mikebv

The track is similar to the SWC race off a couple of years ago.. ie lots of grip... Which meant plenty of fast times but follow the leader racing. . Where the inside becomes very fast and doesn't encourage wide riding... Plus of course there is a huge differential in the talent levels on show... The GP boys will turn up tonight with their best kit which will highlight the 'real' difference between the riders, which can sometimes look closer when the GP riders ride on kit 'good enough' to earn a good living over here...

Especially as he is on a warning.. One more mistake and the best GB could get is a 3-3

£25 for Grandstand, £20 for standing and a fiver for kids would have filled the place and actually made it look like a bona fide contest of some importance and relevance... I have been to 'Car boot sales' over the past couple of weeks with more in attendance than are at the NSS tonight... Pretty sure I paid less for me an my lad to attend the SWC race off AND Final combined at the NSS a couple of years ago... Ridiculous pricing..

Has Azerbaijan got a couple of Speedway riders? Or maybe Nigeria? Or possibly even Sri Lanka? (Don't they have the Tamil Tigers?)

A standing ovation from people sat down?

Apologies coming...

And MOTD is on the BBC free to air therefore has a great many viewers who don't have access to both Pay TV packages that broadcast it.. To add to your point re 'discussions to be had'.... As a Sport that slavishly uses averages to determine team strengths I do think that it doesn't use these 'stats' anywhere near enough.. I am a convert to Baseball and they throw batting averages, pitching averages, fielding errors %'s out like theres no tomorrow.. They even break down the pitcher v batter historical performances against each other, how many runs the batter has had at that particular venue previously, performance v left handers/right handers etc etc etc.. Speedway could show and discuss the head to head performance between individual riders, previous points scored/average at that track by each away rider and wins % over the season, seconds, thirds lasts %'s for each competitor.. They could also discuss individual points scored by riders from the four gate positions over the season, update the League table through the programme as points change. (With fixed nights several meetings take place so 'the table as it stands' could be a recurring theme). Maybe each riders fastest time around the circuit could be discussed and highlighted if he beats it? The track record never seems to be mentioned? Why not? Speedway uses so much data, and kicks out so many possible stats that it should use them in the inevitable down time to keep a watching audience, at home and at the track interested.. Announcing how many times 'Hans has beat Jason at Leicester this season' and 'Hans has won 'x' % of races from Gate 1' in the space before his heat starts must be of some interest to some I am sure.. Each race could have its own little snippet of info as a build up to it, adds a bit of spice too if the last time some of the riders had a coming together etc etc.. Which ultimately builds anticipation.. And got to be better than just having 'K Tels Hits of the 70's' on repeat or 'Birthday Wishes to Gladys who was 88 last Thursday and her favourite rider was Bjorn Knutsson' as the 'entertainment' between races..

I remember reading in the SS earlier in the year one club quoting that they were advised to get more assets to ensure that they then had a "bond" large enough to be allowed to compete... As you say, not exactly a 'sure footing' with which to grow your business. . Particularly when it's built on the potential 'shifting sands' of Employment Law..

I think it's more a collective decision to say "move along please, nothing to see here"... Especially given the way the asset system works in Poland and Sweden... Especially given the way the system works in other sports (eg 'The Bosman')... And especially given the EU free movement/restraint of trade laws... I would suggest it is something that uses a large carpet and a brush in the hope it doesn't ever get challenged... And who knows, maybe the system is actually integral is keeping tracks open, so therefore riders are quite happy to continue with the status quo? After all, a closed track earns a rider no money at all, and no opportunity for future earnings either.. And do they get a signing on fee when they become 'an asset'? One that is then used to buy equipment to ride over here? (and more than likely eleswhere)! If so, maybe that would need paying back? Murky waters though I would think should anyone actually take out a grievance under EU Employment Laws..

I think it now forms part of the 'bond' to compete so is encouraged... I seem to remember the 'bond' used to be a cash figure but I presume as less money is made then the cash available to stump up this money goes down as well.... Whatever the asset system actually is, I think legally it looks a bit dodgy.. 'Owning' self employed workers, and then taking money off someone else to allow them to work for that third party, certainly doesn't appear something employment law would advocate I would think...

To add to Snappers previous answer.... The reason for the change was because what was happening reflected exactly as you describe... Clubs with cash flow issues were then putting others under pressure by not paying the base pay rates x points scored earned by the riders of the teams who visited them... Basically if clubs cannot pay there own riders then there is almost no chance of paying opposition riders... It's an amazing Business Plan/Operating Model that British Speedway runs with... Don't think Richard Branson or Alan Sugar would ever consider adapting it to their businesses and use it...

Agreed,... It truly must be a nightmare trying to run a Speedway track with the Operating Model that the Sport (over here) uses.. An Operating Model, that fundamentally by its very content, surely cannot hope to help ANY track be successful... Yet year on year seems to be blindly followed (and agreed to) by the very people who invariably struggle by its usage... I really do find it quite staggering that 'successful business people' slavishly follow an 'obviously unfit for purpose' Operating Model without making any radical changes to it to help improve their position.. Couldn't make it up sometimes could you?

But in the SWC, 'good' riders couldn't just coast around, settling for third behind a team mate, by beating one of their out of their depth opponents as every point counted.. Invariably you would have, at least, three similar level riders in most SWC races all throwing bikes at each other to gain that extra point... It will be interesting to see how the Final unravels when all the 'weak links' are out... I can see some real issues with riders slowing up to help a team mate, as instead of one rider twenty five yards back having to anticipate it and react, there may well be three riders all within fifteen yards taking evasive action... Could be 'interesting'...

Correct... You don't have to include an 'over 21' in theirs, so why the need to bring an U21 rider into THE Premier World 'Team' Championship? It should simply be the best three riders from each country regardless of age.. As can be seen, many cannot even muster two 'decent' riders so whatever system you have will be largely ineffective, however it will at least bring three riders per 'pair' to each event... Thinking out loud though, it has finally dawned on me where they got the the 'Three riders per Pair' idea from... It must be based on the British Speedway system whereby 'a pair of fixed race nights' actually add up to three...

For Slovenia to win, Matej will need to get in front and whilst the Danes team ride 150 yards behind, holding the other Slovenian in fourth, he stops, takes out a piece of elastic and tie it across the track... Then wait for the Danes to eventually come by and try and take one of them out at head high level.. It could work...

And remember its all about team riding...

It's just been said that some countries don't have U21 riders of a sufficient capability level.. So why make that the rule?

Was Greg slowing the race up there?

So as long as Slovenia both finish, Greg, even if he wins, cannot win... Great ..

Lots of track grading for one race.. Presume two more now between the last two races...? It would appear that to team ride, some riders need to get off their bikes, have a brew and maybe something to eat, and wait for their team mate to catch up before remounting...

What this format is missing is some kind of mechanic that allows you to play say a Joker to score double points if you are so many behind...

What a load of crap... You can now team ride with your team mate 100 yards behind. Just by slowing down and putting the rider behind you at risk as these bikes don't have brake lights.. Won't see a penny of my money on Tuesday...

Too many races with a huge ability difference between the riders.. No point changing to make team riding the key to success when there is such a massive difference in some of the teams' pairs... At least when there is only one from a Country you may have two, three or even four riders of similar ability (even if not great) to make a race.. Also, settling for second and third as it gives you an advantage will never facilitate great racing.. Every point should be hard fought (not coasted around) for..

You put your British Champ in... You take your British Champ out... In, Out, In, Out... You shake him all about... You do the Hokey Cooky and 'u-turn' around... That's what it's all about... Ohhhhhhh, the Hokey Cooky, Cooky... Ohhhhhhh, the Hokey Cooky Cooky... Ohhhhhhh, the Hokey Cooky, Cooky... Send text... Backtrack.... Ra Ra Ra....... (Or should that end Farce Farce Farce?)

Fact is that Berwick would more than likely have had the meeting on using their covers... Seems barmy to spend hundreds and thousands of pounds each year on riders whose names don't attract thousands, but nothing on a system that may help to do so over many, many years...