MunichMassive 13 Posted November 1, 2017 (edited) Well I didn't fancy Holder either, but when I recall some picks for a certain Brit then I am fine with that. And it's just the 2nd time he's been given a Wildcard. Lebedevs doenst want to get a pick for the next 2 years not as a wildcard nor as a reserve. It is not always a question if someone wants to be in the GP, well surely every riders is dreaming of competing in that series. It is also a question of being able to compete in the GP, both financially and physically. Woffinden said after his first season he wasn't ready for it. So did Vaculik. Same is for Milik, he is still young, maybe they both think they still need time to be ready for it. Edited November 1, 2017 by MunichMassive 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
customhouseregular 1,651 Posted November 1, 2017 Here's a thought... Scrap wild cards completely, ban GP riders from simultaneously entering the GP Challenge (other than series reserves), scrap the one-off wildcard at each event so we have 16 full-time GP riders. At the end of a season, or before the following season begins, the riders finishing the GP's in places 9-16 (excluding reserves who can try to qualify via the Challenge)meet the top 8 from the Challenge (none of which would be full-time GP riders) over the traditional 20 heat formula. The top 8 then become GP riders for the coming season alongside the 8 already qualified. Or is that too simple?. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MunichMassive 13 Posted November 1, 2017 Well someone will have to stage this meeting. Not sure if it will be very interesting after the last gp Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
customhouseregular 1,651 Posted November 1, 2017 Agree staging would be a problem as under current GP schedule the meeting would need to be held Nov-March, although an indoor venue may be available. Not sure why it would be less interesting than the current Challenge though. Are you allowed to use my photo without my permission? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ghostwalker 1,859 Posted November 1, 2017 @CHR well that is something that regularly keeps being suggested. I don't think it would work because of it having to be staged after the season. Some / many of the riders wouldn't have done a meeting in 1-2 months which means that they would be very rusty. Those who qualify also needs to have enough time to find sponsors as well as sorting out their team and equipment prior to the GP-season which sort excludes anything later than late October. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
customhouseregular 1,651 Posted November 1, 2017 @CHR well that is something that regularly keeps being suggested. I don't think it would work because of it having to be staged after the season. Some / many of the riders wouldn't have done a meeting in 1-2 months which means that they would be very rusty. Those who qualify also needs to have enough time to find sponsors as well as sorting out their team and equipment prior to the GP-season which sort excludes anything later than late October. Oh well, just a thought. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teijahn 8 Posted November 1, 2017 Outrageous decision by WC selectors. So much for the concept of this being a competition for the worlds best riders, clearly factors other than riders form have prevailed here. Milik, in particular with a 3GP ave of 10 and Lebedevs have showed they are highly competitive against the worlds best both miss out while riders who proved this year that they aren't get the nod. Such a shame that this brilliant sport is so often undermined by a 'cowboy' mentality at administrative/management levels. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beaky11 36 Posted November 1, 2017 Here's a thought... Scrap wild cards completely, ban GP riders from simultaneously entering the GP Challenge (other than series reserves), scrap the one-off wildcard at each event so we have 16 full-time GP riders. At the end of a season, or before the following season begins, the riders finishing the GP's in places 9-16 (excluding reserves who can try to qualify via the Challenge)meet the top 8 from the Challenge (none of which would be full-time GP riders) over the traditional 20 heat formula. The top 8 then become GP riders for the coming season alongside the 8 already qualified. Or is that too simple?. I think keeping 15 riders is right having a wildcard in each round who is local is great for local support. What I would do is similar to you, where there are no wildcards but have like a SGP2 series, which is raced in the same format as the SGP over x amount of rounds, this series has 16 of the best riders who arent in the GPs each year the top 7 in the SGP2 replace the bottom 7 in the SGP and go from there. Would be great for younger talent like Lebedevs, Milik, Drabik etc as would give them experience of the SGP and would solve the controversy of wildcards. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MattK 3,447 Posted November 2, 2017 (edited) Here's a thought... Scrap wild cards completely, ban GP riders from simultaneously entering the GP Challenge (other than series reserves), scrap the one-off wildcard at each event so we have 16 full-time GP riders. At the end of a season, or before the following season begins, the riders finishing the GP's in places 9-16 (excluding reserves who can try to qualify via the Challenge)meet the top 8 from the Challenge (none of which would be full-time GP riders) over the traditional 20 heat formula. The top 8 then become GP riders for the coming season alongside the 8 already qualified. Or is that too simple?. People often complain that there is no ambition or strategy in British speedway. The GP has both of these. Over the years BSI/IMG have taken great risks to push the GPs forward and I think wildcards are a suitable compromise in order to allow the organisers an element of commercial influence over the line-ups. For example, imagine a British GP with no British riders. We are lucky that there are currently two full time riders in the 2018 line-up, but in the past the organisers have had to rely on wildcards in order to get any British riders into the series/meeting. Edited November 2, 2017 by MattK 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest GiveusaB Posted November 2, 2017 In defence of Holder...although I don't agree with his wildcard inclusion? This year was the first time that he's finished outside the top 8 (apart from his injury season of 2013) ? So, apart from Monster Joe picking the wildcards based on their own riders, may be his record carried some weight? I feel for NKI, as I'd much rather watch him than Holder! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waytogo28 2,054 Posted November 2, 2017 Agree staging would be a problem as under current GP schedule the meeting would need to be held Nov-March, although an indoor venue may be available. Not sure why it would be less interesting than the current Challenge though. Are you allowed to use my photo without my permission? Is that your photo? Or is it clone, doppelgänger or avatar? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
f-s-p 832 Posted November 2, 2017 In defence of Holder...although I don't agree with his wildcard inclusion? This year was the first time that he's finished outside the top 8 (apart from his injury season of 2013) ? So, apart from Monster Joe picking the wildcards based on their own riders, may be his record carried some weight? I feel for NKI, as I'd much rather watch him than Holder! Monster Joe was on Twitter yesterday saying that he's had no part in picking the wc's. He heard them first from the FIM/SGP/BSI/IMG press release. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PHILIPRISING 7,298 Posted November 2, 2017 Monster Joe was on Twitter yesterday saying that he's had no part in picking the wc's. He heard them first from the FIM/SGP/BSI/IMG press release. DESPITE all the conspiratory theories, I don't think Joe Parsons has any real influence these days. Might be different if Monster didn't already have Dudek, Hancock and Woffinden in the line-up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Come on the Skipper 75 Posted November 2, 2017 (edited) I see Darcy has been giving his opinion about the wildcards, such a pleasant young man! N to you m***** f****** who think @Chris_Holder23 doesn’t deserve one. keep feeding us fuel. Holder bout to have a off season like he 1/2 I can't find a follow up tweet but he does also say "Just seeing the wildcards. I believe nki is unlucky n Vaculik is lucky on them picks." I'm not quite sure how he justifies Vaculik being lucky when he finished ahead of Holder. Apologies for the text size in the first tweet. Edited November 2, 2017 by Come on the Skipper 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPNY 608 Posted November 2, 2017 Keeps being mentioned Holder has has tough time off track but been saying that for at least 2 years now. Surely at some point that excuse runs out? 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites