waiheke1

By that definition speedway is in better health than it was in the 60s/70s when the host nation was guaranteed at least 4 places.... Fwiw im against wildcards for the qualifying rounds, though do understand that if no local qualifies the "top placed non qualifier" getting that spot (personally id have 4 regional based quarter finals -something like the old overseas, nordic and continental semi finals, followed by inter-conitinental/continental type round, with 8 from each progressing to the challenge (or 7+top ranked gp challenge non qualifier).

Are there two better candidates? Maybe it is unlikely, of the two i assume pawlicki would get it. Opening up a spot for Milik? In which case Hampel has to be considered unlucky, given his gp record, losing place due to injuries and form since.

So you say with any luck wildcards wouldnt go to two poles but then reccomend giving to the riders who finished fourth, which would mean two poles and two brits?

Lambert, Hampel, pawlicki likely candidates for the wildcard places? Kurtz milik Drabik maybe with a chance. Surely not Smoli given Huckenbeck has the local wc spot. Field for challenge about as strong as it could be, barring whichever 3 of the above miss out, and maybe Madsen/lebedevs. Congrats to cook. Esrly days for sure, but the challenge would seem his best shot of qualifying for 2019.

Fair point sid. Woffy cook Lambert would be my picks, Bewley next in line in case of injuries. And fwiw id agree with your proposed wc squad, apart from harris's display in gp qualifiers would probably see him get a spot ahead of Ellis. If there is a wc next year id imagine s worrall would get in ahead of both.

Woffy 10 more Cook 10 more Nki 10 more Zagar 10 more Holder 10 more Emil 10 more Doyle 50 less Pawlicki 10 more Hancock 10 more Lindgren 10 more

Lambert, Hampel, Milik likely candidates for the wildcard places?

World team cup squad?

Lindgren 50 more Woffy 40 more Zmarzlik 40 more Nki 20 less Dudek 10 less Holder 10 more Nicki 10 more Zagar 10 more Kk 10 more Thanks R&R

Thought he was rubbish for the Aces, probably on a par with Larry Kosta. If only Bammy had managed to sign Ermolenko instead of Ingels...

The greatest. RIP.

Disagree. Yes Dudek/zmarzlik/drabik are likely favourites. But im not sure janowski/pawlicki/smaktala would be. And imo nothing between nki/nicki, doyle/holder, emil/laguta and tai/cook. Britains 2nd choice pair would be at least as good as Russia's ( i would saycstronger) though someway short of denmark/australia/poland.

And promoters choose to hire them knowing they will need to compensate them in some way for the travel costs? If someone wanted me to work for them a nighr a week in a different country id expect my travel costs to be covered, either directly or via the wages i received.

T Rick?

Steve Finch was always impressive at the shay (and hyde rd). Remember a bunch of juniors who always looked decent in the 2nd halves (david clay?) but only gordon whittaker and michael graves from memory went on to much of a career. Gianni Famari i recall having one storming win and very little else

Im pretty sure i saw every Aces meeting at the shay from 81-85. Racing was decent though not as good as hyde rd, the banking is what stands out for me. From memory i only saw kenny carter beaten once at the Shay in that period in league matches, that was by PC (and on another occassion PC beat him only to be contriversially excluded). Aces had a decent record at the shay in that period, including a number of last heat victories. I also have on dvd a fixture from 85, after my all time favourite rider had changed sides, and the Aces copped a hefty beating on that occasion. Pc never met Carter in the golden helmet, though he did beat ian catrwight there in 78. Mort was beaten 2-0 by KC in 82. The only rider to beat KC at the shay in the golden helmet in the best of three format was Mike Lee.

Didnt starostin only represent USSR? And surely ranks behind Kuznetsov from that era?

Laguta ahead of Emil? Starostin ahead of Artem Laguta!?!

Isnt he taking over from Richard Clarke? And Richard Clarke bevoming "associate editor"? Didnt think Phil had been editor for a while?

Tai and Emil best value for me too. Zmarzlik decent value also. And add Zagar to the list of those whose odds are far too short.

Agree, it would not be as good as tge SWC. Has there been a speedway event in history which delivered such consistently good racing and exciting meetings as the SWC..its bewildering that its been ditched.

Like many totally underwhelmed. Pleased to see world pairs back but see zero reason why it had to be at the expense of the SWC. Id have run a one day final, old 21 heat format with conventionsl scoring. Top 4 pairs to semibfinals in which points are added to scores from heats. And then top two pairs to a final in which there are double points (6-4-2) to reduce the chsnce of the outcome being known before thevfinal, but still givibg advantage to team which has performed best over the meeting. If you wanted to make it a weekend of speedway, seed host to the final and have three 5 team qualifiers (30 heats) on tge saturday at one venue with top 2 from each to final

I think people are under rating KL. Poole leicester and belle vue imo look nailed on for the playoffs. But i yhink there is very littke between the other 5. KL have a top two as good as any, and arguably the strongest reserves. The only area they are lacking is 3rd HL, but Jorgensen could do ok, and arguably if your top two and reserves do the job you csn ger awsy with being weak in this area. Although i think swinfon will finish 4th, i do think KL are more likely to scrspe into the play offs than finish bottom, wheras many seem to hsve them lined up as wooden spooners.

I agree you cant look at averages in isolation to determine the strength of the league, as in anyvleague, regardless of strength, averages will tend towards a team average of 42. But when you have averages obtained in the same league, you certsinly can. So the PL setting a limit of 42.5 makes it stronger thsn if they set a lower limit. In fsct, based on averages the league this season is slightlycweaker than that which ended last season, but stronger than that which started it. Id disagree that top riders scoring more points indicates a stronger league. Id ecpect Puk, Holder etc to average more in the PL than in Poland, but clearly the polish top flight is a lot stronger.

But the averages are based on last season, using the sane format? If you set a limit of 42 or higher, and all teams build to that limit, the league should be stronger. Top end we've lost lindgren and bjerre and gsined puk and Vaculik. Not sure you can say thatvis weaker?