Sings4Speedway

Still think the riders are already picked. Harris is looking likely if he is there so often although has never done anything amazing at Rye House in the past and would need to show some improvement this year. I don't expect Couzins to be anywhere this year. Plenty of other riders that nobody wants though Banks, Laurence, Rumsey but if I was to have a little flutter I would say Sheppard or Farnaby as he seems to get a place every year for some inexplicable reason.

I suspect the wage bill has increased this year with the inclusion of Bowen plus Ayres & Shanes wanting an increase (I suspect). However I tire of these demands constantly being met and the shortfall being pushed onto fans. If clubs were to say we pay £XX per position take it or leave it there may be a few rejections at first but there would still be plenty of takers come January when riders don't have team places.

Very likely. From the true 3 pointers last year (Waj was a phenomenon) Only Wood, Dwyer & Kinsley cleared 5 points last year. Neale, Tedham & Dugard who all had plenty of laps behind them before stepping up managed 4.5+ There were plenty of tipped riders last year who didn't put a thing on their average so any team who ends up with a reserve on over 4 will have signed well.

I see the admission to Central Park has crept up to £13 for the 2016 season. Does that make Kent the most expensive NL track in the country?

Well good luck to him whichever class he chooses to ride in. A nice holiday & a chance to ride, sure there are plenty of riders who would love to swap places with him right now.

Can Tyson get a visa though? Great talent but been away for a while. Im sure somebody has a list of riders who have finished top 4 in the state titles but not signed in the UK yet.

Bulley as number 8? As all quiet on the Strudwick front.

Possible rookie misunderstanding? Do you want to be part of the Kent squad? Either way its a good record Rikki Mullins last year, Connor Locke this year..........its a risk that is always run when you sign riders with no proven level of commitment.

Hilarious! There are riders up and down the country chasing a full team place (many far better / more experienced than Locke). If he has a better offer elsewhere then fair enough if not its a lucky escape for Kent if he/his family have come in with that attitude. Does mean some other poor soul will get the pointless number 8 jacket now though.

Think Layne will/has to kick on this season. With a years experience under his belt and even weaker reserves this year he has to be looking to improve and think he will.

To make the most of the points either Kozza Smith or Ashley Birks would fit but are either riding this year? More likely options have to be either Victor Pavlova or Anton Rosen I suspect.

Pity if true as id have paid good money to see Boxall go round the EWR once dialled in........

Brennan and Bickley, The Thompson Twins, The McGurks, Anders Rowe to name a few. Not tipping these names to go on to world level but all capable of getting past NL reserve. Not all champions are ready at 16. Im fed up with the theory that if you haven't made it by 20 you never will. What is wrong with giving riders time to progress & learn their skills so that when the time comes to step onto the bigger stages they are fully prepared.

JPB looks a smart tip for that title this year. Cupitt & Andrews should put at least 1.5 - 2 points on their average.

Completely agree especially with the reserves and how the rides are unbalanced so the rider in the number 7 jacket gets an easier night. Often the weaker of the reserves gets stuck at 6 so struggles further whilst the stronger can prosper at 7.

All laps are good laps but MDL or amateur racing is what's needed to hone skills, get a decent marker of how good you are and most importantly develop the skills required when things go wrong, a talent sadly lacking in many new riders.

Completely agree. My point about Kent signing him was more about how out of touch they are. He needs plenty of laps and / or a season in the MDL to progress. A few laps after the meeting at Kent if he's lucky will be pretty fruitless. Number 8's are seldom used anyway and as there have been no changes in the rules about them its another opportunity to develop riders further wasted.

From all the results I have seen Govier has been faster than Phillips but that is only at Somerset so maybe he is better on smaller circuits? As for the final reserve place its got to be odds on Powell. Godden would do alright but cant see him switching from a full career of weekend Grasstrack & Longtrack racing at weekends to speedway now he is the other side of 40 & Locke is a very raw novice who needs a lot more laps.....hence Kent signing him as number 8!!!

Agreed. Basford was the only one who showed any sign of improvement but I never expected him back due to the traveling distance. Would have preferred to see another newbie given a decent run in the side & perhaps a senior team member issued as a buddy (much like Simon Lambert was to Danny Ayres in his first year)

Who did Danno beat at the 4TT? I don't think I bothered to go but remember him picking up a few points? The only points I remember him getting last year was when he was rolling (clutch dragging) and getting a flyer?

As an overall team I will take it. Bowen should be one of the top number ones in the league this year. Mason is solid and hopefully will settle in behind a team mate & offer solid advice to the less experienced members. Danno must be on his last chance surely? Heard every excuse in the book and still no improvement but might finally be the breakthrough year? As for Locke. Looked dreadful on his first spin at Central Park & his grasstrack results are not a hugely impressive but as last season proved number 8's are pointless. Nobody used them anyway so if he wants to try and get some laps after a meeting then fair play. As things stand Bowen for Morley and Mason for Baseby are equal swaps. Clifton must be better than Cousins and Thomas better than Sheppard so overall a better team than last year so lets hope the results improve as well.

If the promotion are as canny as I suspect & if Piper can rediscover some of his old form the club would do well to use him sparingly throughout the season and then play the trump card once they make the play offs. That said both the IOW reserves are a bit fragile so im sure he will get plenty of meetings and if he is on good kit then good on him and those around him.

The bottom 3 isn't as weak solely because of Clifton. If he had started at reserve and a stronger rider than Verge signed then Kent would constantly have at least one solid reserve at any time like Birmingham & Kings Lynn will. As it stands no team has signed two strong reserves so we might get away with it but its definitely a missed opportunity any if any other teams does they will be in a very strong position.

If the rumours are true and Danno is coming back that could give Kent one of the worst reserve pairings in the league. If its Bowen & either Baseby or Mason to round out the top 5 then that would be a very good top end providing they can all team ride / get along. I know the reserve places across several teams this year look soft but I can still see Kent shipping loads of points in those positions.

The reason everyone rated the Eastbourne team last year was because it was full of riders who could hold their average or jokers who could add loads to their average which they all did even with Dugard & Owen not achieving as much as expected. This year the clear jokers are not there but steady improvement throughout is very possible. Hopwood apart who should maintain his average there is potential for Hughes, Andrews & Woods to add a point each and Knight should be nearer 1.5-2. The difference is you wont have a Wood or Spiller type rider at reserve cleaning up. Many teams are in that boat also so it will be about who does/n't improve from the lower berths?