lucifer sam

You're not exactly a half full glass kinda guy, are you Rod/Ron? All the best Rob

This year was very funny. No queue, so I had no choice for the bag to be searched (my attempt to walk past him didn't work), but still waltzed in with my food & drink - they're not very thorough at checking. All the best Rob

I think there should be an index in each issue Seriously, the new look Star is very good. The changes seem to mean even more is crammed into each 48/64 page issue than before. And I like the history pieces that accompany each previews of a BSPA Major event. All the best Rob

Trees, but we're British... if we didn't go, we'd have nothing to complain about and what do we talk about then? All the best Rob

"then the MC will issue a revised MA, based upon actual rides if the Team re-declares." (my bold) But there's a "will" earlier in the sentence. Which suggests if a team does redeclare, a new average does have to be issued for riders still on assessed averages. And as it's "based upon" actual rides, surely that's what the rider has averaged so far. There's lots of IFs, BUTs and MAYBEs in the rulebook, but this one looks fairly unambigious. I can only see one intrepretation. All the best Rob

SCB, thanks. Yes you've read it the same way. I can't see how it can be intrepreted differently, can you? All the best Rob

This rule reads: 17.4.4 A Rider starting the season with an Assessed MA will have a new Established MA upon completing 4 Home and 4 Away fixtures, which becomes effective 7 days after the last qualifying Meeting. Should an Established MA not be achieved in order to be effective from 1st May, then the MC will issue a revised MA, based upon actual rides if the Team re-declares. Say a team is trying to introduce rider C into a team, in place of rider B. Rider A has an assessed average, but has only completed 5 to 7 league matches. From the above, my reading would be that Rider A would get his average from the 5 to 7 meetings he has completed at this point as his new CMA. Is there any other way of reading this? It seems fairly umambigious to me. All the best Rob Peasley

Don't forget NOT to book the hotel on the Friday night - you can't miss the pairs again All the best Rob

It's off according to the BSPA website. Lucky Rebels - you were going to have your asses kicked tonight. All the best Rob

Ben seems to raise his game for these sort of meetings. He performed well last time in the World Cup (two years ago). Might as well give it to the younger riders - the careers of Nicholls and Harris are in decline. Why not give the younger riders a go? - it worked for Denmark. Another rider who should be under consideration this year is Richie Worrall. And give it more one year, and Ashley Birks will be ready as well. Those six (Woffinden, Cook, Barker, Auty, Worrall and Birks) are the future of the British in a couple of years time, so why not use them now. All the best Rob

Tai Woffinden Craig Cook Ben Barker Josh Auty All the best Rob

Prediction: Somerset 36 Scunthorpe 56 Any weather updates on this one? All the best Rob

Track coniditions stayed about the same throughout the second meeting, although a slick line did start to emerge. I guess it wasn't ideal for either meeting, but with the combination of sun and a strong wind yesterday, I thought the track staff did a great job to keep some bite in the track. None of the riders could complain that passing wasn't possible, there were numerous overtakes in the last third of the PL meeting. Doyle & Grajzconek showed what was possible in Heat 13. It was a great pity about Liam Carr - like Danny Phillips, he's a rider who should be in the NL. Unfortunately I think Liam could be out for a bit, but I hope Danny gets a place soon - he's a different rider to 2012. All the best Rob

DANNY PHILLIPS TURNS ON THE STYLE AS SAINTS RUN RAMPANT – LIAM CARR HURT SCUNTHORPE SAINTS 57 MILTON KEYNES KNIGHTS 20 – ABANDONED AFTER 13 RACES – RESULT TO STAND (NATIONAL LEAGUE CHALLENGE) DANNY PHILLIPS sent out a clear message to National League bosses at the Eddie Wright Raceway yesterday afternoon (Bank Holiday Monday) – come and sign me! The 16-year-old, who was a regular for the Scunthorpe Saints in the 2012 National League, showed both pace and a good racing head, as was unbeaten by an opponent. The Saints scored a comprehensive 57-20 victory over the Milton Keynes Knights, in a challenge match sadly curtailed by a suspected broken leg to youngster Liam Carr. Carr was also flying, and both he and Phillips had 8 paid 9 from three rides heading into Heat 14. Carr nudged the tapes in the first attempt to stage the race, gaining a 15-metre handicap for the re-run. With Phillips out in front, Arron Mogridge (son of former rider Alan) hit the deck on the third turn, and Carr clipped him, before ploughing into the Eddie Wright Raceway air fence at high speed. With Carr needing medical attention and one of the air bags punctured, referee Jim Lawrence called a halt to what had been an entertaining contest, despite the lopsided scoreline. The Saints scored nine 5-1s, plus a 5-0 in Heat 8, after Ethan Ballentyne suffered an engine failure at the tapes and Mogridge then collected Lee Geary on the first corner. Both Max Clegg and New Zealander Hayden Sims came from behind to take a 5-1 in Heat 6. Clegg (like Danny Phillips, a 2012 Saint) and Sims both ended on paid 11. But the best race was Heat 11 – a real cracker. Mogridge was the early leader, but soon passed by Matt Williamson and Phillips. Tamas Sike, in as a tactical ride, then thrust himself around Phillips after two laps, only to drift wide on third turn of lap 3 and Phillips roared back through. The final lap saw Sike throw everything at Phillips, but the 16-year-old held him off. The Saints scored solidly down their order. Williamson (who rides for Buxton in the NL) fell in his opening ride, but showed plenty of pace to remain unbeaten in his last three riders. Brendan Johnson likewise put a poor first ride behind him and registered the fastest time (60.50) in Heat 5. Lee Geary only dropped points to the Knights in Heat 4, and produced a great ride in Heat 12, storming from third to first. For the Knights (2012 champions of the second half Midland Development League), this was their first full match for 21 years and a day, since the final staged meeting at their former Elfield Park home. Sike seemingly had Heat 1 in the bag for them, only to fall on the final circuit. Two of their Aussie trio, Kyle Ballentyne & Dan Winchester both won a race. But machinery trouble for Sike and Kyle & Ethan Ballentyne left the Knights scrabbling around for functioning bikes. Post-match quotes: Rebecca Parnaby (Saints’ team manager) - “The sad news is that Liam Carr has a suspected broken left leg. We think he may have broken his femur. “It was such a massive shame for the meeting to end like that. It’s the second time on the trot that we’ve had a Saints’ meeting come to an unfortunate halt due to one of the riders being injured. It’s a pity because the lads just want to ride as much as possible. “All the lads riding for us did so well today. It was a brilliant overall performance. “If everyone went to plan, I was planning to put Danny Phillips and Liam Carr in Heat 15. Not only because they had done so well, but also because they don’t have National League team places and they need every ride they can get. And you don’t know who is watching and seeing things. “Danny has matured so much from last year. He’s so much more confident. It showed in his ride with Tamas Sike in Heat 11. Last year, he would have been intimidated when another rider started to throw himself around like that. But Danny just stuck with him and ended up beating him. “It’s a shame Danny hasn’t got a National League team place this year. But he’s performing now, and it would be nice if he, at least, got a few guest bookings.” Danny Phillips - “I’m happy with that. I had some speed and was also harder in the first corners than last year. “I’m disappointed I’m not in the National League at the moment. But it’s also been a good thing, because I’ve been able to spend time practising and learn how to start and ride first bends.” Full scorers: Scunthorpe Saints 57 – Max Clegg 10+1 (4), Hayden Sims 8+3 (4), Brendan Johnson 7+2 (4), Liam Carr 8+1 (3) (PAID MAXIMUM), Matt Williamson 8+1 (4), Danny Phillips 8+1 (3) (PAID MAXIMUM), Lee Geary 8+2 (4). Milton Keynes Knight 20 – Tamas Sike 2 (3) (incl. 1-point tactical ride), Ethan Ballentyne 1 (3), Shane Waldron 2+1 (4) (incl. 0-point tactical ride), Dan Winchester 6 (3), Kyle Ballentyne 3 (2), Lee Springthorpe 3 (6), Arron Mogridge 3+1 (5). 1: Clegg, Sims, E Ballentyne, Sike (fell. excluded), awarded - no time (5-1) (5-1). 2: Phillips, Geary, Springthorpe, Mogridge (penalised 15m for touching tapes, then fell), 62.4 (5-1) (10-2). 3: Carr, Winchester, Waldron, Johnson, 62.10 (3-3) (13-5) 4: (Re-run) K Ballentyne, Mogridge, Geary, Williamson (fell, remounted), 63.51 (1-5) (14-10). 5: Johnson, Carr, Springthorpe (fell, remounted), E Ballentyne (penalised 15m for exceeding two minutes, then fell, remounted), Sike (excluded, two minutes), 60.50 (5-1) (19-11). 6: Clegg, Sims, Springthorpe, K Ballentyne (ret), 61.29 (5-1) (24-12). 7: Phillips, Williamson, Winchester, WALDRON (TR), 60.82 (5-1) (29-13). 8: (re-run) Sims, Geary, Mogridge (fell, excluded), E Ballentyne (excluded, not under power), 61.49(5-0) (34-13). 9: Carr, Johnson, Mogridge, Springthorpe, 62.41 (5-1) (39-14). 10: Winchester, Clegg, Sims, Waldron, 62.35 (3-3) (42-17). 11: (re-run) Williamson, Phillips, SIKE (TR), Mogridge (fell), 63.00 (5-1) (47-18) 12: Geary, Johnson, Waldron, Springthorpe, 63.91 (5-1) (52-19) 13: Williamson, Clegg, Sike, Springthorpe, 61.44 (5-1) (57-20). 14: Carr penalised 15m for touching tapes. Mogridge fell, excluded, but re-run unable to take place due to injury to Carr.

Somerset have confirmed that Nick Morris is back. Should be a cracking afternoon of racing - it's usual price for the double-headers, i.e. just £16 for 30 heats. All the best Rob

Oldtimer, the weather forecast for tomorrow looks fine. I fine you might be confusing it with the forecast for the west of the country, which isn't very good at all. But Sunny Scunny is towards the east coast and the weather is due to be fine. All the best Rob

A very battling "nul points" though. All the best Rob

David Howe rides for Scunthorpe. All the best Rob Peasley

So to cut a long, strory short no rider competing in Sweden should be allowed to double-up in the UK. Seems reasonable - the point of doubling-up was to offer extra opportunites to riders without the extra fixtures elsewhere. While I can't see how you can prevent those riders already doing it this year, this rule does need re-inforcing next year. Meanwhile, Lindgren should pay his fine, or otherwise face suspension. He did miss a UK fixture despite committing not to, when we signed up to double up in this country. All the best Rob

Final score: The All-Singing & All-Dancing Harlem Globetrotter Premier League All-Stars 65 Glasgow Tigers 27 All the best Rob

Cheers mate. All the best Rob

Davy, looks like the BSPA were right, though. Again, no criticism in any way of any updates sites - of which I appreciate the service very much. I don't know how we coped in the days before live updates... well actually I do remember listening to Radio 2 hoping that they included the result of speedway meetings from that night. All the best Rob

Scotland 1314, thanks very much, I thought that might be the case. Do you also have the time for Heat 8? All the best Rob

Cheers guys, but the BSPA website has different scorers. I'm wondering if someone at the meeting can actually confirm who won these two races and also who took third in Heat 15. (Not that I'm knocking anyone who does updates in any way - it's a superb service and the Chatzone is one of the best). All the best Rob

Final score: Monarchs 56 Scorpions 36 Can anyone confirm the results of Heats 14 & 15 please. Who was the winner of these two heats, and also what happened to the Scorpions in Heat 15, who took third and who fell. Thanks very much. All the best Rob