phillwhitewasmad 1,487 Posted September 18, 2015 (edited) Just been browsing a few topics on 2016 teams and everybody seems to be picking 7 man teams. Surely with the constant lack of riders and use of the dreaded guest and Mr R/R is it a good time to go to six man teams which gives everyone 5 rides during a meeting and increases rider availability . Or are we going to plump for more of the same Edited September 18, 2015 by phillwhitewasmad Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baldyman 6,243 Posted September 18, 2015 It's a good idea. So it will never happen. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben91 1,743 Posted September 18, 2015 There's not a lack of riders there's too many racenights. Each team has had a full line up of seven since the start of the season and many have made more than one change across the year, that means there are plenty of riders to go about. Drop the points limit to somewhere between 34-36 for the top five and have a British rider only draft for reserves. Job done. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phillwhitewasmad 1,487 Posted September 18, 2015 Like the British bit but surely with the amount of doubling up and guests and rr there's a shortage even before Injuries take hold Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldtimer 340 Posted September 18, 2015 (edited) There's not a lack of riders there's too many racenights. Each team has had a full line up of seven since the start of the season and many have made more than one change across the year, that means there are plenty of riders to go about. Drop the points limit to somewhere between 34-36 for the top five and have a British rider only draft for reserves. Job done. Each team has not had a line up of 7 riders as there is a lot of R/R and most of the team are guests from other teams. If you drop the points limit to 34 you will be watching National League racing, and instead of losing one or two of your favourite riders each year most of the top 4 will have to go. Edited September 18, 2015 by oldtimer 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
screm 8,069 Posted September 18, 2015 (edited) There's not a lack of riders there's too many racenights. Each team has had a full line up of seven since the start of the season and many have made more than one change across the year, that means there are plenty of riders to go about. Drop the points limit to somewhere between 34-36 for the top five and have a British rider only draft for reserves. Job done. By the sounds of things the draft idea for PL reserves from the NL seems very much on the agenda from some promotions, but is being resisted by others. Surely this is what shouldve happened from the out set of the draft idea, young riders going from NL to EL is to big a step. Edited September 18, 2015 by screm 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JCookie 753 Posted September 18, 2015 Can't wait for someone to get Zach Wajtknecht in the draft, him subsequently averaging 8 by mid-season and then the rules being changed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben91 1,743 Posted September 18, 2015 Like the British bit but surely with the amount of doubling up and guests and rr there's a shortage even before Injuries take hold Each team has not had a line up of 7 riders as there is a lot of R/R and most of the team are guests from other teams. If you drop the points limit to 34 you will be watching National League racing, and instead of losing one or two of your favourite riders each year most of the top 4 will have to go. R/R is part and parcel of the sport. Facilities are being used too often in the EL and PL for riders who are riding in the other league. One solution is to make doubling up solely for Brits, another is one race night in the EL and no PL fixtures are allowed to be run on that night. There is not a shortage of riders. The suggestion to drop the points limit to between 34-36 is for the top 5 only, the reserves are drafted as in the EL. From 42.5 to 35 you are losing 7.5 points, about the points two reserves take up at the start of a season but the beauty is no more Konopkas, Maassens, Dilgers or Daveys taking up spots which could be given to British talent. Can't wait for someone to get Zach Wajtknecht in the draft, him subsequently averaging 8 by mid-season and then the rules being changed. If the draft riders aren't protected by a change of race format like there was in the EL there's no way he'd attain an 8+ average in his first PL year. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JCookie 753 Posted September 18, 2015 R/R is part and parcel of the sport. Facilities are being used too often in the EL and PL for riders who are riding in the other league. One solution is to make doubling up solely for Brits, another is one race night in the EL and no PL fixtures are allowed to be run on that night. There is not a shortage of riders. The suggestion to drop the points limit to between 34-36 is for the top 5 only, the reserves are drafted as in the EL. From 42.5 to 35 you are losing 7.5 points, about the points two reserves take up at the start of a season but the beauty is no more Konopkas, Maassens, Dilgers or Daveys taking up spots which could be given to British talent. If the draft riders aren't protected by a change of race format like there was in the EL there's no way he'd attain an 8+ average in his first PL year. Can't see any reason why not? Even if not, there has to be some sort of system to keep them at reserve surely? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phillwhitewasmad 1,487 Posted September 18, 2015 Agree RR is part of the sport but it's not a good side to it surely something has to be done to reduce it not a great believer in it. Reduced team numbers altered format has to be a start let's face we all believe the sport needs change so why not be radical. For me I would like 6 man teams non of your changes because the reserve is going well and somebody else isn't so he has 7 rides. Track reserves for an injured rider only thing I would say if a heat leader gets injured in his first heat two of his rides taken by othe heat leaders one by reserve and one by the track reserve. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben91 1,743 Posted September 18, 2015 Can't see any reason why not? Even if not, there has to be some sort of system to keep them at reserve surely? Keep them at reserve by all means but there doesn't need to be a change to the heat format. The EL has done that and riders averages are all around 6 now because riders only race people at the same level as they already are. Agree RR is part of the sport but it's not a good side to it surely something has to be done to reduce it not a great believer in it. Reduced team numbers altered format has to be a start let's face we all believe the sport needs change so why not be radical. For me I would like 6 man teams non of your changes because the reserve is going well and somebody else isn't so he has 7 rides. Track reserves for an injured rider only thing I would say if a heat leader gets injured in his first heat two of his rides taken by othe heat leaders one by reserve and one by the track reserve. A track reserve would never work. For one what if there is a rider missing on both teams? Only very bad, and I'm talking not good enough for NL, riders would entertain being a track reserve because there's no guarantee of even getting a ride and there's no way that will earn them the money to live/maintain their kit. There's no need to downsize teams and there's plenty of riders to go around to make up seven man teams. R/R isn't great but sometimes it's unavoidable. What is avoidable is a team using a guest for a foreign rider who is unavailable as he's riding for his other British team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
topsoil 2,498 Posted September 18, 2015 If it helps in the short term then I'm fine with six man teams, but I would rather see a concerted attempt at attracting more young riders into the sport and phasing out the doubling up situation as a) any time a doubling up rider is injured it affects two teams and how many guests are employed due to fixture clashes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
screm 8,069 Posted September 18, 2015 If it helps in the short term then I'm fine with six man teams, but I would rather see a concerted attempt at attracting more young riders into the sport and phasing out the doubling up situation as a) any time a doubling up rider is injured it affects two teams and how many guests are employed due to fixture clashes. Guests have got out of hand, and made the sport look poor, but as has already been posted there is no shortage of riders, so no need to go to six man teams. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KIRKYLANE 537 Posted September 18, 2015 Guests are a necessary evil that Speedway supporters have to live with. Choosing R/R is an option but not always the best one. I cannot foresee British Speedway ever having squads. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phillwhitewasmad 1,487 Posted September 18, 2015 Right could somebody please explain why they think there are enough riders when most teams are using double ups rr or guest please don't use the racing same night argument as we know race night can't always change due to teams racing in rented accommodation 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
