SCB

What problem is one big league at PL level fixing? Berwick are still buggered, Workington are in trouble. Redcar still riding in front of 350 people, Scunthorpe still in a mess.... Or do you think Coventry, Poole, Swindon and Lakeside turning up will get 1000s of people to turn up at Berwick, Workington, Redcar and Scunthorpe?

For me the issue is not that the top guys are winning too many races (as they don't) but more than the format doesn't allow them to win enough and have an air of invincibility around them, meaning when they are beat its a bit thing. Go back to the 13 heat format, all rider meet all other riders. Then you'd soon see Puk, Magic, Holder, Harris etc averaging between 9.5 and 11. They'd be big names, it would be a big thing to see one of them beat. But seeing them ride against each other all the time and only averaging 6.5 as a heat leader makes it harder to promote that the superstar that is.... Puk/Magic/Holder/Harris is in town.

This year? It been in place about 5 years now!

Wolves had an early pick and got last years number 1 draft rider, Lewis Blackbird. They then got first pick in round 2 but shocked everyone with their pick. You could argue the point limit doesn't work because Coventrys team is 2 points short of the limit. But that's because the Bees management picked the wrong riders. Pick correctly and any system works.

The way I'd do it is to cut the draft pay rate to a level that your Autys, Garritys, Newmans etc feel they have to ride in the 1-5 to make the sport pay. If they want to stay in the draft then they do so making no money. Riders get the draft to make an impression, prove they can do it but not make money from it.

Unlessthe ticket is off the council or police then you can ignore it. They'll sevd you threatening letters but unless they can prove costs they cannot take it to court.

Not the name I heard. So that wasn't last week then was it? Kenni Larsens name was being thrown around recently.

You can't appeal riding orders that the SCB have sanctioned. And the SCB let the BSPA sanction it on their behalf. All totally wrong and you can see why Norrie was pissed off. Seems a joke to me that you can only appeal before someone cheats. Which basically gives clubs/riders the chance to cheat as if thy're not caught before they do it, they get away with it! I cant believe people are having a go at Norrie or justifying this. Lakesides team was illegal and the BSPA allowed it! And the SCB allowed them to allow it. Whats the point of a rule book if the people who manage the rulebook let the BSPA do as they damn well like?

Davies is still in the 1-5. Scunny will have a guest for Ben Wilson at reserve. Looking at the teams this one should be 60-30-ish

Correct. He must have done his 4 home and 4 away in the last week.

A week tomorrow I'll be taking a speedway virgin to his first ever speedway meeting. Have I mentioned that Coventry will almost certainly have a guest at number 2? Or that the guys at 3,6 and 7 for Coventry that night also ride for a PL team? Or that a few of the other in the team ride in Sweden and Poland for another team? No. Why? Because it makes sod all difference to him. He won't care, it won't change the meeting at all for him. Have I mentioned the TR yet? No. No need. If Coventry (or Swindon) end up 10 down I'll explain it. So, will the fact half the riders in the meeting ride for other teams put him off the sport? No, because I will not mention it, he'll be oblivious to it. What might put him off is when they start playing hits of the 80s on repeat, when we have a 20 minute interval where nothing happens. Where we have a 10 minute gap for no reason at all. The entertainment is 4 riders, 4 laps, 15 times. That is what people either like or they don't. Get that right and frankly the rest is pretty irrelevant.

But Poole won't get any upated averages this month. Pooles averags now as the same averages they'll have on August 28th

What would Lewis want? I know if I was in an accident the last thing I'd want is for people to put lives on hold. So while I understand that some people care and feel it respectful, it may be an over reaction. As others have said, any rider who doesn't feel comfortable getting on a bike today would have my respect for saying so and having a night off. On to the meeting itself, I really hope Kings Lynn win. Nothing to do with it being vs Wolves tonight, I'd just love to see all Lewis' teams win in his absence

https://twitter.com/g1xer/status/626485912147501056 Newmans crash

At the moment 4 of the 8 EL clubs ride on a day no PL club rides - Monday's and Wednesday. So only 50% of the EL has to deal with home clashes. As I have said before, I have some software that'll avoid clashes other than on bank holidays and potentially late in the season with re-arrangements. That said, I'm not totally sure getting rid of clashing riders will fix things. I bet 70% of the crowd haven't got a clue who is riding or meant to be riding etc. And the other thing, you get fans moan, "the EL is 8 teams, not enough variety" - yet now we have fans moaning about the variety

TBF, he's right. Lakeside declared a team with AJ @1 replaced by Hans. And Nilsson at 5 as r/r. They were then allowed to swap Hans to guest for Nilsson and Harris for AJ. It's acceptable to change a guest if a rider gets injured but once you have declared, providing no injury you have declared and that's it. The other issue is that the SCB have allowed the BSPA to make a call. Last week some people on the Redcar/Somerset thread took great pleasure in mocking those complaining about the BSPA- well here we have an SCB decision made by the BSPA. Farce! they had already declared Summers as second string. Leicester wanted to move him to heat leader and use Kurtz as the second string. The SCB (note, not BSPA) refused this, correctly. As Summers was already declared at 2.

Basically he was unhappy that Lakeside changed their declared team after the deadline. They had booked Hans for AJ but switched him to guest for Kim so that they could use Bomber. He was unhappy that the BSPA were allowed to rule on an SCB rule.

TBF, any one of about 8 other teams could have had Sarjeant but picked other riders. That left him for Coventry to pick again. Swindon and Leicester got crappy picks in the first round but should have gained with their second choices who were depending on your view poor choices or a huge let down in 2015.

the point still stands, our reserves have out scored the oppositions in all but about 5 meetings. 3 of them vs Poole where we have lost!

Not everyone is fickle and swayed by a few good scores.

European Championship? I didn't think you could have a guest for a rider in the European Championships?

So sack Lambert then I don't think you'll get anyone better - Coventry can be made better by signing someone decent to rider a #2. When you consider we can replace Robbo (Summers tonight) with someone of Lamberts standard....

I doubt Benko would have scored any more! Yet from tomorrow with Wright in the 1-5 and Kurtz in reserve.... I said last week, this is a tidy looking Plymout team now.

Fair play! I had this down as being an 8ish point home win. Perfect result for the Robins

Swindon took a huge leap towards the playoffs today while Lynn's point will help. Puts Pressure on BV now to get a result away - or for Lynn and/or Swindon to mess up at home. Coventry need a decent rider at number 2, just 3 or 4 from them 3 rides would have made tonight a lot more comfortable.