Bagpuss

Racing getting better. The centre looks like dead grass to me.

Where’s the white line?

I wonder how Fraud kept a straight face when providing his snippet for the match preview on the BSPA website.

Apparently he’s been riding injured most of the year but it’s funny that he can’t ride now that Edinburgh’s season is effectively over and Poole need points to finish top. And yes it’s the same that Porsing is fit now that Lynn can’t make the top four. Speedway needs to stop damaging itself, can’t believe the penny hasn’t dropped yet.

No doubt you do but exaggerating injuries to use ringer guests does the sport no good at all and it one of the reasons why people walk away and don’t come back - and yes Lynn are just as bad if that’s the case with Porsing.

Can’t say too much as it’s the same with Porsing but it’s a highly convenient injury seeing as Wells completed his four rides at Newcastle last night. No doubt this shoulder injury will keep him out of the Play Offs too.

And it makes more meetings more interesting for longer.

STARS v POOLE, PREVIEW Sunday September 08, 2019 KING’S Lynn hope to dent Poole’s hopes of finishing top of the league when they take on the reigning champions at the Adrian Flux Arena on Monday (7.30). After Wolverhampton stunned the Pirates with an impressive victory at Wimborne Road on Thursday, it meant the Poultec Stars’ chances of reaching the play-offs were over for another year. Although some will say the Norfolk outfit are only racing for pride, they still have an unbeaten home record at stake and they could play a key part in deciding who finishes where in the Premiership standings. Stars skipper Robert Lambert is set to make his first appearance on home shale since July after missing the previous four home meetings with a back injury. While Nicklas Porsing also returns at reserve. Poole, meanwhile, will want to bounce from their home defeat last time out, and they head to East Anglia at full strength with recent signing Tomas H Jonasson making his first appearance at King’s Lynn since he rode for the Stars in 2017. Stars boss Peter Schroeck said: “The main focus over the next three meetings is for the boys to put themselves in our thoughts for next season. “We have already been planning for 2020 so; my job now is to keep the boys focused as they’re all racing for a team spot next year. We are going to have to look at a different strategy of how we are going to win away like we do at home. “We are going to carry on doing what we have been doing at home because we have got something good, but it is not quite good enough to make an impact away. “We just have to analyse the situation at the end of the season and maybe make one or two changes to be able to cope with going away. It is no good being at home scoring 12 or 14 points and nothing away, that is a big issue and we need to have more consistency.” KING'S LYNN: Robert Lambert, Michael Palm Toft, Erik Riss, Thomas Jorgensen, Craig Cook, Lewis Kerr, Nicklas Porsing. POOLE: Brady Kurtz, Nico Covatti, Nicolai Klindt, Josh Gracjzonek, Jack Holder, Tomas H Jonasson, Ricky Wells.

I’m all for riders stepping up and the higher league taking priority for the sake of their development but I can also see the sense in blocking signings late in the season if home race nights clash between CL and NL.

You would imagine he’s a little tentative due to still suffering some pain and bring a little low on confidence, certainly backed out of one or two situations. Pretty sure he’ll come back as strong as ever next season, needs a restful winter to fully recover.

I can remember AJ coming to Lynn with Coventry three times in 2001 when he hadn’t been racing here long and winning all of his 14 heats, and that was against a Lynn side containing four GP riders at that time. Fantastic rider when on it and ought to have had at least one World title on him with his talent. Best wishes to him for the future.

If Peterborough hadn’t suffered so many injuries and had virtually a full team out for each home meeting they would have won the majority of them and perhaps might not have finished bottom.

Another crap GP. If only they could select the ten best race tracks in the world and use those.

You’d imagine Lambert might be lining up at Lynn on Monday.

Palm Toft withdrawn from Redcar’s meeting at Eastbourne tonight after two scoreless rides so must be doubtful for Monday. Struggling to summon any enthusiasm on all honesty with nowt to race for.

And how much they would cost? Pretty clear Poole have had to cut their cloth this year a bit more, like the majority of teams. There just isn’t the money sloshing around in British speedway that there once was.

THJ will be better in the Play Offs than he was last night I’m sure.

Mores the pity.

To be fair you’ve had horrendous injury issues this year, people appreciate a good effort against the odds whereas they might not be so forgiving had BWD, Nicholls, Wright, Garrity, Summers and a fit Hans all been riding.

Please tell me I’m misinterpreting that comment and it’s not a pop at the country’s best race track? You are better than that if it is.

I think the difference this year is that Poole have had to tighten their belts rather than spend money on changes, hence the lack of them. Despite being out of form I can’t see them not beating Ipswich in a semi final and even though they would then be underdogs in the final only a fool would write them off as they always seem to produce in Play Off finals.

Cricket, rugby off the top of my head. I think it’s particularly apt in speedway where home advantage can be so strong.

I think the ‘new’ scoring system is one of the best (only good?) ideas that the authorities have come up with, works really well for me but they need to go back to making home teams win by seven to get their three points. If we are going to have a top division again it needs two or three additions, seven clubs just doesn’t work.

So who would we have back of the guys who have ridden this year? Robert - absolutely, has been a bit disappointing this year but there is scope to increase his average by quite a bit if he wants to ride in the UK. Craig - yes if the points limit allows but think it would be tough to fit he and Robert both in. Erik - big fat yes, no brainer. Tomas - not for me, great at home but pretty awful away unfortunately. MPT - yes, particularly if at reserve. Lewis - only if as a number seven. Hasn’t achieved what I thought he would this year unfortunately, desperately want him to do well as a local lad but despite a great season in the second division his away form for us hasn’t been great. Niklas - no, just hasn’t worked out. Simon - handy as a guest at home but that is all for me. Ty - not for me, after a great 2018 he was disappointing this year. Kasper - there is obviously a cracking young rider in there going by his Redcar scores but he just can’t ride Lynn’s grippy surface so unless that changes there is little point unfortunately.

I don’t think there’s an awful lot between the top four or five but Chuganov will turn out to be the best of them IMO.