oldtimer

Chris Schramm replacing Tom makes Rebels stronger.

That was from 7 rides.

Number 1. No Joker, no tactical subs, but each team should have a reserve in case a rider is injured otherwise you end up with 3 man races, or less if there is a pile up early. No team seeded straight to the final, but top two in race off go through as it used to be.

Doyle missing yet again, it's getting like Sam Masters! Gary "Master Tactician" May does it again with a potentially brilliant guest for Rebels in Hougaard. He may be at reserve for Panthers but he has been beating Elite heat leaders at the showground, and Oak Tree should suit him, quick out of the gate, and should be great to watch. Scunthorpe not as strong as last season, and providing we ride better than against lowly Glasgow and Ed puts some dirt on the track for Nick, we should get all 3 points.

There weren't any positives from the meeting!

Aussies look weak with Jason Doyle, Nick Morris and Josh Grajczonek not available.

Newcastle reserves score 10, Somerset's only 5, Alex Davies only scoring 2. How on earth did Rebels get a draw? Answer they are a FANTASTIC TEAM!

Great performance by the Rebels select to get a point, and Doyle back tomorrow.

Speedway sunk to an all time low tonight with the best team Denmark losing by 1 point because they were in the lead and could not play the joker. What should have been a showcase for speedway turned into a joke. The track was rubbish, extremely difficult to pass, and they could not even produce a track where you had half a chance from all four gates, gate 4 was a graveyard and at this level to produce a track like that was a disgrace. Who's stupid idea was it to have the Czech Republic seeded into the final, did someone seriously think more local fans would attend. If I lived near the track I would have watched on TV as it's much better to be embarrassed by your country in the privacy of your home than to do it in public, I would have thought they would get a better crowd with four not three competitive teams. I suppose a lot of people would have found the close score entertaining and perhaps it was if you just look at speedway as an entertainment because a sport it is not.

When I wrote this I thought Stefan and Tom were back, however Somerset guest reserves scored 8 compared to Glasgow reserves 7 so they did ok. Therefore it's a bit worrying that Rebels only 4 points ahead after heat 9. Glasgow's previous away scores in the League are 27, 29, 30 twice, 34, 35 and 39, so to score 37 against the Rebels was one of their best performances. Didn't attend tonight, perhaps that's why they didn't hit 60.

Anders Thomsen 19, is a Danish under 21International. He scored 8 points for his country in the European Under 21 team Championship Final earlier this month, beating GP wild card Bartosz Zmarzlik and GP hopeful Vaclav Milik whilst chasing Piotr Pawlicki's back wheel in his opening race. He has also ridden in Poland. He was also World 80cc Champion a few years ago. I'm surprised you didn't know all this Najjer!

"If the cap fits, wear it!"

I cannot understand why everyone is getting excited about the so called World Cup an event which bears no resemblance to anything the title World Cup might convey. It is really the "It's A Knockout, Mickey Mouse Cup" and of little importance. A supposedly major competition which could enable the best team on the night to lose thanks to the joker (fortunately Australia held on). A competition for various reasons many of the top riders do not take part, a competition which encourages cheating, Barker and the American ,whatever his name was. As one example, In any other speedway competition if through disqualification only two riders from the same side are left, the rules state they have to race at a racing speed not slow down to fix the scores, the "It's a Knockout" rules allow cheating . The whole thing is a disgrace and brings the sport down to the level of wrestling. No wonder the press take no interest and none of us true speedway fans should take any interest either.

Even without Doyle, the Tigers are in for a mauling, they have only won two of their home League matches and in both of those failed to get all 3 points. Their away record is abysmal and Rebels should hit 60 providing the guest pulls his weight. A great pity Joe Screen not available in what would be his last appearance at the Oak Tree.

Will be cheering anyone who can beat Australia, an Aussie win means Doyle will be missing a home and away match for Somerset.

If a rider has a Premier League fixture on the same night as an Australia V Britain test match series, for which he would normally be selected, which takes priority, his League Club or the Test Match?

Will Jason Doyle still be riding for Australia on Sunday as he is supposed to be at Peterborough representing Somerset in the 4's?

In this weeks Star Rob Lyon says "Great Britain: They've got to be looking for the Race Off at the very least, anything less than that will be failure." Anything less than race of is failure who would have thought that, collect the bl***ing obvious prize Rob!

I found Rob Godfrey's statement very strange, He say's "I'm asking fans who read Speedway Star to start writing in." If fans put some ideas forward me and my fellow promoters can look and see what we need to do this winter." I agree it's good for fans to write in to the Star but it does not have a letters page every week and can only publish a few letters when it does. The reason I found his statement strange is he obviously has no idea this forum exists, please can someone tell him about the BSF where he can find all the suggestions anyone could want.

We are lucky at Somerset as fans can go to the pits up to 7pm, and riders come into the club house after the meeting and are interviewed and there is a rider of the night presentation. After the victory parade riders also walk off the track through the crowd back to the pits so there is an opportunity for photo's or autographs. It seems from reading the posts on here that Somerset is unique in this respect. However the presentation as at most tracks is not very good, and could be improved for very little or no extra cost. Most fans know what is wrong with the sport, but for some unknown reason speedway is the only business I can think of where the people who run it take little notice of their customers. Mr Rising mentions the case of Stefan Nielsen who had to be replaced by a National League guest, he goes on to say the common sense solution would be to apply the new average, but you can count on one hand the common sense solutions made by the BSPA.

Talk about get out of gaol, track was slick and inside like the M5 by heat 8, it was get on the blue groove and stay there. Alex below par but still battered and bruised, Doyle forgot to team ride in heat 10 but fortunately Kyle hang on for second. Worky supporters standing in front of me looked gutted and who can blame them. We meet Edinburgh next in KOC and that will be even harder. Nick Morris got rider of the night award but my vote would have gone to guest Damien Koppe who scored 9+1. It was Gary May's birthday and he was presented with a cake, who would have thought he was 56? 10 years ago perhaps!

No news on who is fit enough to ride for the Rebels. if our top four come to the start it should be easy for the Reb's. Hope the Rebels Rooster is back this week.

Brilliant performance by the team, but also a brilliant performance by master tactician Gary May!

It's GB versus the Somerset Rebels!

Agree it's easier now in the watered down Elite, but Birmingham have Chris, "I should be in the GP's," Harris so Doyle must be included in the Aussie World Cup squad. Will he stay at Somerset next season?