NeilWatson

That wasn't too painful for you Gem I hope! First meeting finished 3.40 after the machinery protests, second meeting 4.10 to 5.45pm. A big thank you to the riders, management and track staff for making it all run so smoothly.

COVENTRY Storm face a busy weekend of three matches in less than 24 hours - including a double header at Brandon on Sunday afternoon. The City Gearboxes Storm travel to Stoke on Saturday (7pm) in their final scheduled away fixture of the regular National League campaign, but on completion of the match at Loomer Road they will still have eight home matches to run! Two of those come on Sunday, starting at 2pm, when the return fixture against the Potters takes place as the second match of the day, with King’s Lynn the first opponents. It’s a baptism of fire for new signing Mark Baseby, who slots into the Storm’s top five after agreeing to join as the replacement for former skipper Luke Crang. Meanwhile at reserve Conor Dwyer sits out the away match on Saturday but is expected to make his return from injury in the home matches - whilst Martin Knuckey is another rider who has been in the wars of late, and has had broken fingers strapped up in order to continue after a crash at Eastbourne last weekend. The Storm’s two talented 16-year-olds Callum Walker and Jamie Halder will both race in two of the three matches over the weekend, teaming up at reserve at Stoke and then both taking one match alongside Dwyer on Sunday. Manager Laurence Rogers said: “It’s an important weekend for us, it’s the weekend to start the ball rolling and make sure that the Gold Cup is a realistic aim. “We’ve already achieved 12 points away from Brandon, which is a fantastic achievement, and we aim to get more at Stoke on Saturday. “Then we need to keep the points coming in to ensure a top four finish, and I hope everyone will get behind the lads to help them. “It will be good to welcome Mark as our newest Storm rider. I know what he can do, and I felt it was important to have seven riders again rather than rider-replacement, especially with the double-headers coming up.” Sunday afternoon’s action at Brandon features 30 heats of racing with adult admission just £15. CITY GEARBOXES STORM (from): Mark Baseby, Conor Dwyer (Sunday only), Dan Greenwood, Jamie Halder, Martin Knuckey, Darryl Ritchings, Rob Shuttleworth, Callum Walker. STOKE (from): Jon Armstrong, Paul Burnett, Lee Payne, Danny Phillips, Shaun Tedham, Ryan Terry-Daley, Chris Widman. KING’S LYNN (from): Josh Bailey, Scott Campos, Layne Cupitt, Shane Hazelden, Ryan Kinsley, Jake Knight, Tom Stokes.

Admission is £15 for over-16s, programme £2.50

Equalled it, broken it, then broken his own new record! 15 point maximum

I've swopped my Bees shirt for a bright floral one as it's a day off today. White shirt and tie tomorrow for the PL 4s.

Yes, we are delighted to welcome Gary back!

Safety. All the track staff moved to outside the fence (but still immediately available) - an out-of-control chair careering across the centre 'green' can do a lot of damage!

Tonight's meeting is POSTPONED

COVENRY Storm take on a former Elite League club for the second time in two weeks when Eastbourne make the trip to Brandon on Friday (7.30pm). The Eagles are one of the few teams who could realistically catch leaders Birmingham and challenge for the National League title, but they will need a series of away wins to do so, with a draw at Stoke the best they have managed so far in three attempts on the road. They do, however, bring a strong-looking line-up led by the spectacular Kiwi-born Bradley Wilson-Dean who has enjoyed a stunning first season in the UK, whilst talented reserve Georgie Wood has been declared fit to ride after his crash at Arlington last week. The City Gearboxes Storm face eight matches at Brandon between now and September 11 (including three double headers) - and manager Laurence Rogers is desperate to bring in a new face or two if possible. Rider-replacement is still in position covering for absent heat-leader Luke Crang, who is taking time out of the sport, whilst injured reserve Conor Dwyer can only be replaced match-by-match by a 3.00 rider despite his average being over four. As things stand, any full-time replacements have to come under the existing averages of the riders they are replacing, rather than adding together the averages of the riders who are out and signing two riders below that total, unless the Storm work back to the original 36-point limit which would mean several more changes. Rogers admits he has attempted to tempt riders out of retirement who could slot into the team, but has so far drawn a blank with those approaches. He said: We are now two riders down and I am looking deep and hard at what I can do. The points limit doesnt help, and I have already talked to so many riders and tried to get a few out of retirement. We should have been the first team to lower Birminghams colours last Friday but Lady Luck was not on our side - and Eastbourne will be another tough one. Our aim now has to be to finish in the top four and make the Gold Cup, and I hope everyone will get behind us to help us do it. Admission for Fridays meeting is just £10 with all kids free, and there is also a Midland Development League match featuring the Coventry Vikings and Stoke. COVENTRY (from): Luke Crang R/R, Dan Greenwood, Jamie Halder, Martin Knuckey, Darryl Ritchings, Rob Shuttleworth, Callum Walker, Kyle Roberts (no.8). EASTBOURNE (from): Richard Andrews R/R, Matt Bates, Ben Hopwood, Marc Owen, Charlie Powell, Bradley Wilson-Dean, Georgie Wood.

I think you are confusing Peter Clarke (referee) with John Clarke, Coventry's esteemed main team sponsor!

No matter how many times you repeat this, you are WRONG! As a staging Promoter, I am able to postpone a meeting if necessary up to two hours before the meeting (SR 14.7.1). Once the referee (or the Meeting Co-Ordinator in the case of a Sky meeting) is in attendance it is their decision, and their decision ALONE to abandon a meeting. (SR14.9)

I've explained to you both privately and via this forum that the Coventry promotion had no more control over the Lakeside abandonment than we did over the Poole meeting - it is the REFEREE'S (meeting steward) decision.

.Friday July 10, 2015 WOLVERHAMPTON are sweating on the fitness of Lewis Blackbird ahead of tonight's trip to Coventry. Blackbird is suffering from a chest infection and is rated doubtful ahead of the trip to Brandon. Cradley's Matt Williamson has been placed on stand-by should Blackbird fail to make it. There's also a return to Parrys International Wolves colours for local lad Ashley Morris who comes in for the in-form Josh Bates who is riding for his parent club Sheffield at Edinburgh. Boss Peter Adams said: "We knew we were going to be without Josh, but the prospect of going there without Lewis is a major blow for the team. "I was on the phone until midnight ringing around last night, it's tough to replace riders like our reserves and we thank Ashley and Matt for agreeing to help out." COVENTRY: Chris Harris, Stuart Robson, Danny King, Joonas Kylmakorpi, Hans Andersen, Jason Garrity, James Sarjeant. WOLVERHAMPTON: Fredrik Lindgren, Jacob Thorssell, Ricky Wells, Tobiasz Musielak, Peter Karlsson, Ashley Morris, Lewis Blackbird or Matt Williamson.

Peterborough can have a guest for Robert when riding for Kings Lynn regardless of whether he's at No 1. 18.10 FACILITIES a1) Absent #1: G or RR a2) Absent D-U or ED Rider G or RR 1 Absent Rider (2 – 5): RR c) More than 1 Absent Rider (1 - 5)1 x RR facility and G for all others d) Absent #6 or #7: G e) “No Facility”: NL G*

8.51 http://www.speedwaygb.co/files/downloads/pl15_issue_18.pdf

Because they had a 2014 Premier League average. SR18.6.4 If a Rider has only an EL Established MA from the previous season, which must not exceed 6.00, then a conversion is necessary; the EL MA is multiplied by 1.4.

Peterborough have already lost the guest facility for Oliver from 1st July as he's no longer No 1 in the averages.

I'm not a fan of the TR, but by definition the match wasn't close when Poole used theirs.

Josh Bates is ineligible to guest for Coventry under the eight-day rule.

Where is Josh Bates riding?

SR17.7.1.2 A Rider may ride as a Guest (in an Official Meeting) at a Track only once in an 8-day period unless replacing the Home Teams #1 or is a NL Rider guesting for the Home Team. An 8-day period includes two Fridays (or other day) - the rule is designed to prevent a 'track specialist' guest appearing at a track every week for different opposition.

But you weren't there... Islander15's post is a much fairer reflection of the meeting.

When teams have the same match points, they are ordered by race point difference.

The future stars of speedway will be competing in Round 3 of the British Youth Championship on Sunday at the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium. It is the fourth occasion that Leicester has hosted the event and it promises to be bigger and better than ever. The competition has grown year on year in its popularity and many of todays younger riders have graduated from this level and into the National and Premier Leagues. There will be plenty of interest for spectators to see, especially Kyle Bickley who is a name to watch in the 250cc class. Kyle retained his 125cc World title in Plezn, Czech Republic last month against a field of riders, some of whom were older and much more experienced than the thirteen year old from Cumbria. Kyle will be bringing the trophy he won with him for all to see. For Lions fans their two mascots, the Thompson twins will be competing in the 125cc section. Dan and Joe have shown up well in the two previous rounds at Scunthorpe and Eastbourne, each making the rostrum on both occasions and will be looking to put their Leicester track knowledge to good use. If previous staging of the British Youth Championship at Leicester is anything to go by then Sundays event will be another great occasion. The skill level of these young riders is incredibly high right from the youngest through to the 500cc section. The racing is enthralling as they all want to win and of course the added bonus for Lions fans is the fact that the Thompson twins, Dan and Joe will be battling it out to continue their great form. With fifty-seven races on Sunday it is going to be a feast of speedway for fans to watch and like previous years it will flow very quickly with hardly any gaps in between. The meeting is incredibly well organised and it is testimony to the event co-ordinator Neil Vatcher who puts so much energy and time into running the British Youth Championship enthused the Lions Promoter David Hemsley. The stadium ticket office will be open at 1.00 pm on Sunday and admission prices are: Adults £8.00, Children (aged 10 to under 16) £2 and under tens are free. This meeting is also included as part of the season ticket offer. With fifty-three heats on the programme and four finals the admission prices represent great value and the meeting will start at an earlier time of 3.00 pm on Sunday.

£15 for over-16, under 16 free. £2 programme