THE Speedway Control Bureau have published the Regulations for the 2024 season.
These can be downloaded in full from the SCB website at http://scbgb.co.uk/regulations .
Below is a summary of some of the key changes in place for the new season, relating mainly to the make-up of teams and the procedures for the two-minute warning and unsatisfactory starts.
Note that when reading the Regulations in full, changes from 2023 are shown in bold.
FIXTURES, MATCH AVERAGES AND GENERAL RULES
- Rolling averages in the Premiership and Championship will be calculated monthly based on a riders’ previous 20 matches, but those matches will not date back any earlier than the 2022 season.
- BSN Series meetings will be included in Championship averages.
- Any rider returning to British Speedway on an established average achieved prior to 2022 will establish an updated average after completing six applicable meetings.
- Riders new to British Speedway will establish an updated average after completing six applicable meetings.
- There is a new categorized system in place for assessed average riders in both Premiership and Championship, relating to performance in other professional leagues. This is summarised on page 98 of the Regulations.
- No team changes will be allowed once that club has completed 75% of their league fixtures (except for riders returning after injury who can only replace their original replacement).
- The Championship points limit will increase by 0.5 each month from May 1, taking the limit up to 40 – ie. May 1, 38.50; June 1, 39.00; July 1, 39.50; August 1, 40.00.
- A rider who guests in the league play-off or KO Cup semi-finals in both leagues, or the BSN Series semi-finals, cannot guest for any other team in the Final of that competition. Guests for the semi-finals and Finals of those competitions can only be selected from teams that have been eliminated from that competition.
RACING RULES
- A countdown clock to signify the 2-minute time allowance will be used at all tracks. Riders must be at the starting gate, ready to start, at the expiry of the time allowance.
- In the case of an unsatisfactory start, a fresh 2-minute time allowance will be given (not a 1-minute allowance).
- If a rider is warned for causing an unsatisfactory start, this warning will remain effective for the remainder of the event. An additional warning results in disqualification from the heat.
- All riders in a team are eligible for nomination for Heat 15 (subject to not having taken the maximum seven rides).
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE
- Guests from other NDL teams are now permitted for absent riders No.6 or No.7, subject to the guest having a lower average than the absent rider.
- Guest regulations for missing riders from No.1 to No.5 are the same as in the Premiership and Championship.
- A rider can guest twice at the same track and only once for the same team in a season (not including unattached 3.00 riders).
- An Additional Rider can only be named if the team is operating Rider Replacement.
Image: Belle Vue Speedway