spook 28 Posted June 29, 2009 ok so hopefully this wont get swallowed up by the many Cardiff threads but we are as close to the halfway point of the season as we can be and patterns are starting to emerge Its looking like this season will be no different to other recent seasons and we have a breakaway top 7 ....even if a couple of them are new faces we now have 6 permenant tracks remaining with undoubted pressure on Ole and trackstaff to serve up some tracks for racing rather than just gating so do we think that top 7 will qualify come the end of the season? who will be the 8th placed rider? and just as an extra which 3 of the qualifiers would you like to see in the GP's next season? semi final draws here http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/ind...showtopic=49109 I would ask the question of who currently in the field will gain a permanent wildcard but we know that depends on how many of their countrymen qualify personally I think Jason, Emil, Greg, and Tomasz will pull away with Tomasz a real threat for Emil if we are about to see some grippy tracks appear .......... NickiP will lose ground but cement top 8 easily........... Jonsson and Lindgren should continue to do enough but there are question marks over their consistency i'm going to discount Nicholls and Walasek.... Ulamek and Bjerre because their gating will probably not count for as much now..... Holta because although his bikes are fast he does not have the skill of the others....... Harris because unless he gates like at Cardiff he will always find himself 3rd or 4th coming out of bend 2............ which leaves Adams and Andersen........... so i'm going to go for Andersen because although form is temporary and class is permanent I think something has gone with Leigh.... hopefully he will prove me wrong........ tbh I think either of these would be offered a WC anyway.... whether Leigh would accept one is a different matter and from the GP qualifiers I'd like to see Bomber make it through but a more realistic 3 who would give something to the competition be Hampel, Holder and Lindback............... I hope we dont gain what are likely to be whipping boys but in saying that Ulamek and even Walasek at times have had a good showing so far Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyM 1 Posted June 29, 2009 You think Nicki is losing interest now he's 99.9% certain to lose? Agree he won't drop out of the top 8 though. Would be nice to have someone coming up through the ranks to challenge for the last spot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nazza 3 Posted June 29, 2009 The final for the Qualifiyers is at Coventry isn't it If so, doesn't there have to be 1 British representative in the starting 16? If Bomber doesn't get through i wonder who it may be. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spook 28 Posted June 29, 2009 I think the root of all Nicki's issues this season has been the drop in performance of his machinery.... and he is picking up most of his points when he gates like stink.......... I dont think im incorrect when I say that he has been overtaken more times than he has overtaken ................ so if his machinery doesnt improve and the tracks do become more geared towards racing then I can only see the situation worsening for him imo the best thing he can do is just accept his lot for this season with good grace...... stop blaming refs ... stop blaming other riders... start riding the track rather than the man...... and to work hard on gaining the best machinery for next season The permanent wildcards are going to be very interesting come the end of the season ...... the introduction of a russian has meant one of the bigger nations gets less of a 'quota' already ............. with 3 poles in danger of not finishing in the top 8 it gives Jarek Hampel a well overdue chance of a permanent card unless 2 or 3 Poles come through from the qualifiers..............only 2 swedes currently in must mean that Lindback is in a good position for a permanent card.............. Holder cannot be ignored whether Leigh stays in or goes out............. and unless the 3 current Danes all qualify as of right then there will possibly be a card or two for them as well with Bjarne and Niels wanting back in what cant happen though is one each for GB, Oz, Poland, Sweden and Denmark...... let alone Zagar who the FIM proposed to IMG for this season Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyluck 1 Posted June 29, 2009 the introduction of a russian has meant one of the bigger nations gets less of a 'quota' already ............. The Russian has made no difference at all. Last season there was a rider from the Czech Republic. The two seasons before there was a rider from Slovenia. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spook 28 Posted June 29, 2009 yeah good point ..............although the difference is that Emil is seemingly going nowhere for some time other than in the top 8 if his career continues in the same vein............ that has never been the case with the Czechs and was only the case with Zagar for a fleeting season and if Matej continues the way he is going this season it will be difficult for IMG to say no to the FIM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
salty 2,202 Posted June 29, 2009 what cant happen though is one each for GB, Oz, Poland, Sweden and Denmark...... let alone Zagar who the FIM proposed to IMG for this season First I've heard that Zagar was put forward (and presumably turned down by IMG). Makes it more of a joke that 2 Brits had to be nominated. Given only Bomber is still in the qualifying process and Scotty is having a mare, surely there can't be 2 Brits next year??? Re Nazza's post - I've not seen anything about a Brit being seeded through to Coventry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spook 28 Posted June 29, 2009 imo it makes no sense for a rider to be seeded to the final of the world championship qualifying final and i'd be suprised if it is the case From what was posted on here the difference between the FIM suggestions and IMG's selections were Bomber and Zagar......... it certainly highlighted how important IMG felt it was to have two Brits.............. I really wouldnt be suprised if another square block in a round hole is forced to make sure there are two again for next season Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyluck 1 Posted June 29, 2009 (edited) imo it makes no sense for a rider to be seeded to the final of the world championship qualifying final and i'd be suprised if it is the case In days gone by riders could be seeded to the world final. I think a Pole (Slawomir Drabik) was seeded to the 1992 world final. The host nation is guaranteed a representative at most, if not all, FIM speedway events. It's just that the events are largely held in countries where a number of riders from the host nation are likely to qualify by right. For example, the final of the qualification process in 2006 (Sweden), 2007 (Denmark) and 2008 (Poland). No doubt it was expected that Britain would have plenty of qualifiers at Coventry. Edited June 29, 2009 by ladyluck Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,996 Posted June 30, 2009 Exactly.I think you would be doing well to find the name of Polands only World Champ among the list of any Continental/European qualifying meeting the year he won his World title in 1973 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bartolus 0 Posted June 30, 2009 Well,currently top 7 riders have a big chance to remain there but I wonder about Lindgren. Anyways there ought to be preety intresting battle for the 8th position and I think Andersen most probably take the spot. Adams has already said he is quiting GP and will only ride in leaque matches. 3 riders from challenge.... It's a bit early to predict but probably someone from these competitors: Kenneth Bjerre Matej Zagar Chris Harris Sebastian Ułamek Piotr Protasiewicz Bjarne Pedersen Jarosław Hampel Fredrik Lindgren Chris Holder Matej Ferjan Pesonally I would like Zagar,Holder, Hampel to go throught, but I am afraid this task can be to difficult for slovenian so maybe Harris(I am not sure but the final is on his home track in GB, right?).Unfortunetly The Poles will not be as stong as ussual 'cause they cant ride well on british tracks. 4 Wild Cards ....hmmm also to early We would have 2 Australian (Crump,Holder-from qualifications),2 Swedish (Jonsson,Lindgren), 2 Dannish(N.Pedersen,Andersen) 2 Poles (Gollob,Hampel-from qualifications) 1 American (Hancock) 1 Russian(Emil )1 Slovenian/British (Zagar/Harris-qualifications) -Holder will get wild card if he don't qualify.If he qualifies there is a possibility of one card for country with GP event but without rider. (Zagar/one of Drymls/Latvian Rider) -The unspoken rule of 2GB in circus will remain if Harris manage to be in top8 or will qualify for challenge. If not british fans will have only him to cheer on. In the first case the first wild card would be for Richardsson or some young rider ( I really like Woffinden) -I think that Bjerre should get the wild card but id depends from Challenge and how many dannish riders get throught -If any wild card remain it will go to one of the Poles It's a shame that Sullivan doesn't seem intrested in GP I believe he is one of the best riders outside the series. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
