BobC

Weather permitting, I am hoping to be there. 'Mon the Tigers!

I spend my money where its needed............BRITISH Speedway. I dont go to Cardiff anymore. Overpriced in every way. I remember the time that when you bought a ticket,you got a programme included. The following year they advertised 'no price rises for tickets'. Yet those tickets DIDNT include a programme. So the actual price did go up! I refused to pay and have not been since. The money I would need to spend to get there, travel, ticket,programme,food etc, I save and give out as sponsorship to a NL rider. I also go round the Country watching and have been to the majority of tracks this season. Still hoping to do more with the Play Offs etc. I want British Speedway to gain revenue, not the Corporate moguls.

I spend my money where its needed............BRITISH Speedway. I dont go to Cardiff anymore. Overpriced in every way. I remember the time that when you bought a ticket,you got a programme included. The following year they advertised 'no price rises for tickets'. Yet those tickets DIDNT include a programme. So the actual price did go up! I refused to pay and have not been since. The money I would need to spend to get there, travel, ticket,programme,food etc, I save and give out as sponsorship to a NL rider. I also go round the Country watching and have been to the majority of tracks this season. Still hoping to do more with the Play Offs etc. I want British Speedway to gain revenue, not the Corporate moguls.

My only complaint was the stupid parking arrangements for the coaches. I got there early and parked right next to the roadway for a quick exit. Got out only to find a rows of coaches parked along the only road.Total madness. Luckily for me, I had a space next to me and behind that. With the help of Rory Schlein I managed to reverse out, and used the contractors/farm road to get out,followed by Rory! Well done Glasgow,thoroughly deserved win. Great Final race.

I agree with Shovvy. The winner of the Swindon v Wolves Play Off will start as favourites in the Final.

Les was also Captain of Rayleigh Pirates! At least thats how its billed on the front of the programme. 2nd September 1957, he led a team v Norwich at Poole.They lost 46-50. This is one of the Challenge matches to test the water for a full time return of Poole in 1958. They did of course , with most of the Rayleigh riders becoming full time Pirates.

Plymouth v Mildenhall is scheduled for the Thursday 19th Sept, the cut off point.

Edinburgh bring in Ellis Perks at No.5. Might even pop up to see this one.

1984 team photo with David Essex. Also with Peter Prinsloo in 1982. David would always delay the start of his gigs so that he could take in Speedway first.

They were around in the late 50's. Ronnie Moore was guesting for Poole at Southampton and I have a photo of him using one in either 1958 or 1959. The only difference between the 'Mauger' version was a piece of cut inner tube! Simple as that.

Similar has just happened to Plymouth. With Adam Extance out for the season after his crash at Kent,Plymouth already have big problems covering for him. Its been announced by Mark Phillips on the Plymouth Forum that he had a call from Redcar to say David Wallinger has signed for them! (not allowed to post the link, their webmaster is touchy about such things). Stuffs Plymouth right up as they both ride on Fridays.

Nothing amazing at all. I visited Plymouth almost weekly when I lived in Poole. For the last 7 years Ive been going every week to Plymouth,as I live in Devon. Seen more meetings there than at Poole over that time. Poole is my hometown club, just because I dont live there doesnt mean I cannot support another. This season has seen the overall standard of racing drop alarmingly. The whole package needs looking at. Meeting presentation is dreadful too.Guy in the middle hasnt got much of clue, despite being there for a while. What bothers me most is the fact the the Promoters continuing to say there are no problems,its all in the riders minds. This despite repeated calls for track prep. One or two people saying it, fair enough,maybe there isnt a problem. With riders, Team Managers etc saying it, there clearly is. Riders will talk amongst themselves. Word will get round very quickly amongst their own. Oh, if you read my post above, then you will see my comment regarding the track last night. To save you the time, I said 'its the best its been for months' I certainly do not want to see Plymouth close. It is one of my favourites. Its a great little circuit,when prepared properly.

I chatted to Ellis Perks after his second win. He asked is the track always like this? I replied that this was the best its been for a couple of months. His reply? 'The track is sh.t. Dont know why you guys pay to watch this,Id be asking for my money back'. When someone close by asked if he felt quick, he said 'not really as theres no dirt on the track. Its far too slick' In his next ride he was winning by a country mile, went to find some dirt and promptly spun a 360, didnt fall but did hit the air fence. Wasnt so far off getting a point either. He was by far and away the quickest rider out there. He didnt gate in Ht13 and he must have tried every line possible to catch Wilson. but as he went wide, he simply went backwards. One last thing was last nights programme. It was for the rained off meeting on May 10th. I had bought a copy of this programme directly after the original call off. When Leicester came down for the rearranged meeting, June 14th, the same programme was used,but with out an insert. This meeting never started due to the dreadful state of the track. Last night, youve guessed it already, yes, the SAME programme was used for a 3rd time, only this time with an insert.Full price too! Absolutely no consideration for the fans. At least Barry Bishop on the IOW considers the fans from every angle. He may well use the original programme from the rain off, but it is always issued with an up to date insert and most importantly, FREE OF CHARGE. Apart from perhaps one more fixture,No more plymouth for me.

Here is a link to the meeting reports on the Kent and IOW Websites. http://www.kent-speedway.com/news.php?extend.1408.1 http://www.warriors-speedway.com/ I would happily put up a link for the Plymouth meeting report, but at this time, there isnt one.

Worth reading...... http://plymouthdevils.proboards.com/thread/9948/july-plymouth-silver-holidays-fours?page=3 If you are not sure what denial means, read Themattiebates version of events.

The referee insisted track work started before a wheel was turned. It did take place,enough to start the meeting. I have mobile phone footage taken at 20.10,after only three races and several falls and subsequent withdrawals of two riders.It shows two tractors on the track near the pits entrance,one driven by Mark Phillips,the other by IOW Promoter Barry Bishop. They did try to fix it. However riding took place for the next 5-6 races, before we actually saw a pass.by a rider outriding another rather than a track surface induced wobble. I genuinely used to love the racing at Plymouth. Inside or out, I have seen some brilliant racing over the years. I am sorry to say that since the introduction of the extra clay, the surface and racing have suffered very badly. Rip the whole thing up and get in some proper shale and we could get back to some decent racing. Terrace talk suggests that the clay has been added so that they can run Quad racing. Apparently, the quads, in a noise test for the council, didnt like the shale surface as the werent able to skid properly. Very short sighted if true. I really do not want Plymouth to close.

I dont know of another track anywhere in the country that has had to have the meeting referee ask for track remedial work as many times as Plymouth have recently. There has certainly been 3 times in recent weeks. Last night alone, the referee had to be called into action on 3 occasions. That suggests,very strongly, that track preparation isnt right. I honestly feel that since the extra clay has been added, the quality of racing has diminished. Blue groove all the way round and if you come off that, you go backwards. The surface is like marbles,but when it gathers in a burm/rut, it throws riders at all angles. I know that some of the riders last night were not prepared to ride flat out as they didnt trust the track surface. Gate and they would try and hold on, but if they didnt gate, they would stay safe. I for one will not put any blame on them at all.

That was before any racing had taken place! Even I saw a rut that had been loosely filled in just outside the pit gate. The problem here now is that the promotion dont believe they are serving up an inferior product. The track has not been right since the introduction of the extra clay. Barely any shale at all. We are now in a situation that I liken to an alcoholic. They dont even recognise they have a problem. Riders can see it. Fans can see it. The promotion dont. To be perfectly honest, I really dont care anymore. I have had enough of their bull.

Maths not your strong point? Max points Poole could have scored was 7pts. We only got 3 at Ipswich! So the score is Poole 6pts from 7, Ipswich 1pts from 7.

I was at the Somerset v Plymouth meeting earlier this season. It was announced that due to incoming rain, the meeting would start at 7.25pm,no parade and no interval. Bizarrely, the riders came out for Ht1 at 7.20pm and by 7.30pm, we had already had 3 races! I was home in Torquay before 10pm. Some fans were still coming in and asking what was happening.They thought it was a few demonstration races. They were not so happy when we told them they had missed 3 races. This to me is far worse than a meeting being abandoned due to curfew. Accidents etc happen, not intentionally. Sadly, for whatever reason, Kent do seem to suffer more than most.

Meeting OFF.

I agree. Yet,today on Plymouth Gladiators Facebook page they are encouraging you to comment on some photos. Unbelievably, its a crash sequence, which is the cause of the poor track comments in the first place! Cant make it up. I was happily stood with Halifax Tiger and the so called trouble makers at Stoke last night. Great and loyal group of people. Hardly ever miss a Plymouth meeting,home or away. In my opinion, they have been treated very badly.

Started a little slowly with 3 reruns in 4 races. Track was great, little to no dust,despite it being a very hot day. Even better when you consider that their main water bowser was broken. Watering with hose pipes and improvised water wagons. They did a great job. Was there for the engine draw etc. Fascinating to see how riders work and improvise. Engines sounded much like a 250cc, no over revving etc.Times were slightly slower, but that doesnt matter if the racing is good. Well it is for me. It did liven up, with Starke being the best on view,every race coming from the back except the FInal! For the semi finals, Starke and Worrall tossed a coin for gate positions. Worrall winning the right of 1st choice in the Final,if he got there. He chose gate 3 and that was it really. Although keeping him honest, Starke tried every line possible, simply losing ground if he tried the inside. The Young Aussie looks very lively. Over trying cost him a place in the semi final. If he has UK patriality, Id snap him up straight away! Very fast, As for the Barker and Ayres withdrawals, best speak to Rob Godfrey. He refused starting permission the night before, due to Scunthorpe having a meeting on Friday! Thats even though Barker signed up for the meeting while unattached and looking for rides. Yet both Worrall (at Edinburgh) and Starke (at Glasgow) have a fair distance to travel for meeting later today. Good meeting all round and very well done to the Promotion for getting it all together.

Only taking it in after the World U21 Final at Belle Vue. Cant say Id be too bothered about going otherwise!