2015 Gp Wild Cards

[customhouseregular 1,651]

Am I being naive here but if a rider is good enough to have won a GP he deserves being in contention for a wildcard. This puts Sayfutdinov, Zmarzlik, Smolinski and others firmly in the frame. My problem with wildcards is the practice of the host track nominating their wildcard. This is fine for Poland, Denmark etc. but in the case of New Zealand and Finland for example and in the past Croatia, Italy etc. non-competitive riders have taken the 16 jacket at the expense of someone better qualified.

[spook 28]

I guess so CHR...........but others who have won a GP are:

Miedzinski
Harris
MJJ
Vaculik
Lindback
Holta
Andersen

& i'd only consider 2 of those

Zmarzlik pulled off his very 'special' GP (re: Miedzinski) on his home track and needs a couple of years matching his home performances on other tracks imho
Smolinski has never been the same since his handlebar button was discovered & outlawed......... & in this day and age a rider who finds it hard to unglue himself from the white line really stands out like an underperforming sore thumb (aka 'an Andersen')

the local WC's can be a bit of a farce but could possibly be the difference between the series visiting only 4 countries or more

edit: that comes across as a bit rude about Smolinski .... i'm full of admiration for what he has achieved in recent years but since his win and controversy I think we have witnessed his true standard at this level and it is probably currently shy of the required mark.......... maybe if he changed his nationality to British.....

Edited September 13, 2014 by spook

[customhouseregular 1,651]

Hmmm...I take your point about previous GP winners. At that rate the whole series would be made up of wildcards!. I must admit (being of the old-school speedway fan variety) that I have misgivings about the GP system, it's scoring, qualification, wildcards etc., but accept it is the system we now have

Being at Wembley in 1981 with 92,000 for the world Final outshone being in Cardiff on 12th. July...for this old fan anyway.

[spook 28]

I can imagine that was quite the occasion! I was lucky enough to experience the first Odsal World Final and the excitement levels on the night and building up surpassed what ive experienced with the GP's...... but the GP's are still cracking & I think are a better fit for this modern, media and businesslike era

Edited September 13, 2014 by spook

[customhouseregular 1,651]

I was talking to my 86 year-old Mum earlier. She and my my 90 year-old Dad were pre-war and post-war West Ham fans, as was I during the 60's. We both feel that modern-day Speedway with it's "showbiz" approach, silencers, dirt deflectors and general "sanitised" presentation has lost the common touch. Speedway back then with it's basic machinery and rough edges appealed to the "working man". The current glossiness of the GP's has taken the edge off for a lot of us oldies. I was like a schoolboy going to Cardiff for my first meeting in 30 years, but left feeling I would not rush to go back next year. Having said that I still love my sport and will be tuning in to Eurosport tonight for the Nordic GP...sadly sans Greg. p.s.-The Odsal stadium, with some money and a lot of tlc would, in my humble opinion be a great venue for a United Kingdom GP (If Poland can have 3, we can have 2!).

[T.N.T. 355]

I guess so CHR...........but others who have won a GP are:

 

Miedzinski

Harris

MJJ

Vaculik

Lindback

Holta

Andersen

 

& i'd only consider 2 of those

 

If your going back as far as 2007 for Harris then you may as well add Martin Dugard to the list !!!

 

 

p.s.-The Odsal stadium, with some money and a lot of tlc would, in my humble opinion be a great venue for a United Kingdom GP (If Poland can have 3, we can have 2!).

 

Sadly in my opinion the best place for a second GP over here is Coventry as it's in the midlands, easy to get to and with some money spent on it, they could easily improve the standing area on the back straight to increase the capacity.

 

However the future of Brandon seems to be housing and unlike the mega bucks in football, Speedway does not have that sort of backing and that leaves either the new Belle Vue Stadium, Kings Lynn or Peterborough as only real viable stadiums that are used by the sport at present.

 

 

However as we have seen in Parken, Cardiff and other ventures, why could we not get a track built in the NEC Birmingham as it could easily hold a 300+ meter track and seating for 15,000 fans plus have other arenas for sponsors like Monster to hold shows during the weekend.

 

 

 

 

As for the GP Challenge, Matej Zagar claiming a top three finish wouldn't be too bad as all that would do is grant the rider in 9th place ..... so you have to ask that as he is safe in the top 8, why should he ride in this meeting ? ...... if he didn't take part then Martin Smolinski is next in line making Jurica Pavlic the reserve

 

I'm hoping that Oliver Berntzon is taking Cameron Woodwards place as he is next in line after Bomber has replaced Dudek from the same semi final ? ..... this would make Adrian Meidzinski a reserve.

 

 

Hoping the top three from the Final are Zagar, Kildemand and Jonasson with Doyle next and while I appreciate he is worthy of his place in this meeting, I really hope Bomber fails to get through so he can do what he does best ..... league racing !!

 

PS; Good Luck Nicolai

[SCB 0]

As for the GP Challenge, Matej Zagar claiming a top three finish wouldn't be too bad as all that would do is grant the rider in 9th place ..... so you have to ask that as he is safe in the top 8, why should he ride in this meeting ? ...... if he didn't take part then Martin Smolinski is next in line making Jurica Pavlic the reserve

If Zagar finished top 3 then 4th would get Zagars place. Happened with Iversen and Smolinski this season.

[customhouseregular 1,651]

Would the NEC be really feasible?. Central location, good road, rail and air links, under cover...I like the idea.

[Joe Beevers 207]

I think the most consistent and best riders should compete, no matter what.

 

Everyone has there own opinion on this matter.

 

Mine would be Ward, Sayfutdinov, Jepsen Jensen and Iversen.

 

If it would not be possible, 9th and 10th etc but tbh the majority of times that these wildcards are named are usually spot on in my opinion.

[LagutaRacingFan 1,939]

I think the most consistent and best riders should compete, no matter what.

 

Everyone has there own opinion on this matter.

 

Mine would be Ward, Sayfutdinov, Jepsen Jensen and Iversen.

 

If it would not be possible, 9th and 10th etc but tbh the majority of times that these wildcards are named are usually spot on in my opinion.

 

Hard to disagree with those 4 although Hampel could count himself unlucky but maybe he needs a year out of the GP's.

[spook 28]

 

If your going back as far as 2007 for Harris then you may as well add Martin Dugard to the list !!!

 

 

 

Sadly in my opinion the best place for a second GP over here is Coventry as it's in the midlands, easy to get to and with some money spent on it, they could easily improve the standing area on the back straight to increase the capacity.

 

However the future of Brandon seems to be housing and unlike the mega bucks in football, Speedway does not have that sort of backing and that leaves either the new Belle Vue Stadium, Kings Lynn or Peterborough as only real viable stadiums that are used by the sport at present.

 

 

However as we have seen in Parken, Cardiff and other ventures, why could we not get a track built in the NEC Birmingham as it could easily hold a 300+ meter track and seating for 15,000 fans plus have other arenas for sponsors like Monster to hold shows during the weekend.

 

 

 

 

As for the GP Challenge, Matej Zagar claiming a top three finish wouldn't be too bad as all that would do is grant the rider in 9th place ..... so you have to ask that as he is safe in the top 8, why should he ride in this meeting ? ...... if he didn't take part then Martin Smolinski is next in line making Jurica Pavlic the reserve

 

I'm hoping that Oliver Berntzon is taking Cameron Woodwards place as he is next in line after Bomber has replaced Dudek from the same semi final ? ..... this would make Adrian Meidzinski a reserve.

 

 

Hoping the top three from the Final are Zagar, Kildemand and Jonasson with Doyle next and while I appreciate he is worthy of his place in this meeting, I really hope Bomber fails to get through so he can do what he does best ..... league racing !!

 

PS; Good Luck Nicolai

 

 

Bomber is a current GP rider though and that is probably more to the point

 

apparently if Zagar pulls out now he will most likely suffer a 3 day ban which will rule him out of a big match in Poland

[Ghostwalker 1,859]

Bomber is a current GP rider though and that is probably more to the point

 

apparently if Zagar pulls out now he will most likely suffer a 3 day ban which will rule him out of a big match in Poland

 

It is the 2nd leg of the semi final with Gorzow in Polish championship

[theknow 2 180]

 

 

Bomber is a current GP rider though and that is probably more to the point

 

apparently if Zagar pulls out now he will most likely suffer a 3 day ban which will rule him out of a big match in Poland

Bomber GP rider

[Pinny 2,536]

Gotta be

 

Iversen

Ward

Jepsen jensen

Kildemand

 

First two are self explainatory, last two have proved themselves this season as wild cards

 

Thats my view

[Ghostwalker 1,859]

Gotta be

 

Iversen

Ward

Jepsen jensen

Kildemand

 

First two are self explanatory, last two have proved themselves this season as wild cards

 

Thats my view

 

No way, first of all he will hopefully be suspended, second of all h should be forced to qualify if he wants back in again.

Why should Darcy have it served to him on a silver plate?

 

I also depends on the qualifiers. Then I'd take Zmarzlik over MJJ/Kildemand any day of the week. Thirdly I really doubt that they

would give three out of four wild cards to Danish riders.