Ole Olsen Track Prep

[spook 28]

oh for god sake grow up Jim

 

I have no issue with age despite you trying to make out like I have

I have no issue with opinions despite you trying to make out like I have

I did not ask you for any information and you were certainly not coming forward to give me any info

 

and on the other side of the coin

 

I will not criticise someone's spelling in an attempt to score imaginary points

I will not attempt to back someone up because they are a friend or one of the 'in crowd' ...while not actually stating anything

I dont bad mouth the way people construct their posts in an attempt to score imaginary points

and I dont make childish trolling posts to try to score yet more imaginary points

 

feel free to continue with the childish and bizarrely vindictive approach because if you are unable to allow yourself to draw a line in the sand then you can guarantee that I will start using the 'ignore' function

 

good luck with it all

 

 

 

[AndyM 1]

In summary, one of two things are the reason for the slick tracks we see at the GP's in my opinion.

 

1. Ole Olsen is being told to make the track's slick to satisfy the demands of the sponsors who want their company name / logo to be visible throughout the meeting - is this a rumour or is there truth behind it?

2. Olsen genuinely believes that slick tracks provide better racing and they produce fewer accidents meaning no "run-overs" for TV companies.

 

If option 1 is the case then we should get off Olsen's back, he is purely a "puppet" for the FIM who are more concerned by sponsors logo's than the fans of this great sport who are being cheated of seeing the top 16 riders ride on fair, safe tracks that allow overtaking every race.

 

If option 2 is the case then he should pack his bags - simple as that. The SWC meeting on Monday proves that tracks that are smooth, grippy and safe provide trumendous entertainment for fans at the event and watching on TV.

 

I have commented many times on this issue over the past few months, but I fear the worst. I actually believe my first suggestion is the reality here - the tail is wagging the dog (if you know what I mean) I'm afraid. Corporate sponsorship / TV money is taking over the sport (The GP series I mean) and there is nothing we can do about it - sad, very sad indeed.

We should not let this rest, even if 1 were the case. Sponsors need to be educated that racing is the product. If that means finding other ways to display sponsor logos that don't prevent riders mixing it in the shale, so be it. The product has to come first, and Olsen and anyone else complicit in taking away the core component of racing needs to realise that fans come before even sponsors. Without fans, there is no sport.

 

[spook 28]

We should not let this rest, even if 1 were the case. Sponsors need to be educated that racing is the product. If that means finding other ways to display sponsor logos that don't prevent riders mixing it in the shale, so be it. The product has to come first, and Olsen and anyone else complicit in taking away the core component of racing needs to realise that fans come before even sponsors. Without fans, there is no sport.

 

 

spot on if it is the case Andy as the essence of the sport cant ever be allowed to be lost................ but i'm just not convinced that this is the reason for it ........... it really would be so easy to place advertising elsewhere or keep it clean............

 

one thing to consider is how many times has this discussion come up time and time again over the last few years and yet still no one comes forward with official word .............. in the absence of official word we can only summise as to what is going on (a huge and extremely overdue Speedway Star interview?).......... the longer it goes on the more my personal opinion has been that Ole has too much power and an extremely tragic view of what makes good racing

 

I'll be honest though while we are seeing the efforts being made that we have seen since Cardiff.... then i'm a happier chappie and hopefully it will continue................... as others have said we will see what tomorrow brings

[Blazeaway 1,501]

The sponsors logo theory is nonsense. Told to me by a sponsor funnily enough.

 

 

[AndyM 1]

So that leaves Ole believing slick is better, or the third option: it's entirely accidental because the people preparing the tracks really don't know what they're doing. Which do we believe? Coincidence or conspiracy?

[ciderman 100]

At Kings Lynn last night Buster was asked over the PA if he would take the job of track curator for GP's etc full time ? His Answer and possibl y the answer to the questions posed on here.

' I knew the track wanted watering prior to and after HT1, I was told by Ole Olsen over the radio NO WATER AND NO GRADING- This happened on a No of occasions during the meeting and did not enable me to do a better job' NO I wouldn't like the job.

Speedway Star today: At 15 minutes to midnight Olsen was still on track, brushing down the fence adverts so they could be taken down and transported to other meetings.(COULD THIS BE THE REAL REASON)!!!

[iris123 20,986]

At Kings Lynn last night Buster was asked over the PA if he would take the job of track curator for GP's etc full time ? His Answer and possibl y the answer to the questions posed on here.

' I knew the track wanted watering prior to and after HT1, I was told by Ole Olsen over the radio NO WATER AND NO GRADING- This happened on a No of occasions during the meeting and did not enable me to do a better job' NO I wouldn't like the job.

Speedway Star today: At 15 minutes to midnight Olsen was still on track, brushing down the fence adverts so they could be taken down and transported to other meetings.(COULD THIS BE THE REAL REASON)!!!

So Ole was responsible for such a good meeting then?

 

Thanks for the confirmation.maybe a few hats will be eaten

[Laser558 0]

Based on Fixerman's comments, are we to expect a crap track and crap racing this evening so that the bald headed old coot can ensure his home country get through to the final. This guy should have been put out to pasture long ago and frankly he is doing immense damage to the sport at the highest level. Fire the guy before the riders take to track in order to prevent a borefest.

[iris123 20,986]

Based on Fixerman's comments, are we to expect a crap track and crap racing this evening so that the bald headed old coot can ensure his home country get through to the final. This guy should have been put out to pasture long ago and frankly he is doing immense damage to the sport at the highest level. Fire the guy before the riders take to track in order to prevent a borefest.

Sorry to disagree,but based on those comments Olsen was in charge of a bloody good meeting.Then the bloke was out there helping out cleaning the sponsors ads....shows the guy is working his balls off.What other top FIM official would be doing such stuff?.....yet he still gets flack

Sometimes i think one person says something and others just follow like sheep without even wanting to understand the truth.....

[newbieoldboy 0]

Based on Fixerman's comments, are we to expect a crap track and crap racing this evening so that the bald headed old coot can ensure his home country get through to the final. This guy should have been put out to pasture long ago and frankly he is doing immense damage to the sport at the highest level. Fire the guy before the riders take to track in order to prevent a borefest.

 

sorry have to dissagree with the bit about helping Denmark. Its purely so there are less chance of hold ups for weather, accidents etc so as to ensure tv money comes in.

Racing doesn't matter to BSI money does

[flagrag 704]

Ole Olsen and Steve Brandon do have a very hard job to do with pleasing the fans as well as sponsors and tv companies I know a few broadcasters have been unhappy with GP meetings over running this year and this has been fed back to BSI and the GP team if the meeting overuns it can turn into a very expensive game for broadcasters with scheduling being put out,adverts missed and most importantly the additional cost of broadcasting with a HD satellite uplink from the track likely to cost around an extra £2,500 per 15mins plus £150 crew cost then then the Ob facilties provider possibly wanting another £3,000 for overun the costs soon mount up.

 

Overall I do agree that possibly some of tracks do start off far to slick at the start of the night and I thought that was to happen at Peterborough until Buster watered it and the track blended together

[speedibee 3,091]

maybe the excellent racetrack was a case of more by luck than judgement ? throughout the day there were some heavy showers in the petereborough area ,was it just luck that they fell at the right time ? peterborough usually has a fairly good track anyway and with the right amount of water at the right time could produce a race track any night . or maybe buster has found the elusive magic formula ?

Edited July 16, 2009 by speedibee

[Laser558 0]

Sorry to disagree,but based on those comments Olsen was in charge of a bloody good meeting.Then the bloke was out there helping out cleaning the sponsors ads....shows the guy is working his balls off.What other top FIM official would be doing such stuff?.....yet he still gets flack

Sometimes i think one person says something and others just follow like sheep without even wanting to understand the truth.....

 

His track preparation has been questionable for most of the GP's this year and frankly their are many more qualified people around who prepare good racing surfaces week in and week out and could do the job just as well if not better. If he is cleaning sponsors ads then he is either overpaid for menial tasks or is simply unable to delegate. It's not following sheep, its called having an opinion or is that to be banned simply because a few want to defend the indefensible. He was not in charge of the meeting but may have been involved at some point in the track and if he has learnt what makes good racing from this the when can all look forward to a better quality product in the future.

[spook 28]

At Kings Lynn last night Buster was asked over the PA if he would take the job of track curator for GP's etc full time ? His Answer and possibl y the answer to the questions posed on here.

' I knew the track wanted watering prior to and after HT1, I was told by Ole Olsen over the radio NO WATER AND NO GRADING- This happened on a No of occasions during the meeting and did not enable me to do a better job' NO I wouldn't like the job.

Speedway Star today: At 15 minutes to midnight Olsen was still on track, brushing down the fence adverts so they could be taken down and transported to other meetings.(COULD THIS BE THE REAL REASON)!!!

 

 

So Ole was responsible for such a good meeting then?

 

Thanks for the confirmation.maybe a few hats will be eaten

 

 

there is no hat eating here Iris......... ive never doubted Ole's commitment or organisational skills.......... and it tells me a lot that no one was paid the grand sum of a couple of notes to clean down those banners.......maybe because they weren't expected to be dirty?

 

If he had something to do with the track then hats off to him but as someone who had the privelige of watching behind the scenes events during 2006 SWC I can confirm that despite the blazing sun over Smallmead not a drop of water touched the track from mid day and it was obvious that the baked crust was just going to develop into dust and be pushed away from a blue groove.....as it did.................... that track should have been watered regularly throughout the day and in speedway terms, for a world cup, it was negligence ........... the Poles were not happy about it and subsequently didnt qualify from the race off ...... the Danes loved it in the final and went on to win........... this kind of track prep does not create the racing we saw the other night and if he was responsible for controlling the flow of water that day then thank heavens for the shower and lets hope Leszno has had one

[Laser558 0]

Crap slick track as usual and processional racing. Olsen should be ashamed after Monday. He cannot possibly have had anything to do with Peterborough. He should listen to the comments from riders like Adams. When people like him are critical of track conditions then it is time for someone to take note deal with Olsen.