teddy2706

To get bums on seats, promoters must provide a spectacle. However, last season, almost every Buxton home meeting was a spectacle, yet unless visiting supporters arrived in force, the crowd was low. This is a very sad state of affairs, yet the crowd for Deano's airfence meeting was very good. Steeplejack's point about half lap leads is by no means confined to NL racing, we have all seen this happen at every level and will no doubt see it again.` Regarding payment for riders, minimum pay and minimum travel allowances are insufficient for riders to break even if they are travelling any distances. Sponsorship, not only from large concerns, but from the grass roots supporters will undoubtedly assist riders to invest in top quality machinery. Whilst bracing myself for an onslaught from fans who believe paying to get in is more than sufficient, riders at NL level struggle with costs and in my experience, help, no matter how small, is usually gratefully received. If it isn't, don't help that particular rider again! Joe Hughes International will mail a tyre to any supporter anywhere, as I am sure all of the other speedway specialists will too. Make an NL rider smile, give him a tyre! It costs about the same as admission to three meetings (ish). This will not alleviate a rider shortage, but it will assist in making sure those available can continue to ride.

Vog and H.T. hit the nail on the head about Stoke, it was one of the most exciting places to watch because WHEN it was prepared nicely, visiting riders would often run amok. It may be the case that Stoke suffered from a lack of silverware because they had such a fair, neutral and fast track? However, it has deteriorated in recent years to an embarrassment and we have witnessed some very scary incidents involving very competent riders. Vog and I enjoyed a visit to Lakeside in 2011 on a hot dusty day. Four riders entered a huge dust cloud, three emerged, no-one had a clue where the fourth had gone, yet we saw some good racing that day. One of the most spectacular meeting I saw was at Brandon in the eighties, normally it was appallingly boring, but heavy rain had turned the track into an absolute quagmire. Peter Ravn revelled in it and set up a new track record that day. My definition of a crap track would be one where a rider is hurt because of poor preparation or poor infrastructure like broken kerbs or faulty drain covers, this is unforgiveable. Regarding potholes, riders cannot always choose exactly where they want to be on a track, manouevres by other riders may force them into places they would not normally be riding. Gary Irving suffered a really frightening off at Stoke when he picked up. Instead of running to his assistance, a well known Stoke personality jumped over the fence and started berating him for knocking someone else down as though Gary had actually chosen to crash. All part of the rich tapestry of life at Stoke Speedway! Maybe there are no crap tracks, only crap promotions?

Excellent news!

It isn't fair to bad mouth a rider for doing what is best for his career advancement, accusations about a lack of loyalty might be ok during the season, but not in the close season. After all, most promoters have no compunction whatsoever in dropping riders who are going through a sticky patch, loyalty works both ways in theory! I hope Matt does really well and goes from strength to strength and in truth that goes for every British rider in every league. It will be smashing to see Liam tearing around Buxton this year too, a real treat to watch he is, he has no respect for reputation, every opponent is there to be beaten. It is worth the admission simply to watch Liam Carr in action, add other, ambitious riders trying hard and it is money well spent to visit Buxton Speedway. I haven't always held that opinion, but I was wrong, the only other place I like to spend sunday afternoons is Mildenhall, another value for money venue.

Latest signing must surely make everyone happy unless they support other teams? Brilliant news!

"Odd sunday"?

My friend Vog, who works for MI5, has come up with a really cunning plan to slash costs in National League speedway: To replace the top riders who have been seconded to race each other in the Elite League, Vog thinks they should be replaced by older men who were once well admired by spectators for their style, competitive spirit, panache and gritty determination. As they would be eligible for bus passes, the travel costs to prospective promoters would be non-existant. So if you are returning from a holiday in Cornwall on the bus, please bear with John Louis, Dave Jessup, Bruce Cribb, Colin Pratt, Len Silver, Glyn Taylor and Arthur Browning as they drag filthy old 2 valve Jawas and 5 stud Japs into the bus along with their tools, leathers and open face helmets. Be careful that the open primary drive doesn't rip open or smear oil onto your bags or cases and you will have to simply put up with the pools of Castrol 'R' leaking from total loss lubrication systems. Be very careful that you don't upset them either, because Arthur and Bruce in particular can be quite liverish if they don't win. They will have been riding at Plymouth and returning home at little or no cost to the promotion. This plan, worthy of a civil servant for its parsimonious meanness, will certainly appeal to the promotion at Loomer rd. and may catch on everywhere.

Not even close to covering the costs and the travel allowance is derisory.

Two nice runs at least down to Plymouth this season then, wonderful news! Now all we need is someone generous to help keep IoW open too.

I choose not to comment on the grounds that he might start calling me rude names too.

I understand that Dudley, sorry, Cradley supporters who take the trouble to support their team at Stoke, thus adding to the gate receipts at Loomer rd. got called a rude word by a member of the Stoke staff in 2012? Absolutely unforgiveable in my opinion. Certainly the same person isn't afraid of calling Stoke supporters rude names.

In fairness to Mr. Tattum, he did come to a supporters forum social night, albeit uninvited. He did have a conversation with some of us, but he brought someone with him who decided it was a better idea to shout at us, the same person who called Dudley supporters rude names and alienated them. Sadly, that evening could have been the one opportunity to bury the hatchet and for Stoke Speedway to move forward because the person who was once Stoke speedway's biggest supporter was there too and he was in a position to pull together supporters once again. Now he loathes Stoke speedway with an absolute passion and the mere mention of the club makes him venomous. It seems to me that the only way Stoke Speedway can survive is if someone of the calibre of Mr. Machin took over from Mr. Tattum, even if the club remained NL but with aspirations to take the team back into PL.

If this comes to pass, it has got to be great news for every young speedway rider in the South West. Does it matter whether the team are called Plymouth Demons/Devils/Sailors/Monkeys or whatever? So long as young people get the opportunity to display their talents at a track that doesn't cost a mortgage to travel to, then that is all that matters. Good Luck to Plymouth for even considering the idea, I hope to be travelling to watch Stoke and Buxton ride there soon. More British tracks, more British riders has to be the way forward.

A friend of mine who is a Stock car fan says that at a recent meeting, drivers complained that their cars were being damaged because of the track surface and he also said that part of the track lighting wasn't working.

That is my understanding too FG. My belief is that the buck stops with the promotion. Admittedly, it is difficult to re-invest and rejuvenate with the receipt from a small crowd, but is the small gate receipt directly attributable to the promotion? You are quite right too; it was once one of the best tracks in the country at any level of the sport. The promoters have had many opportunities to meet with the disaffected supporters and listen to their grievances, but choose not to, a very sad state of affairs indeed.

My opinion, for what it is worth, is that spectators became disillusioned when certain well liked riders were dropped some years ago (unjusitifiably some fans thought). Adding this to a poor run of results and a programme that often included Stoke riders no-one had ever previously heard of, some long standing supporters became tired of their team being beaten repeatedly and a lack of silverware and began to stay away. Dropping to NL speedway did not help, many supporters only wanted to watch PL (in fairness, this was to them, like giving Mackeson to whisky drinkers, it was a product that they might have consumed occasionally, but not the one of their choice). 2011 in the NL was promising, but the team succumbed to injuries preventing the success they absolutely deserved. This further aggravated supporters. Certain popular riders were again dropped and gates fell dramatically. Wages have always been below national averages in the Stoke area and the economic downturn kept even more supporters away. Rows and running battles began between supporters and sometimes the promotional team on web sites and several supporters (some of whom had indeed helped out at the club in various ways) began to loathe the promotion. Add to this several fixtures that did not occur, several delays due to various reasons (non appearance of paramedics, generator issues) and a callous attitude towards loyal supporters seems to have nailed the coffin lid down nicely. The track, once the hunting ground of bold marauders from visiting teams because it was so good and competetive, has sadly been allowed to deteriorate. The toilets are disgraceful. The stadium has an air of decay about it. Visiting fans have been subjected to inappropriate comments from Stoke staff who really should know better. I live near Stoke, but do not spectate there anymore preferring the friendly atmosphere and proximity to the action of Buxton. On visits to Mildenhall and Sheffield, one is greeted by members of the promotional team who are pleasant, ask how far you have come and thanking you for your visit. It isn't difficult to demonstrate hospitality to paying customers in a way that makes them wish to return, but this is sadly absent from Stoke speedway. Some speedway tracks are a home from home, somewhere you may wish to linger, meet friends, enjoy the company. Loomer road no longer has that appeal for me.

One commodity that speedway has a surfeit of is old tyres. Tyres are a carbon nightmare and speedway is very wasteful with them. Wherever you go at speedway the things are everywhere. Now, whilst I realise that tyres are nasty when burning, is there no way that tyres could be bagged and stacked in such a way as to a) prevent riders sliding beneath them and present a low fire risk? Tyres were often used in road racing and I for one have been grateful for their protection on several occasions.

No, I don't mean NEW speedway fans. No-one with any interest in speedway would go to Loomer rd. the reputation is so poor. I have a soft spot for Stoke Speedway - Romney Marshes. That does not mean though that I have any axe to grind with any rider whilst they were riding for Stoke.

Whether Stoke run in 2014 depends entirely on whether the promotion can attract non-speedway fans! Over the past years, they have managed to alienate so many existing supporters (and not only their own) who are unlikely ever to return with the present promotion in place. Die hards who I never expected to jump ship now appear frequently spectating at Buxton and rarely, if ever show their faces at Loomer Rd. It is a very sad state of affairs indeed. Stoke fans are regarded by supporters from other clubs as rather sad eccentrics, subject to friendly mickey taking or worse, sympathy. Incredibly, the promotion (as other promoters elsewhere have in the past) appear content to allow this slide in support to continue. The fact that many absent supporters now actively hope that Loomer rd. closes to speedway is an indication of the cancer that has rotted this once proud and well supported club away from the inside. Stoke once had the most competitive racing track, the most vociferous and partisan supporters and a neat and tidy stadium. Now look at it, you could weep. Even finding a toilet is a huge acheivement.

I didn't know there was more than one Mrs. Moss, I certainly meant Jayne Moss, nor did I intend to be rude either to, or about her.

Why would Stoke prepare their track to suit their own team, they have completely failed to produce anything like a good racing surface for two years now!

Is that the same Met office that earlier in the season said it would sile it down at Scunny, so I didn't go and the meeting was run, then later in the season said that it would be fine all evening at Scunny, so I went and it was rained off? That shower of mutts at the Met office need horsewhipping their forecasts are so inaccurate! If it isn't an accurate science, then shut the Met office down and open a fortune tellers tent instead. Then I suppose it would be closed because of unforeseen circumstances.

I was told some years ago by a stock car fan that the food and drink nonsense applied at Owlerton at all stock car meetings, but I haven't seen it at speedway there before. It isn't the promotions fault the fixture was rained off and in truth what date would have been safe this wet and rainy year? If the start time had been brought forward there would have been an outcry from folk with arranged coaches etc. Wasn't the parade on bikes lent by a sponsor? Certainly the parade wasn't long enough to have got the meeting on in time to prevent a rain off. Anyone who was fed up by the hours delay should visit Stoke, at least there was food and drink available and we weren't standing in pitch darkness yesterday! Mr. Machin walked through the crowd during the delay, he didn't hide, if anyone wanted to have their say, I'm sure he would have listened. On the bright side, I lost my ticket, but this morning found my mates in the car!

Mrs. Moss appeared to be paying attention to another of her business interests on sunday afternoon, she cannot be in two places at once! The fact that she didn't go to Mildenhall has no bearing upon the attendances at Buxton. Whilst I haven't always seen the result I would like at Buxton (particularly when they batter Stoke!) I have always been entertained. That isn't true of all clubs, in fact some venues are just boring and not a spectacle at all.

Mrs. Moss has stated her case, as a business woman she is ruled by her head, not her heart. A train of events beyond her control caused problems that led to falling attendances. A recession that seems to just go on for ever. Stoke sacking Tim Webster, who was then available for Buxton. Tim walking out leaving Buxton high and dry. Robert injured himself badly and Charles Wright isn't always available because of PL commitments. As someone who didn't like spectating at Buxton, I have learned to love the cut and thrust unpredictability of that track, I saw more action there than almost anywhere this season. Watching Deano bushwack top NL riders, watching Luke and Adam pull off some real suprises and scarcely being able to watch Rhino Blacklock because he might win, but might fall off, then remount and get back into the places (who knows which it will be)? The setting has the best scenery in England and the racing can be first class. What do you want? The food and drink are served with a smile and you are so close to the action you sometimes duck, especially if Mr. Blacklock is on the rampage out of turn 4. Instead of grumbling about that tracks differences, it would be good to celebrate them and turn up to watch, Mrs. Moss gives young, inexperienced riders much longer to learn their craft than anyone else, she deserves support for this on its own! As a previous sceptic, I am converted and would be very upset to never watch there again.