Dave_minall

Phil - Sounds absolutely amazing - From what I saw the track looked very dry in pictures - I assume with the added heat they'll be prepared enough to keep the dust down? I am aware that we have 5 days left to go, before anyone says anything.

I was half way through reading this and I thought to myself 'why does this not surprise me' then I realised it was tongue in cheek.

But it's raising awareness of the sport, which it so desperately needs. There obviously has to be something in it for Monster to become the main sponsor? Surely the figures are huge and either way it will only do the sport some good.

It does indeed sir

Monster is massively influential to younger people - that's where they have the edge over rival companies such as red bull and relentless. Monster has this 'aura of cool' about it, it's a different marketing spin on the other 2 companies - trust me it'll bring lots of younger people into speedway, providing they market it correctly of course.

This is the reason I'm so excited about this. You only need to look at other sports that they have helped to see what a difference it has made. Trust me when I say, at the end of 2012, we will have an audience much, much larger than today, and the average age of supporters will plummet, which we so desperately need.

I drink Monster, I love the stuff. The green one is by far the best.

What I'm talking about is the (albeit rare) situation where a channel over-runs it's slot and they are forced to put the rest on a red button showing. If you're not in and watching to physically record it, you've missed the end of a meeting. It has happened to me before.

Just because you are unaware of it does not make it as unknown as you think. Ask anybody between the ages of 12-28 and I guarantee you 95% of them know of the brand and how popular it is. If anything this will raise the awareness of speedway and do it's popularity oodles of good. Edit: What I meant to say was raise the awareness of speedway to a younger generation.

This is making this years' GP sound even more exciting. Look at the various sports where monster has had an influence, and look at how they've improved from a spectator perspective since their involvement. It's HUGE for our sport. Roll on the first USA GP!

The problem with the red button is that some sky+ or skyHD subscribers would otherwise miss this if they were recording the show. It's impossible to record a red button showing.

Maybe it's worth adding an extra section on the forum for topics that constantly keep popping up? we could add in: Which is better, the Grand Prix or the One Off World Final? The New Silencers are rubbish and we all hate them Nigel Pearson is a terrible commentator and probably an awful person The Elite League is too weak nowadays Charlie Webster - Which would you prefer, eye candy or informed interviewer? If anyone has any other suggestions, answers on a postcard. NB: None of the suggestions above are of my own opinion, but from what I've noticed on these forums .

AJ all the way for me!

Click here for the article: http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20111213#pg43

the 2nd dullest I think sir. I mean come on, let's kick a ball between 2 posts and if anyone so much as breathes on us we have to fall over and cry.

As an addition to the world cup, this would be awesome. As a replacement, noooooooo

Well this would suck. The reason the current system works so well is that there is no team riding, and it makes for better racing (4 riders going for 1 patch rather than 2x2 riders going for 2 patches) yes speedway is predominantly team based and we all know that, but this is now an individual team based competition, and in my opinion provides the best racing of the year. I love the world cup, it's my highlight of the year and I think that it'd be silly to alter this now so drastically after years and years of development. Yes there are weak teams, but that's their problem. Maybe the rounds should be reduced? Maybe there should be stricter qualifying criteria? I don't know, but I don't think the format needs to change, especially as drastically as suggested in the initial post.

Whilst this may be a very good point, Gollob has shown far more potential year in year out that he could go all the way than Holta ever did. How many times has Holta won the Polish championship for one? Can't really compare the 2 really in my opinion.

Regardless of talent or quality of machinery, I still think Rune will never be a world champion. I think if he was going to be he would have done it a while ago to be honest.

I do almost agree with this - it just may clash with having practice the day before. A very interesting idea though!

I just picture an old man saying "all you whippersnappers don't know speedway like I did back in the day" No offence but we live in 2011, these are the cards we have been dealt with. Love it or leave it. By leaving your opinion on how the 'old times were better' won't bring anything back. Just cherish your memories and stop trying to impose them on what speedway has become. In my opinion, I wouldn't change it for the world.

This has only become an issue since Poland introduced the '1 GP rider per team rule' so I can't see how what the riders earn is relevant - they aren't pulling out because the GP doesn't pay well, they're pulling out because the bulk of their league income is at risk if they ride in the GPs. If Poland never introduced the rule, this debate wouldn't exist. It's pretty simple.

Wouldn't work, and once again there is nothing wrong with the current system - it's factors outside of the GP that are having an effect. If poland didn't have the ridiculous 1 GP rider per team rule, this whole debate wouldn't exist. Don't blame the solution, blame the problem.

But it IS successful, look at it from BSI's perspective. We have qualification rounds and one final at a track and that is it - with the current format we have 12 rounds at huge stadia with big support at each, in the form of crowds and sponsors. Just because we have a year when 1 rule by one league has impacted on this years competition we get all and sundry claiming that 'the one off final was better' - at the end of the day, the current system lines the pockets of BSI nicely and because of this, that's the way it will stay. My issue is not with riders dropping out, as they've got every right to, My issue is people claiming that the current system is broken and that the one off world final is better. It just isn't.

My thoughts exactly. People don't like change you see, so they assume that the current era (or times gone by) are the be all and end all of speedway. Granted the oldest rider in the field won the championship won this year, but regardless of the skill or the age of riders, the GP will still continue to be an exciting product and will be for years to come.