Ghostwalker Posted July 7, 2014 Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 (edited) According to an article published by racemagazine.se, Tony Olsson have decided to step down as a race director for the SGP-series, despite that he have two years remaining on his contract. Tony says that he no longer have the same glow for it and that someone who hasn't shouldn't have such position. The decision was taken already before this season due to the 6 month notice required by his contract with FIM. He also says that the riders were informed at the Danish GP in Copenhagen, about his decision to step down. www.racemagazine.se/speedway/tony-olsson-slutar-som-race-director Edited July 7, 2014 by Ghostwalker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted July 7, 2014 Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 WAS in Speedway Star last week ... new Race Director has been chosen but not announced by the FIM. As I wrote in SS, few realise the time Tony has been spending travelling and away from his family. He has been superb in the role, bring a very different dynamic to that Ole Olsen. But when Ole started the role of Race Director it meant being involved with just about everything before, during and after the meeting and despite the criticism that often came his way, sometimes justifiably, about track preparation he did a fantastic job. Tony was happy to delegate more, concentrate on what he saw as the role of the Race Director, and was very popular with the riders. Many doubted whether he had the character to take over from Ole, a three times World Champion, team manager of World Team Cup winning sides, promoter, track curator, the man who first put a track inside a stadium with a roof, and so on. But he did so admirably and as one who has worked alongside him for four years he, too, will be a tough act to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racers and royals Posted July 8, 2014 Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 WAS in Speedway Star last week ... new Race Director has been chosen but not announced by the FIM. As I wrote in SS, few realise the time Tony has been spending travelling and away from his family. He has been superb in the role, bring a very different dynamic to that Ole Olsen. But when Ole started the role of Race Director it meant being involved with just about everything before, during and after the meeting and despite the criticism that often came his way, sometimes justifiably, about track preparation he did a fantastic job. Tony was happy to delegate more, concentrate on what he saw as the role of the Race Director, and was very popular with the riders. Many doubted whether he had the character to take over from Ole, a three times World Champion, team manager of World Team Cup winning sides, promoter, track curator, the man who first put a track inside a stadium with a roof, and so on. But he did so admirably and as one who has worked alongside him for four years he, too, will be a tough act to follow. Can I make a guess on who that new race director could be-thinking about it,could it either be JS or TB ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodgy Posted July 8, 2014 Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 Maybe AC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 FURROW Posted July 8, 2014 Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 I say give the job to Buster and give a free reign Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sotonian Posted July 8, 2014 Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 WAS in Speedway Star last week ... new Race Director has been chosen but not announced by the FIM. As I wrote in SS, few realise the time Tony has been spending travelling and away from his family. He has been superb in the role, bring a very different dynamic to that Ole Olsen. But when Ole started the role of Race Director it meant being involved with just about everything before, during and after the meeting and despite the criticism that often came his way, sometimes justifiably, about track preparation he did a fantastic job. Tony was happy to delegate more, concentrate on what he saw as the role of the Race Director, and was very popular with the riders. Many doubted whether he had the character to take over from Ole, a three times World Champion, team manager of World Team Cup winning sides, promoter, track curator, the man who first put a track inside a stadium with a roof, and so on. But he did so admirably and as one who has worked alongside him for four years he, too, will be a tough act to follow. The Houston Astrodome track in the 1970's was nothing to do with him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted July 8, 2014 Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 The Houston Astrodome track in the 1970's was nothing to do with him. I WAS there on both occasions ... the track was just modified from the two-day American dirt-track event that preceded it. Don't think that counts... Can I make a guess on who that new race director could be-thinking about it,could it either be JS or TB ?? IF you are suggesting Jan Staechmann or Tony Briggs you would be wrong on both counts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OveFundinFan Posted July 8, 2014 Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 Aw go Phil, stop teasing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humphrey Appleby Posted July 8, 2014 Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 As I wrote in SS, few realise the time Tony has been spending travelling and away from his family. Ah, the old 'leaving to spend more time with the family' line... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostwalker Posted July 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 (edited) Ah, the old 'leaving to spend more time with the family' line... Actually not, he said that he hopes to be able to go up on full time in position as manager for the track racing section at Svemo. The only small problem though, is that there might not be any track racing section at Svemo from next year. Edited July 8, 2014 by Ghostwalker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted July 8, 2014 Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 Ah, the old 'leaving to spend more time with the family' line... AND what's wrong with that? AND what's wrong with that? I've lost count of the number of times I bid farewell to Tony on a Sunday morning, jumped on a plane back to London and been home while he was still facing a tortuous trip back to Sweden, often not finishing his journey until Monday morning. Unlike Ole Olsen, I don't think Tony ever visualised being in the job for too long but it will be a great shame if he doesn't continue with SVEMO in one role or another. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humphrey Appleby Posted July 8, 2014 Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 I've lost count of the number of times I bid farewell to Tony on a Sunday morning, jumped on a plane back to London and been home while he was still facing a tortuous trip back to Sweden, often not finishing his journey until Monday morning. Could he not fly back to Sweden? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 Could he not fly back to Sweden? WHERE he lives often involved him having to fly via Stockholm or Copenhagen, waiting for connecting flights, and then still have a ferry trip. He also still worked for SVEMO. There isn't a hidden agenda here.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 Actually not, he said that he hopes to be able to go up on full time in position as manager for the track racing section at Svemo. The only small problem though, is that there might not be any track racing section at Svemo from next year. AS he lives close to the SVEMO HQ working there, as he already does anyway, would be very different to trawling around the SGP and SWC series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusky Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 AS he lives close to the SVEMO HQ working there, as he already does anyway, would be very different to trawling around the SGP and SWC series. Tony is very well respected within SVEMO at all levels and as such that may well be an option for him.. And yes travel is pretty difficult from where Tony lives, and is substantially less to Norrkoping than any of the SGP locations with the possible exception of Stockholm. Even after Cardiff his journey home will be very time consuming and will take him virtually a full day, with a significant waiting period in Stockholm. Luckily its now the Holiday season in Sweden so the number of flights to his home has increased from the Swedish mainland. Out of season there are far fewer flights or a 4.5 hour (I think) ferry ride. However, the area that Tony lives in is an extremely nice part of the world - an area that many people would like to live I would suggest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILIPRISING Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 Tony is very well respected within SVEMO at all levels and as such that may well be an option for him.. And yes travel is pretty difficult from where Tony lives, and is substantially less to Norrkoping than any of the SGP locations with the possible exception of Stockholm. Even after Cardiff his journey home will be very time consuming and will take him virtually a full day, with a significant waiting period in Stockholm. Luckily its now the Holiday season in Sweden so the number of flights to his home has increased from the Swedish mainland. Out of season there are far fewer flights or a 4.5 hour (I think) ferry ride. However, the area that Tony lives in is an extremely nice part of the world - an area that many people would like to live I would suggest. THANKS for that ... you were able to put much more meat on the bone than I did Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wackie Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 Does Tony still live in Gotland? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusky Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 Does Tony still live in Gotland? Indeed...on Gotland would be more specific, in a small village outside of the main town on the island, Visby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostwalker Posted July 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 WHERE he lives often involved him having to fly via Stockholm or Copenhagen, waiting for connecting flights, and then still have a ferry trip. He also still worked for SVEMO. There isn't a hidden agenda here.... My point was that Tony does not plan on stop working for Svemo but that he and Svemo might not have a choice after this season, depending on what happens with the track racing section (Speedway, iceracing, long track & grass track) at Svemo, since the track racing clubs (or at least the speedway clubs) claims that they plan to break away from Svemo to start their own stand alone federation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Science Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 AND what's wrong with that? I've lost count of the number of times I bid farewell to Tony on a Sunday morning, jumped on a plane back to London and been home while he was still facing a tortuous trip back to Sweden, often not finishing his journey until Monday morning. Unlike Ole Olsen, I don't think Tony ever visualised being in the job for too long but it will be a great shame if he doesn't continue with SVEMO in one role or another. My geography isn't great but looking at a map the only GP venues where Sweden is further away from London is Cardiff and Prague,travelling back from Tampere,Mallila,Copenhagen,Riga,Vojens and Stockholm I wouldn't exactly call taxing.I think the original post is correct and is heart is not in it any more ,shame ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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