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Transponders and qualifying times introduced in GP’s in 2019


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If i were a rider, I think I'd be going slower in qualifying.  I believe this will give a much bigger advantage.

Let's assume it's September.  We're getting to the latter stages of the GP series.    Tai Woffinden leads the standings....a couple of points clear of Bartosz Zmarzlik.

If I were Zmarzlik I'd definitely want to be going slower than Woffy in qualifying.   Why?

 

Well, Woffy blasts round.   He's the fastest qualifier.   He has the "advantage" of first pick.   He's going to pick one of the starting numbers that gives him 2 inside gates.  He's happy.

But as Zmarzlik, I wanted him to pick first.  Because what I'm I going to do now?   I'm going to look which race Woffy has the worst gate in...maybe that's gate 3 or gate 4.  And I'm going to pick the draw number that puts me in that same race, off gate 1.

Being further down the pecking order could be the biggest advantage.  You can see where your closest rivals are positioned, and make sure that you have the favourable gate when you meet them.

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27 minutes ago, WalterPlinge said:

If i were a rider, I think I'd be going slower in qualifying.  I believe this will give a much bigger advantage.

Let's assume it's September.  We're getting to the latter stages of the GP series.    Tai Woffinden leads the standings....a couple of points clear of Bartosz Zmarzlik.

If I were Zmarzlik I'd definitely want to be going slower than Woffy in qualifying.   Why?

 

Well, Woffy blasts round.   He's the fastest qualifier.   He has the "advantage" of first pick.   He's going to pick one of the starting numbers that gives him 2 inside gates.  He's happy.

But as Zmarzlik, I wanted him to pick first.  Because what I'm I going to do now?   I'm going to look which race Woffy has the worst gate in...maybe that's gate 3 or gate 4.  And I'm going to pick the draw number that puts me in that same race, off gate 1.

Being further down the pecking order could be the biggest advantage.  You can see where your closest rivals are positioned, and make sure that you have the favourable gate when you meet them.

That sounds like the days when the World Final draw was known before the final.

In his last ride in the 1987 ICF, Hans Nielsen deliberately let Jimmy Nilsen through, so that Nilsen finished second in the meeting and Nielsen third.

As a result, Nielsen had gate 1 in both rides against Erik Gundersen (the winner of the ICF) in the two-day final.  Nielsen and Ivan Mauger had it all planned out.

It didn't pay off on Day 1, but then paid off big time early on the second day.  Nielsen sped away from Gate 1, while Gundersen was slow off Gate 4 (very poor on Day Two, only Nielsen won from it).  The whole final was transformed with Nielsen now in command.

I can see Peter Adams planning this to Tai's advantage in the case of a close championship battle.  That's, of course, if the wording is wrong on the Speedway GP website and it does mean draw number (which surely it must).

Edited by lucifer sam
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1 hour ago, Heathcote said:

Sorry don’t understand this?  It means that the fastest rider can pick in starting position in the 1-16 with those pre determined gates? Or that in each individual race the fastest rider can choose his starting gate as in all 5 rides from gate 1?  What happens in the semis and finals? Gate positions given out as previous to highest point scorers or the fastest in practice?

THE former ...

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1 hour ago, WalterPlinge said:

If i were a rider, I think I'd be going slower in qualifying.  I believe this will give a much bigger advantage.

Let's assume it's September.  We're getting to the latter stages of the GP series.    Tai Woffinden leads the standings....a couple of points clear of Bartosz Zmarzlik.

If I were Zmarzlik I'd definitely want to be going slower than Woffy in qualifying.   Why?

 

Well, Woffy blasts round.   He's the fastest qualifier.   He has the "advantage" of first pick.   He's going to pick one of the starting numbers that gives him 2 inside gates.  He's happy.

But as Zmarzlik, I wanted him to pick first.  Because what I'm I going to do now?   I'm going to look which race Woffy has the worst gate in...maybe that's gate 3 or gate 4.  And I'm going to pick the draw number that puts me in that same race, off gate 1.

Being further down the pecking order could be the biggest advantage.  You can see where your closest rivals are positioned, and make sure that you have the favourable gate when you meet them.

A brilliant tactical point, but.... Zmarzlik would have to make sure he has next pick to be sure to get the better gate. With timing down to hundredths of a second, how will he know what time to beat, and to achieve? What if his run is before Tai's?

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Can't see this having much effect on the racing   We have all seen riders having 1st/2nd pick in the semi final and final get well beaten.    Tracks rarely ride they same as they do in practise so I think this is a pile of croc.   Having transponders is great for knowing who did the fastest lap and close finsihes are no longer left to the naked eye.   Thats about it.

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37 minutes ago, f-s-p said:

Hope they remember to place the ponder in the same place in every bike. :lol:

Good point

Also what happens when one rider reaches the line on the back wheel with the bars slightly crossed against a rider pointly dead straight

The straight wheel could reach the line first but the transponder be behind the rider with the crossed bars.....

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2 hours ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

Good point

Also what happens when one rider reaches the line on the back wheel with the bars slightly crossed against a rider pointly dead straight

The straight wheel could reach the line first but the transponder be behind the rider with the crossed bars.....

If all the ponders are at the same place, thats it and up to you how to finish the race. If you had a wheelie by accident, your loss if you lose because of it. In cross country skiing they have their ponders in a bracelet around the ankle I think. Thats why they always try push their leg forward when finishing.

I’ve actually lost a podium finish in radio controlled car racing way back in time because my ponder was mounted at the back of my car. Had I mounted it on the very nose end of the car (which I did after the race in question) I would have made that extra lap and passed the other guy cos his battery faded. I’m not bitter about it... Just that sometimes at night I wake up and think about... :lol:

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1 minute ago, f-s-p said:

If all the ponders are at the same place, thats it and up to you how to finish the race. If you had a wheelie by accident, your loss if you lose because of it. In cross country skiing they have their ponders in a bracelet around the ankle I think. Thats why they always try push their leg forward when finishing.

I’ve actually lost a podium finish in radio controlled car racing way back in time because my ponder was mounted at the back of my car. Had I mounted it on the very nose end of the car (which I did after the race in question) I would have made that extra lap and passed the other guy cos his battery faded. I’m not bitter about it... Just that sometimes at night I wake up and think about... :lol:

That would be a fundamental change to who wins a race though

At the moment its any part of the bike cutting the plane of the finishing line (usually the front wheel) but would now be the transponder

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18 minutes ago, dontforgetthefueltapsbruv said:

That would be a fundamental change to who wins a race though

At the moment its any part of the bike cutting the plane of the finishing line (usually the front wheel) but would now be the transponder

If you incorporate the ponder in to the fork cover, thats it and everyone knows the deal and cant complain.

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11 minutes ago, f-s-p said:

If you incorporate the ponder in to the fork cover, thats it and everyone knows the deal and cant complain.

Agree thats seems the logical position. Need to be identically placed independantly and the riders not allowed to meddle

That should cover almost all eventualities

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6 minutes ago, Daniel Smith said:

If I was Woffinden, I'd make sure I recorded the slowest time in free practice so he gets the best of the track after a fresh grade

HOW does that work? I'm confused... surely the best way to get the starting number you want is to be the fastest? If you are the slowest you get what is left after 15 others have made there pick.

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