A Two Horse Race Already?

[Subedei]

It's early days, I know. Only 2 grands prix raced. But already Jason Crump and Tony Rickardsson have pulled quite a bit in front of everyone else. The current standings are as follows:

 

TONY RICKARDSSON ---- 45 points

Jason Crump ---- 43 points

Leigh Adams ----33 points

 

Is this going to be a 2 horse race for the crown?

[jill]

i hope so with crump winning it again !!!

[iris123]

What about a lot of people's tip,Gollob?.All saying this will be his year,back on proper tracks,better system for him.......

[Subedei]

Mine included iris123. But he doesn't look to have the power and - realistically - there looks like no way back for him this season. He must be at least 30 points behind Rickardsson and that's way too much. Time the folk hero accepted that one man and his brother bands aren't going to win any more.

Edited May 29, 2005 by Subedei

[iris123]

Wasn't aimed at you,or anyone in particular as i can't remember who tipped him.I bet Rico was one though.But it does seem he is rather struggling this year,in the league a bit as well.Pity really,that a great speedway nation like Poland only has one WC to it's name,and that being one of the worst of their "best" riders.Think his best chances are behind him and maybe he will look back on his decision not to ride more in Britain as a big mistake.

[Subedei]

I didn't think your post was aimed at me or anyone, but a genuine question regarding the eclipse of one of the fancied runners. I'll keep faith and put a few of my credits on him, but I can't even see him winning Bydgoszcz at this rate.

I think he's been left behind by the more professional attitude of Rickardsson, Crump and a host of other riders. He's still got the talent and there's time left for him, but I think he needs a new approach and more power from his engines.

 

Edit:

 

And, in fairness, I guess his own post-mortem on the first 2 grands prix, would include rather rotten draws. Maybe in Krkso he'll find himself with a better draw.

Edited May 15, 2005 by Subedei

[Midnight Blue]

i hope so with crump winning it again !!! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Hope so with Trick winning again!

[AndyM]

If they'd won three GPs each, you could rightly call it a two-horse race. As it is, there are 7 to go and plenty of time for anyone to win. It's a marathon, not a sprint - all Trick and Crumpie have done is given themselves a head start on the rest.

[iris123]

They are just the riders you don't want to give a head start to though

[home straight]

It still is very early days, but I think the winner will come from those two. It seems that its incredibly important to make the finals this year and therefore my favourite is TRick, all things being equal he will make more finals than Crump, and go on to equal Mr Mauger's long standing record.

[Subedei]

Gollob, Tomasz: The move towards more permanent tracks should benefit Mr Gollob, although, as I have stated before, his disappointments in 2004, save for Bydgoszcz, came on the permanent tracks he usually adores. Mr Gollob looked down on power, especially at Krsko, however, a mooted change to GM machinery should provided the Polish legend with more power and a good chance of his first world title.

 

Well, those were my pre-season thoughts on the Gollob.

 

It still is very early days, but I think the winner will come from those two. It seems that its incredibly important to make the finals this year and therefore my favourite is TRick, all things being equal he will make more finals than Crump, and go on to equal Mr Mauger's long standing record.

 

Yes, it is early days. But with this scoring format it looks very easy to pull out a big gap. And I'd go for Crump and TR to make most, if not all, of the finals. They are also the 2 riders who can pull something that little bit special out of the bag in a final.

Edited May 15, 2005 by Subedei

[Rico]

I bet Rico was one though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Definitely guilty !

 

His performances in the GPs this season have been a major disappointment for me and doubtless his other numerous admirers. He's had one or two bad meetings in the league, otherwise it's been normal service. He definitely looks down on firepower, whether that's just his machine or missing some fire in his belly time will tell.

 

I'll be very sad the day Tomek is not in a GP. A kickstart in Krsko sounds good though - just please lets have a track with a load of dirt on it.

 

Rico

[Subedei]

But will dirt help him if it's his engines rico?

Krsko had plenty on last year and the great man struggled. He was making pretty decent starts as well, but people like Bjarne Pedersen were passing him. Krsko's a power circuit with, or without dirt.

According to champion in the Polish Results section, Gollob's 3 wins today for Tarnow came on brother Jasek's machine. Time to borrow Jacek's machines for a grand prix?

[Guest big fan]

Its not just between them2!! there is 7 more gps to go and im sure that there will be a few surprises yet!!

[Rico]

But will dirt help him if it's his engines rico?

Krsko had plenty on last year and the great man struggled. He was making pretty decent starts as well, but people like Bjarne Pedersen were passing him. Krsko's a power circuit with, or without dirt.

According to champion in the Polish Results section, Gollob's 3 wins today for Tarnow came on brother Jasek's machine. Time to borrow Jacek's machines for a grand prix?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am hoping for a track that favours the brave, willing to go round the boards. Not a one line track where everyone is hanging off the fence. Would suit Tomek and AJ (as well as tRick and Crump) down to the ground.

 

Semi final minimum please from Tomek.

 

Rico

[Col]

It certainly seems as though Crump, Rickardsson, N Pedersen & Adams are a class apart.

[sjw ministerofport]

Tony and Jason are by far the best two GP riders in the world whats wrong with them being in front of the field. The better they are the better the better the young guns will have to be to dethrone them, it make take a year or two but it will surely happen.

I do wish though that the semi finals carried points to slightly lesson the gap.

And as for the new system its so much better, just imagin if Jason and Tony got to the last GP final with just a few points between them any of the heats they had dropped points in would come back and haunt them.

I also think that letting the top scorers from the heats before the semi's have the choice of gate for the final adds more to the over all excitment.

[pugwash]

If Rickardsson continues with his present form it will soon be a one horse race, he is miles quicker than anyone else by far and Crumpy is very forunate not to be 12 points behind already expect this series to be over by Bydgoszcz.

[Subedei]

And as for the new system its so much better, just imagin if Jason and Tony got to the last GP final with just a few points between them any of the heats they had dropped points in would come back and haunt them.

 

Only if they don't make the final will they be haunted by points dropped in the heats. And if one makes the final and the other doesn't, it's a done deal.

[Subedei]

If Rickardsson continues with his present form it will soon be a one horse race, he is miles quicker than anyone else by far and Crumpy is very forunate not to be 12 points behind already expect this series to be over by Bydgoszcz.

 

I'd say that Crump hasn't quite found his form so far this season. But his will to win is phenominal and means his statistics don't look that bad. He's averaging over 10 in the Elite League and is only a couple of points adrift in the GPs. And he pulled it out of the bag in the re-run on Saturday. TR's riding like a man possessed at the minute, but TR suffered a mid-season indifferent patch last season and it cost him dear. Don't write off Crump just yet.