waiheke1

Squad system with teams having a gp and none gp rider to cover their number one position? Potentially the increased criwds to offset the extra cost? With one sky fixture per week on monday still?

Just thought I should point out that oldace's post wasn't actually an example of sarcasm, rather it was a play on words. Not sure if that makes oldace more or less intelligent/wittt, but I found it funny anyway

I remember a few years back in nz, one of the kiwi cricketers (adam parore) was accused of pronouncing his OWN surname incorrectly!

How much of the wembley atmosphere was also driven by the fact that it was world final night - not part of the gp series? While I am a big advicate of the gps, they cannot replucate the tension of the one off final. I agrre with other posters, it would be madness to move the gp from cardiff.

Except one was on his home track racing pre dominantly against reserves and second strings, the other way away racing predominantly against heat leaders - not really a valid comparison is it?

I'd be bitterly disappointed if stead (or king) scored less than eight points, and happy to bet you 50 quid that stead scores more than four.But the same could be said about pretty much any of the candidates. Reasons I would not have picked stead: Cook - younger, brit final runner up, more potential, averaging about the same from the much tougher hl slot. Was disappointing at cardiff BUT only going to cone up against three gp standard riders ar kl. Lambert - half his age, home track, averaging not much less Lawson - younger and averaging a point a meeting more Bridger - over five years younger, averaging more despite some time in hl slot Barker - over five yesrs younger, 3rd in british final. Nothing against stead, I think he will score +/- 2 points of any of those. And if he scores a dozen points and britain win I will admit I was wrong. But surely when there is very little difference between riders at the current time, and very little to lose the selection should at least consider the future.

Being pedantic, there wasnt a heat 15 in 87 and knudsen/tatum rarely rode in heat 13 together that season.

An english gp at the new national stadium when built would surely work. Only seat 13000 so unlikely to impact too much on cardiff, and you could probably price at 50 quid a ticket and sell out? Attract northern fans gor whom cardiff is too far/costly to trsvel. Dont see why it would require a "massive outlay" as phil described it, you'd just be hiring a purpose built track for a eeekend and putting up temp seating. No roof, but how msny wet meetings have been held st vojens for example and still been completed ok. Really dont see any downside?

Tai 20 more

pc and mort for me. Statistically its got to be the danish pairing of hans and Eric. The moran brothers were great to watch together for usa or sheffield. And the collins/grahame combo for cradley and jorgensen/miller at coventry decent shouts. But for team riding, understanding, consistent brilliance in heat 13 and sheer spectacularness to watch nothing can beat collins and morton round hyde rd.

If you want to attract a younger crowd, then im not sure print ads are the way to go. Social media advertising could be done effectively, for free or at a very low cost.

Tai guested a bit earlier in the season, actually came in for criticism for it I believe, because from memory he had been mentioning heavy workload on one hand and taking guest bookings at the same time.

Very enjoyable meeting I thought, with some excellent racing, though to me it lacks the tension and excitement of the gps. It's even going to be screened on sky in nz next week!

The gap between heats is unavoidable - though could be reduced. What speedway needs to do is fill that gap with entertainment of some sort - just as say t20 has entertainment between overs, or sevens rugby does between games.

It becomes the fans problem though if riders leave the sport because they cant afford to race, or have to race on sub standard equipment because they can't afford decent kit. Look at the criticism tai has received for not having top quality engines in the uk. I dont disagree with trying to reduce the number of riders missing meetings, but I think a better way is to have set race nights for the different leagues.

Ffs noone is saying put garritty or Kerr or blackbird in thefour. What they are saying -repeatedly- is that youngsters should have been used for slots 7-10 in the squad. The only youngster touted as a possibility for the four is lambert for the kl meeting only, where tbh he potentially could do as well as anyone bar tai.

Larsen 200 more

That's not the point. People aren't saying they should be in the four/five (except maybe lambert for the kl meeting).They are saying there are 3 or 4 slots in a ten msn ssquad for riders who are clearly not going to get a race, so why not give those spots to riders of the future rather than riders who are not, and arguably never will be, international clsss.

Re-read drop a cog's post. Do you think that is really the width of the track they are planning to build? If you answer "yes" then you have won an amazing prize. Please send me ten thousand quid as a processing fee, and the prize will be sent immediately. Congratulations!

No

Tai Zagar Kk Batch Playing catch up so for bonus: Harris to make final

On form, probably r worrall is the only one you can query, but he is young and with plenty of kl experience. The likes of lawson and stead are probably in the top ten brits on form, but surely spots 7-10 should have been picked on basis of potential.

End of the day they are running a business. Your standard local business won't publish their turnover figures, overheads or profits, why should a speedway club? Some sports do have a salary cap, but there are enforcement issues, and tbf with the points cap speedway has an even better mechanism for ensuring a level playing field. Have they really got too greedy? In any industry workers will try to earn the market rate. If employers wont match their expectations, they need to accept a lower offer or take work elsewhere. If employers offer more than they can afford, they only have themselves to blame.

Tbh I would probably have left out lawson too and had both. Realistically the four is going to be tai harris and they two from barker Bridger king and cook, unless we went with lambert at kl. So why not fill the remaining spots with the riders who are the future?

In a ten man squad surely they could make room for the likes of r lambert and garrity. No disrespect, but why put a thirty something second string like stead in?