eide67

I hope he does. If Craig is going to race speedway properly again he needs to....race speedway. Realistically Edinburgh have no chance without him so it's a bit of a free hit. And remember he's ridden very well at Oxford twice this season already, including beating Sam 3 times just last month.

Thought the patched up Gladiators team did very well but, from a fan's point of view, going into heat 14 6 points up then losing must have been hard to take. Got to say the Plymouth stream is very good and I enjoy watching matches from there. Ben Barker very good as a co-commentator (although I'm sure you would have much rather had him on track).

Good close meeting culminating in two 5-1s for the Monarchs to sneak the victory. Why no tac sub for Edinburgh in heat 14? In the end it didn't matter with Bastian riding a brilliant race, but it did seem a strange decision. Super ride from the skipper off the unproductive gate 1 in heat 15 and great to see Erik in the blue and gold again with an immaculate performance. Paco very good too.

Second part of a double header following the Poole match, this is the important one for the Monarchs. STELLAR MONARCHS: Craig Cook, Max Clegg, Kye Thomson, Paco Castagna, Josh Pickering (captain), Dayle Wood Luke Kileen (Guest), Bastian Borke. CURTIS SPORTS BRUMMIES: Richard Lawson (guest), R/R for Stefan Nielsen, Troy Batchelor, Alfie Bowtell, Justin Sedgmen (captain), Sam Hagon, Paul Starke.

Cookie back assuming all goes well in his return for Leicester at Ipswich tonight. STELLAR MONARCHS: Craig Cook, Max Clegg, Kye Thomson, Paco Castagna, Josh Pickering (captain), Dayle Wood Luke Kileen (Guest), Bastian Borke. WESSEX MARINE PIRATES: Richard Lawson, Kyle Newman, Ben Cook, Zach Cook, Steve Worrall (captain), Anders Rowe, Joe Thompson.

See e) then d) 012.4.6 Reserve Switch (RS) Can be taken by a #6 or #7 rider, subject to a maximum of 7 rides in total, where the #6 or #7 takes the place of: - a) a rider who is absent, missing or late in arriving b) a rider at the Team Managers discretion before a heat (except heat 15) has commenced c) a rider disqualified for a starting offence d) a rider in the re-run of a heat where that rider was not disqualified and is unable to take part due to injury or damage to their motorcycle, in which case assumes the status of the rider being replaced. In the same helmet colour and gate position e) a reserve, already replaced in any heat, cannot be re-introduced, except in the case of point d above

Don't know his name but here he is giving young Tom a telling off. And as you can plainly see from the picture Cami is about to go in to headbutt the ref.

Was watching the stream and this didn't happen. Cami Brown was trying to keep the two apart. Even he wouldn't be stupid enough to headbutt someone wearing a crash helmet!

And it looks like Bartosz Zmarzlik would be on a 5 in the Championship! The relevant rule is: 010.2.2 Assessed MA’s Given to riders who: - a) are new to British Speedway or are without an established MA b) fails to achieve an established (or converted) MA below the 2.00 minimum Speedway Control Bureau Regulations 96 c) have to apply for a new CoS due to transferring from the Premiership to Championship if the riders established MA is below the minimum required as a new entrant Assessed rider gradings are calculated as follows: - Riders new to Premiership League racing are categorised as follows: - a) a rider riding in a professional league in the previous or current season will be assessed on a Grading List. Based upon results obtained in all other professional Speedway leagues and given an Assessed MA accordingly Riders new to Championship League racing are categorised as follows: - a) a rider riding in Danish, Swedish or Polish Leagues in a previous or current season will enter on a 5.00 MA b) a rider who has never ridden in a Danish, Swedish or Polish league will enter on a 4.00 MA c) a new rider with a British Passport who is eligible to participate in the NDL will enter on a 2.00 MA No rider with a current or previously assessed MA, other than a rider who has never achieved an MA in a professional league, can drop below 4.00 at any time during the season.

Really? A rider who beat Jason Doyle twice two weeks ago (once from the back) and scored 13+1 tonight. You'd rather use Vissing, Complin & Pijper to cover these rides?

If it's Patryk Wojdyło don't see any reason why they wouldn't want him at Plymouth, and if 'any other track' why not at Poole on Wednesday.

R/R now confirmed on Monarchs' website. Difficult to believe that none of King, Schlein, Kerr, Howarth, R.Worrall, C Wright, Riss (5 of them ex-Monarchs) were available. Looks, from where I'm standing, like a deliberate decision to go with R/R. And it may be the correct one as the match points were already written off, giving the team more rides and building up their stamina for Friday's double header . Alternatively, with my day having already got off to a good start with the England football team failing to win the women's world cup , the Monarchs could pull off the shock result of the season. Either way I'll be watching on the Poole stream, which is generally very good.

The worry about there being no news about a replacement is that they are going to go R/R.

STELLAR MONARCHS: Craig Cook, Drew Kemp (guest), Kye Thomson, Bastian Borke, Josh Pickering (captain), Dayle Wood, Max Clegg. MONARCH CHEETAHS: Sam Masters, Henry Atkins, Lewis Kerr, Jordan Jenkins, Scott Nicholls (captain), Cameron Heeps, Luke Killeen. The teams drew 45-45 earlier in the season in the cup but can't really read anything in to that as Monarchs only have two riders in their team who were in that meeting (Craig & Kye), which is a good indication of how the season has gone. Looks like another tough one but should be a joy as always to watch Sam and Scott around the Dale.

Chris was asked about it by Paul Bowen on BSN on Friday and said he just wanted a good old moan about British Speedway which he thinks needs a big shake up from top to bottom. He thinks now is the time to save British Speedway which is losing tracks and riders coming through who 'don't get the chances'. Now he's been dropped he knows how it feels, but he doesn't hold grudges and spoke to Stuart at Leicester on Wednesday when he was there with his little boy.

Fantastic news!

I think Issue 20 eff 2/8 is just for the highlighted rider Luke Killeen. If you look at issue 19 it shows Jenkins' average going to 5.59 eff 1/8. There are quite often mistakes in these spreadsheets and I think someone has just forgotten to update the Oxford figures. But if you're right, I'd be quite happy to see Jordan Jenkins guesting for Paco, although obviously on last week's form Kye will be a huge miss.

Column B is the weighted home average. Column C is for a new average usually from the 1st of the month, which gets moved to column A when the month starts, but for some reason Oxford's August averages seem to have remained in Col. C.

Jenkins 5.59 from what I can see (Oxford's August averages still in column C for some reason).

Jenkins too high to guest for Paco, I think. He could guest for Kye.

Don't think it will be a massacre but it does make things much easier for Poole. Looking at potential guests I assume it will be a guest for Paco and R/R for Kye allowing Josh one of the R/R rides. If available Cam Heeps may be the best bet or James Pearson after his performance last week or a rejuvenated Dan Thompson? They were just mentioning on the preview show that Kye was the only rider not to miss a match through injury this season -and even then Paco said Kye had ridden through an injury. Get well soon, Kye.

Max Clegg back for Edinburgh from Friday, presumably as 28 day cover for Lasse. MAX CLEGG BACK WITH STELLAR MONARCHS NEWS Monday 31st July 2023, 12:40pm by Mike Hunter Edinburgh Monarchs Edinburgh fans know Max Clegg well because he was a pretty regular team member in the years 2014 to 2018, and has recently performed wonders for the Monarchs Academy National League team, so he will need no introduction when he steps in to the Stellar Monarchs' side to face champions Poole at Armadale on Friday. He slips into the position unfortunately vacated by Lasse Fredriksen due to his broken wrist, and mercifully removes the need to be continually looking for guest riders. Sniffling through hay fever, Max said "I'm 100% ready, it's something I'm quite used to now coming to Edinburgh, they have brilliant fans, a great promotion and a well-prepared track so I'm really looking forward to it. I've had some really good years at Edinburgh in my career and I'm pleased to be rejoining, even if it's only a few meetings. "I feel really good, I'm enjoying riding my bike again, which is another reason why I've agreed to come back to Championship racing. My aim this year was to enjoy racing and see what happens. I'm confident and I feel I've got a lot of speed". In his three home meetings for the Stellar Monarchs Academy this season Max has dropped just a single point in 15 rides, that being in the final heat last Friday against Berwick Bullets. "That's one point more then I wanted to drop," he said. "I'm using the same bikes I've always used and I've been putting in times as good as the Championship times. I do keep an eye on that sort of thing. At the start of the season I had a lot of bike issues which tends to happen to me in early season, but I've fixed that now and I feel a different rider. "I've been in the team with Picko and Craig before and I know most of them. I feel the team is really strong and I think we can finish the season off really well. Anything's possible, I'm confident. "Poole won't be an easy meeting on Friday but then no meeting's easy is it. I'm confident, especially at home against anyone we have to race. We need the whole team to click." Max will be combining his speedway with work commitments but sees no problem arising. "My gaffer's really good with giving me time off". Max joins the team from this Friday's home match against Poole Pirates onwards. Jason Edwards is lined up to guest for the team's away matches this week at Plymouth Gladiators (Tuesday) and Poole Pirates (Wednesday). The change is subject to BSPL approval.

Now R/R for Greg Blair. From Berwick website: "Greg Blair has also been forced to admit that he is not fit to race after his heavy fall against Monarchs Academy, in particular a big bang to his head."

Second half of Edinburgh/Berwick double header with 4 riders involved in both matches. Interesting to see how Bullets new signing Steve Boxall goes. Edinburgh Monarchs Academy: 1. Adam Roynan (c) 9.27, 2. Mark Parker 3.00, 3. R/R for Alex Spooner 5.07, 4. Max Perry (Guest for Jacob Hook 7.80), 5.Max Clegg 8.40, 6. Mickie Simpson 3.00, 7. Dayle Wood 3.00. Berwick Bullets: 1. Connor Coles 8.00, 2. Jamie Halder 4.83, 3. Greg Blair (c) 6.79, 4. Danny Phillips 7.30, 5. Steve Boxall 7.97, 6. Kieran Douglas 3.45, 7. Mason Watson 3.44. Teams from EMTV Preview Show.

Having reversed the early season defeat at Berwick on Saturday, can the patched up Monarchs do the same at home? For Bandits Rory is back from injury and James Pearson guests for Jacob Hook while Monarchs have R/R for Paco and Adam Roynon guesting for Lasse. Early start at 7pm to fit in Double Header NDL match. Teams (from EMTV Preview Show): Edinburgh Stellar Monarchs - 1. Josh Pickering (c) 8.92, 2. Bastian Borke 5.00, 3. Kye Thomson 6.67, 4. R/R for Paco Castangna 5.15, 5. Craig Cook 8.81, 6. Dayle Wood 2.00, 7. Adam Roynon (Guest for Lasse Fredriksen 4.53), 8.Mark Parker 2.00. Berwick Bandits - 1. Rory Schlein 7.69, 2. Jonas Knudsen 5.83, 3. Jye Etheridge 6.07, 4. Leon Flint (c) 7.04, 5. Thomas Jorgensen 7.04, 6. James Pearson (Guest for Jacob Hook 4.00), 7. Connor Coles 2.42.