heathen79

Riders I spoke to seemed to concur with this view as well. Pre-match, Garrity was picking up huge mounds of dirt from the top surface in front of the starting gate and hurling it out of the way! This would help to explain it, then!

Great night enjoyed by the Heathens fans and a great travelling support. Any incident like that one above is disappointing and let's down the majority of fans. Came down to six of one and half a dozen of the other in my opinion. Belle Vue fans understandably very disgruntled at their team's total failure last night. Lots went wrong for them and by the end, some frustrations boiled over. Biggest shame was that more home fans didnt turn up to see the Young Colts. Seemed to be more Heathens fans than home supporters altogether. Can't see the Colts venture being financially viable if only that number regularly turn up, which would be a real shame indeed. As for the match, a resounding victory for the Heathens - as good as I've seen the young team deliver. What great spirit and determination they have. Everyone on form, even if some riders were (needlessly) disappointed with their scores. Rich Franklin particularly improved and Tom Perry getting back to his dazzling best of last season. Track was poor, as the start of this thread suggested it might be. But for some reason, the Belle Vue boys couldn't cope with it and the Heathens riders gave them a hard lesson in how to ride their own circuit. So, who else is in the KOC Semi-Finals with us?

He couldn't get into our team if he wanted.

It was quite clear in the rules that no Aussies were allowed unless dual nationality or patriality, yet in all the press releases and news stories I've read, Heeps has just been referred to as a great Aussie prospect. I'm equally confused.

So its Kyle Newman in to replace the injured Adam Roynon. And with Kyle's average slightly higher than Adam's, another change was required. Luke Chessell unfortunate to be released because of the numbers game (what would Dan McCormick say) but we welcome Danny Stoneman as new number 7. Issues... sounds like some people (in the Peak District region) questioning the eligibilty of Newman riding in all three leagues, but this appears to have been checked out and there is nothing preventing this happening. Should be great practice for a young British rider who probably won't have much of a look-in at Elite level anyway. Stoneman was filling in at Mildenhall while they wait for the Aussie import. Sounds like he has 'stood down' from the Fen Tigers team, rather than wait around on the temporary team place. Welcome aboard both Kyle and Danny - two young Brits, with a heartfelt good luck to the unlucky Luke.

Barrie Evans now booked to guest for the injured Jon Armstrong for Heathens. Welcome back into the team Bazza!

After the meeting Jon was asked how long he might take to recover. He said he didn't even want to miss Sunday but thought he may be selfish to attempt to ride, given that it was a league match. If he started and had to pull out like last night it may be costly, so there is probably a good chance a guest may be called upon. There is a picture on facebook this morning of Jon just stepping over the crash barrier from the pits and wincing in pain. I spoke to him before the meeting, and even crouching down to give an autograph caused him some noticeable discomfort. http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/photo.php?fbid=1987995701012&set=at.1987993300952.120038.1276901056.1804992615.100000410931415.719240871.100001307794004.503271254&type=1&theater Edit: Barrie Evans now booked as a guest for Jon on Sunday.

I notice this has been made a sticky topic now, which will help it get noticed. I know you mentioned that you have pushed the idea before, but I really think that the likes of Speedway Star readers or BSPA website visitors would very much appreciate this kind of table. The improvements are simple, logical but extremely effective and I think you should lobby further for your idea to be taken up on a wider scale. Edit: I have given your site a mention on the Cradley Speedway forum (link in my signature).

Yep, what a score by Mikey Buman. Very impressive and that should make a lot of people sit up and notice him. I read that he's from New York too - unusual for a Speedway rider! Good luck to him anyway and I shall be looking out for his future scores. A much closer overall scoreline was good to see last night, and would have been even closer if not for three Heathens 5-1s to finish the meeting. All this of course after the very unfortunate exits of both Jon Armstrong and Austin Novratil, who were both missed.

Full details here if you want more: http://www.cradleyspeedway.co.uk

The ideas of a percentage column, average race points abd placing the points scored column second are all absolutely brilliant! Simple but so very effective. My hat's off to you!

A good closely matched encounter. Well done for updates - very fair and descriptive.

Hope to be there spoiling the party and getting the Heathens off to a good NL start! One of our toughest away matches to start with though.

Any advance on this from the official rules then? Rolling averages in force for the Elite & Premier according to 21stCH on the Heathens forum..

A question regarding averages in the National League - I don't know whether the same answer will apply to the Elite and Premier Leagues or not, but it is the NL I'm interested in. When do new averages come into force during the season? Is it after 3 home & 3 away matches? Also, is it a rolling average based on the end of last season, or do riders get a complete new average after the first cut-off of the season? Finally, from that point is there a regular set of a new averages issues, e.g. monthly?

Two are confirmed. Surely at least one or two more are right! Hard act to follow this year for the Hitmen & some good looking teams already built

So, are we now looking something more like: 1. Ben Taylor 2. Lewis Dallaway 3. Rob Branford 4. Adam Allott 5. ??? 6. John McPhail 7. Jordan Tyrer

Richard Franklin and Luke Chessell confirmed for Dudley. Complete now at 39.93.

And more than a week later, this is still the case. Is there a problem with the Lynn team? Can it not be made official for some reason?

Thanks, I think I get the rule now then: Rider with PL average over 6.00 : ineligible 5.00 - 5.99 : now eligible to ride in the NL if they don't have a PL spot, but not allowed to double down? Under 5.00 : Eligible for NL What about when averages change during the season, do the new averages effect the rider's position in the team or are they allowed to continue? For example, if Paul Cooper gets a PL spot mid-season and his average goes over 5.00 in the PL does that then exclude him from National League. What about if his average went over 6.00 in the PL? Similarly for Adam Roynon at Dudley.

Hope Luke rides for us as well as he does against us. He looked impressive when the Heathens rode at Scunthorpe in the KO Cup and scored 8+1 from reserve. I think he should be capable of putting a point or two on that starting average of 3.42.

Last two signings confirmed tonight: Richard Franklin returns and Luke Chessell comes in at reserve, bringing us to 39.93. Final 1-7: Jon Armstrong, Adam Roynon, Tom Perry, Ashley Morris,Rich Franklin, Luke Chessell, Darryl Ritchings. Surprised Luke didn't get mentioned by more people already, as his average fit perfectly, after Richard was signed on again. Welcome to the team!

Interesting. Would that allow any/all of Nick Morris, Jerran Hart and Kyle Hughes to be eligible? Also, bit of a discrepancy about Paul Cooper's average. Current BSPA site line-up goes with the anticipated doubling of his 4.99 PL average; however the Scunthorpe article in SStar suggests considerably lower. Either way, the Saints have plenty of room for manouevre!

Ah well that clears that up! I take it that Cooper's confirmation means that he comes in on double is PL average (after the Brit reduction) so thats about 10.00, but should he take a PL spot at any point (like Charles Wright last season) that he would become ineligble? Anyway, depending on recovery, I think that makes him the best rider in the NL on paper, with plenty of young improvers below him in the Scunfield/Sheffthorpe team. Very much look forward to seeing him ride at this level.

My understanding is that 4.00 is the upper PL average limit for a rider to compete in the National League. Is that not right? I thought that was why Charles Wright couldn't ride for Buxton last season and why Lee Smart can't ride for Dudley this season. Hence, excluding Paul Cooper from dropping down?