Heats Formula

[T.N.T. 355]

It is very easy to sort out a race format and ensure all riders get equal gates and all appear in the first four heats.

 

 

I have already posted one format that could work on this thread and could easily do a few more in the space of a day or two not months

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

It is very easy to sort out a race format and ensure all riders get equal gates and all appear in the first four heats.

I have already posted one format that could work on this thread and could easily do a few more in the space of a day or two not months

Yes, but it doesn't separate the reserves from the heat leaders, and to a large extent is the old 15-heat format with a re-ordered line-up. The home team number 5 also has 3 rides in 5 heats, whilst the away team number 1 doesn't ride between heats 5 and 11. That's just what I noticed from an initial glance.

 

It demonstrates the problem of doing what they're trying to do with 7-rider teams.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Humphrey Appleby

[Woz01 3,589]

Even the old format had inconsistencies, the home number 2 last ride was heat 10 for example. Things like that will always happen, it doesn't bother me to be honest.

[SCB 0]

As well as trying to sort out the first Away No. 4 ride, wasn't there also a (muted) suggestion from somewhere - just after the AGM(?) - that both reserves would/should have a minimum of 4 rides each?

 

Or have I dreamt that?

I don't like that rule. any lesser draft rider who gets 3 rides should be thankful he's getting 3 rides anyway, it's more than he got 2 years ago. To expect to have the 4th ride regardless of how bad he's riding provides less incentive to do well and push on. It is still professional sport at the end of the day.

[customhouseregular 1,651]

Apart from the fact the reserves had no programmed rides, I always liked the 6-man team, 18-heat Test Match formula.

 

If reserves could be somehow incorporated I would prefer League meetings to be held this way.

[Skidder1 7,637]

I don't like that rule. any lesser draft rider who gets 3 rides should be thankful he's getting 3 rides anyway, it's more than he got 2 years ago. To expect to have the 4th ride regardless of how bad he's riding provides less incentive to do well and push on. It is still professional sport at the end of the day.

 

No neither do I - it was just that it was being 'rumoured'!!

Apart from the fact the reserves had no programmed rides, I always liked the 6-man team, 18-heat Test Match formula.

 

If reserves could be somehow incorporated I would prefer League meetings to be held this way.

 

How much would you expect clubs to charge for that format? A couple of EL clubs have already announced increases from £17 to £18 in 2015 for the current format!!!

[Alan_Jones 1,005]

No neither do I - it was just that it was being 'rumoured'!!

 

How much would you expect clubs to charge for that format? A couple of EL clubs have already announced increases from £17 to £18 in 2015 for the current format!!!

It can easily be reduced to 15 heats.

[T.N.T. 355]

The old 18 heat format can easily be adapted to accomodate reserves.

 

Run half of the format, 9 races

 

2 reserve races = 11 races

 

then 4 nominated races featuring all 8 riders = 15 races

 

 

This would mean the main six riders would get four rides and the two reserves three rides .... but there is a problem with this as reserves have easy races and riders like Garrity, Blacbird etc would be the sixth rider in the team and not at reserve.

 

It would also mean the top riders like Iversen, Zagar, Lindgren etc would only get 4 rides and therefore possibly losing £20,000+ a year in possible wages

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

It can easily be reduced to 15 heats.

 

For example - 6 rider teams with 5 & 6 as reserves. Nos 1-4 ride against their opposite numbers twice and the opposite Nos 5 & 6 once (five programmed rides). The reserves ride against their opposite numbers twice, and the opposite Nos. 1-5 once (four programmed rides), but have a dedicated reserves race and always race against another reserve, except in one ride where they're up against second strings.

 

1 & 2 v 1 & 2

3 & 4 v 3 & 4

5 & 6 v 5 & 6

1 & 2 v 3 & 4

3 & 4 v 1 & 2

1 & 5 v 3 & 6

3 & 6 v 2 & 4

2 & 4 v 1 & 5

1 & 5 v 2 & 4

3 & 6 v 1 & 5

2 & 4 v 3 & 6

1 & 5 v 1 & 5

3 & 6 v 3 & 6

2 & 4 v 2 & 4

Nominated

Run half of the format, 9 races

2 reserve races = 11 races

then 4 nominated races featuring all 8 riders = 15 races

 

Similar to the 18-heat format used in 1993, but aside from having to pay the travel costs of an eighth rider, the reserves may not come up against riders in the main body of the team during the whole meeting.

[waiheke1 4,295]

The old 18 heat format can easily be adapted to accomodate reserves.

 

Run half of the format, 9 races

 

2 reserve races = 11 races

 

then 4 nominated races featuring all 8 riders = 15 races

 

 

This would mean the main six riders would get four rides and the two reserves three rides .... but there is a problem with this as reserves have easy races and riders like Garrity, Blacbird etc would be the sixth rider in the team and not at reserve.

 

It would also mean the top riders like Iversen, Zagar, Lindgren etc would only get 4 rides and therefore possibly losing £20,000+ a year in possible wages

you'd just add an extra nominated heat 16 to overcome the latter issue.

[barrow boy 119]

For example - 6 rider teams with 5 & 6 as reserves. Nos 1-4 ride against their opposite numbers twice and the opposite Nos 5 & 6 once (five programmed rides). The reserves ride against their opposite numbers twice, and the opposite Nos. 1-5 once (four programmed rides), but have a dedicated reserves race and always race against another reserve, except in one ride where they're up against second strings.

 

1 & 2 v 1 & 2

3 & 4 v 3 & 4

5 & 6 v 5 & 6

1 & 2 v 3 & 4

3 & 4 v 1 & 2

1 & 5 v 3 & 6

3 & 6 v 2 & 4

2 & 4 v 1 & 5

1 & 5 v 2 & 4

3 & 6 v 1 & 5

2 & 4 v 3 & 6

1 & 5 v 1 & 5

3 & 6 v 3 & 6

2 & 4 v 2 & 4

Nominated

Very good

[Crazy robin 2,963]

As well as trying to sort out the first Away No. 4 ride, wasn't there also a (muted) suggestion from somewhere - just after the AGM(?) - that both reserves would/should have a minimum of 4 rides each?

 

Or have I dreamt that?

If they're serious about it then it should be a minimum of 4 rides for the reserves but they can replace one of the top 5's races.

[Alan_Jones 1,005]

For example - 6 rider teams with 5 & 6 as reserves. Nos 1-4 ride against their opposite numbers twice and the opposite Nos 5 & 6 once (five programmed rides). The reserves ride against their opposite numbers twice, and the opposite Nos. 1-5 once (four programmed rides), but have a dedicated reserves race and always race against another reserve, except in one ride where they're up against second strings.

I'd keep it simpler than that. 3 x heat leaders at 1-3-5 and 3 x 2nd strings at 2-4-6. Keep the fixed pairings for 9 heats, mix the pairings for 3 heats but always 1 heat leader and 1 2nd string, then finish with low - middle - high scorers heats. Use the lowest 2 average riders as reserves in genuine cases of injury only.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,960]

I'd keep it simpler than that. 3 x heat leaders at 1-3-5 and 3 x 2nd strings at 2-4-6. Keep the fixed pairings for 9 heats, mix the pairings for 3 heats but always 1 heat leader and 1 2nd string, then finish with low - middle - high scorers heats. Use the lowest 2 average riders as reserves in genuine cases of injury only.

 

It's too difficult to prove genuine injury cases during a meeting, and there's still the possibility that riders will have mechanical and sorts of problems. The other problem with the above format is that the reserves would collectively only have four spare rides which is conceivably insufficient to cover another injured rider, especially the other reserve.

[g13webb 4,254]

I find all this quite amazing......

 

We but a month away from the start of the season, and still no-one knows the program format........

 

This could only happen in British Speedway...