Van Straaten defends tactics
Wolves promoter Chris Van Straaten has defended the retention of speedway's tactical ride regulation.Wolves promoter Chris Van Straaten has defended the retention of speedway's tactical ride regulation. The controversial double-point rule led to widespread debate after its repeated use helped Peterborough edge to victory over Reading in the Elite League play-off final. Fans voted heavily against the tactical ride in a Speedway Star magazine poll. Read the full story in the Express & Star
The controversial double-point rule led to widespread debate after its repeated use helped Peterborough edge to victory over Reading in the Elite League play-off final.
Fans voted heavily against the tactical ride in a Speedway Star magazine poll.
Promoters have decided to cut its possible use from two heats to one next season, with teams needing to be 10 points or more behind rather than nine.
The tactical substitute option, with a rider going off a 15m handicap when his team is eight points adrift, remains.
"There was quite an organised, vocal campaign," said Van Straaten. "It was highlighted in the play-off final. I think it made the final very, very dramatic.
"But we were aware of the fact that two in one match was perhaps over the top.
"I think reducing the effect of it by restricting it to one is perhaps meeting the public part way.
"My idea was just to swop it round - two chances off 15m and just one from the gate. But that wasn't adopted."
Van Straaten maintains that the tactical ride has an advantage over the old tactical substitute rule, where stars replaced lower members of a team in races.
He feels it has helped encourage riders to move up from Premier to Elite level.
"The big plus factor is that, under the old regulations, second-strings would rarely get their four rides," he said.
"We really struggled to get riders to step up the ladder.
"If they were top dog in the Premier League they were getting five or six rides and thinking: 'I'd only be getting three in the Elite League because of the tactical substitute rule.' It was an important factor in persuading riders to step up," he said.
Wolves will be one of the clubs taking part in the revived Academy meetings which will run after the senior events.
Around 15 clubs have already indicated an interest, with more expected.
"Our hands were one of the first to shoot up," said Van Straaten.
"We have done it before and it fell by the wayside when the Conference League started - the riders weren't around then.
"But it did work. The best prospect we had from it was Wayne Carter."
