Steve Shovlar

I see he is riding in the 70th anniversary meeting.

Whilst the Loram v Louis was a good race, no doubt about it, in the scheme of things it is insignificant compared to the 1975 British Final runoff. What we had in 1975, and really have never had since, was British dominance the same way as the Poles are dominating the sport today. The race meant so much. Speedway had big crowds, Brandon was packed, and I mean packed, not busy, and the winner of this race went straight through to the World Final at Wembley in front of 92,000 fans. Ashby had started well but had dropped points to Collins and Simmo, won his next before heat 19 needing a second, but beaten by max man Louis but cruscially by Wilson, tying both on 11 points. The runoff was extremely tense. Wilson gating but Ashby sticking to the inside and getting closer with every lap. Lap four and Ashby gets by up the inside but allows Wilson racing room to come around the outside to win by a wheel. Ashby at the time was at his peak. Ten plus average. He was reserve at Wemble but didn’t get to ride. Wilson scored a disappointing 5 points. I was there and it was a breeze on the night for Olsen who was virtually untroubled. A poor track that night as well. (Wembley)

What do you mean by that?

Cow&Gate?

A very good night down at the stadium with an excellent turnout for the quiz with Linus signing cards and being interviewed. Matt was also interviewed and said the Gala evening is now sold out. Also the club are not only having a 70th anniversary meeting next Month, but having another in April on the exact date 70 years after the first ever meeting against Yarmouth. A fun evening, cheap admission and gates opening at 4.30 for fans to view historic memorabilia. He took the Pee out of Gary May who was preent, saying about an illegal approach from Somerset and May having the audacity to be present this evening. Light hearted. James Shanes was interviewed and said he was the fittest he has ever been and was looking forward to riding up to 4 times a week. He has sponsors in Meridian Lifts and Wessex Marine. Is vry keen to get started. Said he was disappointed in his scoring last season. Also, next week sees heavy plant at the track for 5 days where contractors are working on smoothing out the bends. Going to be like a billiards table.

Thanks. Its exactly as it’s etched in my brain.

Ashby could have been more ruthless on Wilson but gave him room to race.

The problem is not so much The council who I believe will throw out the application. I think the main problem will come when its appealed and decisions are not taken on a local level but national. With the government wanting to build thousands of new homes it could come down to some box ticker in London who makes the call, with no local knowledge, no affinity to sport and wanting to relieve the housing crisis. This is going to be a long process and one that needs many, many Coventry fans to make a noise, not just a few on here. what I don’t understand is the local Coventry paper, who seem to want to remain neutral in all this. Why on earth haven’t they started a campaign, or joined in the current one. Their voice could shout loud from the rooftops but they just report and little else.

No it wasn’t. It devastated me. Haven’t seen the race since that fateful night but it’s etched in my brain. Left the stadium in tears. A young lad absolutely gutted. is there any footage of the race online?

Fixed.

Poole council own Poole stadium. It’s leased to the dogs. If it’s upgraded it will be by the council.

Done.

No. Both will do very well and help bring home the bacon.

Don’t forget The speedway quiz night on Wednesday at the stadium. Always very well supported, and this week we have an interview with Linus Sundstrom who will be there.

In years to come. Not there yet.

I don’t know. the British Speedway Premiership, sponsored by The Co-op Funeral service has a nice ring to it with all the old fogies who attend the sport up and down the country.

Lets hope the bt speedway season doesn’t start in july.

When Poole are in town fans will need to get there at 6 pm for a parking space. And what are Poole fans, or any away fans for that matter, going to do when the car park full signs go up 10 mins before tapes up. The local estates ate going to be swamped, local residents up in arms. The solution is quite simple. Build a multi storey car park.

A lack of pressure means the rider is riding below his maximum best. The rider should put maximun pressure on himself and the club will always expect maximun effort.

There certainly will be lots of pressure on him. He knows he has a big job to do and if he doesn’t score he will soon discover he will only be getting three rides. And replacements will be waiting in the wings for their chance. James will have his own inbuilt pressure and the will to succeed, and I am sure he will progress further in 2018 with his second season in the top flight and the added advantage this time around of extra meetings from the championship to help bring him on. Think it could be a very good year for thelad.

http://www.poolepirates.co/news/2018-02-01-popular-demand-means-shanes-remain.html Shanes takes the number 7 berth to complete the team.

See that Matt Ford in todays Echo has offered the number 7 berth to James Shanes. If Shanes says no Josh Pickering will fit.

Pinny is not a Poole fan.

Ok now most riders are in place I thought I would give my opinion of the teams and season ending positions. 8th. KING'S LYNN 1. Niels Iversen 9.04 2. Robert Lambert 7.38 3. Ty Proctor 5.5 4. Lewis Kerr 5.06 5. Thomas Jorgensen 5.93 6. Lewis Rose 5.25 7. Kasper Andersen 4.0 A lack of serious thought going on here. A management going through the motions and who haven’t got their finger on the pulse of what is going on in the big wide world of speedway. A serious lack of strength in depth with no third heat leader and a couple of journeymen means that Kings Lynn will be propping up the table in 2018. The signing of Proctor is frankly mystifying. And with Robert Lambert mouthing off in the Star about how he doesn’t want to be there, it doesn’t bode well for the stars. Decent reserves though. 7th. SOMERSET 1. Jason Doyle 9.69 2. Jack Holder 5.82 3. Richard Lawson 6.43 4. Charles Wright 6.69 5. Bradley Wilson Dean 4.67 6. Jake Allen 5.07 7. Jonas Jeppersen 4.00 The Rebels look to improve their first season in the top flight but I don’t think it will happen for them in 2018. Doyle is a great signing, but after that backup is a bit low on the ground and away from the Oaktree they could take some poundings. Doyle apart, the Rebels have solid looking reserves but the middle of the team looks very lacking. Lawson and Wright don’t really have any improvement in them, and it leaves Jack Holder to kick on from a poor 2017 season and show his potential. 6th. RYE HOUSE 1. KK? 2. Ben Barker 6.00 3. Eddie Kennett 6.39 4. Scott Nicholls 7.48 5. Chris Harris. 7.63 6. Stuart Robson 5.72 7. Max Clegg 2.00 I listened to the podcast from Steve Jensen, which was full of enthusiasm. Then he goes out and puts together a team like this. Who do you think you are kidding Mr Jensen? Dads Army or what? The team is full of Brits which is great. But they are all passed their prime. Sure, they will turn over teams at home and lose a couple but away they will struggle to get much and like others have said, will end up in the Lakeside trap. A step backwards from 2017. 5th. WOLVERHAMPTON 1. Jacob Thorssell 8.64 2. Sam Masters 7.92 3. Rory Schlein 7.72 4. Kyle Howarth 6.64 5. Cameron Heeps 5.25 6. Ashley Morris 3.75 7. Nathan Greaves 2.54 The loss of Lindgren is big. And he hasn’t really been replaced. Thorsell steps up to fill Freddie’s boots but Lindgren he is not, especially away from Monmore. At home Thorsell is dialled in and will do his job. Masters and Schlein are good riders but can go awol at times. Howarth still has improvement. But Heeps, Morris and Greaves leave a big wagging tail and they will get turned over at home a couple of times. Away from Monmore they might pickup points at a couple of places. Will miss out on the playoffs this time around IMO. 4th. SWINDON 1. Nick Morris 8.87 2. Troy Batchelor 7.63 3. David Bellego 7.37 4. Tobiasz Musielak 7.37 5. Adam Ellis 5.56 6. Zach Wajtknecht 3.21 7. Mitchel Davey 2.00 Swindon won the league last year due to bringing in Musielak. They had a tremendous run mid season before running out of steam but it was enough to finish top. They had riders who all improved and upped their averages and although they got very lucky in the final, they did finish top of the league. It has to be asked though. In 2018 where is the big improvement going to come from? Morris is now riding at number one with no Doyle for support. Musielak, Bellego and Batchelor are all topped out. I can only really see Adam Ellis upping his average, perhaps by a point or more. At reserve they are extremely weak and this could really hit them. Playoffs? Yes I think they will get into the playoffs but I don’t see them retaining the title. 3rd. BELLE VUE 1. Craig Cook 8.45 2. Steve Worrall 6.77 3. Rohan Tungate 6.18 4. Damian Drodz 5.00 5. Max Fricke. 6. Dan Bewley 4.71 7. Jye Etheridge 3.89 Belle Vue keep 5 of last years 7 and look very good. Led by Cook who steps up to number one they should go though the card at home and pick up quite a few points on their travels. Tungate will score highly at home so the loss of Bjerre won’t be felt. Drodz will soon settle in at home but may find it tough on the road. Fricke really needs to show his full potential if BV are in with a shout of the title. In Bewley they have a great young rider who will more than likely move up into the team at the first set of GS, with Drodz going the other way. 2nd. LEICESTER 1. Martin Vaculik 8.00 2. Krystian Pieszczek 6.5 3. Danny King 6.66 4. Josh Bates 5.52 5. Hans Andersen 7.75 6. Kyle Newman 4.86 7. James Sarjeant 2.56 Since Leicester have returned to the top flight they have been something of a Mickey Mouse outfit, with chucked together teams worthy of a wooden spoon. However, in 2018 under new management, the team looks very good. In fact good enough to challenge for the title. Martin Vaculik is a proven top rider on the continent and Pieszczek is an impressive and very fast young Pole. Backed up with Danny King and Hans Andersen it is an impressive top four. Leicester will also have a scoring reserve at all times with Kyle Newman and Josh Bates swapping and reswapping all season. A very good looking team. 1st. POOLE 1. Brady Kurtz 8.08 2. Josh Grajczonek 7.34 3. Kacper Woryna 4.65 4. Linus Sundstrom 7.22 5. Chris Holder 7.16 6. Mateusz Szczepaniak 4.54 7. James Shanes 2.38 After the disappointment of 2017 Matt Ford has spent a lot of time and effort assembling what looks to be one of the best looking Poole teams in several years. A team built with the word improvement written across all seven riders. Led by one of the lowest averaged number one in the league in Kurtz, who should stick a point on his starting average. The return of Chris Holder on 7.16 is an absolute steal. But the whole team from one to seven have improvement in them, perhaps with the exception of Josh G who is capable of maintaining. Poole will also have strength at reserve all season with Szczepaniak at 6, to be replaced by any of the top 5 should he do well. Young James Shanes has the ability to improve as well with such good riders around him. So that is my opinion. Not many will agree with it. Of course this is not taking into account any injuries which might come along to decimate a teams chances.

You think? I don’t see them making the playoffs.