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Wild Cards 2014


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I dont really look at riders form in league speedway but more in the qualifiers and the SWC and i think that is what BSI do to. If a Brit makes the gp challange and does well in the SWC it gives the organisers more of an excuse to get a Brit in. Unfortunetly i dont think there is one yet but i think Cook could surprise a few at Kings Lynn in July.

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what....no Bjerre :shock:

 

You've got to feel a bit sorry for Bjerre, he's really a victim of his nationality. His record in the Grand Prix is pretty impressive and much better than Harris, for example. If he was British, BSI wouldn't have hesitated in giving him a full time position this year.

 

Unfortunately for him, Denmark have so much strength in depth, he's unlikely to ever get a charity pick. Qualify on his own or nothing, I'm afraid.

 

JT.

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Unless the mehod of picking wildcards is about to change then we know exactly what to expect:

 

1) nationality quota

2) box office draw

3) top 8 standard who has been injured

4) Brits are always included (and most likely would also be the case for swedes, danes and poles if they were in our state)

 

anyone who ends up with 4 qualified riders can whistle for getting any more... then there are those nationalities where 4 is deemed to be too many anyway so they should be considering 2 or 3 being their maximum............. anyone like Ward who misses out because of injury is rock solid ...unless too many from their country qualify ie Holder, Batch/Watt etc

 

i'd suggest the change of cardiff wildcard criteria indicates Bomber has a strong chance of a wildcard for next season

 

 

 

Looking at the standings right now then I believe BSI would be looking at ..........Ward, Bomber.... Iversen is the 2nd Dane which would be their minimum quota......... followed by Lindgren & Jonsson........... they would want a 3rd Pole & I guess Kasprzak would be considered but they have never shown much of a need to keep him around before ..............One thing BSI have always struggled with is leaving someone out of the picks who finished below 8th and then picking someone below them so it would be difficult for BSI to pick MJJ instead of Iversen & then pick Iversen and/or Jonsson

 

as someone else has said the high chance of greg/tomasz (& maybe nickip) retirement could make things very easy for BSI...... and the GP qualifier result usually ends up easing the issues

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Top of the Elite League averages, German ace Martin Smolinski would be a good addition to the SGP in 2014.

 

A German rider in the series would certainly stimulate interest in Germany, and a German SGP at a place like Landshut looks a distinct possibility for the future.

 

The Schalke Arena in Gelsenkirchen was a huge mistake, much too big and in the wrong part of the country), but a German SGP at one of the regular tracks would surely draw a 10,000 crowd, especially so when Smoli is riding as a regular, and not just as a one-off local wild card .

Cannot see why the Gelsenkirchen GP was a mistake. Was there not 20,000 + people there.Admittedly it was not the best indoor track in the world but many have improved since then. The best part of it for me was that the first four heats were recorded and the bookmakers did not know., and I don't think anybody else did. I think the first heat winner was Christian Hefenbrock at 16/1

Edited by mickthemuppet
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My 4 for next year providing Woffy's injury doesn't force him out of the Top 8

 

1. Darcy Ward - (Would have been in the Top 8 if it wasn't for injuries)

2. Patryk Dudek - (Bright prospect for the Poles and would replace Gollob retiring? and Kasprazak)

3. Thomas H Jonasson (You need a Swede and he is good looking, You can market him)

4. Michael Jepsen Jensen - (Unlucky to miss out this year and not fair on him that GP challenge final is at Wimborne road, Should get a pick)

 

Grigory Laguta wouldn't get a visa in my opinion so it's a no go for me and he's not a popular rider, The 4 I mentioned are good looking, are popular and have good sales revenue potential about themselves as Jonasson for the Swedish market, MJJ for the Danish market and Ward for the Australian market and Dudek for the Polish market.

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My 4 for next year providing Woffy's injury doesn't force him out of the Top 8

 

1. Darcy Ward - (Would have been in the Top 8 if it wasn't for injuries)

2. Patryk Dudek - (Bright prospect for the Poles and would replace Gollob retiring? and Kasprazak)

3. Thomas H Jonasson (You need a Swede and he is good looking, You can market him)

4. Michael Jepsen Jensen - (Unlucky to miss out this year and not fair on him that GP challenge final is at Wimborne road, Should get a pick)

 

Grigory Laguta wouldn't get a visa in my opinion so it's a no go for me and he's not a popular rider, The 4 I mentioned are good looking, are popular and have good sales revenue potential about themselves as Jonasson for the Swedish market, MJJ for the Danish market and Ward for the Australian market and Dudek for the Polish market.

 

All this talk about 'good looking' - do you fancy them like? :shock::unsure: :unsure: :blink: :blink:

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Until we kow which 3 riders qualify from the Challenge, it's hard to call but from the 2013 line up, the three I think would most likely miss out are Antonio Lindback, Andreas Jonsson and possibly Martin Vaculik. Oviously if one of the other 12 qualifies through the qualifiers, then there will be more places and Vaculik should get another year.

 

Jepsen Jensen will be the most likely newcomer next season with anyone that stars in the U21's and WTC next in line, possibly Zmarzlik and Dudk.

 

 

One thing I would like to see changed is the riders given the #19 - 23 race jackets are nominated and given toriders that can come in if required and do a job ..... unlike Dribble wtc

 

2014 will possibly be the final year for Gollob and Hancock

Edited by T.N.T.
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Based on this years averages, Smolinski is top. You're going on the rolling averages which confuse matters slightly. For example Harris is No.1 in the Birmingham rolling averages at the moment, but below Covatti in the meetings this year.

 

It will be interesting to see if Smolinski can keep this up all season, but if he can qualify by right, who are we to disagree with his inclusion?

 

I'd stop short of giving him a series wild card donation though, there are other riders who have had years of consistently good league scores, but have never received a Wild Card. Grig Laguta for one...

 

In fact, given their impressive World Cup performances, and the very real chance of a Russian World Champion this season, surely Russia have a strong case to expect a permanent Wild Card in 2014? Especially with a rider as world class as Laguta.

 

JT.

 

It would be good if another Russian can make a leap in form to get really noticed. Even though Emil is one of my absolute favourite riders i'm sure there are fans in Russia who don't worship every action he takes. So to have a second Russian rider would be good, as well as likely mean an exciting rider is added to the field.

 

It's good to see Smolinski still holding his fantastic average in the Elite League. I don't look at rolling averages as they are just used for team building regulations, i prefer the actual current season's sporting performances as published in the Speeedway Star since time began (well at least post-dinosaur era).

 

Not sure how well, or if, he would hold that form in a higher class of racing. I just went to look at the Polish and Swedish averages but he doesn't compete in the top tier. In the THIRD level in Poland he averages over two meetings a mere 6 points!. I presume he's just had two stinkers of a meeting there as his UK Elite League average would infer he should score heavily in that particular Polish league.

Edited by manchesterpaul
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But you can't go giving out WC's on whats happened in the past, otherwise why not Harris too? He's won a GP!

 

Lindback is too much of a confidence rider, which is something he's lacking again this year. He was beyond awful at Cardiff and was pitiful to watch. Unless he qualifies by right through the challenge he doesn't deserve a WC on his past performances. Looks to me at the moment like he needs to sort his head out again and there are better riders outside of the GP than him presently.

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Wackie its the head that's the problem but rather his bikes. Also Antonio had a very poor start in last year's series.

If his poor form continues I agree that he should not get a wc however qualify by own performance applies to the other riders aswell,

particulary Lindgren and Harris who are two of the most charitided riders in the history of thr Grand Prix.

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Take this years GP line up, omit Jonsson & Lindback and add MJJ, & Laguta and i I'd say we'd be in for another fantastic GP season.

 

The most sensible post so far. This years line up is so strong, that world class riders will inevitably miss out. I think Jonsson has lost interest now, likewise Lindback, who is showing the classic signs of a confidence drain.

 

After the Bomber's latest bomb (eliminated before the Semi Finals and beaten by Dryml) in Cardiff, I hope BSI have finally ended their love affair with the rider and he is forced to qualify by right. If he does make it through the qualifying rounds and qualifies from the challenge in Poole, I have no problem with him in the series, but enough of his constant charity now please.

 

JT.

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Which of the Laguta brothers are you all referring to in the above posts? Stating 'Laguta' doesn't help at all.

 

Polish averages

Artem 8.92

Grigory 8.11

 

Swedish averages

Artem 8.95

Grigory 8.87

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