szkocjasid

My thoughts are: 1) there's nothing wrong with a draw 2) ok so super heats are exciting, but so are last heat deciders 3) fans might appreciate an extra heat, but it won't encourage more fans to turn up hoping they'll get 16 heats Also very often I'll read fans complaining about a heat not being awarded, such as Laguta losing a 5-1 when Klindt fell & winning the re-run or Jack Holder when he missed out in the re-start of the Warsaw GP. I don't remember any comments of "got an extra race, don't see a problem then"! In those situations it seems fans preferred fairness over value for money, can that be likened to the super heat? I'm sure I'll get a reply of "everyone knows the rules of the superheat before hand, the losing team isn't unlucky" but no-one said that about Holder "everyone knows the rules - you don't get awarded heats in a GP, so Holder isn't unlucky"

Heeps 2023 league averages. Home is 4.63, away is 4.44. 2022 averages were 4.51 / 3.88. Obviously the averages on the SpeedwayGB website only show league matches & maybe there is a bigger gap using koc & bsn fixtures, but the stats don't back calls of his poor away form. EDIT: I've now noticed the averages have Oxford riders with 4 home & 2 away matches ridden, despite the team having ridden 3 home & away, so the averages I went by are bound to be wrong!

Seriously! So Oxford are the first team to beat Poole & instead of praising their team for an awesome performance (some fans) instead assume Poole were trying to drop their averages? What a way to have faith in your team - NOT!

Roynon's 2023 average is higher than both Glasgow reserves. For a rider signed on a 3.5 ave, think he's done his job tbh.

How many qualifiers go into the main event?

I was thinking the same thing, couldn't understand why people are talking about replacements?

Number 6 to second string isn't such a big jump, number 7 to second string is a massive jump. Obviously depends how often reserves are swapped round too. Although Jason Edwards & Connor Bailey have both shown how much easier it is to score points at number 6 compared to 2 or 4 this year!

Not really Heeps started on 4.33 and has upped his average to 4.53 but still drops to reserve. It's Atkin's good scores that have put him at reserve.

I'd rather count the BSN series group matches than the last 4 league meetings (minimum) from 2022

Finally getting round to watching this on BSN Impressed with the camera angles so far

Plus it'd leave him on a 3.00 average for next year if he doesn't race 4 league meetings.

He's never qualified via the qualifying rounds, either got a wildcard or finished in the top 8. However neither of those mean "GP standard" that is being one of the top 15 riders in the world! I would suggest Kim Nilsson isn't really a "GP standard" rider but he 100% deserves to be there because he qualified. Then last year Bewley was clearly a "GP standard" rider but I didn't think he "deserved" to be there because he didn't qualify!

He was unfortunate to be dropped by Scunny, but they were honest & explained the situation, so I wouldn't say he was "treated badly" as for Ipswich he was scoring terribly (as I expected) so can't have been surprised to be replaced. Ideally riders should be second strings in the Champ before moving up into the Premiership.

Incredible form shown by Henry Atkins moves him up into the top 5. It'll be interesting to see how he gets on with tougher races, although any points he loses out on should be equalled by Heeps upping his scores at reserve. Does mean r/r for Jenkins is weaker with Kerr no longer eligible for an extra ride.

Only way for that to happen is a "stupid heat"

Why not? If Kolodziej or Hampel qualify they deserve to be there ahead of any non- qualifiers

Have top 8 qualify & top 7 from a GP challenge - no wild cards needed - no arguments on who "deserves" to be there! Not gonna happen, but I can dream lol!

That is 100% the point, just because he doesn't win rounds doesn't mean he's not GP standard. Just because he's not as good as he used to be doesn't mean he's not GP standard!

In this case Madsen probably felt he had to move out of the way or end up in the fence? I suppose if Zmarzlik comes out of the bend on the racing line i'd call it a fair move, if he runs up to the fence leaving no space, I'd call it a foul

Don't agree with that, there's still a world title to be won, plus rostrum places & top 6 spots to be earned. Tbh ever since permanent wild cards were introduced back in the early 2000s there hasn't always been the best riders in the series. I certainly remember Hans Andersen not getting a pick in 04/05/06? After he had slagged off some GP tracks the previous season so a weaker Iversen was given a wild card, that was the year there were no qualifiers, only top 8 & 7 wild card picks. I do feel Laguta & Sayfutdinov should be allowed to ride as neutrals, but don't think they'd stop Zmarzlik tbh. But would probably lead to better racing!

Thought the ref got all the decisions right (not many to make). All 4 in the first running of the final was sensible, then imo made a very easy decision to exclude Doyle. If there was any contact with Lindgren's dirt deflector it was very minimal & Doyle could certainly have stayed on, just laid it down for a re-run for me! Thought Zmarzlik was VERY tough on Madsen in the final, bordering on dangerous & I thought should he be excluded for that? As I saw it he practically went full pelt into the corner willing to t-bone Madsen into the fence! Then when I watched the re-plays, it didn't seem quite as bad, still a tough move though!

I do think the team manager should pay more attention to the riding order away from home, Hook took 3 rides on the trot (13,14,15) easily avoidable by either swapping Hook & Roynon round, or swapping Roynon & r/r around so Hook gets his extra ride in heat 12 (still gets 2 on the trot, but not 3)

Oxford look set for the top 2. Mildenhall & Leicester both look to be up there for 2nd place. Still wouldn't rule out Belle Vue & Workington as outsiders though.

But if Roynon got a place elsewhere, that's another rider missing out on a team spot (perhaps a young developing Brit). I don't consider Hook, Pearson & Congreave to be blocking places as who is there to fill their spots in teams? Berwick have had 7 points available to replace Freeman but had to use 3.5/4.0 riders to replace him. Plus Mildenhall & Oxford's newbie 3.00 riders at reserve have shown their not at this level yet. So you'd have to add 3 more even weaker riders to replace the Commonwealth riders? Ps I'm pretty sure Turner's not blocking anyone by not racing in the NL lol!

I've kind of defended Lynn all year, but now I look at the team & it looks really weak. Thomsen especially could struggle on the top 5. Can't blame the promotion though for not seeking a stronger replacement for Jakobsen, play-offs gone, so pick a team with a sensible budget!