Baldy

Oh Bob, If you were a fish you would get caught every day, unfortuately you would be too small and get thrown back.

Going to be tough this evening with a useful Heathen team coming to town. Looks a good evening ahead and hope that there is no problems both on the track and off with regard to electric and medical problems. New lads on the track, which will add a bit more interest, although tough for the Potters with only seven riders to pick from.

I think it might be a Saturday night without speedway....at least at Stoke. It's rain, rain and more rain for the next 4 to 5 days. If the lads cannot get on the track to prepare the racing surface then no chance of a meeting. Pity, hope I'm wrong as looking forward to this meeting.

I had not seen much of Marc before this season and I know you cannot go on just a few rides but last night at Stoke he was fast, aggressive rider( i mean he attacked the track not other riders!!) and quick out of the block. Joe was good too. Tom Perry is getting rides with Somerset and he rode well last night but if I had to pick one for going in my side I would pick Marc.

Who say's our education system isn't failing. Still can't get "inly". Seems like it always happens at our place. I too was surprised that we had 7.30 start as well but, not sure if true; BSPA say the timing of this type of meeting. More than two riders rode well; I just named two to give an example. Not only rode well but in good times too and if you had been there you should of seen that. There were problems on 3 and 4 and they should of been sorted as soon as seen but no rider I presume asked for the ref to come down to the track and the ref did not see a cause to come down. I can only gather from that they thought it was safe to carry on riding. It would be interesting if any of the riders who rode there or have rode at Stoke could give us a view. I could be wrong but if some riders can ride it and others can't, it points to the riders who can ride that type of track and the ones that can not.

Could you try that again in English please? You have not explained how Marc/Tom P rode how they did and the others didn't.

I knew i should of bet a tenner instead of a fiver. I said somebody would be on here to complain it was Stoke's fault tonight. There seemed to be a problem on 3rd and 4th bend but that was sorted with the track grade, then Malc Owen in particular was going around the track as fast as I have seen anybody for a good while. Yes there was loads of people off their bikes but how do you level that with the ones who were putting times in as good as some premier matches a few years back. I assure you 1965 or whatever you code name is that your total rubbishing of Stoke is starting to move from the laughable to the tedious.

I was having chat with a chat who thinks our sport is a joke in the first place but found it a real chuckle that some people think that we would even think of starting the season with a ride against a team(I.O.W)in the league and then go back to a "practice" match as he called it. Promoters have to fill the dates they have at their stadiums as best they can to make money but you should really finish your "pre season" before you start your season. Certainly I.O.W looked good at our place but I would not think that we should be running scared of anybody.

So the right thing has been done.......the same as at Stoke yesterday because the riders safety has to be paramount. The promotion at Stoke are going to get mains electric back at Loomer road; again for riders safety, because a blackout like the one the other week would of been very dangerous indeed, some would say it should of been done last year and there is some credence to that but I'm sure if they thought it dangerous or more likely the authorities thought that it was dangerous they would not of gained a ticket to race. Taken time but on the right tracks.

Our team is 38.60.........oh I see you are talking about Ash Birks who is not if the declared 7, so cannot at this stage be counted in our points total. I wonder if Malcolm had not said anything and just declared his teams at the end of each month if people would of complained?. Sure would, people just point towards Stoke it anything happens; does make me laugh....even someone complained about the U 21 yesterday being called off because the rain that we had, stopped people getting on the track to prepare a racing surface.....Dave has many faults but don't blame him for the rain!!!. Adam had not got a ride at the beginning of the year and Malcolm doing what he is doing then more riders get races; is that a good or bad thing? Stoke cannot declare a team over the 40 points limit so what is the problem? On the guest...it was in a challenge where a 3 pointer replaced a 3 pointer, again what is the problem?. On the Elite rider point. Richie is on with Lakeside which I totally disagree with. Looks like our meeting at Rye is called off due to the rain we will probably have. May be wrong but looks like that may be the case.

According to the BSPA site we are off; must be the treat of rain. Saves people making the journey if they are so sure of the forecast.

Quite an enjoyable nights racing and would of thought that a draw would not of been a bad result, or unfair result. Not sure we caught a break as in heat five when Ben came in he finished third and would of been last in Ash Birks had finished the race. The lad is a three pointer have ridden all last year to get it!! Our guest was also a three pointer and got 4 plus one, a reasonable return for a 3 point man. Who should we have brought in ?.Somebody who would roll over a give you the points. I think if all riders rode to potential we would of had a similar result as Jamie would of taken a few more points as would Ash on the Heathens side. Give praise to both sides for giving a show last night.

Do I set out lads or not?. I'm 50 mins or so from the track.

Well our team seem to have got a lot of people talking. I too would like a clear statement on how Adam fits in to all this. I know he is unattached but don't think you can just have a rider standing around for when your main riders are riding elsewhere. I don't like what we have done there even if it's within the rules. On the Oliver situation I cannot see a problem. Rhys is injured on a three average and there is a young, developing rider on a 3 average who is taking his place. I hear some unattached rider on a three should of taken this spot; well looking at the lads who tried out at Loomer rd, there wasn't anybody who was up to the mark and ready to be competitive against the Heathens tonight; and to be honest I want to see competitive riders giving it a go and Oliver is competitive. I too thought it wrong of Stoke to hold a meeting for places if one was already spoken for; although there was talk of Danny Stoneman being offered the place Rhys got( who rode on the day, Dan not Rhys) but was not suitable for him. Thought Danny looked ok for the IOW and hope he has a good season down there. For me it's not a case of Stoke winning at all costs, just a case of sending a team that have riders able to race close to the Heathen riders. I may be a little strange but I'm looking as much forward to see Adam R ride tonight with his start to the season and the battles from the other Heathen lads against the top Stoke lads and if the racing is good and Adam R/Tom P or whatever wins the race and I'm entertained with close racing I'm ok because it's what I pay my money for. Hoping for a Stoke win with safe racing for all the lads.

Seems like nobody wants to comment on last night, which is a pity as there was some good racing at times. Well I won't keep you in the dark any longer; all pun intended!!. Real pity that happened as it is firstly and most importantly so dangerous for the riders and secondly smacks of a poor effort all round by Stoke. Things happen of course but when things happen you have to make sure they do not happen again. These things happened last year and this fresh season should of been a fresh start. Easy for us all to say invest and buy new as we don't have to do; but like in all areas things have to be fit for purpose and the generator looks like it's not upto it for some reason. On to the racing. Tim started like a train and will certain be a force in the NL this year, would not be surprised to see him get some prem outings to. Marc is a rider I haven't seen to much of but looks very tidy. Dan W scored well and looked good when out front. Paul as always for me being a very up and down rider and last night looked excellent in some races and then of it in others. It wasn't Ben Hops' night; I expect he feels he must be pushing on this year in his developement. Dan S looks like he will mantain his 3 status this year and Gary impressed me in a couple then the steam ran out a little. Ash for Stoke was/will be all you can aslk of a number one. Couple of poor riders due to ? for Jamie, then the rider we saw last year appeared, no problem with him this year and expect a small increase in av. Tony was solid and even manage to hang on to points when his bike didn't want to play. Oliver looks like he will be in for a good year. Lovely smooth action, good luck young man. Richie rode some exciting lines to take points as he seemed to mss the gate a couple of times; star role for him this year. Dan B will need a be of extra speed to be in the points; bike sounded terrible, action good but way behind the others. Ben Reade looks ready for the season, if he can keep bikes in top nick will be looking for a good season as he is really attacking the track. Only one meeting I know but encouraged by what I have seen. If Rhys turns in similar performances to that of Oliver last night we will be ok.

Well done young man. For someone like myself who doesn't know any of the riders, it is great to hear their and Malc's views. Would of been interesting to hear Dan Berwick, but all in all a very interesting project you have there.

Will be good to see Tim ride too. A lot of people thought there was some fall out with Tim and the management before the start of the season. They maybe right but I think it was more of a case of him riding a different track as his home track every week in readness for him re-joining us when/if we go back in the Premier. That could be a dart out the board of course. Anyway on with this season and our battle with the IOW. Out of all the riders it's Ben Rhead I'm looking forward to seeing and if he can start the season well. As Vog has said the "Big" four will score well most weeks and the "winning" points will come from the other three. Ben impressed me last year and I still wonder how he did not finish with an average above three. The IOW are well tested riders and good riders; looking forward to seeing Paul and Danny Warwick ride( Dan seems to be the name of the moment) but will need to ride very well to be within 10 of the Potters as Ash and Richie have been going like trains in the Premier. On with the show.

Thanks for the encouragement. I know Vog saw a little bit more of him last weekend than I did and if I remember his quote correctly that he rode "solidly" or something like that. i too wish him well and that he doesn't try to make things happen too quickly for him and we as supporters give him the chance that Malc thinks he deserves. Nobody knows this area of speedway better than Malc and we have to trust his views and decisions on the riders. Don't no much about Rhys either. Intersting season ahead of us and of all the things we wish for; the most important is that all riders in all our teams have an injury free season. Lads in the Premier have had a shocking start with injury's and we wish a speedy recovery to them all.

Will be quite interesting at the challenge tomorrow. If he rides, I wiil be very surprised if he doesn't double at least what Dan Berwick scores. Feel sorry for Dan Berwick really as it sounds like he has good pedigree in other bike events and is a good chap. I know which Dan I will be shouting on but feel he may need a bit more than me shouting to score points. At em Potters!!!

Hope I'm wrong; normally am, but I think we have missed a trick not signing Danny Stoneman instead of Dan Berwick. On the one race between them on the try out. Dan B got out the gate first but Dan S went past him very quickly and was pulling away before he fell. Track was very dry and dusty but Dan B looked too slow for NL times. Like I say I hope I'm wrong as nobody has really turned a wheel in a race. Any news from the Wednesday practice and meet up last night. Everybody wants to know where Adam fits in all this.

You have it bang on the head. What a sport that forces better riders to sit on the sidelines and someone of a lesser (av) takes there place.

This situation is going to place a shed full of pressure on to young Ben. I would think that he will take one of the reserve berths with the one of the lads and the second being hidden in the number 2 slot. Ben will then be taking at least six rides every week, draining on energy and machinery; so I hope both are up to scratch. Looks like Dan and Ross have been around the seen for a while without showing a great deal; maybe this Tom Woolley (how old is he) and Dan would be the best bet. One thing that Stoke have to be careful of is putting two riders in who have no real chance of scoring unless someone else falls off or has eng fail as the public will no put up with that. I'm all for seeing lads develope but the two who finished after Oliver don't seem to have been developing in the last few years. Interesting few days ahead.

Saw Oliver, Ross and Dan ride before I left and to be honest I don't think Ross or Dan are upto the racing in the NL. Very worrying for Stoke if we have to go with the two lads. Last year I saw Ben and Mcbain ( can't think of his first name) and both looked acceptable at the "trial" for the place on offer. Dan Stoneman was one I thought was going to emerge from the day; just hope he is ok after that early fall. Did he ride later in the day?

I left quite early from the "race off". The fault of no one but after 1 1/2 hours we had seen very little of any riders due to falls etc and the need for ambulances. Only Dan Stoneman; who got hurt and Oliver Greenwood, who is racing for Scunthorpe I think this year were anywhere near the standard to go into the NL. Who were the final two riders to get the spots?. Only saw one race with Tom Woolley( I think thats his name) who was highly spoke off, but his bike was not going well although he pulled off a loop de loop on the way back to the pits. Looks like from Heathen 1984 we will be like a Manx cat this year....(no tail at all if you need the help)

Seems we lost a few posts. Has anybody reveled how and why Adam is in for the first month or so. Hope we have Richie is riding; what a start to the season with Newcastle with times to match the best.