Lord Skid 425 Posted February 26, 2013 Sorry, i thought you'd have been watching every GP live. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trees 2,814 Posted February 26, 2013 YOU may have sponsored a GP but I doubt whether you picked up all the bills. Not one of your better posts Andy... Hurrah for Mr Buckley! Makes one wonder how long he'll keep that up for or is he THAT rich it's a drop in the ocean to him? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,993 Posted February 26, 2013 Have a guess who will be a grumpy face if the answer is yes 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Humphrey Appleby 13,960 Posted February 26, 2013 Hurrah for Mr Buckley! Makes one wonder how long he'll keep that up for or is he THAT rich it's a drop in the ocean to him? You don't get rich, or certainly stay rich by throwing your money into a loss-making enterprises. He didn't appear overly happy with how much he lost last year, so one suspects the contracted third GP could be the last unless some public money is put into it, and/or the crowds improve dramatically. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Know 221 Posted February 27, 2013 Sorry, i thought you'd have been watching every GP live. Nope ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi 49 Posted February 28, 2013 we will be there live and watching later on the TV Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Know 221 Posted March 1, 2013 we will be there live and watching later on the TV Nice Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skidder1 7,637 Posted March 6, 2013 Lets all hope the weather is better than the first day of the Cricket Test match today/yesterday!!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Jones 2,127 Posted March 6, 2013 we will be there live and watching later on the TV Nice Or, as Mrs Brown would say ............That's nice!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PHILIPRISING 7,298 Posted March 6, 2013 ALL the riders' bikes and sundry equipment was packed and ready to leave Amsterdam for Auckland last night. Ole Olsen and his track building team leave tomorrow, Torben Olsen (IMG) and Tony Briggs already on their way. Riders depart Heathrow on Sunday, March 17th. Media breakfast and unofficial practice on the 21st, official practice the 22nd, SGP on the 23rd. Lets all hope the weather is better than the first day of the Cricket Test match today/yesterday!!!!!!!! VERY true but Dunedin is a long way south of Auckland. Third cricket test in Auckland same time as speedway. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwi 49 Posted March 7, 2013 video of last few days,car track being taken up fence down. 26C for the last 6 weeks and we have an official drought at the moment but a cricket test can always bring rain 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blazeaway 1,501 Posted March 7, 2013 ALL the riders' bikes and sundry equipment was packed and ready to leave Amsterdam for Auckland last night. Ole Olsen and his track building team leave tomorrow, Torben Olsen (IMG) and Tony Briggs already on their way. Riders depart Heathrow on Sunday, March 17th. Media breakfast and unofficial practice on the 21st, official practice the 22nd, SGP on the 23rd. VERY true but Dunedin is a long way south of Auckland. Third cricket test in Auckland same time as speedway. You have to wonder if Ward has packed any "extras" from Amsterdam... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waiheke1 4,295 Posted March 7, 2013 LIKE it or not, the locals (those most likely to pay to get in) see Bunyan as their champion and love him even he is likely to trail round at the back. Given the Kiwis attitude to their antipodean cousins across the water, how many people would Batchelor pull in? Commercial... of course. It was Buckley's decision and as the man signing the cheques then I guess his opinion carries most weight. I'd be surprised if he makes much of a difference to the crowd tbh, maybe put a max extra couple of hundred if that on the gate I would have thought. However That said, he was pretty heavily involved in the pre-meeting media coverage last time around,, so maybe I am underselling him. I wouldn't argue with Buckleys right to influence the wildcard choice, but as a speedway fan (and a kiwi) i personally would rather the spot had gone to Batch. Bit like F1 then, crap but comes with a bit of cash so you get a go. When we sponsored the sgp i should of got all sorts of riders a go then or maybe lined up myself. its meant to be the cream of the sport not bring in no hopers. No different though to the guaranteed host entry into the old one off world finals, Henry Kroeze springs to mind, and of course the wildcard for the Italian GP has often been an uncompetitive local rider. It's not a phenomenom particular to speedway either, plenty of sports have guaranteed spots for the hosts. Nice that he's willing to risk his own money, the norm in the UK is to loose other peoples money, and take the glory. Buckley could buy the whole of UK speedway out of petty cash, including the SStar, large amounts of the old green eyed monster around it seems, probably because he runs his own ship and can't be dictated too. If you don't like the way he runs it, simple, don't watch it. Agree - I think every NZ speedway fan is very grateful that he has done it. Maybe, but whilst philanthropy is admirable, I wouldn't be willing to lose my money to enrich a commercial company without sharing in the returns. Sports i guess is an area in which a lot of otherwise savvy business men are willing to lose money to fulfil their love of sport (or egos). Buckley clearly falls into the first cateogry (i.e. doing it because he loves speedway) , however clearly he was unhappy with how much money he lost last year and i'm sure would not be willing to pump endless money into the GP. Prices have gone up this year, so on the same crowd he'd be pulling in approx an extra $150-200k, and I guess potentially costs could be lower this year. Weather will be a big factor, if it rains i'd imagine the attendance could fall as low as 10,000 people? I haven't seen whether the government or Auckland council are coming to the aprty this time around, tbh i think its a disgrace if they don't. I believe there was a similar issue with the A1 where the benefactor behind NZ's entry and event put in large amounts of money and was disillusioned with the lack of support from NZ government. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waiheke1 4,295 Posted March 8, 2013 All right, this meeting is now just a fortnight away, I am really looking forward to this, my thoughts on how the riders line up: Favourites Reigning World Champ Chris Holder had a poor meeting last time around, however I think that was more down to the birth of his son that morning then any dis-like for the Western pring track. The old boys Gollob and Hancock were comfortably the best riders at the last NZ GP, and both will be wanting a good performance this time around if they are to push to add a afurther world title to their collection. Contenders: Nicki P arguably the best rider in the world last year (when taking into account the WTC and domestic leagues) and will be looking to go one better this year. A finalist at Auckland last time around. Young brigade Darcy and Emil are both highly fancied to do well this year, and if the surface is as conducive to racing as last year it should suit them both. Emil was involved in the best race of the evening and made the semis last time around, Darcy I can’t see being dis-advantaged by the fact he hasn’t ridden there before. Antonio Lindback was very impressive in Auckland last year, unfortunately he then failed to reproduce that form until the second half of the season. Seems to be strongly tipped as an outside this year. Hampel had back-to back podium finishes in 2010/11 and looked on track to do the same last year before injury halted his season. Finished second in Auckland last time around, and will be looking to show he is fully recovered from injury with a similar performance this time around. Outsiders: Andreas Jonsson was arguably the biggest disappointment last year, both in the Auckland GP and the GP series as a whole. This seaons will show whether last season was an aberration, or if 2011 was a “one off” rostrum finish. NKI was superb in domestic speedway in 2012, this is his chance to show he can cut it at GP level. Martin Vaculik showed in Hampel’s absence last year that he is one rider who can cut it at this level, but this year he will have a lot more pressure on him and the line up is much tougher. Freddie Lindgren scraped into the semi finals in Auckland last year without ever looking totally convincing, will be looking for a convincing season opener in his quest to establish himself as a top 8 rider. Tail enders: KK and Zagar are both very decent riders, but I’d ve very surprised to see ether making the semis, much as I would like to see the new Aces number 1 do well. Tai Woffinden I can see being more impressive than Chris Harris was last year, but also likely to score less points in what is a much stronger line up. The local wildcard: Jason Bunyan brought the house down by picking up a point in his final ride last year, he’ll be doing very well if he can repeat the same score this year. My picks: Top three of Holder, Gollob and Hancock, being joined in the semis by Emil, Ward, Pedersen, Lindback and Hampel. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mdmc82 2,878 Posted March 9, 2013 Kk made not just the semi's in the gp last year but also the final when he was the wild card Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
