24th August 2013 Gp Challenge @ Poole

[Mark]

KK too crap to qualify by top 8 but can qualify through this weaker meeting every year? That's worse than Harris!

 

I lean towards agreeing but the GP has 15 permanent riders so someone has to finish 9th -15th.

 

Is he in the top 15 ? I'd say Yes when on top form as Cardiff would show

 

This meeting will always be weaker than the GP's for obvious reasons. Cant blame the rider, blame the system.

[SteveEvans]

KK too crap to qualify by top 8 but can qualify through this weaker meeting every year? That's worse than Harris!

 

I would prefer an old style GP challenge that put the bottom 7 in the standings, if fit, against 9 non GP riders who come through the quali rounds. Have the top 4-5 go to the next years series with 2-3 spots available for nominated wild cards. Also go back to regionalized qualifying meetings (Overseas Final / Scandanavian / Continental, etc) to cut down on riders travelling and make these meetings more appealing to fans. JMO.

[nw42]

Where did i say he shouldnt of taken it?? What i said was IMO its embarrassing he keeps being offered when he is plainly not good enough!! Couldnt give a monkeys how he rides Peterborough.

 

Embarrassing - again, why are you embarrassed? You didn't say he shouldn't have taken it but your post definitely came across as though you were having a go at Harris himself, just like JT's continuous message tonight.

 

Of course everyone's entitled to their opinion but some of the bile directed at Chris Harris on here is totally unjust imo, he always gives his all whenever he rides, whoever he rides for, he's put bums on seats at plenty of tracks and I'm struggling to think of a more consistently exciting British rider over recent years.

Of course he's not hit the heights we all wanted for him when he set Cardiff alight back in 07 but I don't think anyone could say it's not for the want of trying.

 

If you weren't having a go at Harris himself then fair enough but that's not what came across.

 

If your point is directed at the people who have given him the chances then why not say so and use their names, instead of bashing the rider?

[Ghostwalker]

KK too crap to qualify by top 8 but can qualify through this weaker meeting every year? That's worse than Harris!

 

The only difference is that Kasper actually qualifies by his own performance unlike Harris who have needed a wild card for all seasons except one.

 

In my opinion that makes Kasper a better rider then Harris. I am not particular excited about KK or Bjerre or Smolinski either

but they actually got this far by doing better then all the others riders (including Chris Harris) who entered this years Grand Prix Qualification.

And they did not need a wild card to get this far unlike two of the riders that participated tonight.

[racers and royals]

back to tonights meeting. was there a decent size crowd, was the racing any good and was it worth 25 quid to get in!

I was expecting a bigger crowd-disappointing I would describe it as-I was behind glass but racing was pretty dire for such an important meeting(my view you will understand)

 

INCIDENTALLY, if riders are tied for fourth there will not be a run-off ... final placings determined on count back (wins, seconds, etc).

 

Did King finish ahead of Kennett and Nicholls in the qualifiers? Cannot remember...

 

WILL get Tony Steele to clarify on Monday exactly how Harris got in ...

This is what I heard today - Bomber was offered number 18 which the few that were asked turned it down as they normally sit around doing nothing. The fim took the decision to ask gb to provide a No18 which Kennett and Cook turned down. Bomber grabbed it and after 2 late pull outs of first reserve Pavlic and Zagar he found himself in the meeting

[nw42]

The only difference is that Kasper actually qualifies by his own performance unlike Harris who have needed a wild card for all seasons except one.

 

In my opinion that makes Kasper a better rider then Harris. I am not particular excited about KK or Bjerre or Smolinski either

but they actually got this far by doing better then all the others riders (including Chris Harris) who entered this years Grand Prix Qualification.

And they did not need a wild card to get this far unlike two of the riders that participated tonight.

 

Can't argue with you on the Kasper/Harris score, KK has had to do it the hard way and Chris has been given the ticket for being the best of British, I don't think there's much between them in terms of winning ability though and I'd rather watch Harris race any day of the week, each to their own though.

 

As for the others, Bjerre is the least interesting of them all for me but, as someone pointed out earlier, he was leading after 2 gp's a couple of years ago, so maybe he will do something next year, I don't find him very exciting to watch though.

 

I like what I've seen of Smolinski in the Elite League, I like his character to, always interviews well, but this is a massive step up, equipment will be a factor and from what I gather he's not known for having the best kept machinery.

[racers and royals]

 

 

Can't argue with you on the Kasper/Harris score, KK has had to do it the hard way and Chris has been given the ticket for being the best of British, I don't think there's much between them in terms of winning ability though and I'd rather watch Harris race any day of the week, each to their own though.

 

As for the others, Bjerre is the least interesting of them all for me but, as someone pointed out earlier, he was leading after 2 gp's a couple of years ago, so maybe he will do something next year, I don't find him very exciting to watch though.

 

I like what I've seen of Smolinski in the Elite League, I like his character to, always interviews well, but this is a massive step up, equipment will be a factor and from what I gather he's not known for having the best kept machinery.

Smolinski certainly kept his British equipment going for the first 5 months of the season !!

[pirateandi]

 

 

What a sad life you must have as surely more interested in what happened to Magic,THJ & Pawlicki than the Swindon riders.

yes very sad lol I didn't expect any of the poole riders to qualify but Batch is forever boring everyone that he clearly is good enough for the Gp's but obviously isn't and as for kildemand enough said. So lets see what brings of Monday , and I have a great life thanks loads of friends and family to keep me smiling :-)

[nw42]

Smolinski certainly kept his British equipment going for the first 5 months of the season !!

 

True and I really wish him well, I'm sure if he can use GP status correctly back home he will be able to garner some decent sponsorship, Germans like their motorsport don't they, talk of a GP there too, looks like it may be a big big year for Martin, good luck to him.

[theblueboy]

What I would like to have said was 'A truly fantastic evening of speedway with several exciting passes both inside and out. Clearly the Poole fans have been spoilt over the years and never again will I refer to Wimbourne Road as Blue Groove Road with this fantastically well prepared track'.

 

Unfortunately, the track was such a dust bowl that the reserves this evening were Tendulkar and Dravid. Disappointing fare for £25 to be honest and next time Poole want to host an event of this magnitude please tell them where they can shove(or should that be Shovlar) it

 

Well done to PUK who was the evening's outstanding rider and qualified in style.

[spook]

ye gods theres been some bleating (over and over and over again) about Bomber in this thread

 

blame the FIM, blame Zagar (Pavlic/kennett/cook?), blame the sheer lack of decent British quality, blame Scotty for peeing off people, but I really cannot see how Bomber can be blamed for anything here.

 

I remember the days when we had 20 guys of the standard of Danny King and up to Tai...... only with those kind of numbers would we be able to talk about 'chances being given' ..... while we only realistically have Bomber & Tai (& previously Scott and Rico...then Scott & Bomber) at the relevant standard, they are obviously going to keep getting nominations and wildcards ... especially when IMG have been so insistent on a British presence

 

Maybe to put it in perspective it should be imagined that BSI are Slovenian based & that the millenium stadium is in slovenia (or right next door).... which riders would they be trying to square block in? Do we think they would be sharing out the chances equally to guys who would obviously struggle ....or would they be giving Zagar the most they could? ...............I think maybe some people are taking out the embarrassments of their nation out on the best riders of that nation

 

 

 

As far as wildcards go, as I said the other day I can see Bomber being on the final shortlist, and that unless someone retires the final WC should be between him and a Swede.... it doesn't mean its right or ideal but it is highly probable. As for comments on Tai leading the way for Britain now, it remains to be seen whether that is good enough for IMG as it didnt stop them clumsily square blocking a second brit in the past on more than one year. I wonder if they have ever tried to quantify, through market research & ticket sale analysis, the bums on Cardiff seats factor of a Brit presence....... or maybe it is just an opinion of one or more in the office?

Edited August 25, 2013 by spook

[Brummie Kev]

My point regarding Smolinski really, hes changed everything this year and he is having great sucsess! He is currently european grass track champion! How on earth people are putting the tag of worse GP rider in history for next year is beyond me! He has been a reverlation at Perry Barr this year and is proberbly the main reason why they sit near the top!

 

Smolinski has put over 2pts on his Elite League, and I agree hes been a massive success in our efforts this season. At the same time, he gets ALOT of stick from people which is unwarranted, comments about him being the worst gp rider in history before he's even completed a race in it, is ridiculous.

 

Some of the accusations ( with no proof) earlier in the year of an oversized engine were shocking, and totally disrespectful to rider who is having a great season. It wasn't just fans on here but an EL team manager!!

 

Its great to have a rider like Smoli in the GP, he may not be the most naturally gifted rider around and not a rider you would instantly think of as future world champion but he's a showman and thoroughly nice bloke, that always gives his all. All this dependent on Iversen finishing in the top 8 of course!

Edited August 25, 2013 by Brummie Kev

[Grachan]

Well, some people ain't going to like it, but Chris Harris looks set to be first reserve for next year's Grand Prix and also has a legitimate argument to be given a wild card in 2014.

 

Well done to Chris for grasping the opportunity. If other British riders turned down the slim chance Chris had of being in this meeting then that's their own fault.

[Paulco]

Blimey , this is a warzone after what was basically an average meeting . Gate 4 was a complete graveyard . Iversen was a class above , and i couldn't believe that was the same Kasprzak i saw at Peterboro on Friday . Bomber rode his heart out , that countback thing is hard on riders - should have had a run off with him and Smolinski . But i was expecting a cut-throat and ruthless meeting , i've seen harder racing in a PL match .

[Haza]

Well I enjoyed the meeting I thought there was some great racing hard racing at that the track was slick and dusty but I was pleased I was there .

[f-s-p]

A bit bummed that Timo Lahti only scored 2. Making it to the Challenge is a merit, but finishing in the top 8 was possible and would have been so nice.

 

Timos brother Teemu was run over in the Finnish final earlier in the day and ruled out with a heavy concussion. So it was less than perfect saturday for Lahti Racing

[pandorum]

Of course it's silly that qualifier failures or non shows can be handed a 2nd chance due to being born somewhere but that is not the fault of the one who grabs that opportunity.

If Bomber had qualified he would deserve his place just like the others who qualified by this route. However they came to be there.

Of course he isn't good enough to be in the company of the SGP top riders and will, if he gets the chance, fail miserably once again.

But it's not the lads fault he is now 1st reserve. (once Smolinski is promoted to the SGP full time).

The system that helps the poorer speedway nations by virtue of allowing them a seed to this meeting now helped Bomber.

He still believes he can be an assett to the GP.

I don't think many will agree with him and to be brutal there are dozens that deserve to be there before him.

But if he makes it fair play to him.

He benefitted from the system. He isn't the first to do that and won't be the last.

I will cheer him on if he gets in even though I know he should not be there.

That folks is speedway.

[Fromafar]

Of course it's silly that qualifier failures or non shows can be handed a 2nd chance due to being born somewhere but that is not the fault of the one who grabs that opportunity.

Son

Of course he isn't good enough to be in the company of the SGP top riders and will, if he gets the chance, fail miserably once again.

But it's not the lads fault he is now 1st reserve. (once Smolinski is promoted to the SGP full time).

The system that helps the poorer speedway nations by virtue of allowing them a seed to this meeting now helped Bomber.

He still believes he can be an assett to the GP.

I don't think many will agree with him and to be brutal there are dozens that deserve to be there before him.

But if he makes it fair play to him.

He benefitted from the system. He isn't the first to do that and won't be the last.

I will cheer him on if he gets in even though I know he should not be there.

That folks is speedway.

It must be gutting to the riders that genuinely qualified for the meeting to find Harris now above them in the pecking order,but that's the Reason that speedway cannot be taken seriously sad times for the sport IMO

[Steve Shovlar]

Funny old meetinhg to be honest. Got there early expecting a huge crowd but in the end it was only slightly bigger than a usual Poole league meeting. Not that many travelling fans and some Poole fans are saving their money for the meeting tomorrow.

 

Iversen a cut above and the other 2 qualifiers desperately dull. KK rode well, make no mistake and was the second best rider on display. Bjerre got very lucky to get the final place. Harris had done all the hard work in 2 heats only for it to be called back. In the rerun he missed out. the dropped points would have put him into a run off with Bjerre.

 

The meeting ended in a complete damp squib. After 20 heats the tractor came out to prepare the track for a runoff and no one left, only for 5 minutes later the announcer to tell us the top three are sealed and there wouldn't be a runoff!

 

Certainly Harris deserved a run off as the most entertaining rider at the meeting. Guess he will miss out to the German ( who like Bjerre will bring nothing at all to the GP series IMO) on countback.

 

I am certabinly not a Harris fan both he and King got my full support last night and if either had qualified it would only be good for GB speedway. I don't give a hoot if he had qualified over Lars Edbergssonsenski or whoever. If he had finished top 3, good for him!

[Ghostwalker]

Well, some people ain't going to like it, but Chris Harris looks set to be first reserve for next year's Grand Prix and also has a legitimate argument to be given a wild card in 2014.

 

Well done to Chris for grasping the opportunity. If other British riders turned down the slim chance Chris had of being in this meeting then that's their own fault.

 

Definitely not, You should remember that Harris actually was knocked out in the QF and he was given a pick for this meeting,

Besides from finishing 5th yesterday he haven't really shown anything that could warrant a pick. The same goes for Lindgren and Jonsson.

 

Harris (and Lindgren) have had enough wild cards and there are several other riders that would deserve a pick well ahead of him.

 

Riders like,Patryk Dudek, Pz Pawlicki, Michael Jepsen Jensen, Grigorij Laguta.

 

Both MJJ and Pz Pawlicki qualified by merit for the Gp.Ch. however Pz (not Piotr) Pawlicki was injured and could not participate.

 

Regarding late pull outs, surely it would be possible to have a rule that said that they could not ride anywhere else for a week.

If the riders is injured it won't make difference since they won't be able to ride anyway while a non-injured riders will be affected.

 

Then like J.T and Philiprising said, those who are given a charity pick for the final should not be allowed to qualify.

It should only be those who have qualified that should be allowed to be eligible to get into the Grand Prix.