympathy for Swindon but they did have an opportunity to sign a replacement for Zach and decided not to do so. Understandable because I think horses for courses guests are their best option.

Update now from Belle Vue. MAX FRICKE UPDATE | Following a crash in Sweden last night, the official news is that Max has two fractures in his neck which will heal on their own with a little rest time - he's one lucky boy! He's spoken with Mark Lemon extensively today and is heading to Gerona to seek specialist advise and receive treatment immediately on the injury. Fingers crossed for a speedy return. I'm sure all Belle Vue fans will wish him all the best in his recovery. It goes without saying, he will sadly be line-up. We'll keep you updated on his progress. Get well soon Max.

Translation of part of a report from ROW Rybnik. "I was in contact with Mark Courtney, who told me after midnight that the injury was serious enough to mean the end of the season for Max," said Krzysztof Mrozek, President of ROW Rybnik and added: - Today, after further tests, Max has fractured 5 and 6 cervical vertebrae, which means he has a minimum of five - six weeks of takeoff. If the report is correct then it looks as if we might possibly have to go with rider replacement to the end of the season although hopefully, Max will recover sooner.

What did he say. I assume he gave you all the details.😂

It's not a new idea. We lost Bjerre after the deadline in 2005 and couldn't replace him for the play offs. Top of the league table but we lost to Coventry in the final.

It is a shame for Zach, I have been impressed from what I've seen of him. However, there's always the "in the best interests of the sport" get out clause the BSPA can use if so inclined to give you more time but Clegg seems the best available option so could be signed today.

For the first 40 years for a meeting to be cancelled it had to be torrential rain or the track so flooded that it couldn't be pumped away in time. However, as they say these days, we are where we are and covers are now a necessity. We are told that part of the agreement with our new owners is that the Council will provide covers in time for next season. We shall see.

It's good to see you have a sense of humour. It tells me much about your bias if you really cannot see that it is entirely relevant to refer to Woffinden's attitude to Team GB where he has clearly shown there that he was willing to ride for GB in the World Games because it suited him, just as he was prepared to ride for Wolves simply because his commitments abroad were running out. He used UK speedway in 2016 and wanted to use Team GB this year. As for Crump, he came back on an average of about 11, so no advantage to be gained there, he had ridden in the UK for many years, much longer than Woffinden but he isn't British and was at an age when he didn't think he could maintain his form without reducing his commitments. We were bottom of the league and he helped us out because he was asked to do so. Woffinden saw his commitments abroad were running out and despite his previous comments about UK tracks apparently approached Belle Vue for a place but was turned away and then signed for Wolves. There are considerable difference in the two cases and I saw nothing wrong when Crump joined us. We weren't in contention for anything, we weren't being used, he came on an average that properly reflected his ability and the only benefit was to keep some extra fans for a few meetings.

The fact that Woffinden had a poor season doesn't entitle you to get him back on that average. It happens all of the time. We had Bjerre in 2006, an asset who had a very poor season recovering from his injury in 2005. We persevered with him the whole season and then he signed for Peterborough in 2007. I remember fans complaining that he left after the club has stood by him but I don't recall anyone saying we were entitled to benefit from his likely improved performance in 2007. My view is that riders who are not racing in the UK should come back on an average based on their current form in whichever foreign leagues they are riding. It is relatively easy to agree a conversion factor for each foreign league. As for Tungate, Somerset sacked him, they can hardly complain or feel aggrieved if another club decide to take a chance and sign him. Woffinden seems to want everything to revolve around him but it does seem to somewhat destroy his credibility to refuse to ride in the SWC until they do this his way but then want to ride in the World Games, which just happens to be at his Polish home track. I think it true that no rider can be bigger than the team. If he wants to change things he has to do it by example and persuasion from within the team. In any event I am far from convinced that being an exceptional rider necessarily means that you have the ability to teach others or that what works for you will work for everyone. It's a shame you feel it necessary to be so childish.

My principles are clear, it's those who cannot see that British speedway was being used who need to consider if they are being blinded by bias it other factors. Tungate may improve his average further or he may not, that is a matter of conjecture but it was you who claimed his average was way below his actual level and so far the facts do not support you. However, in truth the real considerations are those that existed at the time the signings were made because that is what we are discussing, not how they did or, in Tungate's case might, turn out. I doubt you will find many who did not think that Woffinden was a far better rider in 2016 than his 7.03 average, look at the comments on here at the time and equally, that Tungate was better than his average, although I think the weight of opinion in his case was less certain. That is why I was concerned about the moral point. I see the situation with Woffinden riding in the World Games in the same light. He just wants to use Team GB, as he did with Wolves, when it suits him and I strongly agree with Rossiter's decision not to pick him.

There are all sorts of factors you can take into account if you really want to analyse those statistics. Woffinden had 10 matches, whereas Tungate had only 5, so Woffinden's figures more likely to be an accurate reflection of his performance. Also, because he has had far fewer meetings Tungate's average is significantly inflated by one meeting, his 13 points last Monday against Wolverhampton. His average for his 4 other meetings is only 0.32 higher than his Somerset average. However, contrary to BWitcher's claim, what the statistics do show is the Woffinden did perform significantly above his starting average.

You say the significant difference is that Tungate's average was way below his ability whereas Woffinden's wasn't, proved by his performance. From a rough and ready calculation for all matches since their respective signings Woffinden averaged 1.31 more than his pre-signing average of 7.03 and Tungate 1.32 more than his, which doesn't seem to support your argument. As regards the moral question some may not understand it or think it relevant but that comes down to your personal principles. Clearly the BSPA and SCB thought there was a need to change the rules to try to prevent a similar occurrence this year. I agree there are more important issues affecting the sport but at least this one has been addressed.

Tungate's average was current whereas Woffinden's wasn't and you completely ignore that a significant difference with Tungate is that Woffinden was just using British speedway because his income was drying up elsewhere. You may not regard moral objections as worth considering and as a clear difference between the two situations but to some it is an important point of principle.

I do not blame Chapman for the decline, other than by being a member of the BSPA for many years. What I am questioning is if he is the man to stop the rot and rebuild the sport. The evidence so far, both at his own club and as Chairman, gives me little confidence that he is.