Warsaw Gp Saturday 18th April

[5 FURROW 97]

I CAN say with absolute certainty that the SGP riders are very happy with the manner in which the series is run and organised by BSI staff.

There is a huge volume of work that takes place behind the scenes, much of which makes the life of the riders far easier than it otherwise would be. They fully appreciate the level of professionalism that goes into staging these events.

I have been attending speedway meetings for over 50 years, including just about every World Final since 1961, and it is chalk and cheese these days.

And I don’t know of any rider who doesn’t relish riding in the big venues.

The issue they have is when tracks, temporary or otherwise, are not up to scratch and they are quite justified in asking for the proper stage on which to strut their stuff.

And, of course, sub-standard tracks are not just in the SGP domain (Rye House yesterday, Poole this season according to their own Chris Holder)

And this is the key issue. Everything BSI handle and control themselves is almost invariably beyond reproach. The problems arise with the work that they ‘contract out’ which, of course, happens to be the most important component of the event.

Imagine hiring a builder to construct a drive at your house and he sub-contracts the work out which proves to be inferior. The sub-contractors are at fault but, of course, the contractor is responsible.

Also, many on here do not seem to appreciate that responsibility for much of what goes on at a SGP remains in the province of the FIM though their appointed Jury President, referee and FMNR representative and is not within the authority of BSI or any other of the various organisers throughout staging the season.

It's the sub contractor that's at fault and as you quote you wouldn't be happy if they done some dodgy work at your house but it seems that the more times the sub contractor (OLSEN) messes up the tracks BSI say come on back you can only balls the next one but we will still employ you and it's the likes of us parting with hard cash to see the farce if I balls up at work like he does I'd been sacked long ago

[Humphrey Appleby 13,961]

Crump and Rickardsson helped with the change over, riding on a rubbish Cardiff track in year 1 as they say the bigger picture, it would allow the next generation to ride in these big, impressive stadia with big, impressive crowds. Now that next generation have taken over and are complaining at every bloody opportunity. How many riders these days have a reputation as moaners compared to days gone by? Especially those born in Australia! They've gone from Crump who would get upset but he wasn't a moaner, he'd ride on what he was given. Now we have Holder and Batch an d beneath them Watt and Schlein who moan when anything is not perfect.

 

I'm sure BSI and their shills would very much like to distract attention from the fiasco by blaming the riders, but I'm sure many if not all of them would have fully appreciated the consequences of not putting on a show at Warsaw. I very much doubt it was just about the track alone, but a number of issues that have been building up.

 

It's hardly that this is one-off, and simply smacks of poor supervision, lack of investment in basic equipment, and/or poor choices of contractor on BSI's part. In fact, if you look at BSI's parent company IMG(UK) who essentially provide the staff, they've also been involved in a few fiascos of their own in recent years.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,961]

Crump, Rickardsson and riders of that era remember riding GPs at Coventry and Bydgoszczczczcz and being sponsors by "Mr Wongs Chinese" and "Uncle Toms Used Cars" so when they moved into Cardiff and the bigged stadiums they accepted things were not perfect but the sport was now sponsored by KFC and Fiat.

 

I'm not sure the sport has hugely moved on sponsorship wise. Take away the tourist boards and equipment suppliers, and you have Monster as probably the only company anyone has heard of, and they noticeably haven't announced how much they're sponsoring which is normally something that gets trumpeted.

 

Funny you should mention KFC, because I don't think they paid up and BSI had to take legal action.

[racers and royals 8,737]

 

I'm not sure the sport has hugely moved on sponsorship wise. Take away the tourist boards and equipment suppliers, and you have Monster as probably the only company anyone has heard of, and they noticeably haven't announced how much they're sponsoring which is normally something that gets trumpeted.

 

Funny you should mention KFC, because I don't think they paid up and BSI had to take legal action.

Did KFC chicken out of paying ?

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

 

I'm not sure the sport has hugely moved on sponsorship wise. Take away the tourist boards and equipment suppliers, and you have Monster as probably the only company anyone has heard of, and they noticeably haven't announced how much they're sponsoring which is normally something that gets trumpeted.

 

Funny you should mention KFC, because I don't think they paid up and BSI had to take legal action.

DO Monster announce what they are paying other events?

 

KFC was a Polish franchise

[Trees 2,814]

Top echelons of the sport still trying to run before they can walk, proven on so many occasions.

 

Speedway can be a fantastic sport on the right tracks, get that right and sell that IMO.

 

The FIM got it wrong when they sold the Championship.

Edited May 5, 2015 by Trees

[Barrycuda 184]

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Edited June 6, 2015 by Barrycuda

[Barrycuda 184]

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Edited June 6, 2015 by Barrycuda

[weatherwatcher 664]

If a sub-contractor has failed to deliver the proper goods then it the responsibility of the main contractor. They know who they are using and if they do the job right in the first place, but they still seem to be using these cowboys, who more than not are some small time motorway maintainance team, or a bunch of dicky trarmacers.

This is the top level of the sport and as such it should be treared as such. After all this is the world championships, not a meeting at MDL level, with riders with skills far below the GP riders.

So it is time for all who put on the GP series to treat it in a manner that will show the sport as a top world class championship, not the trash they do at times give the speedway paying public at large. If it carries on in this manner for much longer, not only will they be losing a lot of paying fans, but also the companies that show the sport on TV. Because they will soon come to their senses that what they are showing is just a second rate act at staging what should be a major sports meeting.

[Ghostwalker 1,859]

Richard Child (Greg's Team manager): "the most stupid part is that it is easy to build a track".

[The White Knight 9,039]

Richard Child (Greg's Team manager): "the most stupid part is that it is easy to build a track".

If that is the case - how do they cock up these Temporary Tracks so often.

 

Perhaps the troubles in the Warsaw GPs was a result of a combination of things - like dangerous Temporary Tracks in general - not just the dangerous one in Warsaw. You can only complain so often - if nobody is taking any notice of you then you have to resort to action in order to get something done.

 

Speculation on my part, I agree, but I offer it as another possible scenario.

[Barrycuda 184]

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Edited June 6, 2015 by Barrycuda

[The White Knight 9,039]

Any smoke signals coming from the Grand Prix Speedway reservation yet.

Puff Puff Smoke Smoke. :D

No, No!! :D

[Barrycuda 184]

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Edited June 6, 2015 by Barrycuda

[The White Knight 9,039]

Well there's no smoke without fire is there.

Errr.

 

Very true. :unsure: