2009 Fim Speedway Grand Prix Permanent Wild Cards And Rider Line-up Confirmed

[JohnPhelan]

The reason there are 2 Brits in the GP are for TV Reasons only..

 

You're half right. There'll always be 2 Brits to ensure the box office success off the British GP. Despite British League speedway's decline in importance, the British GP is still the biggest event in the World Championship calendar, and would not be so if no British riders were in the field.

 

 

 

[Gemini]

I appreciate that this is not a thread about Bomber but are there any Bees fans out there wondering why he rarely aknowledges his fans when returning to the pits? A simple wave or smile would surely endear more of his fans towards him?

 

I'm saying nothing 'cos I get into trouble for criticising riders who don't bother to acknowledge the fans. Perhaps there is just something about Coventry that makes them turn into miserable sods.

Martin Rogers had the best idea and knew how to treat his supporters. If a Leicester rider won, or they got a 5-1, he used to stand by the pits gate and not let them in until they'd done a victory lap.

[JohnPhelan]

Bomber deserves this year to try and prove himself, but Scott has been a failure year on year.

 

Utter tripe.

 

[T.N.T.]

Firstly, where Zagar gone?

Secondly, I love Chris Harris but what the hell?

I thought Zagar had already been confirmed as a Wildcard.....and Harris hadn't got one.

Bomber can count himself lucky to get in the 2009 Series as he has been poor this year with only 2 semi-final places and only 11 race wins all season.

 

Nicholls deserved his, he has been around the top 8 and proved a hanful in many of the rounds and is by far the best British rider around today.

 

 

the 2 brit wild cards should have been Kennet and Woffinden!

Maybe in a few years time, but both not good enough to ride in the series at present.

 

 

Who else is there.....?

 

Rather see Harris get the spot than Zagar or Kasprzak. He is Britsh and he has won a GP.

If it wasn't for the qualification of Walasek and Ulamek to join Gollob and Holta, I think the best rider not in the GP's is Jarek Hampel but they obviously didn't want 5 Poles. Bjarne Pedersen has been poor all season, but he is just as worthy as Bomber.

 

Chris Holder could do well, but he even said 2009 is too early for him.

 

 

Bomber would do well to finish in the top 12 next season and should be battling with Walasek and Ulamek at the bottom.

 

Emil, Freddie and Nicholls can all put up a challenge for a top 8 finish and it will be interesting if this is the final year for Adams and Hancock

 

 

 

Think they should keep the top 10 each year, have 2 qualify and 3 wild cards.

 

 

 

 

[Silver Bee]

Those that say that Kennett and Woofinden should be in are really only wearing hearts on their sleeves and I applaude you for that. We all have our favourites and support them all the way.

 

Fisher for the GP's

[Sandie]

Fisher for the GP's

stranger things have happened!!!!!!!

[rabbit]

Bjarne Pedersen has been poor all season, but he is just as worthy as Bomber.

 

To be fair to Bjarne, he did miss two GPs through injury - had he ridden in those, I think he could have been top 8, or even in the position where Nicholls finished. All irrelevant anyway as he effectively ruled himself out of the series for 2009 where wildcards were concerned even before the end of the series.

 

[paul84]

Have you anything to back up that their worthy of GP spots?

 

Kennett was rather poor at Cardiff when leading and being passed with ease, so imo he isnt anywhere near ready for the GPs. As for Tai, he's only a boy, he wouldnt even be able to fund it let alone be up to the standard, as shown in the World U21 final.

 

No i dont have anything to back up my idea of having Tai and eddie in the gp other then they are young and deserve a chance just like scotty and bomber have had!! i wish them luck but certainly in my eyes theyve had lots of it by getting picked again. then again they wont have been worried im sure they knew theyd be picked what ever happened!

[paul84]

The reason there are 2 Brits in the GP are for TV Reasons only..

 

Chris Harris does deffinately does not deserve to be there and is nothing better than an average Elite league rider.

 

It is a joke that Brits keep getting put back in the GP's when performing badly in previous years e.g Richardson,Harris..When the likes of Hans Andersen is taken out (few years ago) and was been riding hell of a lot better than harris! There are probably at least 10 better riders in the World than Harris.

 

Kennett & Woffinden - for crying out loud open your eyes..GP Material? I don't think so..what planet are you on!

 

Nicholls on the other hand I think does deserve this opportunity.

 

Some of you really need to open your eyes.

 

Pea.

 

Why does Nicholls deserve an opportunity, please explain hes been there a good few years now and been given chances and not rode for them.

 

i just dont understand how you can say that???

 

Tai,eddie,bridger any of em get them wacked in and give em a chance.

 

open your eyes pal our brits were not in the top 8 and therefore should not be in the gp's. give some fresh blood a chance!

 

[M08]

QUOTE (sean b @ Nov 7 2008, 01:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

why is nicholls still in it hes never done anything good in gps, harris deserves another chance but this should be his last chance

 

How does that make sense? Harris won 1 GP. Look at his scores since. He very, very rarely makes a Semi Final. At least Scott was scoring 7 or 8 consistently, unlike Harris' 4 or 5.

I would've kept Nicholls in, but am astonished at the decision to include Harris.

[snapper-racing.co.uk]

I think Niels Kristian Iversen has been unlucky here.

 

He's certainly been on the pace all season - and despite bad injuries, tried to carry on riding, even in the GP Qualifier, where he just missed out on a place (this was the day after the GP in Latvia carrying a dislocated shoulder!!!!)

 

The only reason he hasnt gone in is because theres too many Danish riders - even so, credit where its due he deserved his place.

 

Chris Holder too should have been given a shot, hes definately got class and the Aussies could do with some young blood in the series.

 

Glad to see Saifutdinov in though - I saw him last season at Rye House for the U21 Qualifier and he was pure class - he had a GP style team set up that day for sure. All his equipment was immaculate and his team al uniformed up.

 

I just think there needs to be newbies in this series, its becoming very stagnated.

 

A return to the knock out system a few seasons ago would be good - I used to love seeing TRICK knocked out after 2 rides, it gave everyone a chance to win. Now we are seeing the same riders on the podium.

I just think it gave it more thrill - made a mess of the programme, but it was exciting all the way through for sure.

 

I also feel that the GP has moved to become like the F1 etc - a series in it own right. most riders not being involved in leagues (well the british) and yes its become a circus.

the prices are too high to go etc etc - and still not giving the sport any coverage whatsoever - still preaching to the converted!!!!

I thought the whole point was to gain more sponsors and more tv coverage and make speedway great again

its doing the opposite. Something needs to be done to promote the sport wider. well imo

 

[Guest Ashie Smashy]

Tai,eddie,bridger any of em get them wacked in and give em a chance.

 

open your eyes pal our brits were not in the top 8 and therefore should not be in the gp's. give some fresh blood a chance!

 

 

And you think the aforementioned will have a chance? Kennett was shown up in the British GP, those riders you mentioned are not going to do any better than Nichols, and if anything their confidence could well have a detrimental effect on their futures. Tai may be ready one day but not now, the other two are not good enough yet.

 

Face it, Nichols is the best we have.

 

 

[paul84]

GP challenge with the both of em!! that what i would have done in all honestly!!

 

King Carl Stonehewer done it that way twice (a day to remember!)!! gp rider of your own right if you do it that way!!

 

yes maybe the best we have we dont give our young ones a chance of the give time (like the danes) same old story just like team gb

Edited November 7, 2008 by Stoney=Legend

[bendover]

two things . . . money+ politics...money+ politics...money+ politics...money+ politics...money+ politics...money+ politics...etc etc etc etc.....and a third viewing figures ( which encompasses money+ politics)

Edited November 8, 2008 by bendover

[shazzybird]

As for Tai, he's only a boy, he wouldnt even be able to fund it let alone be up to the standard, as shown in the World U21 final.

 

He's only a boy with a lot of ambition that should say really, as for the expense of it, I feel sure there are a lot of sponsors out there that will come forward to get there names on bikes, kevlars, vans and merchandise. Should really of given him a go, got to start somewhere in the GPs put him in as a permanent wild card who knows what he would of been like after a season of GPs.

 

Oh and it's not a case of wearing my heart on my sleeve, I will always consider Tai as an Aussie but will cheer him on as a Brit if and when he eventually gets the chance to enter the GP series.

 

 

Being very patriotic I am over the moon that both Chris and Scott are back in the GP's.

Can now start looking and booking the ones we fancy attending.

 

Both, I think are in the last chance saloon this year with Scott nearing the end of his GP days and Chris out to prove he can be a top 8 rider.

 

Those that say that Kennett and Woofinden should be in are really only wearing hearts on their sleeves and I applaude you for that. We all have our favourites and support them all the way.

Brits travel well and at the end of the day it is a business as well as a world championship series.

 

 

BRING IT ON!!!!

 

Being patriotic am with you there Sandie but ...... as I have already said I do think Tai should of been considered and not because of heart on sleeve, also Chris Holder reckon he could of had a good series as well.

 

As much as I love to cheer on Scott, he's not going to do anything..... we all know that but heyho another year of SexySteve at Cardiff we're happy

 

 

You're half right. There'll always be 2 Brits to ensure the box office success off the British GP. Despite British League speedway's decline in importance, the British GP is still the biggest event in the World Championship calendar, and would not be so if no British riders were in the field.

 

I think you are wrong there ..... when Mark Loram failed to make the GPs I debated on going, the thought of all those people in Cardiff having an excellent weekend and me sat at home watching it on tv made me think ....... nah I'll cheer on someone else.

 

My brother is a NikkiP fan so he don't go for the Brits, my Mum is an Aussie/NZ fan, my lad is a Scott fan but he'll grow out of it Me I love the Brits but if all else fails (oh dear have to admit here) I do love to hate NikkiP, yet secretly I love them all, Hans, Jason, Greg, Leigh, Bjarne, Fredrik ..... if there are no Brits in the race I pick out another and cheer them on for that race, it's not all about going and watching the Brits at the British GP ...... it's about Speedway. (edit: Oh and the Aussie bar and catching up with friends )

 

Good Luck to both Scott and Chris in next years GP series.

Edited November 8, 2008 by shazzybird

[SCOTLAND1314]

I'm just looking forward to see Wee Emil in full flight. I've only seen him a couple of times on Sky TV and he looked like an entertainer. I think this may be the start of a stream of Russians which'll bring fresh blood (and cash) into the GP's. Which in my opinion will be most welcome.

 

I just hope there will be a Scotsman soon... then we can mobilise the Speedway Tartan Army.

[Paulco]

I'm just looking forward to see Wee Emil in full flight. I've only seen him a couple of times on Sky TV and he looked like an entertainer. I think this may be the start of a stream of Russians which'll bring fresh blood (and cash) into the GP's. Which in my opinion will be most welcome.

 

I just hope there will be a Scotsman soon... then we can mobilise the Speedway Tartan Army.

Arrange to have a weekend free at the end of June and you can join me in the annual Cardiff pub crawl .

 

[iris123]

I think you are wrong there ..... .

Yes,but there isn't another Shazzybird in the world is there?At least i hope not

We don't want to judge the population at large by how you go about things

But i still don't understand the arguement about having two Brits.Even if Scott was the only one given a wild card,we would still have another place for a British rider at cardiff.So would still have two riders to cheer on.If Chris or Tai came out at Cardiff and done well we'd all be happy surely.Wouldn't need to see them struggle throughout the year in all the other GP's though.

[Miserable Old Git]

So the powers that be who gave us the Veltins Arena debacle want to continue with the same rubbish as this year for 2009. No new ideas just the same old tired names as before. The seem to like to fail to deliver before the new season is upon us. Never mind thats speedway . Perhaps the inclusion of the American, Swedish and Polish champions of 2008 would have added some colour and spectacle to the proceedingsIm sure Shovvy would have travelled the world to see these riders in action especially the one sporting the Stars and Stripes!

[screm]

Where did you get that from? On Monday, Jon Cook seemed to think GP riders were not going to be banned.

If you look in this weeks Speedway Star CVS that if the top GP guys dont want to race here them so be it,also Pete Toogood is talking of making big decisions for next season.If that means that EL clubs will run on a more constant night e.g Coventry on a friday or Eastbourne on a saturday as they would like to then no GP rider can make themselves available for that.