andy moore 0 Posted August 12, 2006 Isnt there a case for Louis as well then - sorry but Loram has had his chance how long has it actually took for him to get back to his previous form way too long in my book. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sulli 0 Posted August 12, 2006 Whya Brit? I want to see 16 good riders, not 2 Brits, 2 Swedes, 2 Danes, 2 Germna,s 2 Aussies, 2 czechs etc etc. Natoinality is irrelevant it should be the best 16 riders in the World. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Here, Here ! Why would speedway fans want to see "sub standard" riders due purely to nationality. A true world champion should be judged by beating the best in the world, not the best designated countries can offer. It's about time that qualification for the GP's was transparent to all - riders and supporters - and not clouded behind the doors of "power". Although discussed elsewhere, I would suggest the following. Top 8 from previous year (no change there) If a qualifying rider elects not to take part, his place is offered to the next highest rider - 9th. Top 2 averages (not already qualified from above) from each of the Swedish, Polish & GB "elite" leagues. This would allow for qualification year long through domestic racing which could be seen to provide greater reward to 100% effort at all meetings. If a rider qualifies based on his average from two/three leagues - the higher average would take priority and he would be considered as already qualified in the others. If a qualifying rider elects not to take part his place is offered to the next qualifying rider from his qualifying league. 2 qualifying places through individual qualification meetings culminating in a qualification final where top 2 places over 16 rider, 20 heat, format would qualify. No single race first two past the post final. Third and fourth would be offered positions as series reserves to cover for injuries etc (as per Hans & Ryan this year) No single round wild cards - does this generally serve any purpose? No rider would be able to qualify through no more than two routes. ie: those in this years GP series would not be eligible to participate in the individual qualifying rounds. Nothing is perfect but at least with this system everyone would know how a rider would qualify. It would get away from riders "lobbying" for a place (a la Mark) and for others knowing why they didn't qualify (Hans). It would provide the paying public with the "best" available line-up with the top performers from the previous years GP's; the top performers from the previous years top leagues, and two riders who have shown the ability to qualify through a series of individual meetings. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
big lebowski 0 Posted August 12, 2006 Ok. I'm sitting down with the sky sports / benfield people. Which Brit should we throw a lifeline to for next years GP series (assuming Nicholls auto qualifies). Harris & Stead could qualify by right (though I doubt it in that company). So we could have Harris, Stead, Richardson, or ex-world champ & top racer Loram. Hmm, tough call - NOT !!! Get Loram in NOW even ! Will he be world champ again? not likely, but good GP's for TV with him in the races - Definitely. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,991 Posted August 12, 2006 I'm with scb,garf,sulli and to an extent even Shovlar.Why should we be talking about Loram for Richardson?.Loram hasn't gone into the quali's.He didn't go face to face with the others that wanted to get in.If the Brits fail to get through in Vetlanda and they don' qualify automatically i think they should at least lose one place,so that probably means only Scott.What i would like to see though is if a rider outside of the GP's is showing obvious World class form(like Hans at the mo) there should be a way of getting him in.That may be Loram next year,it might even be Lee or Peter Karlsson......whoever.The best should be there regardless of nationality,no quotas Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ron Butler 0 Posted August 12, 2006 No. Mark had his chance and its time for the youngsters. If he wanted it he should have applied to enter and quaify through this year. It was awful watching some old Norwegian beat him in his last GP. Don't want to see that again. Let the youngsters have a go. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I agree, Steve. How often do we see contributors to this forum saying that youth should be given a chance. Now is the time to suit actions to words. People such as Loram and Richardson have had many opportunities. The fact that Mark was the World Champion some years ago is totally irrelevant. Now British speedway needs to look ahead toward its younger men. Men such as Chris Harris, Simon Stead et al. Hopefully in years to come they too will be supurceded by young riders who are just at the foot of the British ladder. Riders who are the future members of the British international team. Men such as Lewis Bridger and James Wright. With respect to Mark Loram I feel he should now step down from the national team and the Grand Prix circuit. He is still a highly vauable contibutor to the Elite League and I feel he should content himself with this and not try to renew his past glories. Speedway in Britain must progress in every respect if it is to regain the status it once held in the national sporting environment. Status which was lost some years ago and is still far from being regained. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arnieg 3,643 Posted August 12, 2006 Here, Here ! Top 8 from previous year (no change there) If a qualifying rider elects not to take part, his place is offered to the next highest rider - 9th. Top 2 averages (not already qualified from above) from each of the Swedish, Polish & GB "elite" leagues. This would allow for qualification year long through domestic racing which could be seen to provide greater reward to 100% effort at all meetings. If a rider qualifies based on his average from two/three leagues - the higher average would take priority and he would be considered as already qualified in the others. No single round wild cards - does this generally serve any purpose? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Not perfect - but nothing ever is - My one reservation is the wild card. Would a Slovenian GP really still take place without Zagar as a wild card? The GP needs to make commercial sense and adding Stread or Loram to the Cardiff GP would make financial sense. Incidentally using this formula and current GP/league averages, the following would qualify: Poland: Ulamek and Hampel Sweden: Jensen and Jagus Britain: Andersen and P Karlsson Reserves would all be "Poles" too: Kolodziej (Pol), Protasiewicz (GB) and Holta (Swe) nb I 'm using sportoweFakty averages because they are all in one place and easy to find. Pepe gets the GB reserve spot ahead of Loram by 0.006. Speedway Star averages show Loram ahead of PP (because they include one more match (8 Aug @BV) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sulli 0 Posted August 12, 2006 Not perfect - but nothing ever is - My one reservation is the wild card. Would a Slovenian GP really still take place without Zagar as a wild card? The GP needs to make commercial sense and adding Stread or Loram to the Cardiff GP would make financial sense. Incidentally using this formula and current GP/league averages, the following would qualify: Poland: Ulamek and Hampel Sweden: Jensen and Jagus Britain: Andersen and P Karlsson Reserves would all be "Poles" too: Kolodziej (Pol), Protasiewicz (GB) and Holta (Swe) nb I 'm using sportoweFakty averages because they are all in one place and easy to find. Pepe gets the GB reserve spot ahead of Loram by 0.006. Speedway Star averages show Loram ahead of PP (because they include one more match (8 Aug @BV) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Point about the wild card taken - here's an alternative .... Top six qualify from GP series. Top two averages from Sweden, Poland & GB leagues. Top three from individual qualifying series final. One meeting wild card. This way would give "new blood" a chance as over 50% of the qualifying comes from sources external to the current series. Obviously if a rider is having a poor GP series he would still be able to qualify through consistently good league form - really top riders would have three chances as they generally ride on all three leagues. Small point - in my suggestion I was planning for the series reserves to come from the qualifying series final, not the leagues. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barrow boy 119 Posted August 12, 2006 No. Mark had his chance and its time for the youngsters. If he wanted it he should have applied to enter and quaify through this year. It was awful watching some old Norwegian beat him in his last GP. Don't want to see that again. Let the youngsters have a go. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> He should have entered the qualifiers this year if only to send a message that he was genuinly interested again. Even if he did not automatically qualify which is unlikely, there being only 3 places available, he would have been given serious consideration by FIM/BSI. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barrow boy 119 Posted August 12, 2006 Whya Brit? I want to see 16 good riders, not 2 Brits, 2 Swedes, 2 Danes, 2 Germna,s 2 Aussies, 2 czechs etc etc. Natoinality is irrelevant it should be the best 16 riders in the World. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Totally agree SCB Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
big lebowski 0 Posted August 12, 2006 Fair points, one and all. What's the betting the 'powers that be' come up with something totally mad as usual. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Silver Bee 57 Posted August 12, 2006 Get Harris in. He can mix it with the big boys he's young and he's a racer. Just what the series needs if there HAS to be another Brit in it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barrow boy 119 Posted August 12, 2006 Still think there should be a meeting for those outside the top 8 and the winners of a qualifying series with the first so many getting in Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Subedei 0 Posted August 12, 2006 What a state British speedway is in. The youngsters - Harris and Stead seem to be the most prominent among them - would be an embarrassment in the GPs, so we have to look at the likes of Loram. I just can't understand Messrs Millard and Pearson always going on about Stead being a future GP star - he can't even hold down a team place in Poland. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sweet_lil_mystery 0 Posted August 12, 2006 Yeah I'd love to see Loram back in it, he's been great this season. And I dunno about Stead and Harris... I don't really think they're quite ready yet. So put Loram in I say. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robpeasley 0 Posted August 12, 2006 Subedei, Well, Poland have still got "old man" Gollob in the GP series (we here about all these up-and-coming Poles, but Hampel is only one to have a regular GP spot - and he seems to be losing his way). So why not "old man" Loram as well? He's clearly the second best Brit about at the moment, and I think, he is amongst the best 16 in the world as well. Wouldn't be at all suprised to see him included next year. After all, the GP series has just lost one of its main drawcards in Tony Rickardsson, and Loram, as a former World Champ, is a star name. All the best Rob Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
