Guest Joseph M Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 Last weeks meeting at Oxford, against Arena Essex had a nasty crash in heat 2 which caused us to loose Jaime Courtney for the rest of the meeting through injury. Henka Gustafsson had to take as many rides as he could to cover for the missing reserve. If teams were to have three reserves in every meeting the number 8 rider could fill in if a reserve or any other rider in a team can't ride in a race,or when r/r is in operation just like the reserves do at the moment. To make it fair the reserves race (heat 2) could be alterred so that the number 8 rider gets at least one ride in a meeting and the munber 8 should be a young british rider so that every team could have at least one home grown rider in a team. This is just an idea to stop us watching three rider races which are awful in my opinion, we pay are money to see four riders in a race not three. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 Even worse, Rye House finished heat 2 of last night's match at Hull with no reserves at all when Tommy Allen and Steve Boxall collided and were both injured. With the rules preventing additional reserves being drafted in, and in the absence of the traditional tac subs rule, the Rockets had no choice but to field one rider in no fewer than 5 races. I'm sure Hull wouldn't have objected if Luke Bowen or Harland Cook had stepped in for those races, but there was apparently nothing else to be done - a true farce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Meynell Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 If teams were to have three reserves in every meeting the number 8 rider could fill in if a reserve or any other rider in a team can't ride in a race,or when r/r is in operation just like the reserves do at the moment. The problem is that it would mean paying the travel costs of another rider, not to mention that riders might not be happy to travel for only one guaranteed ride. However, if you went to 8-rider teams, it would be possible to give the two reserves either two or three programmed rides, and which would give them more spare rides (4 or 5). I think you're always going to get the freak matches where reserves run out of spare rides due to a high number of injuries. I've seen matches where one team had only 3 fit riders by the end, and in these circumstances even three reserves wouldn't help much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shalewhale Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 The problem is that it would mean paying the travel costs of another rider, not to mention that riders might not be happy to travel for only one guaranteed ride. However, if you went to 8-rider teams, it would be possible to give the two reserves either two or three programmed rides, and which would give them more spare rides (4 or 5). I think you're always going to get the freak matches where reserves run out of spare rides due to a high number of injuries. I've seen matches where one team had only 3 fit riders by the end, and in these circumstances even three reserves wouldn't help much. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Kevin, am I right in thinking that in the Swedish EL, they are allowed a number 8 who has to be under 21 and can be used as a reserve at any time? Effectively giving them 3 reserves? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 Kev, a fair proportion of teams take along at least one junior for second half rides at away matches. Time was when Belle Vue took along a couple of 'track spare' bikes for emergencies too...but sadly no longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Meynell Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 Kevin, am I right in thinking that in the Swedish EL, they are allowed a number 8 who has to be under 21 and can be used as a reserve at any time? Effectively giving them 3 reserves? Yes, that's correct, although the No.8 rider is optional. The 3rd reserve was introduced (I think) last season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shalewhale Posted June 23, 2005 Report Share Posted June 23, 2005 Yes, that's correct, although the No.8 rider is optional. The 3rd reserve was introduced (I think) last season. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Cheers Kevin. Sounds like a plan then............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerTom Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 To keep costs down the home team could supply a couple of riders for both teams to use as requried. The two reserves would be named and used on a first come first served basis. It wasnt unheard of in the old days for an away team to use a local lad as one of their riders had broken down enroute! Obviously the two reserve riders in the wings are considered inferior to any of the home team riders or they would be riding for the home team. I'm sure lots of riders would be at the meetings anyway in the hope of getting out on the track after the meeting. Just a thought! Tom Marriott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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