Grachan

Except there is a connection as it is directly derived from it. True, the riders probably wouldn't stand a chance on a conventional Speedway track, just as Speedway riders wouldn't stand much of a chance on an Autorace circuit. Also, totally true about the 'fans' attitude. A race meeting has the atmosphere of a gambling establishment. People do cheer for riders, but it's the ones they have had a gamble on, that's all. It makes for an interesting experience for a Speedway fan to go to one of these meetings, but give me a team to support any day.

Rounds off a marvellous night for Swindon perfectly!

I don't see why there should be any conditions set on a Farewell anyway. To be honest, even if Jonas Raun decided to have a farewell meeting then why shouldn't he? Surely it should be up to individual riders and promoters.

Yeah, fancy putting on a Speedway event that might attract a half decent crowd. If bitter Oxford fans want to give this meeting a miss, then it's up to them. I probably shan't go myself for that matter. Personally, I think Rickardsson should be in prison right now for the most heinous crime of not devoting is entire life completely to Oxford Speedway.

I always enjoy reading it, but there were some valid criticisms made. I hope they won't be overlooked because loads of people start posting to say that they think it's great. I agree that TMC is doing an excellent job though. I always look forward to that particular visit to the bathroom!

So what are you saying? That the season should only be 4 months long? Or am I misinterpreting that? If so it would start at the end of March and be over by August. Three Brits in each of the twelve teams means 48 British riders in the top flight. Where are these riders going to come from? It’s a lovely theory, of course, to have all these British riders, but it just doesn’t seem practical to me. The riders will not be available (unless, of course, we get rid of the PL). What will happen to any team who can’t find the riders? Will they just have to find any raw novice going just to make up the numbers? Why get rid of the KO Cup? It’s a decent enough competition. The new competition will be no more than a Craven Shield type thing or a half arsed season opener/closer that nobody would be that bothered about. At least the KO Cup is established so keeps a certain amount of prestige, even if the Play-offs mean it has lost its sheen somewhat. Points limit being set to the level of the champions sounds lovely on the face of it, but where would that have left teams like Oxford, Arena-Essex and this 12th team that it is proposed join the EL? What team would even consider coming up to the top flight only to find there were absolutely no riders available to them?

Autoracing is derived from conventional speedway, so it has more to do with Speedway than some may think. Conventional speedway took place in Japan until the mid sixties, when it was amazingly banned for being too dangerous. As a result, it mutated into Autorace, so it is directly connected. Obviously it isn't Speedway, but there is a direct connection. I believe Barry Briggs once had a go at it!

Crikes!! What's going on with that tortoise?? Looks like there might be live racing on tomorrow morning at some of those circuits by the way. EDIT - Hey, where's Ivan's post gone? My comment makes no sense whatsoever now. http://autorace.or.jp/archives/ Click Movie for old races and Commercial with tortoise.

Malcolm posted a link on here a while back which went to a menu of races, including live net coverage. I couldn't find his exact link but I've got close from a link he posted later to a meeting at Kawaguchi. http://autorace.or.jp/netlive/kawaguchi/ondemand.html This shows races from the various stadiums. The list on the right hand side is a list of stadiums in this order: Funabashi Kawaguchi Isesaki Hamamatsu Iizuka Sanyou The grid shows date and race number (1R = 1st Race, 12R = 12th Race). The tab at the top seems to take you to live coverage when it's available.

Yeah, because I watched the racing, thought to myself: looks like that was over the line with both wheels and was half expecting him to be excluded. So what? Genuine point.

Don't come the 'Nicki being singled out' argument with me, 21CH! It might be true with some people but with me it's way off the mark. To me this was simply the clearest case of a rider going right over the line, that's all. I resent that suggestion. Nicki is my tip for the title this year and one of my favourite riders. A perfectly legitimate point to raise. It looks to me like both wheels are over the line.

I don't think it would be worth their while to come over here. The Autorace riders are very well paid. It would be great to see a few come over and do some demonstration races though, and give conventional speedway a go. How about a Japanese GP? That would, I suspect, be massively succesful. Interesting page here: http://www.autorace.or.jp/guide/en/

What I did on my holidays By Graham Morris, 1C

A friend of mine is totally into on-line betting. He knows nothing about Speedway so I told him to put his money on Nicki Pedersen in the Speedway GP. I wonder if he did and is now extrememly impressed with my Speedway expertise?

I agree and it would have made absolutely no difference in the end anyway. I saw several borderline cases, but Nicki was the only time I defintely thought someone had gone right over. It's difficult to say what defines the inside line anyway without a proper kerb there.

I've found one of them, for what it's worth on its own. Monday Sept 2 1991 Reading 46, Cradley 43 KOC 1st Leg READING: M. Shirra - 2,3,F,0 = 5 R. Morton - 1,1,3,3 = 8+1 J. Doncaster - 2,3,2,3,0 = 10 J. Andersson - 0,1,2,3 = 6+1 D. Mullett - 1,2,3,2,2 = 10+1 S. Humphries - 3,1,0,1,0 = 5+1 T. Mussett - 1,1,0 = 2 CRADLEY HEATH: G. Hancock - 3,3,3,3,1,3 = 16 A. Grahame - 0,0,2,1,R = 3 B. Hamill - 3,2,2,2,3,1 = 13 J. Pedersen - R/R G. Handberg - 2,1,2,1,2 = 8+2 S. Smith - 2,0,0,F,1 = 3+1 W. Garratt - R,R,0 = 0

That word being what? I'm trying to put people straight that's all. There are none so blind as those who will not see. I wash my hands of you.

Chris Louis clip. It's very hard to understand so I've put dots it where I can't work out what is being said. It could actually be two riders talking. Possibly Chris and Ryan Sullivan. Actually, the sound on the clip I posted is poorer than the original and you can't make it out. This is what I can get from the original It sounds to me like: '...honestly.....this lot watching... television and, you know, either tell us to get on with because it doesn't look too bad it or cancel it and go home.'

For those without sound: Clerk of the Course: It's really coming down here. Ref: Are we wasting our time here Paul? Clerk of the Course: I think, honestly, we're wasting our time. So.... most of the riders are in full agreement with me, so... Ref: Ok, I'm going to come down and I think we're probably going to call it a day. Clerk of the Course: Yep. Okay. How the hell can that mean anything other than what SCB and Norbold are saying it means?

Why are people convinced this is soething new? It's always happened. The first time I ever went to Swindon was Swindon v Hackney in 1974. Never saw any racing. Sat in the car park with a load of other people. Match was rained off. I remember in 1975 going to see Oxford v Cradley. It snowed. I thought the track seemed ok. Oxford thought the track seemed ok. Cradley didn't. The all went home and Oxford rode round on their own. Throughout my entire Speedway life I have watched riders standing around by the pit gate, the referee coming down from the box and the meeting being called off. It's always happened. It's nothing new. The blame being put on the riders here is just plain ridiculous as the meeting was abandoned by the officials. Not by Jason Crump. It's a regular Speedway occurance and always has been for as long as I can remember.

Yeah, he says that too after the ref asks him for an opinion. Listen closely to the first 8 seconds.

I think those who are blaming the riders are wrong, and this is why. Two clips from last night's meeting. First one. I'm guessing this is the Clerk of the Course on the phone to the ref. It sounds to me as though he is basically of the opinion the meeting should be off. This is the ref with the riders on the centre green. It's difficult to hear properly, but listen closely to what Chris Louis is saying. It sounds to me like he's telling the ref that if he tells them to get on with it then they'll ride and if he says it's off then they'll go home. Ref says get on with it. Riders return to the pits. No complaints whatsoever. The ref then called it off of his own accord when a further shower started, just as he said he would. (Edit - Clips now removed. Head being banged against brick wall instead.)

Agree JL. It's ridiculous that Crump is being made a scapegoat for this. He gave his opinion, sure, but seemed happy to ride once the initial decision had been made.

Or maybe Oxford riders just perform better when the track is crap.