New SGP Format.

[IainB]

3 hours ago, AFCB Wildcat said:

I did remember a comment like that, so I skimmed back through it and nothing like that was said in any of Zmarzliks heats.

Do you mean heat 14 when Kurtz was chasing down Kvech for a lap? Kelvin said "I thought for a moment Kurtz was going to take the chance, but maybe now he's thinking why do it? 2 points will be better than none" ....

Chris then said during the replay, that Kurtz probably thought, I'm not going to hurt myself here, it's not worth it.

Not unreasonable in the circumstances, seeing that 2 points would keep him a point clear at the top of the leader board with a race to go, but ending up on his arse would relegate him to a LCQ position.

No different from a rider in the old style  world final not pushing for a win when 2 points would be enough to take the title.

During the meeting, Kelvin also said "you can't throw in the towel or cruise around in this format, because every point will earn you a better gate position"

Gate one was clearly dominant. Only two third places & one last, which was a retirement. 12 firsts & 8 second places, so clearly a huge advantage.

Having said that, you wouldn't bet against Zmarzlik in any gate! 

I don't get the comments saying that it's boring because he has no challengers. If it was Lambert or Bewley dominating in the same fashion, it would be a different story.

 

 

Yes, you're right, the question of is it worth it is probably a question a rider always asks himself when in close combat... I've never actually heard it said in commentary before though related to race format, so it's now an extra factor to not take a chance. 

Yes, Zmarzlik could and indeed did make it off the graveyard gate 3 twice. That was my point in this really that generally the "contenders" tend to make it off any gate when it's needed, I probably didn't articulate it that well though. 

And I'm sorry to say that I am one of those that is finding the GP series rather boring at the moment. There's nothing more I like better than watching a sportsman at the top of his game and Zmarzlik is certainly, head and shoulders, the best rider currently riding in the SGP series... but is he the best in the world is a question that's not really being answered... for me, just like when Tai won his championships with Emil not riding SGP.

 

Edited May 8 by IainB

[FAST GATER]

1 hour ago, IainB said:

but is he the best in the world is a question

BZ in general wins every race he needs to ,there are bound to be occasions when he gets beaten but  his main focus is the GP's that's quite obvious  .

[racers and royals]

23 minutes ago, FAST GATER said:

BZ in general wins every race he needs to ,there are bound to be occasions when he gets beaten but  his main focus is the GP's that's quite obvious  .

Sorry but i don’t think it’s obvious at all. Tuesday night in Sweden he was busting a gut and generally whether it’s Extraleague or Polish Championship he rides the same- always trying for 3 points.

[AFCB Wildcat]

On 5/8/2025 at 8:01 AM, IainB said:

Yes, you're right, the question of is it worth it is probably a question a rider always asks himself when in close combat... I've never actually heard it said in commentary before though related to race format, so it's now an extra factor to not take a chance. 

 

 

I'd say that risk v reward comes in to play whatever the format. Many times I've watched team speedway on TV, where a team are comfortably in front and sit on a 2nd & 3rd with the commentators saying "3-3's will do them all night long."

My point was that with this new GP format, it makes it more important to fight for every point than in last years format and the LCQ's are a lot harder to qualify from than the old semis.

I'll admit that 10th place qualification didn't sit right with me when it was first announced. Having seen how it works though, I prefer it to last years format.