AFCB Wildcat

The proposal was standard, balloted engines. Nothing to say they can't be GTR. In fact it could save the GTR's becoming the doorstops that they currently are!

A season long GP style series to fill in some of the fixture gaps we currently have would be great. I'm sure riders would be keen to prove that they can compete with the best on a level playing field and put themselves in the shop window for attracting sponsors and advancing their careers. As you say though it will rely on a major sponsor to supply and maintain the balloted engines. Good luck with the project I hope it's a success.

I absolutely agree with you 100%. I'm just going on the words of Josh Auty and Steve Worrall in the Star. On the front page Auty is quoted as saying the spiralling cost of stuff for riders to compete and be on the ball is phenomenal but in the article he says the riders would "throw out" the idea of standard engines because of the reasons stated. I'm sure it's not insurmountable if the will is there but I'm not sure how a migration period would work?

The riders will stop it. Although they accept that the cost to stay competitive is spiralling and standard engines would resolve this they have too much money invested in their current engines which is what scuppered the GTR project. To quote Steve Worrall in this week's Star. The engines they've spent thousands of pounds on would now be merely "propping the workshop door open"

Well, reading the Star it seems like the meeting was a success. Close racing, bikes were safer and only a fraction slower than the GM's. Introducing the engines would reduce costs and improve the product but the riders won't buy into it because it would make the kit they've invested in so heavily worthless so a bit of a catch 22 situation unfortunately.

I agree with you that team speedway at top level in its current format isn't working but a 16 man GP series wouldn't produce enough meetings for either riders or clubs. I would retain the team speedway in the top flight but in a 4 team tournament format with 4 man teams and a reserve like the old world cup format run alongside the GP series you suggest. Maybe less fixtures would attract some of the big names back and increase quality? I know people will bemoan the loss of team riding (which is virtually extinct anyway) but what we have now isn't working so change is needed in my opinion. If teams still lack fixtures they can enter National league sides to bring on the next generation as I think this still works in its current format.

Talking of engines then, what is the engine in Eddie Kennett's bike shown on the front cover of this weeks Star? In the feature photos in the inner pages he's on a GM but I don't recognise the one on the cover.

Likewise, I had an excellent weekend too and the weather was the icing on the cake. We flew out Thursday morning and back to Bournemouth on Sunday so had a couple of days to explore before the meeting. Will definitely go again but will choose different seats next time. We were at the end of the start line straight by the first bend and with everyone leaning forward our view of the starts and the run to the line were obscured so will probably opt for one of the bends next time. I was a bit surprised on how low key the event was in the city with no merchandising or large gatherings of fans before the meeting like Cardiff but was impressed with the Metro system which made getting to and from the Stadium from the city centre and back to our hotel a doddle. The meeting itself was a slow burner but some decent racing later on so all in all had a good time and look forward to the next one.

Prague this year was my first GP other than Cardiff and yes you're right Steve, it's a great opportunity. Cheap flight from my local airport and 3 days in a beautiful city with lovely weather as a bonus after weeks of cold and rain at home! :-)

I didn't suggest you did. I was just pointing out why people criticise the format as you said you couldn't understand why in a dismissive type way. It looks like BSI, FIM are finally happy with the format now anyway as they've not tinkered with it for a while.

But just because in your opinion it's perfect doesn't mean it's not worthy of discussion, it's a discussion forum after all. The discussion arose by someone questioning how Leon Madsen can win a GP when he's won one race all night. Seems a fair point to me. You've got a guy at the top of the podium spraying champagne when he's finished well down the standings and only won the last race. The bizarre scenarios were only to point out that if the winner on the night took maximum points then it would be possible to become World champion with a far inferior points tally to a rival and the other side of the coin is that currently steady Eddie could be world champion having not beaten rider B or C throughout the campaign where rider B & C have beaten Eddie every time they met. Unlikely I know but in either scenario could they be deemed the best rider in the world? Generally cream rises to the top whatever format but none are perfect. I liked the eliminator system but accept it wasn't ideal. Others would prefer a 20 heat format and you like the current format, that's great. I don't consider my opinion as more valid than anyone elses and don't consider anyone elses more valid than mine. If we all agreed there wouldn't be much to discuss which is surely the point of a discussion forum?

It was scored that way up until quite recently wasn't it? Then they changed it to normal points. I agree though, I would like to see it too.

I remember my first world final at Wembley in 1978 I think? Dave Jessup was the best rider on the night and an e/f cost him the title. At least with the GP format one bit of bad luck like that doesn't cost you the meeting. All formats have their merits and pitfalls and generally I think most people agree the current one is fairest to the overall result of the series. As I said before, I preferred the eliminator system as nobody scraped into the finals, they had to scrap to avoid a third or last place and the winner took all but I can see that it probably left riders out of pocket going home after only 2 rides. I personally wouldn't want to see the GP run over just 20 heats but I just feel that winning the final has been devalued by the winner not taking maximum points. Good for sweepstakes & betting though! Does the winner get more prize money? or is it just payment for points? I guess if the winner takes the most money there's a point to it. Anyway, it is what it is. I think I heard Tai say that once lol.

Yes that's true but I don't think that 10 points would ever have won an old world final but the 140 points available without winning a single race would certainly win a GP series.

Theoretically under the current system you could go through the entire season without winning a single heat and still be world champion.

Yes, absolutely that's the reason and also the reason for the playoffs in the Premiership of domestic speedway but in the playoffs it's winner takes all regardless of the points scored over the season. I do get that the GP format takes away the injustices that the playoffs sometimes produce and I don't have a major problem with it but I just think it devalues winning the individual events if the winner doesn't take maximum points from the event. Also how often have we seen riders happy to follow the leader in the final as they have a sufficient buffer in the overall standings and only 1 extra point at stake to go for the win. I thought the double points final was at least some way of addressing this and rewarding the rider who won the final when the pressure was on.

But what did he actually win apart from a meaningless trophy? He finished 4th in the points standings which is all that matters. I think the current system devalues winning the GP and personally preferred the old eliminator system with A & B finals where points were allocated to your finishing position. The current system favours consistency over the series rather than out & out winners.

There is a free app called 'Speedway Programme' which was mentioned on here a while back. I installed from Google play store and have found it to be very good.

The guy was a legend. I remember him coming to Poole and must have been the only guy to be still wearing black leathers and riding a Jap mid seventies? He certainly took a few major scalps on it though. I remember him first getting on a 4 valve and getting his first coloured leathers which was a bit hairy to start with as he was proper old school but a great rider that's given me a lot of fond memories. R.I.P Colin

I tried booking the Pyramida both through booking.com and direct on their website last month but it said no availability for my dates :-(

But giving everyone a chance isn't what formula 1 is about is it? It's about building the best car. Major manufacturers aren't going to invest millions to gain an advantage only to have it negated by a ballot. There is Formula Ford & Renault where everyone has equal cars but the masses aren't interested in that as it hasn't got the kudos of F1. Quality of racing isn't important these days, it's all about branding & image like everything else these days. People who don't understand football follow teams just because they're Premier league but wouldn't watch lower league even if it was more entertaining football. Gifted musicians play in pubs and clubs while pretty boy karaoke singing dancers fill stadiums. Take the crocodile logo off a shirt and it's worthless. Unfortunately that's the world we live in these days. Speedway isn't fashionable in the UK and all the talk of getting an independent governing body running it, close racing and consistently applied rules which may please the few purists would do nothing to attract the masses needed to make it a commercial success. People like to attach themselves to success.

So if Poole start both meetings on minus 0.16 all is good and the credibility of the sport is restored! :-)

Lol, yes we know that rule just as well as we know Gavan's rule ….......... If Poole are missing riders they are stronger ............ If the opposition are missing riders they are weaker. Sounds a bit pot & kettle to me. Averages and past form mean nothing in the final, it a case of who turns up on the night.

I can't say I disagree with any of that but none the less it's devalued the final for me from something I was looking forward too to not being interested now. A chance for Poole to claim the moral high ground now and cancel Ellis's booking and ride with 6. Everyone would be supporting Poole then! ......... Wouldn't they? :-/

Thanks for your helpful advice, much appreciated. Flights and hotel booked now. Ryanair flying from Bournemouth from next year and £75 each return including priority boarding, cabin bag and chosen seats. Bargain! Cheaper than Cardiff by train :-)