InTheDeepStuff

Sadly for Sheffield fans Pickering talking the talk but not walking the walk when it comes to rising against world class riders like Kurtz and Doyle, he has a massively inflated average due to big home scores against weaker opposition. In the 3 plays off meetings to date he has scored 17 points from 14 rides so 4.85 average extremely poor from a number 5 with a GSA or 8.25, wasn’t the only one not riding to their average but sticks out more than the rest Congratulations to Belle Vue dominated the league and fully deserve their play off win celebrations on Friday

duplicated

Good to watch on BSN right down to the wire and beyond, any excuse not to visit that awful Leicester track though. Douglas and Morris obviously unable to team ride together (never really seen Douglas do with anyone tbh) as that was the only option in the superheat once Fricke hit the front, standard one in one out and Pickering would have had zero chance on that ultra slick track. Fantastic effort by the Leicester team though to drag back 24 points to be level (don’t think they ever went ahead but could be wrong) imagine there’ll be thinking what if for the odd point in race they consider dropped like Masters in ht14. Majority of Sheffield team were pretty woeful bar Fricke who was excellent both legs, Holder consistent in his 3 rides and Flint for his final 2 rides, the rest need to have a good look at themselves and I’ll include Pickering in that batch of riders getting 5 from 5. If Pickering, Rowe and reserves had stepped up then no need for the super heat, drastic improvement needed for the Belle Vue matches

Live near Barnsley and had zero rain to date and forecast for light showers, ridiculous call off

I was told that Godfrey and co trying to drag Workington up to the Premiership for 2027 with another track not sure who one though so 8 teams in Premiership next year, not sure if that is backed by Facenna money so they stop poking Glasgow (or to help British Speedway). Nothing confirmed just something a current Premiership rider had heard on the grapevine

Sheffield will be utilising R/R for Jack Holder with all the other Premiership teams in action, so extra rides for some of the Tigers(Pickering, Holder snr, Flint & Rowe) based on last couple of matches though one or more of the rides could be covered the reserves who have been in more consistent form than Flint and Rowe. Saying that R/R this season has never produced the points Jack Holder would have scored from his 4 rides around Owlerton. Northampton have a team with riders who can get the odd race win here and there at Owlerton if they pop out of the gate (Lidsey, Ellis & Klindt mainly) but don’t think that will be enough to stop what should be an easy home win for Sheffield, grabbing the bonus point as well securing their place in the play off’s. Home win for Sheffield 53-37

Bates’ keeping the purse strings tight! Feel sorry for any travelling Sheffield fans not been given a decent 1-7 to support, R/R not the way to go with the way Sheffield have been built

Looks like this has been rearranged to Monday 14th September as Edinburgh Academy just posted their fixture on 13th September there has been cancelled due to Premiership fixture the next day

Isn’t Kyle Howarth’s 28 day ban up now, wonder if Stewart Dickson has been on the phone to him to try and make him make a comeback after having had that bit of time away from the sport? The guests Leicester have had haven’t scored the points that Howarth capable of down at number 6 (Facenna’s at Glasgow might be picking the phone up too) 🤷‍♂️

Max Fricke’s rolling average has now dropped under Jack Holder’s, believe he has one more meeting this month before they calculate the GSA for September which could mean if King’s Lynn don’t make play off’s he will be the best option to cover at number 1 as not much in the Northampton outfit you’d choose for what is more than likely and home/away v Leicester

Any news if Dan Thompson and Nick Morris have been declared fit? Down in the area but don’t fancy watching a Leicester guestfest select team

Etheridge knew he was the wrong for both accidents and he did wait at the pit gate for Jenkins when he walked back to the pits and apologised they both had a handshake and moved on. After Cook returned to the pits again Etheridge went over handshake again with a few of the Aussie boys in the pits having a laugh over it. Not seen Etheridge pull a ‘dirty’ move on anyone whilst watching him this season, he’s generally been behind most riders anyway 😆

Got be that’s Foxhall Stadium is the new home to one of the British GP rounds for 2027, question is will the other be at NSS or a tad further north?

He’s been considering his future after this season, found the UK difficulties season especially after Northampton decided not to keep him when Zagar returned

Heard Jonas Jeppesen not interested in doubling up, has enough with his current schedule, so back to drawing board for a Leicester in finding a replacement for Kyle Howarth

NORTHAMPTON: Niels-Kristian Iversen, Kye Thomson, Justin Sedgmen, Adam Ellis, Jaimon Lidsey, Mitch McDiarmid, Luke Harrison. BELLE VUE: Brady Kurtz, Norick Blodorn, Peter Kildemand, Chris Harris, Jason Doyle R/R, Tate Zischke, Will Cairns. Belle Vue also awaiting on Kildemand to see if he’s fit enough to race if not another guest will be required

Think you’ll see a lot of Reid Battye in the red & white until his average jumps above Hausl’s. After that it’s slim pickings guest wise.

Interesting read also in the Speedway Star this week is the Kyle Howarth interview, where he’s said even the riders are sick of racing at the same places 4 times a season and that alongside the massive fixture gaps is why he’s taking a break from it for remainder of 2026. It’s good to see a rider speak openly about the current position not working rather than speaking the party line of it’s all rosey in the garden. The one big league with 2H and 2A would give them more variety and also a decent amount of meetings to negate the doubling up that a decent amount of riders are doing. The promoters/owners need to look at the bigger picture here and not just what suits them, OK it might upset a few big hitters that want to ride/live in UK but can’t if go down one big league and team average isn’t a crazy amount, but they aren’t going to be around for ever and it’s not like there’s an influx of foreigners wanting to ride over here, so take the bullet now get a baseline in position for the sport and take it from there. If the one league doesn’t work out then can revisit alternatives but whatever have now just isn’t working for riders or fans.

SHEFFIELD: Jason Doyle, Anders Rowe, Chris Holder, Leon Flint, Josh Pickering, Jye Etheridge, Luke Killeen. LEICESTER: Ryan Douglas, Drew Kemp, Nick Morris, Dan Thompson, Sam Masters, William Cairns, Joe Thompson. Potential to be the usual close match between these two sides. For Sheffield you’d think Doyle has ability to score more than they’ve been getting for J.Holder’s rides which should help the end total, the reserves need to show up though after their abject performance on Monday at King’s Lynn. The rest of the Sheffield team have generally been pretty solid over recent weeks at home. As for Leicester I think they are weaker with Cairns in as a guest for Howarth who could have easily had double figures from reserve spot (know had blip in last outing there), but J.Thompson seems to have a liking for the Owlerton circuit nowadays which will help. Douglas will get the points expected from a number 1 same as he’s done all year, it depends on what side of bed Kemp, Masters and Morris have got out of if Leicester are to push for points all capable of winning races there as well as being well adrift Home win but not by much 48-42

Don’t know what they are expecting from Ellis, didn’t hardly pull up any trees for Ipswich last year when at reserve, can’t see that improving when in main body of the team

So with the lack of a replacement for Jack Holder (can’t see who they could get in tbh, hopefully he’s back for start of next month) guest or R/R being the chosen poison, I think they need to look at the Rising Star position and bring in someone fresh to give an opportunity to until the end of the season. Some may say that’s tough on Killeen but he’s not cutting it away from Sheffield (had maybe 2 good points scoring meetings at home) and showed again last night at King’s Lynn where he gives the opposition yards from the start. Know the Rising Star list isn’t massive but it’s an opportunity for someone to shine and earn a team spot in the position I think that’s their only option as with Etheridge being in such a low average (nudge over 3.00) there’s not really anyone out there that’s not been tried elsewhere and failed miserably.

Deserved win for Stars, quick rider summary after watching on BSN King’s Lynn Fricke - Woeful, looked so uncomfortable on him track for a rider with such experience Rushen - Did more than expected even if a bit erratic Harris - Definitely a Bomber type track tonight and he put the points on the board and bar race with Rowe he dominated Cook - Frustrating for Lynn fans, 8 pointer in Ekstraliga, 5 pointer in Premiership, seemed to just go through the motions Kvech - Up and down night Edwards - Scored more than Jenkins would have done so did what you want from a guest in beating opposite rider and more Scott - Excellent performance from the rising star, lovely style on the bike Sheffield Lawson - Hot & Cold, no replacement for J.Holder whose usually good for double digits there Rowe - Top drawer, has to be his best performance for Sheffield Holder - What you expect nowadays, very Klindt like fast out front so poor when behind Flint - Poor early doors came to party late on did what was expected in the end Pickering - You’d think he never ridden the place, poor on track decision making in just about all his races, needs to walk the walk rather than talk a good game if wants to be at the top table Etheridge - Rode like a novice, awful performance Kileen - Slow all night again, didn’t make one start, track dominated him rather than him racing on track

Klindt talks the talk. Big points for Rybnik in Poland yesterday no doubt next outing will be 3 or 4 points again whoever he’s riding for

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Harris is back to number 1 isn’t he from today, so will mean R/R, guest or replacement for Howarth coming in at number 3 or 5. Could do horses for courses with Flint and what they decide to go going forwards in those two positions as KJP still needs to support at number 4 in his races with still not much experience around all the UK tracks