spook

there is a difference between a rider being completely behind and no chance of them coming alongside .....and a rider who is able to get alongside even with just one wheel no one is saying that riders should wave others past but there is a reason why riders leave a gap outside them......... this isnt rollerball!

I mean exactly what I say.... there is a difference between leaving too much room and enough room.............. too much room is what Lindgren just left and he got passed...... enough room is enough for the rider to stay on their machine but not overtake or end up in a heap Nicki has always had the third option which is to see riders smacking into the fence or cartwheeling down the straight AJ had been buzzing around him for the previous lap and a half... Nikki knew he was there which is why he made his exaggerated slide to the fence

the sooner Nicki retires the better....... he never thinks that he should leave room that is appropriate for rider safety...... the clock has always been ticking on the likelyhood of him maiming someone

still having issues saying things how they are when it comes to NickiP Staekkers?

Salty said: this is the best way forward.... the nonsense at the weekend happened at the point where the Aussies were 5 behind and about to go 6 behind If the joker couldnt be played until 8 behind then not only does it mean that even with a 6 pointer being registered that the leading team will be somewhere between 2 and 4 points in front......... but it also means that when a team is 7 points behind the leaders wont behave so desperately

The sad thing is that Sydney could have been making that identical post 10 years ago The promoters know what they need to do.... they just refuse to invest now for tomorrow

it really has nothing to do with if people like the rule or not..... the rule is there until it isnt and it isnt up to riders like Nicki to start putting others in danger here is the incident in question........ Nicki clearly starts a potentially serious domino effect at 14 seconds..... he wasnt by the fence.... he was right in the way of the racing line coming out of the bend and forcing Crump to come inside..... Jonsson was catching up at a rate of knots and both Crump and Jonsson had consequential decisions to make even if it is considered that the incident wasnt an issue..... and my personal opinion is that it was (we are not talking about Ermolenko style team riding here... or even Gollob team riding the Russian around)....... then by allowing that nonsense it gives the green light for it in the future ... which is exactly what it did

you shouldnt thank me for anything.... it doesnt prove any point other than there are some riders who are willing to forget a priority of safety (when it suits them) There is nothing better in speedway than when a match or competition naturally reaches a crescendo and has had passing, thrills and excitement along the way...... I used to have the 'happiness is 40-38' sew on patch! .......... but the other side of the coin are those matches and competitions which are run of the mill, processional, dour affairs............... I do not blame the rulemakers for trying to ensure that the ordinary and processional is limited in a competition like the SWC.......... where I believe they have it wrong is the amount behind that it can be used ... make it 8 points and the team using it still has to earn the overall victory........ and it changes some of the current considerations that are taking place when a team is 3-5 points behind

think about it... Nicki slows a quarter of the width of the track in (not by the fence as he would have been without slowing)......... Crump already has to adjust his bike's direction but he also has a decision to make - does he continue or does he slow as well? - how much room does that allow the still racing Jonsson who is trying to avoid losing 3 points on the Russians? ........................Thankfully Jonsson had his head screwed on as he shut off well before the line It had hazard written all over it.......... but even if there were comfortable margins for error in the situation... to allow it to go past without intervention rubber stamps it and creates a precedent... as we saw in the next heat......... a different race, different set of hazards, but already a decision that its acceptable someone mentioned #RICO earlier in the thread.......... but I also remember Lukas Dryml's GP homestraight nightmare...... and Greg's backstraight GP nightmare................... when bikes clip objects down the straights, moving or stationary, it is carnage Speedway is a dangerous sport but we all know the difference between the danger that the sport naturally holds and the danger that shouldnt be brought by riders agreed about the good 4 meetings overall.....and hopefully one way or another the joker rule will be dealt with for the better

yes I agree about things such as a 2min exclusion.... that is a way for teams to pervert the joker rules and get away with it. running out of fuel... can be checked engine failure.......... can be checked all that was exposed to me is that some riders are willing to put themselves and others in danger......... maybe the rule makers never expected that to be a problem...... don't blame it on the rules.... blame it on those riders who are willing to do that............like I said it shouldnt have been an option............. needless to say it was no suprise Nicki was the first as he proves time and time again he has no regard for anyones safety when it came up? it came up because they brought it up... why did they (Nicki again) bring it up? because the Aussies had just posted 6 points and were back in it....... everyone knew the rules before the meeting started and to start moaning about it at that point was weak......... maybe you are right and there is no getting past something like the 2min exclusion .... what a shame the 2012 final was won with zero class..... and riders are possibly responsible for changing rules in this manner

Crump definitely would not have done the same...... in fact he is probably the last person to do something like that considering how cautious he has become since his injury When Pearson said it had become a farce we had just seen Jensen and Watt slow up on the last bend with a rider in full flow between them.... he was not talking about the Joker We all used to watch its a knockout Grachan and are aware of the dubious nature of the rule..... however it does what it is supposed to do and allows teams a way back into the meeting, riders to continue racing to the end of the meeting (!) and fans and TV interest to continue .......... I personally think it needs tweaking but ultimately it still has nothing to do with riders slowing on the last bend Some things in speedway need to take prominance over others... safety should be at the top... that in turn should mean that it wasn't even an option for Pedersen........... not least the fact that they are supposed to be racing as per the rules yes I agree Mark Lemon's comments, although cheeky, did the situation no favours either so the Danes were right before the Aussies got 6 points on their joker? Did they mention it before? Do we think they would have mentioned it if they had been the ones using a joker?

I thought the Danes attitude in the interviews was a little disgraceful actually.......... unsuprisingly it was at the point when their points lead had been all but removed........ a tough moment for them but shameless to start carping about it at that point rather than before........... or even letting their manager do it post competition time and place

Imo there is nothing wrong with the joker.... other than it should only be able to be used when 8 points behind........If that had been the case this year any negative effects of it would have been avoided I dont applaud the slowing off the last bend at all...... as others have pointed out it is downright dangerous................. there is a difference between deciding on lap 3 to stop going for the win and to safely get overtaken - and stopping the bike amongst other bikes racing for the line... The joker being a rule should not mean that managers and riders can bring the sport into disrepute.......... the ref should have made 3 exclusions last night for not racing....... and for someone who was so insistent on being consistent with the starts he let everyone down by not making the decision with Nicki which then opened the door for the following heat............. Pearson was right.... it was a farce I think the right team won in the end but what a classless end to what was overall a great World Cup

what was I thinking placing faith in Pepe & a Dryml?! thx for the fun TNT

I get a bit bored of our annual post SWC autopsy........... its the same old story every year.... except for a visible slight loss of ground..... which lets face it has been happening since the early 80's It isnt Middlo's fault..... or any other previous manager's ............. and I'm starting to see that it isn't the riders' fault either The issue lies with the BSPA and has done for decades......... the league rules dont encourage grass roots growth...... and a determined governing body would have found a way by now to emulate a successful program like the Danish 80cc's............. it is never going to be good enough to just have one or two guys committed to what ultimately is a lost cause the moment Tenerife decides it is (ie the year later)... it has to be something that everyone is committed to and has a long term plan

thats done it

Be careful what you wish for..... Any self respecting fan of sport, of course wouldnt choose to have rules that were used in 'its a knockout' .... but the simple fact of the matter is that we've just had two fantastic and nailbiting opening rounds. I'm sure that wasnt purely down to the tactical rules, but they certainly allow for what they are designed to ...and that is to allow something to be ridden for, so heads dont go down half way through the meeting because a team is adrift I tend to agree with others about it being 8 points....... another solution is to stop combining the joker with the tactical ...which would make things harder but even then after these opening two rounds I cant disagree that what is in place is good for the sport

I hope they prove me wrong but I just cant see GB doing it........ at this level they have to be riding at their very best to even be in with a shout and rely on the other teams not getting into top gear....... the odds are against it............. With Andersen & Bjerre in the team the Danes would do very well at Malilla...... but there are question marks over their youngsters .... this year at least So for me its the Poles' night to lose................and if the going gets tough they always have those 'special engines' they can pull out the back of the vans

pending the clearing up of Ljungs 7 points i'm going for: Gollob 12 Protasiewicz 7 Iversen 10 Ales Dryml 6 Great Britain 30

Kelvin 'senses' more things than Derek Acorah

That someone has their head screwed on

Also....the reason Ronnie went down this route was because he felt that he was being blackballed by the other promoters... that there were no options for the heatleader positions .......... Schroek didnt stay long after not getting anywhere near his assessed average.......... Rasmussen stayed, became a club legend, and one of the hardest riders in British 2nd tier racing Was it worth it? The Rockets were perennial bottom third of the table finishers under Ronnie, with the exception of one season edit: as far as i'm aware history is being reinvented here re: Razza going to a commision about it........................... the no non commonwealth riders rule in the National & Junior League 'rule' was nothing more than a gentleman's agreement.......... It was Ronnie who broke it ............. and I believe that it was actually Peter Schroek who was signed first anyway Before riding for and staying loyal to Rye until he retired, Jens Rasmussen was also a good 6 point team man for Hackney for many years........ from what I saw before and after he joined Rye.. he really didnt need anyone to team ride him around The last time something like this was in place was 1987 (??) ...... every British League (EL) club had to field one youngster (I cant remember what the criteria was though) .... In the end it was deemed in true BSPA style to be a resounding failure........... the reason no doubt was because one team was doing particularly well out of it.... Hackney .... because they had a certain Mark Loram who was ripping up the competition My memory is fading with age, but I think i'm right in saying that they stopped it at the end of that season........ no 5 year plan........ no fortitude amongst the promoters to go out and find or train their own Loram........no understanding that a future world champion may have been born that season I think our issue has always been about incentive........ no incentive for young lads to get involved..... no incentive for sponsors to have their heads turned...... and full circle back round to no incentive for promoters to invest in youngsters........................................... the initial work is always going to be more expensive and difficult but its essential for what comes later

yep exactly what ive been saying about the Aussies Henry...... if there is a blueprint to be looked at it surely has to be the one laid down by the Aussies

it is all relative the relativity we are talking about here is the brits vs the other guys....... that is one of our youngsters vs a polish youngster ......... Harris vs Gollob .......... Nicholls vs Protasiewicz etc etc we all know the relative paupers that we have become compared to riders of other nations.........unless of course you are saying that only a certain amount of money is worth having and then after that its just wasted! even that said about the finances......it still doesnt explain as I pointed out earlier.....the Aussies and their success....... if any blueprint should be looked at by our boys..... it is theirs

I bet they all qualified don't get me wrong .. it'll be a crime if Darcy isnt in there.... but IMG have a history with picks and quotas