Gresham

That did cross my mind 'Knowle'...and I wondered whether it would be better to have no music at all, as it made you feel too relaxed instead of excited. It was like listening to music that was on in the living room whilst you were stood in the kitchen so to speak...made me want to go and make a cup of tea and put my feet up, rather than feel excited and get my adrenalin going for the next race. I decided to go to this meeting, as I could concentrate on watching some young ens developing rather than being fixated by the result. Glad I went :-) Although I'm astonished on how Speedway can run on such small attendances...such a shame.

Well I took the plunge, and made it down to Somerset v Isle of White And tbh...although not a patch on what it used to be like...I really enjoyed it. Racing wasn't the best...but I enjoyed watching some of the younger riders learning the ropes and improving each ride. Was nice to see the names... Dugard, Chessell and Smart...are the last two related to Gary and Dave at all? Was really hoping young Henry Atkins was going to hold onto his lead...but the young en put up a good show. I've now a new favourite rider to follow...how exciting to watch is Bradley Wilson-Dean! Really impressed by him and his riding style. Anyway...I will be making many more returns...getting close to the starting gate and exit of bend 4 got my juices flowing again, and came away smiling...so speedway has hopefully got a new supporter back. Only two small constructive criticisms...if the club are going to play music between heats ( nice selection btw ) then turn the volume up...you may get some atmosphere...at that level it has the opposite effect. Plus...why are there other nations flags flying but no British flag? Bit weird that...

Trust me, It's not the forum that gets me down...it's the people who run speedway...and the riders tbh. They all seem to want to live for the moment...and look at speedway short term instead of long term. I started watching Speedway in 1977 and travelled the length and breadth of the country, as well as abroad following the sport for approx. 20 odd years. Lay down engines and bike covers started to kill it for me...it's been downhill ever since. The last domestic meeting I went to was at Somerset at the beginning of last season. I've never felt so sad...it felt like a funeral. I find it so frustrating...I love the sport, the idea of it and the past memories...but nowadays it's like watching a car crash in slow motion. I want to scratch my speedway itch...but I have a gut feeling i'm going to come away feeling angry and frustrated again. Sorry for the ramble and rant...I just need a time machine built I think.

....to actually go and watch a speedway meeting. The last one I attended was the last Cardiff GP. I recently read the latest copy of Backtrack and the interview with Steve Gresham...my childhood speedway hero. All the feelings came flooding back... but is it worth it... am I going to be left disappointed again? I read about the Belle Vue debacle, the constant rain offs...plus I haven't got a clue about the rules anymore. It all seems so negative... Do I go again...or just wallow in happy memories and watch videos from the past...suggestions? What am I missing? Probably need a tin hat for some incoming retorts...

Can't wait to receive my copy...obviously my favourite rider. So many fond memories watching whilst at Bristol and Swindon. I was very lucky as a boy, to be able to watch a lot of the goings on from the pits at Eastville. Father was friends with someone who worked on the pits gate...and he used to let me sneak in. Never got asked to leave...and would often listen to conversations being made. Just wish I'd been older, as a lot of it went over my head...but I can recollect a lot of arguments about not being paid money. Still cherish the autograph book from those days...pretty much got every rider that rode at Eastville during 77/78. Some real legends. My father often had long conversations with John Scott the USA team manager...he had nothing but good words to say about Steve. He was always really nice to me as a lad and gave up of his time to always chat. Very fond memories....

Many good points fella...but as I've said before, you say riders are self employed. So are Footballers...they just sign contracts that last so many years, then they are a free agent again. So change it...so many people saying, 'riders do this, clubs do that'...well it's not working is it...so change it.

Exactly this... Speedway riders look at other Motorcycle sports and want to emulate what they see and hear about from them. However...there just isn't the money to sustain this in Speedway, unlike other motorcycle sports. I don't blame riders trying to get as much money as possible in their short riding career...but this is the point....everything seems to revolve around 'the riders' and what they want. Speedway needs to look at itself for the long term...not at what riders want or don't want right now. Testing rev limiters is not the answer...and so what if certain riders don't like it. Imo...Riders shouldn't have to employ full time mechanics. They shouldn't have to be sending engines to be highly tuned. Speedway needs to find a way of standardising engines...and allowing individual rolling chassis etc. It needs to get to a point where a rider is never thinking about how he can make his engine faster. It should be taken out of his hands. A change of mindset is needed.... The future imo, should be where a riders mentality is purely thinking about how he can beat the other three, knowing all four riders are on standard engines, and it's just each riders track craft and skill that will win them the race...not what a tuners done to his engine. Riders imo...shouldn't even be near the engines. It should be a Club concern. Obviously money is a factor...and wages would be less, as the Club would be financing the engines, not the riders. The riders wouldn't have the cost of employing a mechanic or tuner. Roll up...bolt engine in...Race...Go home...Make it simple.

With respect...so short sighted. How did the riders first get interested in Speedway in the first place? Speedway is dying...there will be no fans, and no riders if things don't drastically change. Fans, riders etc seem to want to stick their head in the sand and not do anything about it. They tinker here...they tinker there...every year. It's bloody ridiculous. I've never known a sport tinker with the rules and regs so much. It seems everyone in speedway finds a reason not to change things drastically...because imo, it will effect them financially short term. Everything is short term.

Strange you think that...I actually see it as the opposite. I see the racing being closer with 'Standard' engines.

Maybe...but obviously the BSPA feel something needs to be done otherwise they wouldn't want to introduce standardised engines that are sealed. imo...it's a good thing. At least they are trying something.

You hit the nail on the head when you said 'Riders want to be in control of their own equipment'...and that imo, is the problem...riders have too much control and say in what happens in speedway. If they just want to ride in individual events and pay for their own equipment...let them. Everything seems to be focussed on short term fix's rather than what's going to happen in the long term. At the rate Speedway is going...Riders won't be able to make any living what so ever...as it's dying as a sport. The sport is very simple...made complicated. Many seem to be looking at it from a riders perspective...when it should be looked at from a fans perspective. All fans want to see are four riders racing on equal machinery. They couldn't give a toss as to what's been done to an engine or who tuned it. If present riders walked away...so be it...for the good of the sport long term. As for Riders abusing the engines, because they didn't own them...that wouldn't happen. They would ride them and treat them like their own, as 'why cut off the hand that feeds you?' All they would be doing is making it impossible for the Club to employ them in the future. All in can see from answers to far...are from a riders, mechanics and tuners perspective. This sport is nothing without the fans. If it meant this sport losing riders because they couldn't accept the changes...then so be it...there would be plenty of up and coming riders willing to take a position at a club and riding to the 'new regs'.

The answers given, have all been based on what is happening now. For example...you said riders prefer GM's at the moment. I know they need to be assembled through the likes of Trevor Hedge etc. The point I have been making...is that riders have too much control over what happens in Speedway. For the Sport to survive long term, it, imo, needs a massive overhaul. Every year, it's a tweak here, a tweak their...covering over the cracks. It's all short term, rather than long term. Give me a reason why the BSPA couldn't go to a Speedway manufacturer and do a deal for Club engines? A basic Jawa engine now is approx. £2000....GM's more expensive. Why can't the BSPA make new rules and say...these are the rules...these are the engines...bring your rolling chassis...we fit the engine...now just go out and ride the thing? It's all very well saying this rider prefers this...that rider prefers that...that may be the case now, which is how Speedway has developed. But ask yourself...why is speedway struggling? Why is speedway so expensive to run? Why does it cost riders so much money to be competitive? It's not just about keeping water and a bit of grit out the engine when cleaning...costs are way too expensive, because engines are being tuned to near breaking point...just to get that little bit of advantage. And nearly every rider is having to do it to compete...so it's a vicious circle. It needs to stop somehow. So by bringing in standard engines to ride...fitted into a riders own preferred rolling chassis...with adjustments just made to clutch, sprockets etc...what's wrong with that? A rider may say...I prefer the set up this way...but tough. Ride the damn thing as it's given. Everyone would be in the same boat.

Exactly... This is why Speedway needs to adapt. Right now, riders are tinkering all the time to get their bikes as perfect a fit to themselves. What I personally think needs to happen, is a back to basics. Get that pool of engines...put it in the rolling chassis. Then get on and learn to adapt and ride the damn thing. Of course it will go against the grain...as certain riders would lose an advantage. But every rider would be in the same boat. Adapt and get on with it. Riders have now become more important than the sport. 'Speedway' needs to take over and not let riders dictate. For the good of the sport...not so that some riders can retire in relative prosperity.

So you are saying the engine of an elite number 1 GP rider is similar to that of a young reserve?

In answer to a few... The clubs could find the money by not paying out so much in contracts. As for engines not being 100% exactly the same...I don't see that being a problem. They aren't now...I'd say 'standardised' engines would be closer to being the same, than what each individual rider competes against one another now. As for what is popular now...that needs to be thrown out the window. Speedway is slowly dying...each year the authorities pussy foot around, tinkering here, tinkering there...I've never known a sport tinker so much. The whole sport needs a massive shake up and needs to go back to basics. The problem I see in this sport...is there are too many people not willing to change...always saying 'It couldn't work'...and too many people trying to make a buck from it. Too many 'hangers on'. It really does need to go back to basics and extreme measures in my book. Everything about this sport is complicated...from the rules, starting out as a rider, regulations...and as for any newbie understanding what's going on, you need a diploma in mathematics. People have become so engrossed in it...that they can't see the wood for the trees.

Can I ask a few questions of the knowledgeable on here...on whether the below could or could not work? The BSPA do a deal with an engine company, to provide bulk standard 'sealed' engines to Clubs within the leagues. The Clubs buy and are provided with enough engines for each meeting. The Clubs employ their own mechanics...team mechanics. The riders turn up to the meeting, with rolling chassis. The referee, managers, riders meet and draw lots for each engine. Engines are fitted to riders rolling chassis by team mechanics. Obviously...clutch, sprockets etc adjustable to riders preference. Engines examined during and after meeting. Max two engines per rider...there after if EF...the rider has to use a team mates bike. One rear tyre per meeting. Obviously this is a simplified version, but hopefully you get my drift. This would only be done for Club events. Obviously rider costs would be lower...Engines would be serviced at an agreed time....rider wages would be lower to cover clubs costs. Any Individual events could be left as they are now. Any thoughts?

Same reasons back then.. Google 'Honda Speedway engine 1998' and you'll find pics and the reasons it never took off. It's on Sheffield Speedway website. Why is it I can't copy and paste onto this site or insert pics? Is it a problem my end...or a setting on the forum?

Seems there are a few answers on this link as to why methanol is used... https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/why-is-methanol-used-in-race-engines.316560/ However... Engines will be designed to use methanol. For the future...engines could be designed to use petrol. Petrol companies are massive...they have money...they wish to advertise and sponsor. What methanol companies sponsor? This proves it can be done... Petrol driven speedway... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-_uUWQkX3M Plus check out F2 speedway.com

Thanks for the reply GW...However... The majority of other motor sports seem to cope...why should speedway be any different? A sealed standardised engine used in team events, is something I've wanted in all the years I've watched speedway. Fans aren't interested in who's got the best engine tuner, most money etc. All they want is to see, are four blokes race on equal machinery and see their individual track craft. Nothing worse than watching a race, when it's obvious riders have better tuned bikes than others. Regardless of skill...they have no chance of catching them. It takes away from the sport...the only people that gain from this are the tuners. Personally...I would make all the teams supply the sealed engines. The riders draw lots as to which engine they get, then fit to their own rolling chassis. Obviously there would be spares for EF's etc... Standard sealed Jawa engines for example would surely keep costs down? As for Individual events...I would allow any engine like now...that way riders and fans would get the best from both worlds? Can't see it happening though as it's too simple an idea...Speedway doesn't do simple.

This may have been covered before...so excuse me for asking...but if Speedway goes to a standard engine, is there any reason why it cannot run on fuel that is not methanol? Just thinking of costs and possible sponsorship/advertising etc.

This thread is making me feel nostalgic...standard engines...and a grippy track...that's all the fans ask for surely?

Please make this happen... I can't think of anything negative about this decision. Maybe make it standard engines for team events...do what you like in individual events...then fade that out?

Why is Castrol R so attractive to the human brain? Creosote is another one. I don't think it's related to memories of speedway perse...the actual aroma itself is very appealing. Never understood why....

Fair enough...but I fail to understand how you move a solid Williams stand, without knocking it down and rebuilding it. How do you do that?

My interest in Speedway has dwindled since the early 90's. I dip in every now and then. I knew everything there was to know back in the day...I lived for Speedway. I don't really follow Speedway now....Speedway for me, is a fond memory from the past. That 'fond memory' draws me back occasionally to my local tracks...often out of curiosity to see whether much has changed. Now to the point I was going to make.... I don't buy a programme now...I don't follow the results....I just watch the heats and simply four blokes racing their bikes. I strip it right back....To pretty much how a 'newbie' would see it. When you do it like that, you see it in it's raw state...how a 'newbie' would see it. Then you ask yourself...is this entertaining to watch? What is going to draw me back again? I always come away feeling let down....perhaps I see the past through rose tinted glasses. But what got me hooked as a seven year old boy all those years ago? I looked around the 'stadium' and saw a majority of OAP's diligently filling in their programmes....but no kids. The few I did see, were just running around or queuing for chips. Why aren't they enthralled like I and many other kids were back in the day? From what I've seen...Speedway will die when those OAP's eventually pass away. Hopefully I'm wrong...but imho....it is the Promoters and Riders mindset that is killing the sport. Too many wanting to make a fast buck during their time, rather than thinking about the future. Tin hat on.......