Parsloes 1928 nearly

Easy question to answer. Hans Andersen in 2006. In form of his life twice won a GP as a 'wild card'... If he'd be in the tournament from the start would very likely indeed have been the champion.

Er, it was you not me earlier using F1 as a negative example... Make your mind up..!! So, notwithstanding that, you clearly believe that just because the massively hyped F1 series gets the TV viewing figures it does, that this instantly means it must by definition be far better than Speedway do you..? I think there are many of this Forum who'd disagree with that.. But if you do think that fair enough... Go and watch that sport then!! Glad to see btw, that you have to resort to nonsense again to keep your end up... World Finals watched by "500 people"..!!

Yes that's from the 1972 WF when Olsen was very unforunate not to defend his title. My memories of Olsen are though mainly like yours, that he was a supreme gater - as in '75 when he did triumph at Wembley. But love him or hate him (and I was in the latter camp) there's no question he was one of the greatest of all time... Indeed reluctantly I have to put him in second place in my own list of greatest riders of all time ...: behind (no, not Buzz..!), behind the matchless Peter Collins..

Er, when have I EVER defended F1 or suggested that is in any way something to defend..! On the contrary what's fundamentally wrong about the SGP is it's trying to be like F1 which is a MASSIVE step backwards..

Er, well 5 or 6 minutes DIDN'T produce a World Champion as they had to get to the WF in the first place... But yes, they were cut throat and sudden death... But do you know what, that's what sport (especially high speed sport...) is all about.. One slip and you're out... Try asking Usain Bolt about that... At the end of the day in sport there are 'league' type events and there are sudden death ones... In Athletics they too have a GP series and one is champion of that by proving consistency but funny enough the titles most remembered and most coveted and most high presitge are the sudden death ones...

No - you just choose to pick and choose from the arguments I make. If you look back to the references to the likes of the FIFA World Cup and Wimbledon I'm talking about them being KNOCK-OUT competitions as opposed to leagues... Do you understand the difference..?!!

Yes and the old Word Final guaranteed home representation too... But none of these nit-picking and entirely obvious points are actually a DEFENCE of the system used in the SGPs which as I say you can like as much as you want, but is clearly deeply flawed from the purity of a proper World Championship point of view...

Well it's not though is it, because proper World Championships or similar major championships like the FIFA World Cup, the World Athletics championships, the Olympics, Wimbledon Tennis etc. are based around qualification and then in progress, are KNOCK-OUT.. This is what the World Speedway Championship USED to be like... Now it's not; and you're correct in your allusion, it's become more like a league and one in which there's limited relegation. Fine if you're happy with that of course, but at least acknowledge that there's been a massive change and that for some it's NOT been a change for the better...

Er, yes I know but tell us Humph after how long did they ditch this idea...: one which favoured Snaresbrook's finest, the Wanderers..?!

Yes it's obviously 'easier' to have to finish in the top 11 of 15 then it is to go through a series of qualifiers... It's taken as read that one's of a particular standard in the GP so one's not in general going to out of one's depth.. Though equally there's always at least two riders with very little chance of competing at the necessary level making keeping out of the bottom four (which is all one in reality needs to do..) all the more 'easier'.. Bryn has summed it up completely. People can defend the GP system and that's their right but it's unquestionable that others (and you don't get in fandom more senior and respected than the sainted Mr. Williams..! ) are going to question the facts about riders being selected and then the way in which the status quo is constantly maintained as opposed to alternative systems which don't have those things inherent within them.. Think FA Cup (I'm sure Bryn must've seen his footballing hero Sam Bartram in the old Third Round tie!! ): suppose the Cup Finalists from one year were seeded directly to the semis of the next year..! It's the equivalent of that!!

You can't just make comments like this and expect to get away with it. Bryn is 100% right in quoting the figures he does...: it's an absolute fact that it's significantly easier to have to finish in the top eight (and history shows finishing 9th. & 10th. is good enough too...) out of 15 than it is to negoiate rounds to grab three or four slots... And what on earth you mean in your normal withering way, by your second comment I've no idea..

Bryn: I think on this you have every right to be classified as a "greater mind" and I 100% agree with you!!!

Hmm, a fairly small part of history really...! Though can imagine Martin Dugard might dine off it!!

Blimey, I remember when Whizzer and Chips came out! I was just a lad then but crickey Ken - you must have left school and have been in work by then!!

Ha, ha, ha - what a hoot... Headline in today's Star, '2012 too soon for Scott'... Too soon..?! Bloody hell...: too late is how I'd describe it; and our Scotty clearly lives in fantasy land if he thinks he'll be offered another chance in 2013... Well unless all the top riders give up on the event...!

Er, but we've already had a year when a rider (Loramski, bless 'im! ) won the world title without ever winning a GP...

So forgive me but what exactly is the POINT of winning an indiv. GP..?

Surprised no-one's mentioned PC (the second PC this is!) and his incredible performance at the White City in the 1977 Inter-continental Final. No rider has ever been greater at his peak than Peter was then... What a tragedy that days later a drain cover smashed up his leg and denied him a second World title...

Well this is indeed the clinching point... I somehow think our Johnnie who wasn't exactly reticent throughout his days just MIGHT have mentioned it, don't you..?!

Hmm, well that's a slightly ambiguous comment. WTC type racing in the 4TT format is individual racing in each actual heat... Pairs is as it says on the tin, is two riders together from the same 'team' and thus more in line with what you say is the true spirit of the sport, team riding... Oh for a competition like the World Series (or whatever it was called...) of 1973... Now THAT would be a proper World Cup!

Hmm, define "outside world"..?! Speedway barely exiss at all to the 'outside world'... Unlike when Briggo beat Geoff Hurst to second place in BBC Sports Personality of the year in of all years 1966 and ten years later PC's world final win was back page main headline news in the Daily Mirror Sure that IS ancient history but it's "nonsense" (your word not mine!) to somehow make out that the SGPs have placed Speedway higher up in the national consciousness..!

Hmm, funny how there appears to a common thread in so many of these postings....

Er, so how could/would they be able to predict any meeting he rode in which might lead to him getting injured..?! And GPs clearly DON'T take priority as they've withdrawn him from the lot!!

To me the World (Team) Cup is the only proper World Championship we have left in the sport and always, as TMW says, produces great racing, well-supported meetings and exciting championship action. To lose such a long-standing event would be a tragedy for the sport.. I LOVE the idea though of the World Pairs returning - but this woud HAVE to be to supplement the international calendar alongside the World Cup and NOT to replace it...

Hmm, maybe.. But he (like any other rider) can get injured at any time... Indeed more likely I'd suggest in league racing than in the GPs... I imagine there's no restriction put on him to prevent him riding for Poole or in another domestic league (eg Sweden) - so why pick on the GPs..? Seems daft too coz I know how much they idolise their riders at Torun... Wouldn't the fans lap up Darcy doing well in the GP series (even winning it.. ) and wouldn't that in return increase crowds..?