I was at the Somerset "v" Workington meeting and can't understand how the referee and team captains failed to realise the track was unfit for racing before the turnstiles were opened! Why let the meeting start only to deem the track unfit after the crash in heat 2 and the following remedial track work? Would the meeting have continued if heat 2 had been completed without incident or the TV cameras were present?
We hear the term "rider safety is parmount" said many times when meetings are called off but what I don't understand, or am I very naive, is why some of the televised meetings are allowed to continue on tracks with holes and ruts in them putting the riders safety at risk! Meetings recently shown from Poole, Cardiff and Birmingham spring to mind.
Track preparation is a black art and things can go wrong so I won't criticise the Somerset promotion for the poor track on tuesday which was obviously deemed fit for racing as the meeting was allowed to start! Instead I would just like to say that in my view they have consistantly produced some of the best racing I have seen over my 40 years or so of following speedway and should generally be congratulated for their efforts!
Terry Hunt.
South Devon.
