OveFundinFan

I didn't know you could just walk into business class and take a seat.

I stand by my original statement, speedway IS a technical motorised sport AND costly to compete”. And it IS for the very reasons that you state, their technical and costly. But they are there, in weekly use, and yes…having to be paid for by the viewing public. Are these “advances” necessary…….NO. Racing was probably just as exciting in the 1930’s, as now. The JAP engine became the predominant engine up until around the mid 60’s……how simple an engine was that. I would imagine now engine tuning costs a small fortune. A new engine straight out of the box is no longer good enough, it has to be tuned. And as I read things different tracks “need” a different level of tune. Mmmmm. So I agree costs are ridiculous and, agree, unnecessary. But it adds to my statement “costly to compete”, it is what it is. So what can be done reduce costs back to something more “sensible”, whatever that is. Back to a simple design, 2 valves. Fundin, Moore, Craven, Briggs etc won enough world championships on 2 valve JAPs. Technology moves on, R&D is BIG in any industry. Is advancement really necessary though? Whatever individual views on that is logically money comes into, as Dean Machine says. I suspect letting technology run its course can be seen as an easy option to choose. The more restrictions that are put on engine development means more checks are needed. Doesn’t seem to get mentioned much these days, but there were always suspicions that some engine were overbored, with correspondingly bigger pistons, engines exceeding 500cc type of thing. Put restrictions on technology and it could mean that official results of a meeting cannot be verified until hours/days? after a meeting. It’s a big problem, and I don’t know the answer to it. Certainly I would be happy to get rid of these lay down super rocket ship engines. Call me old fashioned, that’s alright, but I much prefer an upright engine in a speedway frame - it looks right. The ESO/JAWA engines of the late 60’s looked neat, 2 valves. Mid 60s to mid 70’s saw a flurry of 4 valve engines in the hands of mostly top riders. The likes of Neil Street and I think there was a Swedish engine (can’t remember who) followed but it sort of culminated in Weslake dominating the seen for a period. So I am sticking to my words….speedway…… it’s technical and it’s costly…fact. But it needn’t be, it shouldn’t be.

Ah right. The three times we been 2013-14-15 we were up on the third tier, great view looking down on the track.

I was there too, and it was our first (and only) speedway trip abroad. Fantastic atmosphere, just a meeting memories are made of. Still watch clips of it on YouTube. Our coach went onto Marianske Lazne, Czech for the following weeks long track world final. Much prefer speedway, though admire the courage of long trackers at those speeds. It was another world final that sticks in my mind. 1967, Ove Fundin 5th and last world final. First world final my girlfriend (now wife) went to and she thought me and my male mates were nuts jumping, in a circle, up and down when he won. That night Ove raced using an ESO bike with a JAP engine in. He still rated the JAP engine for Wembley track, though it still has to be set up right. Apparently he asked the Belle Vue mechanic to set the bike to get him to the first corner first, and he would do the rest. He dropped 1 point to his nemesis Igor Plechanov. That put him in a runoff with Bengt Jansson. The story goes, on the walk from the pits to the start line, Fundin “talked” Jansson out of him winning. The “wily fox” won. Whether the story is true or not, but it fits the result.

Any one know why it’s the front rows that haven't been filled. Surely they too far back to catch the shale.

Your are right, and I do need help to remember some things, glad you can assist. You probably know how much PPV costs per viewing, approx twice as much as Discovery+ and I get a months viewing with D+. So my trip to PPL was a “little treat” so to speak. Depends who is in it this year as to whether I treat myself again.

Speedway is cheap in the uk IMO We just been away to “the seaside”. We enjoyed an ice cream cone each, just a single blob. It was very nice (cherry flavour with slices of cherry too). £9 for the two (and kept an eye on the seagulls). Stayed a few night in a 7 bedroomed B&B, nothing cheaper than £75 per night, we paid £100 per night and was very happy, lovely place. Snack lunch in a corner cafe near the seafront, just a panini and fresh salad, very nice, cup of coffee each after. £28 for two. It’s today’s cost of enjoying yourself on a break. (I also got a £25 fixed price car park ticket that I appealed against and won). Today, speedway tracks are closing down, have been for a long time, some due to environmental issues, or land development, but some because not enough money is being made to make a track a viable proposition. Up go the prices a quid or two and “foul” is shouted by the fans. Speedway is a technical motorised sport, and costly to compete, riders travelling hundreds of miles each week, often this means it’s there only means of making a living. Lots of costs associated with running a stadium. All needs to be paid for, if the fans don’t/wont the track closes down. There are those on here today who remember Wembley in the 60’s/70’s with a 80,000+ crowd. That was then, 50 or 60 years ago! 50 or 60 years ago. At times I can’t get used to today’s prices when compared to how things were in the good ole days, but life has moved on. I’m careful what I spend money on, but sometimes get caught “by the moment” and buy something I later wish I hadn’t. That’s how it goes sometimes. As for today, I can’t afford, nor do I want to travel 65 miles return to watch Belle Vue. I cannot afford all the subscription channels that may show all I want to watch. So I am happy to pay for a sub channel that gives me all the GP’s, events such as SON, British championship, some British league matches and a few others such as world championship Challenge. That cost me about the same as 4 admission prices to British Premiere league matches (for one person). Would be nice to be there in person, but apart from costs as a pensioner there’s the other reason of me or the wife not always feeling too good.

A good 36 hours after the great event final….. has anyone seen any reports in any of the national newspapers or on tv news? Why, as a sport in the UK that has international success both at individual and team level, speedway does not seem to get a mention at all.? It’s not that it’s one newspaper or one tv news channel……it’s as if it’s blanket No No across the whole spectre. WHY

Belle Vue was a cheap deal. Fans gone to Germany for euro football, some reported to have spent £12,000-£14,000 pounds. I bet they paying hotel prices of well over £200 per night. Problem is with British speedway is it is too cheap, supporters have got used to that and can’t move forward. Maybe the solution is to have a track tucked miles away from major cities, no hotels to have a hot meal, no beer on tap, no luxury bed…..track right out in the countryside……..like Malilla. Good track, worthy of world class speedway….just like BV. But When you go to Malilla I presume you take your own tent and gas ring. And it can still be wet. Yep, bit like BV. Interesting, when I saw shots of the grandstand crowd the majority seemed to be at the OAP age range. So OAP can afford it but younger working people can’t. Worries me…..the government seeing that, they could figure OAPs are getting too much pension and decide to cut it.

Re costing to hold such meetings…. If the FIM wants world championships in places other than mainland Europe they should have to cover costs….excess costs especially. Belle Vue is an exceptional race track…… IMO one of the top 3 in the world. It’s worthy of holding world class meetings. If because temp stands have to be erected then some governing body should be on the boil and cough up to cover at least losses. This week there were over 90 fast races on the BV track, poor weather conditions too, yet the track held up, no rutting at all, that is quiet an achievement….. well done to all the staff that prepped the track and kept in racing condition. Accolades must go to Chris Morton for all the years he (and others) stuck to the dream and battled their way through Manchester Council for them to fund the stadium. Such a shame that the very first meeting back in 2016, the Peter Craven Memorial Trophy, had to be cancelled because of errors caused by contractors, leading to a big financial loss to Mort that was going to be tough to sort. And just think, when you saw an aerial view of the new stadium and close surrounding area you could see the places that The Hyde Road track, in existence before the 2nd world war, the greyhound stadium track (never liked it) and the NSS occupied or did occupy, all within a few hundred metres. A lot of speedway history in Manchester indeed.

Bewley…yeh, a gating tart.

Zmarzlik under pressure.

Did he? I thought I saw a pretty good pass on the first bend, at least passed two. If he had gated he wouldn’t have passed anyone…didn’t need to.

Is there enough humble pie to go around?

I presume Eurosport has no charge to watch….if that is the case, how does the setting up and all the technical stuff required get paid for? And why is Discovery+ a specialist channel? It’s a massive channel that covers a multitude of sports (well over 50 sports), plus loads of other non sport topics. My £6.99 per month (and it is a monthly contract, not tied in for 12month) if I just watched speedway is good value, but I watch with interest probably half dozen sports that have wheels, mostly 2 wheels. Apart from BBC licence fee, Discovery+ is the only subscription I pay. I went off Sky a few years ago and BT couple years ago.

They will find something.

With 14 different nations over two nights racing, it’s logical the standard of the teams/racing will differ. In their own way the excitement caused by the “lesser” teams matched that of the more proficient teams. Both sets were willing to have a go. Of course the more established riders had probably a lot ,ore experience of the BV track, but it was noticeable that the riders from the lesser nations how they learned quickly to adapt to BVs racing many different racing lines, and this gave an unexpected level of excitement, maybe not lasting the whole four laps, but they took it to the more experienced riders and had a real go. Tuesday night some on here were implying the lesser nations shouldn’t even have been at BV, sort of out of their depth, adding nothing, get rid. Wrong. It was Speedway of Nations, and in total 15 nations will have been represented by the end of the final match. That’s a pretty good representation considering how speedway struggles to exist in some countries, and the uk can be included in that statement. The logistics of getting 15 teams together (then add the SON2 entourage), accommodation (it’s more than 2 riders to look after), transportation, visas, track staff, “back room” staff, the whole lot could easily turn into a nightmare, some riders will have machines in this country, others won’t so overland travel would be necessary. The time, money, effort needed to organise the show must have been immense, perhaps even beyond comprehension Unfortunately, the money that seems to be available from sponsors (advertisers) in Poland just isn’t available elsewhere at this moment in time. I just pleased that some “body” decided there is a need to put on a show like we have had over the last 2 days, with more to come on a Friday and Saturday. Some interesting suggestions come forward on this forum though, particularly that of taking the qualifiers (Tuesday/wednesday) to tracks around the country, though this year the meetings may have got rained off unlike BV. Lots of positives from this week, and not finished yet.

Can’t believe what Kvech did.

Houses built where the zoo was. British Car Auctions have a big site where the stadium was (plus a bit more).

If not enough of the seats sold in the temporary stand on turn 3-4 to be cost effective it could scupper any future FIM world championship finals held at Belle Vue…… including individual GP’s. Just my opinion.

As your jumping ship from Sky, that you paid for, do you fancy paying for Discovery+ ???

Meetings like tonight make it interesting watching the less favourite nations trying their best. You could see that in Castagna giving it all, and especially the Finnish rider Antti Vuolas who was exceptional. Not quite at the level as Swedens Helstrom-Bangs back in 2021 at BV.

Agree, Janowski looks uncomfortable riding Belle Vue track. He trashed it in 2021.

Like GP2, SON2 is for the upcoming youngsters. Keep it that way.

So Antti Vuolas wins a race, gets back to his pit bay….. and puts his glasses on!