Friday 1st June 2012, 21:55

The Speedway Control Bureau is set to investigate Poole Pirates’ 51-39 Elite League triumph at Peterborough on Thursday over allegations the visitors used Aussie racer Tyron Proctor as a guest illegally.

Pirates tracked the Wolves rider as a stand-in for the injured Dennis Andersson, who crashed in Sweden on Tuesday, and Proctor picked up 10 paid 13 points.

Home teams are allowed to bring in a rider with an average no more than five percent higher than that of the man they are replacing. But the five percent grace no longer extends to clubs on the road this season.

With Andersson on a 5.23 average, Proctor was not eligible to cover for him on his 5.43 figure.

He could have been legally used to replace Adrian Miedzinski, who was racing in the Polish Championship quarter finals and has a 5.57 average. But Pirates opted to use rider replacement for the 2010 FIM Speedway World Cup winner instead.

There is talk that the SCB could strip Poole of Proctor’s points, leaving them with a 41-39 win, which would leave them with three league points instead of the four gleaned from triumphing by seven or more.

Another option would be taking three points from Darcy Ward, who won one of six races on a rider replacement outing he couldn’t have taken if the R/R facility was used to cover for Andersson.

Poole owner Matt Ford says he wasn’t aware of the rule change, withdrawing the five percent grace for guests, and is ready to accept the SCB’s ruling on his slip-up.

He told the club’s official website: "It appears we have missed a rule change. I wasn't present at the AGM and was therefore unaware that the rule had been changed.

“When I was advised that Dennis was going to miss Thursday, I spoke with Wolverhampton and Ty to see if he was available. I then emailed the Panthers team manager of the change of line-up late Wednesday evening and had an acknowledgement back.

"Before the meeting, the line-up was further confirmed with the referee and the Panthers management that were in attendance and (team manager) Neil Middleditch clarified the eligibility of riders for the rider replacement outings and were told Darcy Ward could take one.

"Clearly that was a wrong assumption by all parties by virtue of that rule change which seems to have caught everyone out.

"That said, in the interests of the sport, we will accept the decision of the SCB deliberations, whether that will be the removal of Darcy's points scored in his erroneous rider replacement outing or the deduction of Ty's 10 points in full.”

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