Gemini

So who is the trackman? You would think after all the years speedway has been running that someone would have an idea how to prepare the track at Coventry. It just seems like one disaster after another and no reason to blame a stock car meeting over a week ago or bad weather this time. There's no excuse for a long delay again while we stand around watching track preparation that should have taken place in the morning. No wonder fans are giving up on speedway. That's it for me this year as I certainly won't be going on Wednesday now. Hopefully I can get some enthusiasm back next April. By the way....the best thing about today was the music and presentation by Chris Simpson. He deserves a medal for trying to keep things up beat amongst all the chaos.

I think we all accept track grading is necessary every few heats but what is irritating is when it has to take place shortly after the match has just started because the track hasn't been prepared properly beforehand. Unfortunately this has happened too often at Coventry this season and we are standing around watching endless laps of tractor racing rather than what we have paid to see.

What not even a biscuit and cuppa at the interval? I think I'm right in saying Coventry's track staff were allowed free entry but that was a few years ago - it might be different now.

Used to insensitive posts from certain people on Leicester threads. Mrcts.....I personally don't know why Coventry would take preference, except that's how it has always been sorted out before, so unless the rules change I wouldn't think Leicester would be allowed to run on the same night being as there is only about 25 miles between the two clubs. Hopefully we still have at least two more years to run.

Now I am not a trackman as you have probably gathered but perhaps FTM will see this thread and comment. My guess would be to keep the expenses down. Free entry plus tea and biscuits in the interval for how many - about a dozen people ? whereas the tractor/man is at the track anyway and he can trundle round every 4 heats so just one cup of tea and a couple of custard creams for him. With the exception of Berwick as the last time I went (quite a few years ago) had at least 9 rakers on each bend.

Ah...but can you match the £2,400 I was due to get via Paypal for selling absolutely nothing? Missed my chance there as I could have got myself a nice little second hand car.

I'm bad enough now at directions so no chance of me finding a different route. Anyway by 2017 I'll only be three years off 80 and the only driving I'll be doing then is in a mobility scooter.

I'm not even going to comment on that. Not worth the effort. I don't think it's that simple as I would imagine Coventry take preference with Leicester having been closed for so long. Saturday is obviously best for Leicester so families and neutral supporters can attend like they have been for the past four years, but then that dreaded G.P. rears its head again.

I've got a better idea - Leicester can have Thursday and we'll stick with our regular Friday night. Coventry have tried that and it was a disaster - too many shift workers for a start who can't attend, also children at school the next day. We have traditionally always been a weekend club whereas in the past Tuesday was Leicester's night. It's no good either to keep swapping and changing race nights as fans like a set day. The G.P's have made a big enough negative input without two clubs deciding to mess about as well.

Well I damn well wouldn't. Steering clear of Paypal after all the problems I've had with them.

Sounds good. Does anyone know if the Tollbar Island roadworks will be finished by 2017?

Blimey I've learnt a new word. I always thought I was pretty good at English but must admit I've never heard of that before.

I don't. Most people have other reasons for disliking Poole. Do you want a list?

I would hope so as a number of fans attend both Coventry and Leicester.

But wouldn't it be even better if we didn't have to wait until the middle of the season before he gets going? Now he's in good form why doesn't he just wrap those bikes in cotton wool and put them away until 2015? I can never understand why riders have to start afresh each year with different equipment, or perhaps they don't and it's just the rider himself who takes a couple of months to get back into the swing of things?

Mick Bates I think. I agree it should be part of the initial presentation to say who is the referee then I wouldn't have to ask my friend with a programme who it is at every meeting.

See....I might be a miserable pessimistic old sod but at least I'm realistic and know what to expect.

Have a league match once a year at each track and I'm sure the total attendances would more than match the 40,000 at Cardiff.

Yes it sure does. We'll perhaps lose by only 10 points now if we have some luck instead of 15 or more.

I wasn't thinking of silencers. You've got a point though which is probably correct.

I think I saw a bit of team riding at Coventry on Friday - Milik and Pawlicki riding side by side for four laps in heat 5, passing and re-passing each other. Great to watch....if only it wasn't just a battle to get 3rd place.

I'm predicting a full 15 heats, decent weather, a well prepared track and some fireworks at the end if Poole win.....which they will do so yes fireworks and champagne all ready.

Yes, the only thing missing was Dave Robinson. He would have excluded a few for not being ready.

By the lack of response I think you'll gather most of us have given up trying to suggest things to improve speedway. Since 2010 every season has been worse than the one before - riders missing supposedly injured or ill although still riding everywhere but the U.K., lack of continuity, guests, no matches in the height of Summer then trying to cram everything in during the middle/end of October, badly prepared tracks, riders returning to the pits after a false start, races taking forever to start due to all the gardening and messing about. There's my reply and I fully expect season 2015 to be pretty much the same as this one - crap.

If it was just individual meetings that would be the end of speedway for me after 65 years. Not interested.