Ray Stadia

The usual stock answer. Which is a fair answer, but doesn't help the future of speedway.

Of course, as we know with most, if not all motorsports, seeing it on TV is nothing like being there. It's the same whether it's F1, British Superbikes, Moto GP or indeed Speedway. Speedway has mostly been 'first from the tapes' forever, but most fans accept that, but now and again, you get a cracker of a heat! You say that yesteryear meetings on YouTube wouldn't be entertainment now and yet, there have been fans on this forum who have said they enjoy National League meetings more than the higher leagues. Fans are not only looking for spectacular heats, they are looking for the atmosphere, the sound, the smell, the camaraderie, the riding improvement of the second strings, the sportsmanship and in many instances, a nice pint and a tray of chips!

Speedway has moved on, but only in terms of the Grand Prix. League racing, in this country, has gone backwards, in so many ways. I agree, reverting back to the 70s type set-up won't save speedway in this country, however, what was good about the 70s was speedway was more affordable for the rider, the promoter and the fans. Until that bit is sorted out, it will remain on the life support machine, I'm afraid.

That sounds complicated. I think you would need one one of the 'specialists' modelling the spread of the virus, to work that out!

I've said for many years and been criticised on here for my opinion, that the only way, the activity of speedway can survive, is to be virtually amateur only and have tracks which are 'tracks in a field'. Speedway cannot continue pretending it's something it isn't. It needs to go back to it's roots and maybe it can grow from that level. The biggest thing killing speedway, is the cost. Costs for the riders, promoters, fans etc. The tracks would have to run weekends only, so the riders and the club members can earn money elsewhere during the week. There is no point starting each season on a wing and prayer. Losing Rye House, Lakeside, Stoke in recent years, in my opinion, was the final nail in the coffin for speedway. Reduce the costs for everyone, I believe it can survive.

But not including Kelly!

I wasn't suggesting we should switch back to uprights, just wondering about the wisdom of why speedway switched in the first place.

I have never fully understood why speedway moved to laydown engines. I believe the argument is lower centre of gravity, so a rider can go faster around corners. But there are people who say the bikes are too fast. I wonder if the sport changed to laydown for the sake of it being novel and gave engine manufacturers and tuners an opportunity to make money, as the riders switched.

Surely the stock cars will need a car park? Or is it that bikes need to be covered and the stock car boys are in the open? I would imagine most riders have the coverings that pull out from the side of a van or a gazebo?

A very popular rider, Neil Copestake has sadly passed away. I knew of him, rather than knew him, but I do know he was well known in the Grass Track scene. RIP

I suppose they could use a foamfence?

Wiki says he died in Ipswich, so maybe Ipswich hospital. However, the East Anglian Daily Times, has a picture of Olle walking along Felixstowe seafront (near Ipswich), so I don't know?

I live in Ipswich and am embarrassed to say, I didn't know he lived here. RIP Mr Nygren

I hope they will be using heavy heavy duty cable for the cars? If a car goes into a support, it could surely bring the lot down!

The Olympic Stadium or Wembley?

Looks dodgy for both cars and bikes!

It looks as though they have laid a tarmac track, so if speedway was to happen, surely it would have to be a temporary track, 'Cardiff style'?

The Rayleigh Rockets moved to Rye House in 1974. At least (apart from a few years break), Rye House have had a speedway track for more years than Rayleigh had. An idea, to keep some kind of 'Castrol R' sport alive in the area, would be to run some Grasstracks in Hertfordshire. Hertfordshire is quite rural, so there must be a field available somewhere. There used to be a great track in Ware, but due to some Roman ruins under the field, was stopped. They have run, recently, events at Ugly, but the original great track they had there, can't be used anymore, due to land slip or something, so they use a field which is quite small. However, a few years back, I did see James Shanes blast round there and on the small track, he was brilliant! From a 'Grasstrack springboard', maybe a new track can be found, eventually.

Maybe 'Steve' is the same guy, who was going to bring speedway back to Milton Keynes?

I would imagine some tracks dream, to get 600 through the turnstiles!

However, the contestant may have a dilemma if the question was about Tai...'hmm, is he Australian or is he British?'.

I said year's ago, the survival of speedway in Britain, will be a 'track in a field' and maybe we aren't far away from that fact. You will still get people who want to support the sport, probably the same number of people who have been supporting it up until now. Also, league racing would need to go and have individual meetings instead. Perhaps, if it took off from that base, the sport could creep back into some decent stadiums.

I think there is some kind of legal protection/tie-in for the stadium. I believe some of the locals would love to see the stadium go, but it is fairly well protected.

Actually, Ipswich Town football stadium is owned by the council.

Hi John, hope you are well. Yes, but to be fair, the state of speedway's stadiums has been discussed many times on here, for all the years since I joined this forum. While speedway remains in the doldrums, that isn't going to change. I imagine the watchword for British speedway at the present time, is survival!