arnieg

Meeting closed at 18.06 (after the final race was awarded despite 2 laps not having been completed)! So 4 hours 6 minutes after advertised start time.

I think it was an away match at Swindon. Douglas Underwood plus six guests in the mid 70s.

And by the time work permits were sorted out the season (for Newcastle at least) would be almost over. Smetana?

YES Have a look at the 1970s Polish averages. How many meetings did riders like Jancarz and Plech miss because their British contracts required them to be in the UK?

New GSA published (15 June), and Atkins is no longer in Plymouth team. We await developments

Don't think a dispensation is needed. 12.4 states: If a rider is representing their FMN in an FIM/FIME Speedway Championship, irrespective of the rider’s MA, a choice of G or RR facility is available. That's the same wording as the rule in the Championship section that allowed a guest for Harris when on long track duty. So my reading is that it is an application of the rules NOT a dispensation.

But he will probably be competing for a spot with Dudek, and if Smektala or Kubera qualify, and that is quite possible, then further places for Poles will be heavily oversubscribed. I'd give him one, but I don't think I have much influence over that decision.

An intact concrete starting grid still exists, at Californiz Country Park where California Poppies rode in the 1950s

The other issue is all his points are scored at Plymouth. Home Ave 7.00 Away Ave 1.71

Industry in California is the only venue I can think of that regularly stages speedway 'indoors'. But it has worked there for many years, so perhaps your suggestion has merit.

You need a minimum of 2 days to allow for team declarations for matches on the first of the month, and a couple of days to catch any errors (there seem to be increasingly more occasions of these of late). But it wouldn't be unreasonable to reduce it to say 5 days.

Surely at age 27 and with only 11 seasons of racing you want someone with more experience as a rising star?

I would regard that as pretty much a perfect set up.

Given Plymouth's win at fortress Scunthorpe and only losing by 7 at Leicester, I admire your optimism.

If not, I'll blame the team manager

Paid 29 from the reserves - including a career best for Arran Butcher as well as Killeen's stunning start.

Given the take up may well be predominantly from fans of the visiting team and neutrals the way forward should be to introduce a bias AGAINST the home team

Oh for the good old days like 1991 when Reading and Poole met 13 times.

You have to feel sorry for Newcastle fans (yes there were some at Oxford) - 4 heats on Wednesday, 2 more at Edinburgh on Friday, and best not to talk about Sunday.

There is a complete set of Danish fixtures on 29 June. However a true speedway supporter would be keen to see a promising star every bit as good as Basso.

This looks particularly bad now that Scunthorpe, Edinburgh and Oxford have all had early abandonments but given 100% refunds unlike Birmingham.

I went to a match recently where the updates were from the club twitter feed. If a visitor locked up it was a brilliant pass by the home rider, reverse the roles and the home rider was unlucky. Similarly exclusion of home rider was 'controversial'. (No it wasn't) while non-exclusion of home rider for obvious offence didn't even warrant a mention.

Sorta seemed inevitable

Bickley - yes Proctor - not now, but I think his GSA will drop below Rowe's on 1 July. However neither signing would enthuse me.

He rides in under 24 league which is mid-week. Has yet to appear for Unia Leszno. And Kenyan Rew looks to be their first choice replacement. So not a problem.