Nobblytriers

Sorry. Posts 920 and 921 are not making any sense ... or have I missed something? It's cold where and who's injured? It doesn't seem to follow on from anything beforehand, at least on my PC. Mixed threads? My age showing?

Well, back in the late 60's early 70's, I remember that there were posters around the city of Leicester advertising speedway as "The Space Age Sport". There was a billboard near the Pork Pie island that was changed on a weekly basis advertising who was coming to ride at Blackbird Road. So in Leicester's case, yes, it was advertised a lot more than appears to be the case now. I did hear that DH had posters on buses but I didn't see one myself. I think that there are a huge amount of people who still don't know what speedway is, let alone know what it is but have never seen it live - and yet that's with all the coverage we have today! At my local garage the three young mechanics, all into motorsport, didn't have a clue what speedway is nor that it was back in Leicester at BP. Is that down to a lack of promotion and therefore awareness or that the younger generation have other things thrust upon them at an early age and stick with what they know? I feel that this sport needs promoting more than it is. The Sky money should have been put into building the sports identity and presence in the publics mind but seeing as most or all of that has now gone, effort should be made to pull in a major sponsor whilst we still have Sky covering meetings. If we loose TV coverage, a sponsor will be even harder to find.

When I was a boy you could hide behind a wagon wheel!!

Does this imply that Glynn is not Leicesters' track man anymore?

Well, as I see it, the way things are going, should Leicester run next year in the top flight we'll have a team that will give us no chance of the playoffs and therefore another early end to the season. Everyone else appears to have riders signed up or in are in negotiations with them (even RH have five signed up with another TBA tomorrow) so by the time all this gets sorted, whoever is running the club will have an uphill struggle to put a side together with a proper No1. Come on Leicester, get stuff sorted and give us a team that can push for the playoffs ... and while you're at it sort out turns one and two please. Thanks.

LOL

What companies are they then and can you give the exact reason they are leaving? Can you name them please?

The EU apparently subsidised Chinese steel production to the detriment of our own. Maybe that why TATA steel reduced their production here and the Brexiteers placed the blame there. It costs us an awful lot of money to belong to the club that is the EU and I think we're better off spending our money where we see fit and forging our own path. Other nations will always be happy to trade with us. It's not for some unelected, unaccountable group of freeloaders and gravy train ticket holders to dictate what we do.

Surely, if someone moves into a house knowing that there is going to be a development nearby that's likely to cause a disturbance, they can't complain and win? If they, or their solicitors, don't carry out proper searches, how on earth can any residents start a petition asking for another development to be shut down? Crazy world we live in.

I'll admit that I did wonder about just putting a link to the article without the full address in it as I know the DM has a bit of a reputation for poor journalism, but then ... you see, the man who wrote the article is a very well respected journalist and not really associated to the DM itself other that his Sunday column. I certainly don't tar him with the same brush that you appear to do, and you didn't even read it! Unfortunately for you, you seem to have preconceived ideas and have made your mind up already. There is non so blind as those who will not see ... As for 'Anything with the Daily mail tends to be untrue', well, where do we get our information? No matter what you read, it will have the authors 'slant' on it. Do you believe all that is written in whatever paper you read? I read recently that someone said that the best advice they ever had from their father was to read a different paper every day and to get a balanced view point. Good advice I think.

Hi all, I've not read all of this thread so apologies if this stuff has already been covered. If the Remainers here are worried about the fall of the pound due to Brexit, maybe this link here will go some way towards showing you that's not necessarily true ... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-3840202/PETER-HITCHENS-falling-pound-freedom.html To take this a bit further, the link below shows a graph of the pounds performance since the early 1900's http://www.miketodd.net/encyc/dollhist.htm The graph shows the instability of the pound since the early 70's, funnily enough, the same time as the UK went into the EEC. It looks like a seismograph printout. There's some interesting reading in the four pages of the article.

Well, taking that a little further forward, how about the BSPA setting up a website with footage available from whatever sources are willing to help, and then contacting all schools with a professionally worded letter explain what the idea is and also a link to the website with all the downloadable material? This would be a ready made resource for schools to use as a way of an exercise for the pupils and have a meaningful purpose too. They could even have a prize fund to create more interest and reward good work. It's in the BSPA's best interest to get something done about the dwindling crowds, and to keep them. An exercise such as this would be a step in the right direction. Do nothing and nothing changes.

Well David Hemsley's walked away and maybe it was because of the antics of his fellow promoters and the way the sport is run?

I may be wrong here but a lot of tracks seem to play the same music. I sometimes hear the same tracks in the background when a match is being televised. Given that the tracks would need a licence to play music publicly, why do they tend to play the same stuff? They could play anything! There are tens of thousands of tracks, why play the same ones? Some weeks at Leicester it's like being back in the 70's with Billy Bates funfair!!

Thanks for that Noodles J

Hi all, apologies if this has been covered already but I've had a look around on other threads and can't find it. Does anyone know if the qualifiers are on TV at all and the pay off and final? If so, what channel and what time? I thought someone mentioned months ago that Eurosport were showing the qualifiers, but I can't see where or when. Sky, BT or Eurosport for the Belle Vue meetings? Thanks in advance. J

Are there any/many reasons why the second half can't be put on before the main event? I think there may be some advantages to letting the juniors race first. There would be some activity going on as people arrive making it more exciting, especially for a newcomer, thereby creating a better atmosphere. The track will have been raced on with the dirt line moved, and it would give the main event riders a chance to see how the track races. More people would get to see the up and coming riders learning their craft and may take an interest in their development. The start time would be moved forward to allow the meeting as a whole to be completed and those there early enough to see it all would have good value for money. It would certainly take away some of the quiet time that exists while you wait for the meeting to start, listening to 70's music or the centre green announcer rattling on about nothing with a bad radio mic. ( BTW, why do most tracks seem to play the same music? I thought that if you had a public licence you could play anything you like!)

I'm not so sure about that. With the tracks now seemingly being a lot slicker than they used to be (for whatever reason), it's getting to be the rider with the best engine wins. A lot of the skill has been taken away from the rider (though credit to them all as I think it's a brave and skilful thing to do) and many can't seem to handle a deep track. At the under 21 at Leicester a couple of years ago, the top of the track had to be taken off to allow the youngsters a chance to race. Until then, there were plenty of mistakes but a few got stuck in and showed their ability to ride in the dirt. (maybe it's a setup thing?) Formula 1 is now looking at putting the emphasis back on the driver to make his input just as important as that of the car he's driving. Hopefully the better drivers will move to the front because of their ability, not just because they're in the best car. At Leicester last Wednesday, the racing was very strung out until the latter heats. Glynn has come on here and explained why the track was prepared the way it was (thanks Glynn) and that the racing improved due the dirt building up on the outside. I agree with Danny Smith above, put more dirt on and see what happens.

Interesting stuff. Thanks for clarifying that Speedibee, I could well have been misinformed or my memory is as foggy as a fully restored JAP!

From what I was told, the newer engines aren't total loss engines and the use of 'R' in the new engines causes them to clog up as it thickens with continuous use. A shame, as that smell was part of the appeal, as all us oldies know.

The crowds will pick up if the entertainment on track does too. You don't need all of the top men to have an exciting meeting.

I got hooked on the noise (no silencers) and the smell (nothing like it) and both are practically gone. Got talking to a mate of mine and turns out he used to go to Blackbird Road, Leicester in his youth and I suggested we go to BP when the season starts. He said he used to love it and could remember the smell. I said you don't get that much of it these days and his face dropped. Most people who used to go to meetings in the past say that they always remember the smell. It was part of the experience. Elsewhere in this thread, someone mentioned that follow the leader races were all too common. (Not just BP then?). If that's the case, maybe that's the most important thing that everyone concerned with running the sport should be looking at solving ... if it's something that can be solved? Newbies? Lots more competition for the pound in your pocket so you have to make it something special, better than the other stuff on offer. Once you've got them through the gate, give them a good time and value for money. Someone once told me that to beat the competition you've got to be cheaper, better or both. Personally I think a handfull of free or very cheap meetings would do the sport a world of good. A bit like a try before you buy. Maybe paying £20 to £30 for a night out not knowing what you're going to get is a bit too high a price to pay for most people? PS My mate still said he'll go to BP this season, even without the smell. I hope the track alterations make a difference and he get's hooked again.

I'm just at the bottom of the 2nd page in this thread so apologies in advance if this is sort of duplicated by someone on the pages that follow. Whilst I agree that more promoters should do more of what their title implies, that can't be the answer to the problem. No doubt Mr Hearn has done wonders for snooker and boxing, and someone else has pulled darts out of the pub, but look at what they had to deal with. A green covered table (which you can put in any big room), a large platform surrounded by rope (which you can put in any big room) and a round disc marked into 20 sections that accompanies a rubber mat, and, surprisingly, you can fit that in any big room too. It can be pretty easy for an accomplished showman to get a room full of people excited and create an atmosphere. Alot of speedway stadia are big so you need many many more people to create an atmosphere. They are also quite run down. They also have to deal with inclement weather. Would Mr Hearns' sports be as popular if the spectators had to sit in grubby chairs, use questionable toilet facilities or stand out in the cold? Mr Ecclestone appears to want to own everything if he were to promote it. Look at what happens to the racing circuits that don't come up to scratch. They have to invest heavily to update their facilities or they can't have a GP ... and then they have to pay to have that!! But nearly every circuit that Bernie visits with his circus heaves with people over a three day period and the atmosphere is amazing. And that's another thing. It's a one-off, once a year experience that people are willing to pay for. The same can possibly be said for the Arenacross. A one off treat. Speedway is a weekly/forntnightly event and if there's a family involved then that doesn't come cheap. Coupled with a lack of atmosphere, dodgy facilities, cold, damp nights, a lack of entertainment on the track, long gaps between races, (though not always) and old music (and why is that when, if you have a public broadcasting license, you can play anything you want!?) you can begin to see why we have a shortage of people through the gates. Personally, I still enjoy speedway. I can put up with all of the above because I know what speedway can be. When it's right, I think it's the most exciting sport there is. What we need to do is make it right for the new ones that come through the gate ... but I don't think Mr Hearn or Mr Ecclestone will have all the answers for that problem ... and I don't think either of those two will come cheap. PS, I've yet to watch the youtube clip with Hearn.

There would certainly be a clash with other sports at the beginning and end of the season but for the majority we should be ok. A 3pm start would create a parking problem though with the shops in the area being open. At this stage we don't know the real answer for dates being only provisional though do we? There could be a number of reasons. DH is considering pulling out, (can't get a No1, financial problems, unhappy with the way the sport is run, disagreements with manager and/or co promoter ... ), looking at what night to choose to race on so that it suits everyone, looking at dropping to PL level, DH is in the process of selling up and until the new deal is struck it's all up in the air etc If we're still racing in 2016, I'll certainly be there to see how the new track shape pans out, and if it improves the pass rate then it will have been worth the effort. Fingers crossed.

I know a few who don't go because of the standard of racing and me and my better half only went to a handful of meetings in 2015. That said, if it's true what they say, DH has some of the best attendances at a speedway track in the UK and so he must be doing something right. If people want to watch what's on offer, or if they don't, then that's up to them. If, on the other hand, DH is worried about a drop in income due to a drop in the attendance, then he has to do something about it. The same goes for building a team in the top flight when you can't get top flight riders because of your race night. If he won't change then I don't think there's anything to be done except maybe a few souls with an appropriate bank balance to get together and make him an offer. That way, the track can be changed, along with the race night, and then maybe the new owners can show DH how it should be done as they watch the crowds double in size. I think it's really frustrating to have the facility at BP, which is superb by most standards of speedway stadia, but we don't get the racing that we think we should. I watched a meeting from Torun last week and it was stunning. Loads of passing and re passing, three and four into a bend, even after two or three laps, and I thought we will never see that at BP. Such a shame. Changing the track shape might make the racing more exciting but there's no guarantee (Kings Lynn is supposedly the right shape but that can produce racing on par with BP) and due to the costs involved, with no guarantee of success, I think that's a drawback for him. I think it will stay as it is unless DH wins the lottery, someone buys him out or something drastic happens to force his hand.