NEWS: National League Guest Riders
The National League is Poole, Newport, Birmingham, Kesgrave, Blakenham and Ipswich. In 2023 this is an informal league, designed to not clash with the regular CS calendar.
The competition rules (below) allow for Guest riders.
1. Purpose
To create an inclusive national team racing league
To provide regular team racing for national standard riders
To coexist with in-region leagues and other competitions
2. 2023 entrants
• Ipswich, Kesgrave, Great Blakenham, Poole, Birmingham, Newport
• The league is a self-organising Chinese Parliament of representatives of the 2023 entrants
3. Format
• Matches will use the CS Cup formula: 6 riders, 18 heats. Unlimited reserves.
• The “start infringement” proposed rule shall be used:
o For each heat, if a rider would be excluded under standard rules and the referee believes the infringement was accidental, the heat shall be restarted with the rider who shall be docked one point
o If the same rider commits a second start infringement in the same heat they shall be excluded from that heat
• Once during a match: when a team is 6 or more points behind, they may nominate one rider to receive double points in one heat
o The nomination must be made to the Pits Marshall before the whistle has blown to signal the first start of the heat. Nominations cannot be changed, or first made for a heat restart
• Aggregate points, as per Polish leagues? To be reviewed.
4. Guest riders
• Cycle speedway riders can nominate themselves as available to guest ride
• A club may notify the list of guest riders that they need one guest rider for a match
• For the next day, riders can make themselves available for that event
• One day after the notification a n available guest rider will be selected at random
• Riders guesting outside this arrangement, e.g. on the day loan riders, will have their scores deducted from the final score. Opposing riders will be credited any points dropped to them.
The current suggestion is a Facebook group for guest riders to join , for ease of operation
5. Season schedule
• Sunday is preferred for matches. Saturdays may be used if agreed by both clubs
• The start time is 2pm. Earlier starts may be used if agreed by both clubs
• Whole weekends may be used, for instance for clubs travelling to face two Suffolk clubs
• The National League will schedule matches to avoid interference with entrant club’s commitments in local leagues
• The National League may schedule matches on the dates of Womens League matches
• The National League will not schedule matches on the dates of National BYJL meetings where either squad fields 2 or more riders eligible for National BYJL
• Clubs may agree to nominate matches held in other competitions using the same formula (e.g. South East league, CS Cup)
to also count as National League fixtures. This will be communicated to the league by the day before the match at the latest
6. Future of the league
• 2023 clubs will have 10 fixtures to fulfil.
• Clubs failing to fulfil 3 or more fixtures will be excluded from the following season’s league
o This rule is to discourage no – shows when a squad is not at full strength.
o Exceptional circumstances may be argued to the league
When a team is short:
the team notifies the “National League Guests” Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/messages/t/6371852536235571/
guest riders confirm their availability
a day later one of the availabile guests will be picked at random.
The team can fill other spaces with “on the day” riders who do not score points.
To make yourself known as a Guest rider, please join the Facebook group, or contact one of the admins:
Phil Clarke, Ash Hill, Paul Heard, Chris Timms, Matt Parr, Lee Galley, Jason Ashford, Colin Sutton, Will Bristowe