Handicap Racing?

[Trees 2,814]

Certainly not the saviour of british speedway but I'd love to see a meeting of handicap racing. I realise it would be more dangerous but put the safest, most skilled riders in the country out there and how thrilling it would be for the fans

[Scunny Stag 72]

Yeah, don't most of us love it when riders go off 15 metres? The Scunthorpe crowd loved it on Sunday when Wayne Carter too 3.75 laps to get to the front.

 

I too would love to see a proper handicap meeting.

[Guest Steve Dixon]

Havn't been to the Olympique at Monmore for a few years, do they still do it there?

[stevehone 3,430]

if it was in EL racing it would certainly make it interesting.

[Trees 2,814]

Blimey I think I have cracked it, THE WAY TO MAKE SPEEDWAY MORE POPULAR, not so sure the riders will be very chuffed mind

[AndyM 1]

Having seen various attempts at handicap racing, I've never been terribly impressed. When I saw the Olympique meeting, various riders are able to use the handicapping rules to their advantage, so they didn't appear to be trying too hard in some races. In a league context, it would be very difficult to apply without gross distortion.

 

Perhaps we should take a leaf out of horseracing and strap weights to Crumpie, Trick and Adams?

[SCB 0]

Simple answer is anyone with an average over 6 starts 5 metres back and anyone with an average over 8 starts 10 metres back and anyone with an average over 10 start 15 metres back

 

I've always suggested handicapping when I posted my "ways to make speedway better" posts, always have people tel me it's not viable, well I don't care, I want to see handicapping! I always felt the BLC would have been better if the EL teams had started 10-15 metres back or started at the tapes on there real averages.

 

AndyM, problem there is you can't take weight off Joe Screen

Edited April 7, 2005 by SCB

[AndyM 1]

Unfortunately, on some tracks and weather conditions, you might just as well award the race before it's started because passing is almost an impossibility without mistakes. No matter how brilliant the handicapped rider, they can't take a short-cut or break the laws of physics!

[whowasthatberntpersson 108]

The loss of handicap racing at various venues in Australia is definately seen by some as one of the main factors behind the decline in speedway solo racing.

 

Speedway needs something different to draw in the neutrals, maybe more handicap racing would help.

 

Watching some talented youngster trying to hold off an experienced top liner certainly appeals to me.

[Wessex Wanderer 148]

For a long time I have thought that handicapping would be a good alternative to tactical substitutes and the current tactical rules. Quite simply a team 6 (or maybe 8) points down would go off the gate with the other team off (say) 15 metres.

 

That would mean every match would either be close scorewise or there would be a lot of passing. At least one or the other would be guaranteed. With it usually being the home side facing the handicap it should also lead to tracks being prepared for passing (pressure from the home heat leaders would see to that).

 

I don't think it will ever happen (massive opposition from the riders would be one problem!) and I am not too sure I would like to see it applied to the CL due to the inexperience of most riders but it would turn EL racing into a can't miss surefire spectacle every match.

[Trees 2,814]

but it would turn EL racing into a can't miss surefire spectacle every match.

Heyyyyyy isn't that exactly what we ALL WANT!!?

[Wessex Wanderer 148]

Sure is Trees. Trouble is that wanting and getting are two different things.

[father jack 31]

Didn't they try this in the late 50's early 60's, wern't Briggo & Peter Craven handicaped, I remember readung Briggo being dead chuffed giving 15 yards to riders like Nigel Boocock .

[Wessex Wanderer 148]

Rather different. At that time the "Big 5" of Fundin, Craven, Ronnie Moore, Briggs and Knutsson were handicapped 20 yards in all league races. They still managed to be among the top scorers every season though. From what I remember most others were off 10 yards with some reserves off scratch. It was abolished (?during the 1964 season?) partly due to pressure from Barry Briggs. It probably was a bit unfair that the 5 had to start behind riders like Nigel Boocock, Peter Moore and Ron How on away tracks. Pity they didn't tinker with it a bit though rather than abolish the whole thing.

 

What I was suggesting would apply to all riders and would depend solely on the scores in the match at the time. Like I said though I doubt very much whether it would ever be accepted.

[Old Saint 3]

With the utmost respect to the riders of today, I doubt that there would be many who would be able to win off the old 20 yard handicap. The vast majority of riders would have the same handicap which would nullify the whole system.

 

In the days of handicapping (cetainly when it first appeared), there were indeed the big five. I watched Barry Briggs and Bjorn Knutsson regularly at Southampton and they were virtually unbeatable, despite being heavily handicapped. We had a fair spread of different handicaps throughout the team.

 

Tracks in those days were very different to now and the style of riding was also different. Handicapping did produce passing but I fear that the tracks of today would not allow this to the same extent. Heat results would therefore end up being determined by the handicapper rather than by riding ability.

 

Having said all this, I think that it might worthwhile trying it as an experiment and I would hope that my fears turn out to be unfounded. If I remember correctly, and at my age I could easily be wrong, the reason for introducing handicapping all those years ago was exactly the same as those put forward now - too much processional racing.