False dawn

6-0 in every race!

Josh Bates riding in British speedway has got to be one of the best bits of winter news yet. We look forward to being entertained by this all action, 100% trying, British youngster.

What a mess. A stadium that could host speedway and stox just rusting away. A heritage compatible with any club in the World. A fan base comparable (in numbers) with many currently successful clubs. A fan base with few equals in terms of loyalty. A club in the hands of Mick Horton, Avtar Sandhu (?) and Brandon Estates. A club destined to run in the 3rd division in a different city. But..... We have a bunch of people with heart, faith and dedication who might yet wrench this club from the jaws of oblivion and give us back something we recognise as a force to be reckoned with in British Speedway. Say a prayer, write to Rugby Borough Council, let the committee know you haven't given up, despite all the crap (sorry). Do everything you can to keep the dream alive. You never know.

When Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, what happened to the "O's"?

Just for the record, I was born in England. But what's that got to do with the price of bread?

Wow. A winter full of analysis! Seriously, data is great. Meaningful information is power.

Surely that's the point. We should have access to statistics not generate them ourselves. For example, rider averages. It is not difficult to imagine an online enquiry / app where you could look up your team's current averages, guest averages / eligibility, averages by nationality / eye colour or inside leg measurement if you like. The possibility for masses of stats, drawn from currently available data is only limited by one's imagination. For example, a rider's average at a given track. That could be useful when selecting guests. A second string's ability to beat heat leaders. A very good measure of his skill. The list just goes on and on. Get the raw data and you can create useful and interesting information.

I would go further. Turn up at Leicester with Banners saying "We belong in Brandon" or some other catchy phrase. What about "We're here under protest"?

Love it. KL used to show lap time splits a few years ago. You could have an award for the fastest flying lap.

This is obviously the season to be silly. So..... All 4 go to the tapes and the race starts. The ref puts on the red lights for an unsatisfactory start and one of the riders cuts across the centre green/black/grey (delete as applicable). What then?

In theory, yes. However the management committee has to sanction any facility do they not? They would, therefore, have to receive a formal application and give permission for such a facility to be granted before the referee could agree to the use of a guest or rider replacement. How did we get into this?

I think it could be a false dawn. (I've been waiting 15 years to get that one in!)

[serious head on] That can't be right. Say a rider is present, attired, with bikes etc. and then trips over his tool box and can't take part. Or he's called away due to a family emergencey. He didn't take part in the meeting by any sensible definition. I think a rider has to be at the tapes and take part in a race to qualify as taking part. Even if he's the innocent party in a crash in his first race and the race is rerun and he can take no part. If he starts a race, regardless of what happens next, he took part in the meeting. Otherwise it's a "did not ride" and does not count as a meeting in his statistics.

7:30? 7:45? When the sun goes down? Or when the ambulance arrives? Take your pick. Sounds like a Michael Miles moment eh?

This was a thought prompted by something said in the latest SWC thread. Why not run the GP series all year round? We could have a round in Oz and NZ in our winter as well as the indoor tracks such as Cardiff (also China and Taiwan for all I know). Then run the outdoor circuits, less often (less fixture upsets with the domestic leagues) in our summer. Greater coverage, more money for everyone and higher profile for the sport. Everyone's a winner.

I said the same about Swindon this year. In fact I said they would rue the day they signed Jason Doyle. Colour me red. I was wrong. Pity you can't whisper in print eh?

Ooo that's easy. The BSPA have invented a new branch of maths. 4x3=? 14.13 Ask Swindon

If a rider is in the declared team but does not compete in a race, he gets a wildcard for next year's World Championship

Now I've learned to spell.....

Ah but. Having done some research recently, can anyone beat Nigel's 18 consequecutive seasons for the Bees. Only one I know who comes close is Les Owen with 17 consequecutive seasons with, who else but, the Bees.

Quote from live updates: "Greaves bike packs up on way to the line, right infront of a track marshal who refused to push so a member of the crowd jumps the fence but too late now so he will have to go off 15m". Long delay now after Rory crashed in heat 4

I think we have to be careful about making assumptions. Ivan's current health, although of some public concern, is a private matter for the family. The family have also explained that they no longer have the space to properly store this enormous collection. The fear was that much of it would have ended up in storage away from the public eye.As to the money. I am reliably informed that a cause dear to our hearts has benefited from this sale. Let's enjoy the memory of the racing days of a giant in our sport.

Congratulations to Waihekeaces 1. A brilliant final round. Thanks to R and R for running the competition.

I did say!

He's trying to fall over the line. He's been tentative in his league racing of late. Only scoring good points when gating in front and running away (for the most part, there have been exceptions). I don't blame him, but it is a dangerous tactic.