Great Yarmouth Stadium

[Boardrider]

Speedway at the seaside is a total non-starter. Look how successful Skeggie was recently...

[norbold]

And Eastbourne...er...

[speedyguy]

And Eastbourne...er...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Isn't that along the coast from Poole and Weymouth?

[25yearfan]

Unlike what an earlier poster says Great Yarmotuh stadium has more chance of reopening than West Ham and New Cross cause unlike these 2 defunct London teams the stadium still remains and will probably do for many years yet looking at the recent redevelopments!

 

Skegness failed because the owner was highly uncooperative. The owner wouldn't let the promotion use the water supply which meant that track preperation was made very difficult. Crowds were poor but I think would of been good during the holiday season. The speedway promotion had to break into the stadium to retrieve their equipment after closing for the final time in 1998!

 

The appearance of ex Great Yarmouth rider Billy Bales at the grand opening of the new stand at Caister Road shows the affinity the owners the Franklin family still have with speedway. The Franklins have ran the stadium since day one and I know for a fact they aren't against speedway returning to the stadium.

 

What actually stops spedway coming back is the fact the spedeworth stock cars don't like shale tracks so wouldn't share their circuit with speedway. The stock cars is immensely popular at Great Yarmouth stadium which means they have priority and spedeworth stock cars wouldn't want to leave a profitable venue. Laying a temporary track down and lifting for every stock car meeting wouldn't be viable.

 

If the dog track was squeezed right up to the perimeter wall and made narrower, the stock cars moved up and also made narrower then maybe a very small and permanent tight speedway track could be laid inside. The cost of doing this would be excessive probably a 6 figure sum.

 

This is the plan that a prospective consortium has had in mind recently but couldn't raise the sufficient finance to do it.

 

Looking at Great Yarmouth Bloaters 3 spells in speedway from the late 40's to the early 60's its obvious that the sport struggled to be viable. I remember crowds out of the holiday period were poor but during the holiday spell particularly the 6 week school holiday period the crowds were very good. Very similar to how existing 'seaside' PL venue I.O.W operate today and they are a co-operative with the fans basically paying to keep them afloat as well as paying to watch the racing.

 

Given the chequered history of speedway at the Caister Road stadium and the local economy being largely based around the summer holidays period I think Great Yarmouth would be ideal for a shortened season which means that Conference League speedway would be the only viable option.

 

Now it would take a brave, very wealthy soul to invest £100,000+ to introduce Conference League speedway to Great Yarmouth stadium, a venue which hasn't staged speedway since a loss making non league season in 1961 and with a chequered speedway history which is why speedway ended there in 61.

 

I'd say looking at all the facts it is higly unlikely that speedway will return to Great Yarmouth but not impossible by any means. Look at the new tracks emerging in the last 10 years. The majority of them were previously seen as 'no hopers' to ever see speedway again. So it can and does happen!

[Ray Rocket]

 

What actually stops spedway coming back is the fact the spedeworth stock cars don't like shale tracks so wouldn't share their circuit with speedway.

 

Hello 25yearfan, (must be 26 year fan now isn't it?)

 

I wonder why the stock cars don't like shale. Surely the rough, tough, burly banger/stock car drivers don't mind a bit of dirt! Surely a loose surface makes for more exciting racing?

 

I wonder whether it's the stadium owners and the speedway promoters not liking the repairing of the speedway track after a banger/stock car meeting.

 

Would be pleased to hear the difinitive answer.

 

 

Regards.

[speedyguy]

Racingwise, many car drivers object to shale because it gets thrown upwards into the engines and causes expensive problems.

 

Additionally, the more exclusive non-contact formulas like Hot Rods virtually refuse to race on dirt or shale. You will find most of the 'stock car only' tracks are tarmac.

 

I wish a way to get speedway back at Yarmouth could be found.

Edited January 11, 2007 by speedyguy

[25yearfan]

What actually stops spedway coming back is the fact the spedeworth stock cars don't like shale tracks so wouldn't share their circuit with speedway.

Hello 25yearfan, (must be 26 year fan now isn't it?)

I wonder why the stock cars don't like shale. Surely the rough, tough, burly banger/stock car drivers don't mind a bit of dirt! Surely a loose surface makes for more exciting racing?

I wonder whether it's the stadium owners and the speedway promoters not liking the repairing of the speedway track after a banger/stock car meeting.

Would be pleased to hear the difinitive answer.

Regards.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

25yearfan is just my username it doesn't actually reflect the entire time I've been watching speedway which is much longer!

 

From my experiences of stock cars/bangers I've always enjoyed it more on shale cause the cars broadslide unlike on tarmac where some races can be like watching a motorway!

 

I suppose tarmac is easier to maintain, more weather proof and doesn't spray dirt into engines and chasis'.

 

Whatever the reason spedeworth stock cars, the stock car promotion that run at Great Yarmouth stadium don't like shale and are unlikely to change that stance. They are too successfull at Caister Road to want to leave or for the stadium owners the Franklin family to evict them.

 

I'm sure if Great Yarmouth stadium track would of remained shale then speedway would of been tryed again at some point after 1961.

Edited January 11, 2007 by 25yearfan

[Ray Rocket]

I suppose tarmac is easier to maintain, more weather proof and doesn't spray dirt into engines and chasis'.

 

Hello 25yearfan,

 

Also, it is probably the Stock Car boys who worry about the shale, as they spend a lot of money on their cars, whereas the Banger boys, probably wouldn't care less what the surface was.

 

Perhaps as well, the shale rips through tyres, especially the expensive Stock Car tyres.

 

Regards.

[speedyguy]

I suppose tarmac is easier to maintain, more weather proof and doesn't spray dirt into engines and chasis'.

 

Hello 25yearfan,

 

Also, it is probably the Stock Car boys who worry about the shale, as they spend a lot of money on their cars, whereas the Banger boys, probably wouldn't care less what the surface was.

 

Perhaps as well, the shale rips through tyres, especially the expensive Stock Car tyres.

 

Regards.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I have been told that four tyres in the more exclusive non-contact hot rod formulas can work out at around £200. The drivers also have to have sets of tyres for wet and dry track conditions - and some cars with race-prepared engines are valued at around £20,000-plus.