Starting traps and tapes. (At Canterbury?)

[sidecar121]

I have been give a picture, showing what looks to me like starting traps behind the tapes. What was the point of this and did this idea ever get used on other ocations?

 

The picture can be viewed at http://www.121motorsport.co.uk/starting%20gate.htm

 

I obtained this photo along with around 100 others mostly of the Crusaders, I will get round to scanning them and put them up on my web site ASAP

 

 

I await your replies, I bet they would be good for sidecars

[Sean]

very interesting photo Mr.121, and its one i have never seen before, best bet is to contact Norbold for this, and i would be very interested in what he says.

 

NORBOLD....need your expertise here.

[Guest cheetahhawk]

I was at Canterbury when these starting traps were tried out,not sure if the experiment was held over several meetings.I beleive that Johnnie Hoskins was trying to stop the riders getting advantages over their rivals.I think it may have been in the early 70's and as far as I remember it was only in the 2nd half of the meeting. Perhaps some of the other Crusaders fans can remember the starting traps too.

[KevH]

If the rider is Barry Crowson the photo must have been taken in either 1968 or 1970, but the only year Kings Lynn rode in the old Second Division was 1969 - the mystery deepens!

[shazzybird]

I'll ask my dad he was Starting Marshall @ Kingsmead

[rjbrown]

There is a picture of the starting gate experiment in Johnnie Hoskins Speedway Walkabout. It has a typical Hoskins caption.

 

"One problem that speedway has still to solve is the goings-on at the starting gate. I tried using stalls at Canterbury but my fellow promoters threw the idea out. They were wrong."

 

They were definately tried in a few meetings and I think they were only for the second half trophies.

[shazzybird]

Spooky whilst you was writing the above I was @ my Aunties asking about the starting traps, she also said they were used @ Canterbury in the second half of Canterburys programme and the idea was improve starts, tapes were also used, in the picture it does look like the tapes are already up. So another theory was to stop each rider seeing when the other had let the clutch out. :roll:

[rjbrown]

Spooky whilst you was writing the above I was @ my Aunties asking about the starting traps, she also said they were used @ Canterbury in the second half of Canterburys programme and the idea was improve starts, tapes were also used, in the picture it does look like the tapes are already up. So another theory was to stop each rider seeing when the other had let the clutch out. :roll:

 

Yes you are right. The traps were used with the tapes, the rider could only see the tapes in front of him and was not distracted by what the rider in the next gate was doing. Presumably it would have been a disadvantage for the riders in gates 2 and 3 as they couldn't see the starting gate, just the tapes in front of them.

[shazzybird]

Yes you are right.

 

I know I'm right I did check it out before I typed it (honestly) lol, also double checked with Dad yesterday, apparently it was an experiment so that there was no "cheating" @ the starts by watching the other riders, used in the second half.

[high edge]

Just seen this thread i rode at Canterbury in a challenge match late 69 for Nelson the partitions where used in heat one and i was off four i got a brilliant start and remember coming out of the forth bend on the first lap thinking i hope they have moved the partitions we agreed to there use with it being a challenge i cant remember if they used them all night but i know they where used in heat one i came out of the start two bikes clear of the others ..Jack Lee ex Nelson Admirals rider.