Tsunami

I'll take your word for that.

Lindback doing nothing on Sunday now, and I hear George has got him down to an 8 for Sunday.

It is when Archie plays.

Yes. I wouldn't be surprised if the landlords didn't insist on him being employed, or within a future promotion.

Wonder if Prawn Wilson has wished him a good retirement.

Been off today naturally, but wants to get back as he has a football game this week. Kids.

Mike Watkin in the early 60's got the name of "Mudlark" because of his increased ability in riding wet tracks. One of the first to beat Briggo, who had won the World Championship on the Saturday, on a rain affected track at Newcastle, on the following Monday. Watkin was only a second string at that time. Strangely Watkin used to ride a bronzed frame, not chrome like everyone else.

NEWCASTLE GEMS 8 Josh Embleton 22 = 4 Dale Pate 01+1 = 1+1 Archie Freeman 2X = 2 Jack Wright 1+1 - 1 WORKINGTON METEORS 10 Dale Lamb 33 = 6 Gavin Parr 1f = 1 Kieron Taylor 3 = 3 Heat 1 Lamb, Embleton, Parr, Pate 2-4 Heat 2 Taylor, Freeman, Wright. 3-3 5-7 Heat 3 Lamb, Embleton, Pate, Parr f 3-3 8-10 Heat 4 Freeman X Meeting abandoned (Archie Freeman was released from hospital early in the morning, battered and bruised, but fortunately no breaks) Result at the time stands

Great news. Just been told Archie has been given the all clear and NO BREAKS. Wants to ride in the 125cc championship at Worky on Saturday now

Remember it well. Into the crowd in front of the home straight stand. Could have been worse.

There has been light rain this morning which has now stopped. Sun out, no more rain and a very pleasant day ahead. The amount of rain and the duration of it, will mean the track will be wet in the base and I am expected a cracking track for tonight meeting. Should be an easy win for the Diamonds and hope it is a safe meeting for all riders. In the second half, the Gems ride their last home meeting in the NJL, which is against Workington Meteors. Should be a good tussle, after our draw away against League winners Halifax Dukes yesterday. See you there, 6.30 start.

HALIFAX DUKES 18 Kean Dicken 002 = 2 Sheldon Davies 210 = 3 Jordan Pallin 333 = 9 Harry McGurk 12+11 = 4+1 NEWCASTLE GEMS 18 Carl Basford 331 = 7 Gavin Parr 12+13 = 6+1 Archie Freeman 210 = 3 Jack Wright 002 = 2 Heat 1 Basford, Davies, Parr, Dicken 2-4 Heat 2 Pallin, Freeman,McGurk, Wright 4-2 6-6 Heat 3 Basford, Parr, Davies, Dicken 1-5 7-11 Heat 4 Pallin, McGurk, Freeman, Wright 5-1 12-12 Heat 5 Parr, Dicken, Basford, Davies 2-4 14-16 Heat 6 Pallin, Wright, McGurk, Freeman 4-2 18-18 A well contested meeting with the eventual result never a certainty.

I still use the old seaweed. For Weather forecasting not smoking.

I was at the Northside Training track for the NJL meetings with Northside, Berwick, Redcar, the Gems and Halifax. There was just mild rain later on in the afternoon, but it started to get heavier at 5.00pm as we left. It was very windy and hurtful on your eyes. As we came away, we visited Asda and all the main doors had been locked due to excessive wind. I really can't understand how the Met Office and others, can get forecasts so wrong. The rain forecast last night was for the rain to start at 4.00pm. Later last night it was moved back to about 7.00pm. This morning at 10.00am the forecast had deteriated to heavy rain from 10.00am to 11.00pm. And yet it still was nowhere near what they forecast. I read a few weeks ago that the Met Office is losing contracts and that a Danish company was now being employed. About time too, as the Met Office is plainly not fit for purpose.

Remember you only need 7 riders.

He missed the gate, get over it Pinny.

Not well known at all. If he did he would have done it for nothing for us .

Steve asked for your alternative, but after slagging the real problems promotions have for trying to get guests at short notice, even YOU failed to try and suggest doing it better.

Knew his brother Warrick.

He certainly had a detrimental affect on his teammates. At Exeter Darryl and i were TM"s and prepared what was going to be said in the team meeting as they were getting ready. We were riding well, and Exeter not as good as usual, so it was going to be a positive 'we can win this one' type of message. We walked with the team across the green toward the main grandstand, only for Watt surveying the track saying "well I'll get nothing here then". Good to his word, he gated about a second after the others in his three races, and packing up just to completely piss the rest of us off.

I was surprised it went ahead. Thought it would have been postponed cos of the wet pitch.

The reason why there are eligible riders, is that heat 15 is deemed to be the classic highlight race to finish a meeting on. In the past, hard up teams and/or getting beaten by many points, put the cheaper riders in regardless, and it was felt by the BSPA that that was a cop out and the fans should see the top orders/scorers instead. Hence the Eligible rules.

In double headers, as we hire the track by the day, not meetings, it is still only one stadium rent. Sunday followed by a Monday meeting, is a two stadium rent situation.

That's what I understand. Same format as cup comps and based on aggregate points.

As Bandits4eva is hinting at in post#35, Sheffield were at Berwick on the Saturday night before this Sunday Stoke meeting. The Berwick promoter was thought to have 'got Sheffield to win' at Berwick, hence the reason why Neil Machen came to Stoke as, if we lost at Stoke, Sheffield were the champions. which they were then. Dodgy dealings which is why we still think we were winners on 2002 as it meant Sheffield got the title on actual aggregate race points, not the match points. Aggregate points were stopped shortly afterwards after this Sheffield win, plus the Exeter win later. Watts attitude and riding at both Exeter and Stoke that year did him no favours with anybody.