Wee Eck

Some of this surprises me, some doesn’t. The absence of the Russians doesn’t. Rumours of a deal struck between them, PZM and FIM which allows them to ride in the Ekstraliga means they have agreed not to be in the GPs Two of the four - Doyle and Michelsen- are correct in my view for the reasons others have said. Likewise, Madsen’s exclusion due to his no show at the SON and his disagreement with the logistics company seems fair. The other 2? This should be the top 15 riders in the world and be unrelated to political considerations. Having two riders who failed in the GP series and failed in the GP challenge shoe horned in because of their nationality is just wrong. Whateve you think of Poland and Polish speedway, not including a third Pole could - and maybe should - come back and bite WBD/FIM on the arse. And justifying Kvech’s inclusion because he’s CZ champion but not even including the Polish champion as a substitute is just plain wrong. In my view.

I’ve just been called by a usually reliable source who has said Laguta and Sayfutdinov both said it would be unfair for them to be seeded back into the GPs so they are looking to get a slot in the GP Challenge qualifiers. Meanwhile, WBD contacted Hancock to see if he would consider a return as they need a USA representative. He declined but suggested another American. So the wildcards will be Blodorn (because they want a German) Tai because of the Monster connection, Berge because of the French Eurosport connection and Manzares. But, like LagutaRacingFan, I might have just been listening to the voices in my head.

As this thread is headed guest options, it seems entirely reasonable that’s what it should be. It’s a forum for discussion after all. So here’s another one - is Adam Ellis available? His average fits.

I can understand the hurt but I think the Scunthorpe supporters are being unfair. Oxford started strong this year with two big heat leaders and have been strengthened by the improvers in Boughen and Killeen. Scunthorpe have history of being a solid team at home but often poor away and this year has been little different - unbeaten at home in the league but 6 out of 8 losses away. Compare that to the performances of the two teams above them and you’ll see what I mean. it’s fair to say that MPT was a disappointment last night, but that was almost guaranteed. He has a tendency to start strongly, pick up an injury and fade. But 2 more points from him last night would have turned defeat into victory. Of more concern has to be Howarth whose average has dropped in a weaker league. Scunthorpe have made the top three this year, higher than previous power house teams like Glasgow, Redcar and Edinburgh so enjoy that. As to the final, if it is Oxford vs Poole then both tracks will be packed and the racing should be hard. Both tracks are “tricky” in different ways which makes predicting the out-turn impossible. Should be fun.

I expect Brady has various priorities including helping Rybnik to a league title and qualifying for the GPs. He’s bust a gut helping BV to the play offs and their expected failure in the semis against Sheffield is no reflection on him. I doubt there’s another BV rider who has done more for the Aces than he has this year but his discomfort was plain to see after last Monday’s home meeting.

They did just that when Joe Screen signed for Glasgow in June 2010 and he wasn’t permitted to ride in the Pairs the following month. My recollection, possibly flawed, was it was a stitch up to stop Glasgow winning the Pairs. Which they did the following year. With James Grieves. And, of course, Joe Screen

Would you not think it unfair that those that qualified from the group stages could count their play off matches in assessing the 75% mark, unless you see it as a reward? And why wouldn’t that also apply to league play offs? Knowing the way these things work, the play offs for the BSN and the league could be in September so some teams wouldn’t know until then how many meetings they’d be allowed for changes. It would have been easier, rather than going with a percentage if the rule was an absolute number. Like 15. Which is what I think it is.

Workington reached 15 meetings - league and BSN series - last Saturday so had until then to advise BSPL of the change. Once the meeting vs Poole was finishrd, Workington hit the “no team changes after 75% of their matches” threshold. On the second point, I’ve no idea. It keeps changing! It was 6 home and 6 away at one point but I’m sure that changed. Perhaps Crescent Girl knows?

It refers to the Championship League which is 16 meetings - 8 each home and away and BSN Series which was 2 home and 2 away so a total of 16. It doesn’t mention the play offs so the total for each team is 20, 75% of which is 15. There is a 3 day rule for team changes so BSPL needed to have been informed on Friday for the announcement to have been made today. As of Friday, Workington had raced 10 league and 4 BSN meetings so under 75%. The change was also advised to BSPL before Celina won heat 14 on Saturday.Was that coincidental or a deliberate FU moment?

I think it might be the right move to make to help Glasgow make the playoffs

I’d missed that about Manzares and could see the merit in replacing Celina with him rather than him replacing Tate, assuming he comes in on a 4. But Manzares has been unsuccessfully angling for a UK team place for a couple of years now, and you have to wonder why no one has taken him up

Anyone who saw Manzares at the SON knows that would be a poor move. The press release says the release of Celina is to allow for strengthening to help the Comets make the playoffs. I don’t see a Glasgow reject and a rider who hasn’t raced in UK for several years doing that. Comets were riding high due to a rejuvenated Cook and Tate hugely exceeding his average. They’re well over the building limit so need to be looking for like for like replacements - another 4 pointer and someone close to Tate’s 7.36

Don’t poke the bear…..

I’m not bothered about streaming - more interested in watching live but I rather fear for the Tigers in this one. Riss for Stevie should help and although Ivacic ended with a win it was only after Mountain had messed up/been wrongly excluded (take your pick). IMO only a strong start for Tigers will see them through otherwise, the swashbucklers will take all the points and LBW will overdose on flat whites

One change in a team can help with a rebuild. Two starts to be unsettling. Three has riders looking over their shoulders wondering if they’re next. Oxford have dropped Kerr twice, Klindt, Cook, and now Kemp. I think I see the pattern - every rider has a K in their name. If I was JanowsKi, EriK Riss, or even LuKe Killen (two of them!) I’d be worried. Unless it’s all a plan by ShroeK to have room to bring in ZmarzliK!

They did that last year. It didn’t make a difference to the crowd levels for the qualifiers. Wrocław only had the main grandstand open and there were more people in the pits than in the stand all three nights

Thank you

49.5 for Poole due to “special dispensations” (also known as the Lisa effect), 39.5 for everyone else

Thank you for these. I was trying to find them. Cairns seems to be doing exceptionally well in Europe and here’s hoping he keeps it up when he transfers to 500s

Vatcher will catch yer…….

Any reason? Forecast seems ok

It’s unlike Glasgow to stick with a misfiring team. Rumour was they were trying to get a rider in on a 4 who should have been a 5 and not sure why they didn’t just accept him on a five as they have the points to play with. Unless there’s a bigger plan? The Tigers have so many apparent weaknesses this year and yet are one spot away from the play offs with matches in hand. On current form, there have to be four if not five out of the seven who are at risk so I’m expecting big changes soon. It makes a change the big boys wondering what moves Glasgow are about to pull off rather than it being Poole. But you can bet your socks that Poole and Oxford for two will be ready to counter any move that Glasgow make.

Few surprises there though I didn’t know Lahti had moved from Finland to Sweden. That must reduce his chance of selection

I accept that would be a perfect situation but where is the money coming from? With riders desperate to scurry off to Poland in search of the big money, what is the incentive on teams to invest in young riders? As with football, there needs to be a trickle down of cash from top to bottom to help fund the future. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem there’s any spare cash at the top so this isn’t going to happen. Rider development will therefore continue to be a selfish activity with those willing and able to provide training facilities expecting to be rewarded either through using the riders they “develop” or signing them up then selling or loaning them.

Berwick is in England