Improving Speedway

[ColinMills]

Or have they stopped coming because the Sport has devalued itself by bringing in stupid, unnecessary and fiddling Rules.

 

When I say the Sport has lost it's CREDIBILITY I am deadly serious - it has. Just one example should suffice. The World Cup a couple of years ago. Without checking back I think it was Australia LOST despite never having used a Joker (because they were unable to). ALL the other Teams had used their Joker which did NOT keep the Scores closer (as intended) but instead cost Australia the World Cup. CREDIBILITY is everything.

 

Oh - and what about Nicki Pedersen and Jason Crump fighting hard to finish LAST in a Race in the World Cup - what was that about?

 

You can CON some of the people some of the time - BUT - you cannot CON all of the people all of the time. People KNOW when they are being hoodwinked.

 

Now - ask yourself WHY the Crowds have gone down - it's really not difficult.

 

This example transfers also to League Racing in the form of Tactical Rides.

absolutely spot on, its become a joke, and its not a product to sell..its all short term fixes

[orion]

Or have they stopped coming because the Sport has devalued itself by bringing in stupid, unnecessary and fiddling Rules.

 

When I say the Sport has lost it's CREDIBILITY I am deadly serious - it has. Just one example should suffice. The World Cup a couple of years ago. Without checking back I think it was Australia LOST despite never having used a Joker (because they were unable to). ALL the other Teams had used their Joker which did NOT keep the Scores closer (as intended) but instead cost Australia the World Cup. CREDIBILITY is everything.

 

Oh - and what about Nicki Pedersen and Jason Crump fighting hard to finish LAST in a Race in the World Cup - what was that about?

 

You can CON some of the people some of the time - BUT - you cannot CON all of the people all of the time. People KNOW when they are being hoodwinked.

 

Now - ask yourself WHY the Crowds have gone down - it's really not difficult.

 

This example transfers also to League Racing in the form of Tactical Rides.

Just as many stupid rules in the old days when the crowds were big ..as well .riders were paid by other riders to drop points etc etc the sport was more bent than a David Beckham free kick .

[The White Knight]

Just as many stupid rules in the old days when the crowds were big ..as well .riders were paid by other riders to drop points etc etc the sport was more bent than a David Beckham free kick .

Perhaps you are right - but at least those fiddles were NOT officially sanctioned - as the points that I raised in my earlier Post are today.

 

Still BENT but it's Official so that is OK.

[ColinMills]

i read many many people say he gps are better than the old world finals..the old world finals were just 1 round..

did anybody see those brilliant qualifiers at saddlebow, white city etc? the cut offs were brilliant stuff, you didnt have the get out clause of the "wild cards" to keep certain people happy, if you were out, you were out!..i actually loved the fact you had 16 riders who had the right to be in the final, who were all just 5 rides from being world champion....no doubt when we end up at torun theyl be just 2 riders who can be champion!....yes, im old school, we cant all agree

[Vince]

Perhaps you are right - but at least those fiddles were NOT officially sanctioned - as the points that I raised in my earlier Post are today.

 

Still BENT but it's Official so that is OK.

 

As close to being official as makes no difference. The supposedly much missed second half where the points money was generally divided up before the racing started and everybody knew it. The promoters making no secret of chucking a rider a few quid to not make the gate and disappear, the riders doing favours or taking a bung to not take points off somebody in a qualifier or even a World Final. These things all went on and people knew it and accepted it. Wasn't it your favourite era when the News of the World had a huge effect on the sports credibility?

 

The joker and double points rule I can't argue with, to my way of thinking they should never happen but then I don't think the original tac sub should either. It's still the case that neither rule will keep newcomers away.

 

Speedway is 4 blokes on a dirt track with no brakes going as hard as they can to win races, that's what it is and that's all it ever has been and it's brilliant.

[Midland Red]

i dont think theres any rider that a big draw nowadays. if ole olsen was in town you could sense a buzz around the place.. nobody in speedway,and the way its run now can give that feeling

Put me off speedway for a while, having to put up with that rider at Brandon

 

Attractions like Fundin, Knutsson, Briggs (not a fan), Craven, Penhall, Nielsen, Moran x 2, Mauger, Lee, Collins (Peter), Knudsen, Hamill, Sayfutdinov, Ward, Holder - yes!

 

But not Olsen!

[macinter]

 

Attractions like Fundin, Knutsson, Briggs (not a fan), Craven, Penhall, Nielsen, Moran x 2, Mauger, Lee, Collins (Peter), Knudsen, Hamill, Sayfutdinov, Ward, Holder - yes!

 

 

And Tai Woffinden!

[coban78]

Improving a sport you got to grove up new generation riders. How many track around uk doing anything about it. They have no place in a team, no training chance, no amator meating ect. ect. All football clubs got their junior team or thousand local clubs we can say this for most of other majority sport same as well.

How they can expect to a new rider come there and start slide his bike.

[New Science]

You enjoying your Speedway isn't the same thing as it being better, just being younger means you were probably less cynical and any sport is usually more exciting when it's new to you.

 

That's why I have a 'thing' about this! It's not a simple fact that Speedway is not as good as it was years ago, it's an opinion and one I mostly disagree with. There's nothing truthful about it in any way, it's an opinion, no more or less than that. The only thing I think was better was the atmosphere because of bigger crowds, in my opinion the racing today is the best I have ever seen in my 40+ years of watching Speedway. If you and I could take the same newcomer to his first Speedway meeting he would quite likely enjoy it with me because I would tell him what I think is so fantastic about the sport. On the other hand with you he would come away disenchanted because he hadn't seen the top riders and every race wasn't exciting like it used t be when you were a lad.

 

I just watched what was a pretty average GP these days, it was far better than most of the one off finals I ever saw and the best GP's are fantastic entertainment and better than any racing I saw in previous decades. You can claim that's untrue if you like but it's my opinion and a look at some Pathe reels will suggest I may well be right.

 

Somebody else claimed that the crowds have dwindled as the top riders left British racing, I wonder if that's true or if the riders have left because the crowds and the money have dried up.

Please tell us where all this speedway that is better than ever is taking place ?

[ColinMills]

Please tell us where all this speedway that is better than ever is taking place ?

i will be there too if so....................

[Shale Searcher]

Is or has Speedway gone the way of F1? To fast, fastest car wins etc.... That lot finally realised the sport was past it best, just in time and have made big chan ges including this terms smaller engines, to reduce costs, slow it down so driver skills are back in play... When will Speedway bosses see the light and do the same... If they ever will....?

[New Science]

Is or has Speedway gone the way of F1? To fast, fastest car wins etc.... That lot finally realised the sport was past it best, just in time and have made big chan ges including this terms smaller engines, to reduce costs, slow it down so driver skills are back in play... When will Speedway bosses see the light and do the same... If they ever will....?

Yeh Formula 1 is so competitive these days

Rosberg 165 points Mercedes

Hamilton 136 points Mercedes

Ricardo 83 points Red Bull

The fastest car still wins ! From last year Red Bull just substitute Mercedes this,

[Vince]

Please tell us where all this speedway that is better than ever is taking place ?

 

I can't because some meetings are good, some bad and now and again you get a great one, much the same as it ever was. Just that in my opinion the average meeting is a bit better than it used to be.

 

There are the GP's where I would say you are more likely to see a very good meeting than a bad one and having been to Wembley for World Finals that were apparently fantastic I can say I never saw one that was as good as even an average GP. The general feeling on a coach going to Wembley was always that the track never provided good racing but you always went for the atmosphere. Now it seems that those people on the coach moaning about how much better the sport used to be now remember the era they were complaining about as a great one!

[The White Knight]

Is or has Speedway gone the way of F1? To fast, fastest car wins etc.... That lot finally realised the sport was past it best, just in time and have made big chan ges including this terms smaller engines, to reduce costs, slow it down so driver skills are back in play... When will Speedway bosses see the light and do the same... If they ever will....?

They won't. :sad:

[Daniel Smith]

Let's play a little game.

 

Q1, Your favorite decade of speedway? (example 1971-80, 81-90 etc)

 

A1, 1991-2000

 

Q2, Your age now in decade (example 11-20 yrs old, 21-30 etc)

 

A2, 31-40

[The White Knight]

Let's play a little game.

 

Q1, Your favorite decade of speedway? (example 1971-80, 81-90 etc)

 

A1, 1991-2000

 

Q2, Your age now in decade (example 11-20 yrs old, 21-30 etc)

 

A2, 31-40

Q1, Seventies

 

Q2, 69 - I don't deal in decades now. I might not be around next year - so - you have my age.

Edited June 29, 2014 by The White Knight

[waiheke1]

Perhaps you are right - but at least those fiddles were NOT officially sanctioned - as the points that I raised in my earlier Post are today.

 

Still BENT but it's Official so that is OK.

Im pretty certain the old tactical sub ride was officially sanctioned, and that is more of a "fiddle" than the double point rule?

i dont think theres any rider that a big draw nowadays. if ole olsen was in town you could sense a buzz around the place.. nobody in speedway,and the way its run now can give that feeling

Darcy ward? Tai? Emil? Dirty nicki?

everyone on this site knows the sport inside out, even if we dont agree..but we all agree its in bad shape. do the promoters carry on the way it is, or do they get radical...team strength isnt for me, most important. if i watch world cup, gps i know im watching a PRODUCT. If im watching a league match, i see a amatuer production, who fill teams up with any 7 riders just to get a match on.

try taking a newby, learrning them to fill a programme in...they study the programme and realise the team they watched have lost. you then tell them "at least we get a point for LOSING". you then have to explain 3,2,1 pts for result, then 4,3,2,1 away pts!!

KEEP IT SIMPLE..if you lose, you lose......

Lots of sports have points for losing by ccertain margins - cricket and rugby comps spring to mind. Speedways point system that is hardly complex is it?

I agree with your comment on world cup/ gps being a product, and that is what the el needs to aspire to being.

Let's play a little game.

 

Q1, Your favorite decade of speedway? (example 1971-80, 81-90 etc)

 

A1, 1991-2000

 

Q2, Your age now in decade (example 11-20 yrs old, 21-30 etc)

 

A2, 31-40

A1: 80s

A2: 31-40

[BRITISHSPEEDPOWER]

At Berwick on saturday most heats were won from the gate with most heat times in the 66 second range. After a little rain the riders lined up for heat 14, it was an incredible race with passing up the inside, round the outside, 4 riders stuck together for 4 laps , the time for that one 71 seconds. Of course many other factors may of came into it, but i think Speedway needs to be slower.

[Fromafar]

agree,the riders were having trouble on the dry track with their rocket ships because it was patchy and a bit dirt,when it rained they had to knock the throttle off a bit and they actually used the dirt to pass.Proves your point fantastic race.(with nothing at stake)

[BRITISHSPEEDPOWER]

Yeah was a great race and i didn't even notice they were going slower. really showed the skill of the riders