chunky

I might just as well, because we can't get any sense out of you... You STATED that. Am I wrong?

That's YOUR opinion!

It was your opinion that I considered Michael Lee an "also-ran". That was clearly an opinion that was WRONG, as there is no fact behind that claim whatsoever.

That wasn't just aimed at Midland Red. You're still not getting it! Everybody has an opinion, that's fine. However, if you want your opinion to stand up against opinions to the contrary, then it is a good idea to use facts to support that opinion. Three World Championships, a silver, a bronze, plus a scintillating near-perfect display in the 2018 SoN Final are what some of us use to support the case for Tai. Saying, "I saw them both ride" does nothing. For years, I considered Simmo a better rider than Chris Morton. I saw them both ride many times, and from what I recall, Simmo had achieved more at the highest level. Last year, we were discussing the merits of both, and it was brought to my attention that Mort's achievements were actually superior - by quite a long way. It appears that I was using just the one season - 1976 - to cloud my judgment. I am grateful that somebody used FACT to support their claims, and PROVE to me that I was, in fact, WRONG. Yes, opinions CAN be wrong, as they cannot trump FACT.

It is also a fact that a GP series drastically reduces the luck factor. A series requires consistent performances throughout a whole season. Jerzy Szczakiel became World Champion after completing just six races. I have never claimed that was "luck", because he rode well on the night, but it was a lot easier to win a World Championship by having one good meeting.

They don't get it, do they?

Correct; Pocking. Vojens was in 88 and 94 - the very last World Final. I just thought it hilarious that this thread was about a recent meeting at Vojens, and when asking about World Finals that still had a track, Vojens wasn't mentioned!!! Do they still race at Pocking? Edit : Just checked, and Pocking is still active, so there is another one. Steve

Um, Vojens???

Using facts to substantiate an opinion is vastly different from using baseless opinions to substantiate an opinion...

Strange, isn't it? I haven't heard you whining constantly this year about how Madsen was "spoon fed a place without earning it". If you think Tai was "lucky", then that same criticism can be levelled at EVERY wild card. By winning the title when he was entered as a wild card, it proves that they were right to pick him, and that he WAS worthy of a place in the field. Steve

I don't disagree with you on that, but modern sport seems to be littered with wildcards. For me, the big problem with the old system was that there was no consistency, and everyone had different routes and a different number of meetings. I'm not sure, but I think there ,may have been some kind of rule in place. Of course, it was very different from previous years, with the first four from the British Final making the World Final... Steve

The thing to remember is that : In order for Tai to become World Champion, he had to compete in 12 meetings (the same as everybody else). In order for Egon Muller to become 1983 World Champion, he had to compete in 5 meetings (fewer than some) In order for Ole Olsen to become 1978 World Champion, he had to compete in 2 meetings (fewer than most) In order for Jerzy Szczakiel to become 1973 World Champion, he had to compete in 1 meeting (fewer than anyone else) Steve

Bur remember, ALL the riders back then were so much better than today's...

I hated him, and thought he was a psycho tw*t, and what he did was terrible. However, we can't change history, and he was a great rider.

Wish people felt that way when talking about Carter, but no, we're not supposed to mention him...

Which is pretty much what I said. Yet according to Sidney, that means I classed him as an also-ran...

And he has qualified every year since...

We know that the media has never been reliable or consistent, and they just choose what they want to - or don't want to - cover, without there being any valid reasons. We have to ask ourselves this : Is the current state of British Speedway responsible for the lack of press and media coverage? Is the lack of press and media coverage responsible for the current state of British Speedway? Are the two inexorably connected, or is it just coincidence? Even leaving aside our old friend Dave Lanning's contributions, we had the Sunday Mirror World Championship, results posted in the Daily Mirror, the Daily Express Spring Classic, the LBC Dons, results announced on Radio Luxembourg, team lineups posted in the London Evening News, the Yorkshire TV Trophy, and plenty more. So, why???

That is slightly unfair, particularly in regard to a team like Wigan. Speedway never caught on there, and there were only a few odd seasons, so it is not surprising that it remains largely unknown in the area. Having said that, you are correct in saying that enough is not being done by MOST clubs. Sad thing is, that was always the case...

Nobody is saying that there aren't crap tracks and crap meetings. Thing is, there ALWAYS were; it's nothing new! The problem is that so many people live in the past, and even though they THINK things were better in the "good ol' days", it wasn't always what we think it to be. The overall package was far better in the old days (certainly as far as British speedway is concerned), but that wasn't a result of the actual racing. I have a lot of old meetings and other footage, and although I still love watching it, I look at it, and realise (generally) that the racing was often very poor. Yes, the sport is very different from the sport I was raised on, but again, while it certainly doesn't feel the same, it doesn't mean that the racing is worse. Steve

Pity they didn't have all the Belle Vues running at the same time; you could have done three like that!

In the late 80's, all the southern NL teams promoted ad a whole. Not only was there a full page ad in Speedway Star, but they all gave discounts to ticket season holders at the other southern tracks. Okay, it wasn;'t a HUGE saving, but it was certainly enough to encourage me to take in some meetings I may not have otherwise. I am sure there were plenty of others too. There really is a value to working together... Steve

I didn't usually go to London tracks on a holiday! I did Hackney once, I think after Lynn and Ippo. Oxford was a usual morning stop, and I also did one when I headed north to Cradley and Wolves afterwards. Another time, I went from Milton Keynes to Canterbury. I just loved the variety...

Sad, isn't it? Made for some good Bank Holiday action! Steve

The keys to it - like I said - are "might well have been", and the actual longevity.