Technik

I won't disagree & will conceed that your reply was the rule in most recent seasons. However as I suggest the rule was as I stated in seasons prior. With the starting procedure being updated for the coming season & all tracks having a clock there should be no reason for any rider not being ready within the time allowance

The rule always used to be "At the tapes ready to race at the expiry of the 2 minute allowance" but this was never enforced & gardening time was allowed & as the meeting went on 2 minutes gets closer to 5 minutes as we reach the big races. The clock has been about for a good while & is used to great effect in the FIM events as well as Polish Swedish & Danish leagues but as our TV meetings have shown it gets turned off if it nears 15 seconds whilst the riders continue to dig their start area & the time is extended. If it is used correctly all races will start within 2 minutes & the regular offenders will soon fall into line as they have in other leagues.

I don't mind that as long as the 2 minutes are applied strictly. The rule is now at the tapes ready to race so just being on the track on the way to the start line then a minute of on the bike off the bike dancing should become a thing of the past. But I'm sure it will become in the best interest of speedway to turn the clock off if there is any danger of having to put a star name out of any race

I understand he pumped a load of money into the Reading project which included a scale model of his proposed new racino. It cost in excess of £50K & that was over 15 years ago. I have no doubt that it would have been an investors money that paid for it.

I wonder what his average would be today. I believe he rode for Belle Vue & was below 5.00 but since he has become a GP rider & won the Polish championship

The point I'm trying to put across keeping in mind that we are only talking about the title of this page "Oxford" is last season the Chargers were a success & were declared the champions. The development of some riders means they can no longer race at this level & must move up. This seasons squad as was pointed out is 2 points under the starting limit with some youngsters that have limited track time under competition & it has been mentioned that this is a weak team & will harm the attendance levels. My ideal is this league should be used as a production opperation for young British riders we only need to look back to Tai Woofinden in his early days at Scunthorpe to see that it can work & I see the Oxford system to use riders from their lowest squad to fill reserve places in the higher league then into the main team & now into the top league thus developing their talents rather than buy in a half baked star from overseas.

It maybe stating the obvious but isn't this league about "development" rather than winning a title.

I don't think Nathan Stoneman will return to racing. Last season's injury & the arrival of a baby has made him review his lifestyle & I think he is happy to be a mechanic on race nights. I think Boughen should stay in the NL setup for another season. I know he has ambition & wants to race at higher levels but you have to know how to win races from the front & have the pressure of being a rider within the team that is looked upon to return double figures & be in the big races at the end

He's very good at interviews & tells us what a good bloke he is & how successful his company is, why else would anyone invest their millions in his ventures. Then theres the cold light of day when Mr Osbourne has done nothing in 3/4 years & he still has the investors money. some will be returned but whilst he has had it he has been using it to make himself even more profits. He is a conman A very good one but a conman all the same.

The Oxford team is going to be interesting as the season unfolds. I see any one of six riders could be at number 1 or number 6 only the rising star in Aston Boughen is almost asured to remain at reserve. I'm still not getting to grips with the "Spires" nickname. I always think a nickname or emblem should be something a child can draw & understand. The only place a city skyline has worked for me is on the credits of Frasier. I know Reading FC have a skyline on their shirts & it looks awful.

There can be no arguement over the clubs loyalty. Someone had to be left out & Lewi Kerr was that man. To ask a 2.00 rider to offer the same points return is impossible. But all the other teams in the league have the same issues. Oxford have again made the decision to track strong riders at the top in Masters & Nicholls it served them well in 23. If there is a weakness I will put it down to Heeps, he started as a top 3 rider & is now nothing more than a strong reserve & that in turn makes the two 2.00 pointers at reserve look much weaker. Atkins must move into the top 5 & has to be pushed if he is to improve. Jenkins can keep moving forward my only fear is his talent can be overshone by his desire. This team will make the play-offs again, how close they get to the title will come down to luck

I think Birmingham might suit Schlein as he has sponsors from Wolverhampton that may stay with him if he remains in the midlands

Looking at the team Sheffield have already released Oxford are going to need to be looking past their own championship squad for at least four riders of quality. I'm not saying they all need to be heat leaders but of a standard that they will improve to the highest level

Its fair to say the shell is going up but to date no Glaziers, Electricians, Carpenters or Plumbers have been used

Wait until you start seeing big trucks running up &down the M4 heavily loaded with sky hooks!!! Clarke Osbourne didn't even build with Lego as a kid

I'm not keen on "Spires" like you suggest a move back to "Rebels" would be more relatable. Other options could be "Dons" after the teaching staff at the University or even "Blues" as the boat crew are called Even use the Ox from Oxford & be "Bulls". Then as there are already "Chargers" why not " Lightning". I think there are many better options that will have more meaning to the Oxford fans.

Scott Nicholls must be near a 25 season celebration event

I don't think any track would be able to operate in 3 divisions, there are simply to many meetings to fit in. But I do think Oxford have the capacity to support PL & CL racing. Over the past two seasons CL crowds have been very good, I have to stress in season 1 the wave over being back after 14 years swelled the crowd in the early matches but the levels were maintained & now at the end of season 2 levels have still been higher than many others. The NDL crowds have been lower & dispite their success I feel it would be beneficial for the club to move forward & into the PL. I don't believe there would be any more meetings than this season just a change in race night to fit PL (Monday/Thursday) racing but keeping Wednesday for CL. This would give one night a week racing & I think those that stayed away for the NDL in the last 2 seasons would support both PL & CL level clubs at this circuit

Wolves raced on Mondays straight after the greyhounds for years without any issue

Before anything Swindon need a track or at least a piece of land to put one on. Personally Swindon at Oxford is a non starter

As a kid my Father gave me a good belting for doing something I was'nt allowed to do. It did'nt take me long to cotton on that if I kept my mouth shut I would be safe from a further punishment. I was only 5 but I learn quick

Good luck to him. But I don't think I'd risk having him in my team.

The reserve pair are almost assured to be Killeen & Boughen with the top two of Nicholls & Masters. Then the remaining trio is the area of discussion, I would like to stick with Jenkins for my first choice. Heeps is a spent force he came as a third heat leader but now struggles at reserve Oxford can't afford that, Atkins is a question mark, it must be said he has ridden some good races this past season but is it enough. I would like to look elsewhere & possibly bring some new talent into the UK. Casper Hendriksen or Daniel Klima For instance goood young riders for the future or riders that have British experience Kevin Wolbert or Timo Lahti both had fantastic seasons.

I was stopped in Australia at a roadside police test point. The officer had a stick like device to test for alcohol all I had to do was count back from 10 then a small lolly stick I had to scrape my tounge this tested for certain drugs. It took only a couple of minutes & I was on my way. But again it comes down to cost>

All I have done is put forward some facts. He missed a meeting earlier in the season & was warned about that & now he has missed a BSPL championship fixture bothy of which have happened. I went on to ask if he will receive any further punishment. His reasons are his own & if questioned this is what he will rely on. My knowledge is based on being a commercial vehicle technician for over 40 years. I am not having a dig at a 16 year old that is clearly very talented just pointing out facts.