arnieg

The conversion factor should have been reduced to reflect the change in the averages of EL riders due to the new race format. Should it have been reduced from 1.6 down to 1.4? The evidence suggests it should have been reduced even more. There are 14 riders who have EL and PL averages thanks to doubling up. Their conversion factors range from Ricky Wells (ratio of PL av to EL av 1.10) to Lasse Bjerre (with a ratio of 1.86). Mean ratio = 1.36 Sum of PL avs divided by sum of EL avs = 1.35 Median ratio = 1.30 Mid point of inter quartile range: 1.33 [1.44-1.26] That would suggest the fair conversion factor, that is an accurate reflection in the difference between the leagues, would be 1.33333 ie Add one third to EL average to get converted figure Subtract one quarter going from PL to EL Data: ............EL....PL...ratio Stead 6.92 9.96 1.44 Cook 6.21 9.19 1.48 Barker 5.85 8.91 1.52 King 6.74 8.84 1.31 L Bjerre 4.66 8.65 1.86 Lawson 6.5 8.22 1.26 Morris 6.31 8.14 1.29 Grajczonek 6.4 8.11 1.27 Fisher 5.39 7.89 1.46 R Worrall 5.53 7.32 1.32 Klindt 5.16 6.68 1.29 Howarth 5.27 6.57 1.25 Wells 5.88 6.49 1.10 Proctor 5.37 6.27 1.17

There have been older riders in previous seasons, notably Alex Gilroy, who was 60 when he rode for Ashfield in 2000. Plenty of veteran riders have contributed to the Conference/National League such as Malcolm Holloway and Buzz Burrows, but I would go for Rob Hollingworth who was 50 in his final season (2005) as the most noteworthy.

And football!! Remember the 1999-2000 FA Cup

I suspect that like me it is your statistical bent. One of the effects of the TR is that the points scored in a set of team averages no longer equal the points scored by the team, thus depriving us of a straight forward check mechanism. (And as for the final season of the EL knockout cup - well how do you cope with that:?)

I couldn't possibly comment

And it has. That's two of us happy then!

Maybe u could combine them - after all the age profile is similar😮

I imagine 'lucy' is working on the assumption that the same rules will apply in 2015 as 2014. Newcastle were in it this year as 2013 winners - so it is reasonable to guess that Somerset will face the Monarchs next year as the 2014 winners.

Another victory for Team play - off! !

Denmark has an 'Old Boys' League 1 Silkeborg Speedway Club 7 289 20 2 Holsted Speedway Klub 7 255 17 3 Esbjerg Motor Sport 7 185 6 4 Fjelsted Speedway Klub 7 185 6 5 Brovst Speedway Club 8 215 5 Top riders: M heat Points ave 1 Thomas Irming Fjelsted SK 3 11 33 12,00 2 Rene Madsen Silkeborg SC 7 30 86 11,47 3 Kim Brandt Silkeborg SC 7 27 73 10,81 4 Rene Mortensen Esbjerg MS 5 22 58 10,55 5 Carsten Hansen Glumsø 2 10 25 10,00 6 Bjarne Bøgh Holsted SK 6 23 57 9,91 7 Kjeld Hansen Brovst SC 5 17 39 9,18 8 Helge Hansen Holsted SK 6 25 55 8,80 9 Ernst Bøgh Holsted SK 6 24 51 8,50 10 John Christensen K'lands 6 23 43 7,48 A few names I recognise there!

Yes I can see what you mean - the Monarchs were hopeless without Worrall at Foxall Heath - they only won 53-37. Of course it's a handicap, but 'game over', get a grip.

the new EL race format means that rider replacement provides inadequate cover in most instances, as a result it is simply no longer used for second strings unless it is a case of force major.

Paternity leave - His partner went into labour on Thursday.

The evidence suggests otherwise. Looking at the averages of doubling-up riders Howarth's PL performances are out of line with other double uppers. eg Lasse Bjerre EL 4.67 PL 8.65 PL av 85% higher Klindt EL 5.16 PL 6.68 PL av 29% higher R Worrall 5.60 PL 7.32 PL av 31% higher Grajczonek EL 6.34 PL 8.11 PL av 28% higher Howarth EL 5.43 PL 6.31 just 16% higher Bjerre is an outlier at the other end of the scale so 30% looks like the expected premium, meaning Howarth should be averaging about 7.06

it was a 5 pair tournament, each pair consisting of a senior Vostock rider and a junior (13/14 year olds) 1st Sergey Logachev and Pavel Laguta 2nd Vadim and Sergey (no relation) Tarasenko 3rd Alexei Kharchenko and Vitaly Galusko http://www.newsvl.ru/sport/2014/10/17/128421/#ixzz3GNOtdKvm

I think the last PL rider still in action was probably Ivan Mauger at Exeter in 1984. But like Boocock he had retired and then returned. I think the better answer is George Hunter who rode until 1983, having appeared in the very first PL season as well as the 'black year' http://www.speedwayatoz.co.uk/georgehunter.html

Hate to quibble, but Oxford University is not a campus university so it does not have a campus bar; the Student Union does not have a bar. (There are bars attached to the JCRs (Junior Common Rooms) of the individual colleges)

Is there one in 2015? If so when, and are Travel Plus running a tour? Will there be any Slough riders in it? Wild card for Mr Tumnus

Actually I did, principally because it was mainly about an episode I am interested in. I also enjoyed his book 'Cinderfellas'. it's the 'harum scarum lightening frightening dave the rave' style of writing I couldn't abide. And he was a pretty good promoter (even if some of his stunts were not to my taste)

1960s - 16/20 pages, two of which were devoted to ice hockey 1970s - Angus Kix - spare me please 1980s - Dave Lanning's drivel, Russell Lanning's rubbish, Alison Lanning's simperings and a design scheme that looked like it owed much to a 5 year old who'd been given free run of the paint box. While it undoubtedly has its shortcomings I don't think the current version is too bad, given the constraints of its limited market. It should concentrate on the areas where it can beat the internet: 1) being the journal of record. (Could we have current GSAs during the season and go back to having full tables of riders scores in season reviews) 2) investigative journalism (see humph's comments) 3) Colour pieces (I too thought the Mike Parker series was a great read) PS I really enjoy the international section - now compare that with the 1970s/80s reporting of events abroad.

I'd guess Malcolm Simmons PS Ted Ede was riding at Iwade in 2012/13 in the Dragons meetings

Nigel dear, He did not start his career in 1989. (I saw him ride in 1988) 😉

I've just been looking at Elit B for 2014. I generally regard the svemo site as the place of record, but for some reason Robert Pettersson appears twice(at 50 & 57) My second query concerns Ben Shields and Kenny Wennerstam. June 6, Kumla - according to http://ta.svemo.se/Public/Pages/Competition/DrivingSchedule/CompetitionHeatSchema.aspx?Branch=Speedway&Season=2014&Serie=Elit+B&Resultfilter=APPROVED&Columns=FromDateShort%2cName%2cHeatSchema%2cHeatResult&pagesize=20&CompetitionId=3762 Vetlanda's Wennerstam rode for Vargarna. but it's Vargarna regular Ben Shields according to: http://www.speedwaynyheter.se/piraterna/elit-b-indianerna-vinnare-pa-hemmaplan/ http://www.aktuellspeedway.se/matchresultat/2774/ and even Vargarna's own website (at http://www.vargarnaspeedway.se/forare/knattematch-elit-b-och-olika-resultat-fran-europa/ ) When aktuell and svemo disagree I'd normally go with the svemo info, but this time I'm not so sure.

Only one!

Hey Ghostie, think it is time 2 start a 2015 thread