Gearhead

winner winner chicken dinner

If he drew gate 4 twice he'd have a hard time if people like Olsen/Michanek etc were of 1 not to mention other top names on the inside of him,a bad draw can ruin some chances The one offs will always be special,itd be unfair for anyone to deny that, The riders mentioned would all be at the favoured end,is add Pedersen to that list,I'm sure he'll be back up there,but all of this backs up the GP theory. There are other riders capable of pulling off an odd win but lack some of the other atributes that go to winning the title. For an example,the biggest meeting of the year is Cardiff,if the title was decided thee we'd have seen World Champs of Harris,Holder,Sullivan etc,add the likes of.these to other winners tha were not such a surprise and it strengthens also the case that picking the best gates is a big advantage,the as drawing the better,(even more so at a permanent track)

I notice hav you pick your years wisely,the following year in Poland had a surprise Polish winner and another Pole in 3rd place,however during the whole GP system there have been 8 diferrent winners and more impressively of those winners they've achieved 25 rostrom positions I think there is just as much pressure in the GPs,generally the feild has the best of the current riders available,this year the Polish authorities have thrown a bit of the spanner in the works but that's because of goings on a global scale One thing that would have been interesting is a proper GP series held back in those days,I bet it would have been thrilling,those hey days have gone now and the strength in depth isn't as it was

I know what you're saying but I wouldn't go quite that far is say every 5 years,Poland has become the most prominent league and I'm sure they'd get a good share of it,most of the looking back is definately through rose tinted glasses,we are at the right place having a GP system but I dont go much on the BSI/IMG

Again,the decline was well on its way before 1995,but yes the revenue from a World Final every few years would definately have benefitted British Speedway,I've said before that this is what is needed from the current series,it's wrong that it doesn't happen,and riders' prizemoney too for that matter One thing to consider though is that during our last Final at Bradford we had a completely differrent BSPA mindset to now no doubt which might have dealt with that revenue in another way perhaps Also would they have promoted the big meeting to somewhere like Cardiff or would we still see it at places like Coventry??

Wow,thats a very bold statement regarding attendance,I loved the old one off finals but from the last Wembley through to Bradford the decline was very big so I disagree with your statement,also if the early British GP is so pointless it wouldn't attract so many people would it? These GPs versus WF arguments are all apples and oranges anyway,both systems are flawed but I don't think the one off system would work today,the Qualifiers would most probably be quite poorly attended and just the 1 "big" World championship meeting wouldn't personally have any more attraction than a GP would,I'm sure I speak for many,also I suppose I have 10 chances to plan a trip rather than 1. The WF format,if tried again may well produce a line up noticeably weaker too,riders would often progress by drawing a favoured track and the biggest flaw of all,reaching the final and not meeting the best in the qualifiers.The average system will always win for me I'm afraid,its like saying who the best rider in the British League was,the guy top of the averages or the winner of the WF,One meeting,one track,as good as he was and taking nothing away from him but do you honestly think Andy Smith would have been British Champion so many times if it wasn't held at Coventry? Or how about if one of the semis was at Exeter? The Final may well of had a few surprises in there,or indeed had a few favourites missing.There has always been talk of money changing hands in the WF's and cheating with fuel actually admitted,the series now has very tight rules to eradicate any foul play now Also anyone CAN qualify for the GPs just the same as the WF,if you are good enough,you'll get in,as I said before I loved the old Finals and can remember walking up to Wembley amongst thousands of fans and witnessing that magical night,but times have changed and things moved on,I'm also much older too,and seen a lot of Speedway since then,you never get that buzz that you did as a youngster,ask that to a kid of 10 at Cardiff which Speedway was best in 30 or 40 years time,at the end of the day,apples and oranges again

The GP definately needs a shake up,Ward for example has the tools and set up in place to take part,bikes in England,Sweden,and Poland,also mechanics,transport etc,he has great equipment,the same as Holder,great sponsorship,never really wanted for much since he's been here,not taking anything away from him and his talents,and young too,he could easily contest the series,it'd be a tougher season but he's chosen the more lucrative Polish deal,and who can blame the guy? If the GP series paid better I'm sure more riders would persue it.The economic downturn has affected Polish Speedway now which has obviously complicated the Gps,and unfortunately it seems that we may always see lesser riders competing,with little chance of success,same as MOTO GP,F1,MX1,WSB,BSB etc etc. The old one off Finals will probably never return now,they were very flawed too,corrupt even,according to some,personally I like the idea of a multi-round series but not the BS around it.

Totally agree,F1 is a bit of a joke,same drivers finishing around the same places,most teams no chance of winning,rules are not great either,what's all that about having to use all the tyres? I flicked through last weeks where Webber was around 3rd but had to come in on the last lap and change tyres as he hadn't used them??,Super Mario Cart steering wheels with a button for Kers for extra speed,and another to open a flap to pass,but only if you're within a second? Nearly as bad as Speedway!

How about this system: .(and an alternative) 1st. 25. .25 2nd. 22. .22 3rd. 20. .20 4th. 19. .19 5th. 17. .17 6th. 16. .14 7th. 15. .12 8th. 14. .11 9th. 12. .9 10th. 11. .8 11th. 10. .7 12th. 9. .6 13th. 8. .5 14th. 7. .4 15th. 6. .3 16th. 5. .2 This way its all on GP overall finish placings Riders gain an extra 2 points for reaching the final Riders gain an extra 2 points for reaching the semis (even if not making final) Tied points are decided on race wins If equal race wins,its on who beat who on the night (not by last years' GP ranking) **Possibility that Riders can drop their worst GP result,as the season is longer,this allows for an injury or otherwise,a Rider vote could even decide weather to use this facility (bad Ref decisions too?)** Dropping the worst score may well result in the title being settled in the last GP,and the alternative points system might well ensure that the champion Is most likely to win a GP at some point during the season Ps,sorry about the grumpy face at the top,I can't seem to change it?

I think Saturday is fine for it too,if I'm honest I always watch it later that night so I can fast forward through the ads and the studio commentare and any other crap parts,there's nothing I'd put in front of MX on Sunday,and Moto GP comes second and again it's a stacked day of motorsport BSI need to alter the format a little too,the points for getting to the semis obviously comes to mind,something else needs to change for me personally to give it that spark again,I've become bored with it in recent years and I'm not prepared to spend a fotune going to Cardiff again to get that buzz,last time I worked out thate a late booking week in Spain etc would have been as cheap with guaranteed weather too

Havn't heard anything,he was due one and originally had a pretty good line up,with Bjarne Pedersen amongst those willing to ride,whatever happened to it,the guy certainly deserves one

Who knows,maybe that could be the way the GPs will go someday,(or is? ) Harris is a class asset to the racing,shame he has had problems this year but certainly adds more to the GPs than a lot of riders that are mentioned or finished above him,those in charge hold all the cards at the end of the day

maybe he's having Silencer issues??

Try turning it off and on again..

There's no better prospect to be put in,he deserves it and would be a great asset to the series Stuff the Poles,they get enough,weather it be GPs or WTC or whatever

Eerr yes that's what I'm getting at.the locals can be quite "lively "

Point taken,but I must any trouble usually involes Poles,it annoyed me when a group in front of me all stood up at the end some races and we missed a couple of close finishes,its not quite the same watching it afterwards on tbe big screen Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying tar them with the same brush ,but.there seem to be quite a few idiots,usually pi$$ed up with little regard to other people I havnt seen them getting all rowdy in town on the Friday/Saturday night though,,I wonder why??

Cardiff is definately the perfect place Wembley; they'd want an absolute fortune and I doubt the FA lot would give a monkeys about Speedway it's in London too and people think Cardiff prices are a lot?? Acess,traffic perking? Oh and a roof? much less atmosphere too,but probably even more Poles as the locals might turn out O2; great venue,a roof too (but fumes?)it's in London,another rip off also acess,traffic,parking? Murrayfeild;no roof,anyone got more info of location/hotels ameneties,acess? Hampden;no roof,see above Kings Lynn?? lay off the pop Peterborough?? keep laying off the pop Cardiff is it,even if it costs more(as long as still in profit) as I think another venue may have people very wary at first and would be a huge gamble

Exactly,Pedersen caused the whole thing,without him it wouldn't have happened,you can't ride over gate 2,lift and clatter into someone hard like that and cause a pile up and get away with it.Maybe Bomber got off it a fraction early but if he didn't then I'm afraid he'd have hit JC harder and still sat on the bike which is a huge no-no Jan went down in my estimations big time there,the only person to agree with the ref,Pearson was surprised and sounded awkward and even Louis prised himself off the fence somewhat. Worse descision this season easily

Good meeting that,like to see it on a more neutral track though like Somerset just to make it more interesting but the track was very good,you can't take nothing away from it. Final should have been pulled back and I saw nothing wrong with Eddie going for that pass on Tai,he had the run and the gap and turned so hard he spun round,he didn't stuff Tai like we sometimes see riders do, Did feel Wuffy was unlucky but definitely thought he was playing mind games with the shoulder as I said previously,after the big crash he picked his bike up and bump started it himself,he was a class act though Well done Scottie and Harris too for being so gracious in defeat,jumping at the start is just one of those things,it happens to every rider The British Final looked like it meant something again this year,the 2 Semis are the way forward again but its a pity about some of the dubious entries in there when better or more eligeble guys weren't in,oh and let's have it on a SUNDAY AFTERNOON!

Woffinden feeling better,he push started his own bike again

Well done the Brits on the Aussies home track! Was Ward as out of control as people tell me and why the balls up with the ambulances?

Jan was great,bring him in full time,so much better than the boring Tatum and the boring,sitting on the fence Louis $hit GP though

A thread without a mention of Poole,oh wait of course there wouldn't be

Nice one,I see there are apps for MOTO GP and allsorts too