SCB

Where's Chris now? We know Chris is good, nobody is doubting that but that doesn't mean someone can't be better.

He reminds me of Leigh when he's chasing, by that I mean he doesn't change his style or line. He rides the same regardless. Then BANG! Makes a move. It's much better than the throw everything at a rider, scrape the fence and scrub of speed trying to pass. He's clearly thinking a lot, very methodical and holding back the all out racer in him.

As bad as tonight was, and despite my moan earlier, the thing that really kept my interest was Tai. I was wrong about it, very, very, very wrong. I'll be honest I thought he'd be bumming around for 3s and 4s but no, Im watching GPs working out how if he's going to win them, trying to work out what gate he's going to want in the semis and the final. I watch every GP heat thinking he will win it. However the season ends, even if by some shock it's bumming around for 3s and 4s, Tai, I thank you. You have showns that British Speedway isn't a complete joke and you've hopefully show a few of the youngsters that whatever anyone thinks, you CAN do it, you can be one of the best.

Result Even better than Bet365 were offering 22/1 at that point

Puks gonna win this. Passing Emil and Nicki.

Generally, rubbish tracks are good for betting on. It's more predictable, gate stats do it for you. When the gates are even or theres lots of passing it's a little more unpredictable. Heat betting tonight is doing ok.

This is rubbish of the highest level. I cant think of a positive. The only reason Im continuing to watch is for betting purposes.

That fine. Dislike the rule. I do too. It's a crap rule that has very little merit IMO. But what annoys me is people claiming it's unfair and then asking for the old tac sub. I wnat the old tac sub back but frnakly, the TR and the TS are equally as unfair on balance, the difference is that a chimpanzee could tell us when to do a TR, "Oh, 10 down, put the best rider out on a TR" (which makes it all the more worrying that Havvy chose to give the TR to Anders Mellgren at BV earlier this season when Nicholls was in the race!!!). With the old TS we all sat there working out what heat best to make the change, did you put your top 2 rider in heat 8 or did you put your 4th rider i just in case you needed a TS in a later race. Did you tell your riders to take it easy in a heat and not worry if they were 4-d's as you were going to get 5-1d in the next race anyway but a TS in that race could mean you getting a 5-1. It was more fun, more involving, it was actually tactical! Id' also allow double poitns form 15 metres. If your rider does it then it's amazing, a great race and 3 extra points (possibly more technically). If the opposition did it then you had to appreciate he'd come from the back but if it failed for the opposition then that was great too, their top rider was "a gating tart" and you could have a laugh at him.

Another of mickthemuppets great schemes. At least he's explained this one. edit > But saying that, bet365 did pay out on Emil scoring over 12 in last weeks Euro Championships and he only scored 10, he only score the 13 if you included the final, so just be weary if you bet on riders to score less.

Now tonight, I posted nothing on here and I managed to win on Watt over 10 (just!), Smoli (+2) vs Swiderski and Kennett under 10. It's like as if wen I post on here it all goes to hell! Still slightly down over the 2 nights though.

So Swindon ONLY score 44 last night. You think they'd have only lost 1 more point despite thinking that Peterbough would have taken 3 off them in heat 8? If Heat 8 had become a 5-1 rather than a 3-3 then Swindon would have only score 48, if one team scores 42 the other score 48. 6 point win. So 1 more that the 5 point win the TRs resulted in.

How long have you got? I dont think dropping 9 point riders for 3 pointers is the answer though. That would me big loses, poor crowds, club closing down. 7 less team places. It's a fine balancing act, there should be more insentives to using Brits (3 point average for x years, % reductions etc) but just plonking a British rider into a team now isn't going to make him good.

I'm going to put my comments in red.

Great score from Adam. I dont know how the guy keeps getting back on and coming back time after time. Really pleased for him. Newcastle can probably feel a little hard done by, if Ludvig had been there you have to fancy he'd have score 4 or 5 to sneak them a win, in stead they get nothing. As it is, the titles decided by play-offs and Newcastle are as close to a certainly for them as it gets so no great loss int he scheme of things.

Pages 36-44 are the relevant pages. Anything is pretty much bluster. As uk martin says, it just determines what a speedway bikes is, what the rules are for individual meetings and junior meetings, training and amateur regulations. I wonder what bits people would rip out. Yes I'd love to change a few of the rules, they make no sense to me. Yes one or two are a bit to grey (probably on purpose) and need defining better but then is that not more rules? The actual rule book is not the problem.

Why does every bet I post on here turn to rubbish? I doubt if I have ever managed to post one on here thats come off. When was the last time Klymakorpi scored 3 form his first 3 rides at Swindon? Grr!

A lot of them are about the rules for bikes, technical stuff, what a referee has to do, what a clerk of the courses job is. All important stuff but stuff that frankly, nobody needs to worry about. They need to be there but not worried about by the fans. Rules 16 and 17 are the only 2 that matter. They related to guests, averages and riding order. I like my new rule, imagine watching all 4 riders fight over 3rd but trying to void last! Could be brilliant! I also suggest points for style and WOW-factor too.

In all fairness, what British rider could replace Ty Proctor? I'm all for favoring Brits over journeymen foreignors and riders of a poor standard (sub 5 pointers) but sometimes you do need some foreignors to maintain a certain level.

In a sentence, perfectly summed up

Kylmakorpi +2 vs Morris. Ok an extra ride for Morris but Kylmakorpi is good at Swindon and should get heat 15 too.

In fairness, to watch speedway all you need to know is 15 heats, 4 laps. 3-2-10 points unless there is a TR. Team manager picks 2 rider for heat 15. Points limits and guests are extra that you can, if you need to, cope without.

I don't think the rules are that hard. There actually only about 5 pages of rules that matter. What is difficult is they change and the fans making up rules. People post on here that this is allowed and thats not allowed. It's just not true. We have people saying Poole cheated yesterday, well no they didn't. but it's Poole and people dont like them so they cry foul. Weirdly, when Poole did cheat last year (had riders in reserve and the 1-5 the wrong way around) nobody seemed to give a rubbish when I pointed it out.

In all seriousness, it has to be one of Cook or King. It would be embarasing if King made the GPs as he'd be shoved out of the way all the time, at least Cook if he fluked it (as thats all anyone is going to do) copuld claim he's inexperienced. So I'd probably give Cook the place. After last night, Nicholls proved he's not good enough at Poole. In fact, maybe a 1 armed Harris may be the best option

Although retired, I'm sure Tom Brown has ridden a handful of times at Plymouth. He may be tempted by a one off.

Just seen Bryn asked me the other day why I don't speak to promoters and ask the questions. I have done, I've approached a few promoters and asked questions. But they dont like answering awkward questions. Over the years I have probably sent about 50 emails to the BSPA and got about 5 responses, all generic clap-trap. As for not posting under real names. Most of us on here can be found without too much of an issue, we all know someone who is known by officialdom and it wouldn't be hard to find most of us. In fact a few riders, mechanics and managers have found me at meetings for a chat and 3 promoters (one was technically a CL chairman at the time) have contacted me on the forum for a phone number (or give me a phone number) to speak to them (one of them never did contact me, shame). Last week, David Hoggart posted on here about some of the issue he had been though that week. It was a refreshing post that was interesting as a non=Sheffield fan but I imagine helped the Sheffield fans see some of the frustration he had gone though. It probably took him 10-15 minutes to write, it come across as honest and sincere. Now if promoters could post more along them lines when fans are asking, "why no new signing? why him as a guest? why this, why that?" people would not need to speculate and become cynical. Social media (facebook, twitter, instagram, the BSF) should all be emrabsed by promoters. Used well it's a far greater ally in their bid to get fans in that it will ever be an enemy. They say attack is the bets form of defence, I dont suggest attacking the fans but get in before they do, answer the questions, give an insight into whats going on. Explain the rule when the fans are questioning it and screaming "foul" - most of the time thats not the fans being trouble makers, its the fans just not knowing and thats sometimes down to unwritten rules! Again, write down ALL the rules and the fans stand half a chance.