FAST GATER

What a great thing "hats off " off to you all

IMO there are two issues here starting and the riders after a false start with regard to the prolonged time wasting ,I eccept that the starts will never change now and we re stuck with this method .The area that needs to be addressed is the restart which seems to take for ever in most cases. There needs to be a crack down on ALL riders with regards to this and examples made whoever they are,unless broken straight back to tapes .If they are broken parked( not touched in ayway by mechanics ) ready to go the moment the tapes are pulled down and a 1min rule to be at the tapes ready to race the pit gate should remain closed at all times unless a rider is excluded fo him to leave the track.

1 No Thanks 2 YES 5 Yes but pay football wages otherwise un workable The rest seem fine but will never happen in speedway sadly

IMO the start of races is a key element in the entertainment value of the sport I don't want to see robotic starts one after another ,the tapes are as important to the sport as anything else .I dont want a lazer that has little visual appeal and would add nothing to the sport except cost ,if riders are at the start and trying to out wit their fellow riders it is better than leaning on the airfence while someone pretends to adjust their bikes .If it suited the powers that be tape touching would be reintroduced tomorrow whether we like it or not that is a fact as it happens all the time .It seems that most prefer gate and go and the risk of a top rider being excuded less lightly as they historically were the ones caught out and the underdogs gifted points at their expense .Many times you would see Mauger return to the pits after breaking the tapes, loved the rider but would often make a meeting more interesting happy days !!!

Sounds reasonable to me fair play to Chris for telling us from the horse's mouth as it were

Can't remember feeling the starts were drawn out just found it better than gate and go we have now just IMO but Iwould let the riders pick their own gates as well but the sport is thriving on these rules we have now so why go back .

YES tape touching is what's missing form speedway sadly I am on my own in this but I still love watching Mauger ,Olsen and CO starts of the 70's ,why not allow it in an open meeting and see how it pans out .I do think they need to tighten up on restarts for what ever reason I think Tai changed a wheel or gearing between starts at the British GP at the weekend .

Take the power away from those that have vested interest and use them as consutants as to the viability things with regard to the sport in general not there own personal gain .I have no doubt the Kelvin Tatum is not doing his bit to push the GTRout of the goodness of his heart but he is perseptive enough to realise that it is in the best interest of the sport to go down this road. With regard to Chis Harris he needs to make a choice whether he is going to be a pioneer ( great to hear PK is doing it but then there aren't many like him around) of the GTR or not .They need high profile riders to test and use the engine to get the best feed back and give it credibility prehaps Tai might have his conscience pricked after his out burst with regard to team GB and really would help the cause . With regard to cost of riders I really don't care whether I see a GP rider or not in the league as my preference is PL racing anyway but the main thing is that it is close and not one rider half a lap ahead or to seperate races in one as it were.

Thanks Phil for clearing things up

What is the truth then was anyone offered a GTR or payment to ride one ?

IMO the GP's are detrimental to the British leagues in a multitude ways not least destroying weekend speedway meetings, which affects the attendance levels for people with children .If riders are in the Gp's we should cut them loose and have riders that want to ride in our leagues ,It would not be bother whether there is a big name in a meeting or not I am more interested in the quality of the racing .It may well be possible to have an engine like the GTR then and leave Tai and Co to waste money( forgot he has PJR at his beck and call) on rocket ship engines that only three riders in the world are capable of riding .Cost must be cut and riders being able to compete on a level plainfield with reasonable costs that allow them ALL to make a living and produce a good product rather than gate and go may the best engine (tuner) win.

My own thoughts on he GP was that the track held up well as others have said gate 1 was a huge advatage early on and it was nice to see a surprise winner of the final.Have been on and off for the last 10yrs but felt that it was a little flat last night can't quite put my finger on it but felt last year was a better event .Think the title isTai's to lose but I hope he is made to work for it and his rocket ship bike dosn't give him too much of an advantage .

Spot on could not agree more seems obvious to me what's need but I don't have a vested interest in not changing things. It's heading that way at F1 speed at the moment sadly

i have to say I thought the Bees would win this one and they did by about the margin I had in mind,Wolves would appear to of had a bad night at the office with Freddie and PK scores leaving a lot to be desired .Freddie has been poor all season by his standards and I think that his ability to be a an EL number one is in question but PK overall ahs been scoring well and has increased his starting average .Was PK on the GTR last night or a GM ,maybe his crossing over of machinery( if he is using both engines in a match) may effect his scoring because he has only had a couple of really poor scores this season.For the BEES Harris would appear to of ridden a stormer but on his next visit may score far less and IMO he was the difference in the teams last night and well done him and the Bees on a great away win .

Are we on the verge of another comeback by Kelvin seems to be putting a lot of time in the saddle or is it purely for testing purposes, fifty one maybe pushing even for him but maybe Peter Karlsson's form this year has inspired him.

Would it be great to have a track like this indoors 52 weeks of the year ( I am only dreaming because of the cost) the sport would open up to a whole new fanbase no rain off's and decent facilicities and less problems with the noise police .

The whole thing sounds positive and can only be good for the sport well done all involved I am the first to have ago at the powers that be but on this occassion I take my hat off to them .I am looking forward to the GP and the track can only be better for this extra effort that has been put in .

Prehaps they are all using GTR engines to prove they dont need the overtuned rocket ships to have a great meeting

No better rider to develop it IMO hope his form will encourage all the doubters of merits of this engine and what is trying to be created here ,looked fast and easy to control though some of that is no doubt down to the most experienced rider in the EL.

I think that all the riders did their best last night in what looked like very tricky conditions ,I thought Well's rode better as the match went on and was lucky( if I was going to fall off I would prefer PK following) to get away with his fall in ht15.Freddie was disappointing but has been all year by his standards ,PK continues to defy his age Musielak will become an excellent rider once he contains his youthful exuberance but is great to watch .

Music to my ears

Short term loss for big long term gain got to be worth it and surely if they can legislate for the change of helmet covers and dirt diflectors they can do the same for engines which might actually help the sport .

Why should they be if they are made as complete engine rather than a kit in standard form why should it be illegal ,we have to think out of the box here and end the tuning to death of engines to the point that they are too powerful and unrideable on some tracks if not most.The riders need to have confidence in their bikes to ride with out fear of it taking them through the fence, Phil said that Tai's bike( World Cup raceoff) was so highly tuned about three people in the world could ride it .Do we really want that in our sport I for one want it to stop now and let's hope this is the end of the" Tuning Fest " that has engulfed our sport .

I think the idea is to stop them from the point of view of the rules that's why the engine is being held back and being tested to the point that it meets the necessary creteria without being fiddled with in anyway by third parties other than to cheat .The best riders will in general win most of the time on a level plainfield just not by half a lap ,the only people this will affect long term are the tuners but that's life jobs/ trades disappear all the time sadly.

Handbags and rough and tumble great for speedway and no one got hurt that's the main thing I am looking forward to the British GP and they both probably got a bonus from the promotion last night.