Hilly

How on earth does a fixture like this go ahead? Fixture planning at its finest, especially with so many gaps, surely a more suitable date could be found?

Very good summary. I've been going on about these 10 minute plus grading breaks for ages, I've even started timing them!!!! It's always easy to moan which I don't want to do but we can't afford to be making silly decisions, some of which must be having an effect on crowd levels as they as clearly down on last year for sure.

McDiarmid not being utilised properly again by the team manager.

I'd like to think if this was a league match, McDiarmid would be getting 6 rides. Looks like a very good rider in the making. With the aggregate tie all over from early on, no problem giving everyone their full quota.

Vaculik 75 more Kvech 75 more Cheers

Can't believe anybody thought any other result was on the cards, Oxford had an awful team, Cook has improved the team no doubt but still a very bad team. I know BV have been poor away from home but this was an altogether different task. With seemingly nobody willing to ride over here at this stage, we have to just keep plodding on hoping for improvement from the existing team.

61.28 😃

I know it's happened, normally with special dispensation.

Isn't the rule that you can't re declare with a previously dropped rider?

Jenkins wasn't a RS last season so no club has first dibs on him, without covering old ground again, it's implausible to believe Jenkins would not have been picked before it got to Ipswich

Tough luck on Michelsen considering Kurtz has got a warning for moving at the start, if it was stopped as normal he would not have ended up in the fence

Michelsen 75 more Riss 150 less Cheers

Any improvement to the team can only be a good thing. Maybe we might even win at home on Monday with Birmingham seemingly doing an Oxford from last season and weakening their team. After a promising start, Gusts has been way off the pace recently.

Don't worry, Birmingham take on Oxford next week, there's 2 wins

And don't forget the Spires won the Championship pairs 🤣

We started the season with the weakest team and our top two have under performed, that's a recipe for disaster. Where the riders are that can make a difference I don't know but something must be done, the bare minimum should be winning at home to keep crowds. Hopefully riders who are now racing in Poland might decide they need more racing.

Does the 7 day guest rule for away teams no longer exist?

Great all round team effort from the Cheetahs, Masters never troubled, Knudsen very impressive, would have been unbeaten but for a fall in heat 1, and McDiarmid showed there's definitely a rider there on a tricky Plymouth circuit where so many struggle. Everybody chipped in which is what we will need going forward.

Only 2 heat winners at Belle Vue ( 1 from the guest, great effort by Thompson all night, who was our best performer alongside Wright ). You can't win meetings like that, or stay competitive. Top heat leaders are required. We may well put up some spirited efforts but I'm struggling to see where a win may come from.

That will be every team team this season then 😂 Is it realistic to think that Flint was last choice? Didn't Rob Lyon state beforehand they wanted Jenkins? It's clearly all bull, riders and teams decide independently, regardless of any press releases and whatever teams may say. Out team manager, I'll leave that with you but I don't think there's much room for any doubt 🤣 I'm happy if we are keeping within budget to remain viable, if that means we can't field a competitive team, don't try it and put yourself at risk. We were already a well supported and competitive team at Championship level.

Technically correct but we all know the 'ranking order' is a load of tosh. With Gilkes in the Cheetahs team, it's a move that would make sense.

Absolutely dreadful effort at Ipswich last night, although I wasn't expecting anything else really 😟 Tungate has been woeful so far. Janowski still appears to have no speed, even after last year. I like Killeen but it looks a step too far at this stage, is Gilkes still on the RS list? Gusts is putting the others to shame with his efforts, especially being new to UK racing. When you have the weakest team, you need everyone on their game to try and be competitive, neither of which is happening so far. The danger is a drop off in crowds, once people stop going, we all know it can be difficult to get them back. We are in danger of creating all sorts of records this season 😢

I agree, although with regards to the Spires team, 3 or 4 different riders are needed to make any real difference.

Well done to the Spires on yesterday's win in the Championship pairs 😂

21-69 😢