German Gp Wild Card Goes To Smolinski

[salty]

So in short, each GP is made up of the previous years eight, seven permanent Wild Cards and one host nation Wild Card. Most of the seven permanent Wild Cards would logically pick themselves

This system was tried a couple of years ago, but such was the outcry that the the qualifying system was re-introduced after just one year.

I'm afraid the seven permanent wild cards don't pick themselves, because the criteria for picking them isn't simply the next 7 best riders. Other factors like sponsors (Pepe a few years ago), nationality (as in the case of the Brits) and a punishment for talking out of turn (Andersen 3 years ago) have affected the decision making progress.

 

[Mr Bee]

This system was tried a couple of years ago, but such was the outcry that the the qualifying system was re-introduced after just one year.

I'm afraid the seven permanent wild cards don't pick themselves, because the criteria for picking them isn't simply the next 7 best riders. Other factors like sponsors (Pepe a few years ago), nationality (as in the case of the Brits) and a punishment for talking out of turn (Andersen 3 years ago) have affected the decision making progress.

 

 

Yes, silly me. I forgot Speedway doesn’t do anything logically does it? Constantly shoots itself in the foot time and time again. My idea would never work.

 

I would like to see those 7 other Wild Cards "logically" picked on a years hard graft, performance related lets say. Again I use Holder as an example of why he should be picked for next year. He has put in solid years work with results to match.

 

I haven’t got time to pick another 6 now, as I'm off out to watch a proper sport that does do things a bit more "logically".

 

 

[Subedei]

Was it? Doesn't time fly?

 

Yes it was. Yes it does.

Andersen was kicked out of the GP series at the end of 2005. He was "Wild Card" for the Danish GP and won it, was a "Wild Card" in Scandinavian GP at Malilla and featured in others as a replacement for the retired Tony Rickardsson. He did so well he ended up fifth overall in the standings, in spite of only riding in 6 of the events. And entered the qualification process and together with Wieslaw Jagus and Rune Holta entered the circus proper in 2007.

Here are the tables from the years in question, beginning with 2005:

 

http://www.speedwayworld.tv/en/sgpchamp

http://www.speedwayworld.tv/en/sgpchamp06

http://www.speedwayworld.tv/2007champ.html

 

[salty]

Yes, silly me. I forgot Speedway doesn’t do anything logically does it? Constantly shoots itself in the foot time and time again. My idea would never work.

 

I would like to see those 7 other Wild Cards "logically" picked on a years hard graft, performance related lets say. Again I use Holder as an example of why he should be picked for next year. He has put in solid years work with results to match.

 

I haven’t got time to pick another 6 now, as I'm off out to watch a proper sport that does do things a bit more "logically".

In a pefect world I can see a lot of merit for your idea, but unfortunately commercial considerations mean the picks aren't done on ability alone.

 

[Subedei]

Qualifiers or nominated, they're still going to be cannon fodder.

People decry the qualification process and say that it provides "weak" riders, but on the whole since the re-introduction of qualifiers they've performed better than the nominees. Look at the riders nominated since then:

 

2006 Nominees

 

Global Superstar

Lee Richardson

Jaroslaw Hampel

Antonio Lindback

Niels-Kristian Iversen

Piotr Protasiewicz

Matej Zagar

 

Two of the above qualified by right for 2007 (Zagar and Hampel) and they were helped by the retirement of Mr Rickardsson.

 

2007 Nominees

 

Global Superstar

Chris Harris

Bjarne Pedersen

Antonio Lindback

 

One of the above qualified by right for 2008 (Global Superstar) and was helped by injury to Andreas Jonsson and Jaroslaw Hampel.

 

2008 Nominees

 

Chris Harris

Andreas Jonsson

Fredrik Lindgren

Krzysztof Kasprzak

 

Only one of the above looks like qualifying (Andreas Jonsson).

The Grands Prix circus consists of six riders, Andreas Jonsson (who seems content to faff around on the margins) and the cannon fodder.

Edited September 17, 2008 by Subedei

[Jacqueline]

18 Max Dilger

 

Today the FIM and IMG/BSI announced as the 2nd reserve rider Kevin Wölbert.

 

 

 

[iris123]

Today the FIM and IMG/BSI announced as the 2nd reserve rider Kevin Wölbert.

Ole Olsen finally makes a good decision All my emails were not wasted then

[schumi]

*coughs*

 

No surprise there then. But Max Dilger at reserve and no place for Kevin? As the newly crowned German Champion I'd have thought he'd have got the nod over the junior champ.

[lucifer sam]

I disagree entirely with your opinion as putting bums on seats has to be the priority, but you're right about Crump. He was the wild card for the British GP in '95. Aged just 19, perhaps we were trying to convince him to swap his flag?

 

In the opening years of the GP, the wildcard didn't necessarily come from the home country, especially when that country was already well represented. And believe it or not, but we had FIVE riders in the 1995 series. How times have changed.

 

All the best

Rob

 

[salty]

The Grands Prix circus consists of six riders, Andreas Jonsson (who seems content to faff around on the margins) and the cannon fodder.

I think one of the reasons for this is the change in format to a 20 Heat formula. Under the old system of eliminations throughout the meeting, it was 2 bad rides and you're out. The 20 Heat system whilst being fairer means that there is less chance of a freak result and consequently the best riders with the best backing are pulling clear of the rest.