An Open Letter To The Riders At The Elrc

[barrow boy]

Isn't the clerk of the Course an SCB official though and not a Poole employee?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Quite right, he is an SCB official and should be totally independant of the promotor, and in team fixtures, both team managers. This also applies to the machine examiner and most certanly the starting marshall but it is very difficult to act in a manner required by the authorities. When I was a staff controller, meeting co-ordinator and assistant to the clerk of the course we were always under pressure from the promoter and home team manager to comply with their wishes. I am not suggesting that this was the case on Sunday. I am just trying to explain the pressures these officials are subjected to. On Sunday the referee took advice from the Clerk Of The Course on the state of the track but did he ask him if it was suitable for racing. Not riding on, racing. Ultimately it was the referee's place to decide whether or not the meeting should continue after he was presumably asked by the CotC to inspect the track at the riders request. If he has no riding experience all he had to do was invite the riders to continue if the CotC advised accordingly.

[weymouth alicat]

  I hate to say it but I think that 'Mr' Postlethwaite will indeed get his own way eventually, he stated a few years ago that he would like the GP's run like Formula One, the riders ONLY race in those events and not the League, I think you can safely say that we will see that in the not too distant future, and mark my words that will be the death knell for our beloved sport. 

 

 

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

that may be the case , so replace these stars with young English riders,as other people have suggested,

there will still be four riders in each race,ok the standard wont be as high at the start but give them the opportunity and you never know, we might enjoy it

[WembleyLion]

Having watched Speedway for 36 years I guess I have become somewhat

immune to the farcial events that all to regularly surround our 'great' sport. I attended on Sunday and would have to say that this latest sham has to be

near to the very top in all time speedway farces, witnessed by myself. Time

for all those involved to take a long hard look at themselves and the damage

they are causing as I, along with many others, feel that this was a meeting that

should never have been called off.

[Starman2006]

That meeting could have been run to its conclusion. If they had hung on for another half an hour, then something could have been done with the track. Then the ref could have sent two riders out on bikes, and under there own steem did several laps to push the dirt wide, giving a racing line, then the meeting could have been run to its conclusion. I feel the meeting, like several in the past have been called off far to soon. And feel very sorry for the fans who travelled the lengh and breath of the country to follow their riders, which would have cost them a hell of a lot of money. I also feel sorry for the meeting sponsors, SHARP RETAIL SYSTEMS, who put a lot of time and probably a lot of money into sponsoring the meeting.

I sympathise with Matt, he wanted the meeting ran to its conclusion, and with a little bit of patience, it could have been.

 

Mod Note;- Personal Remark removed

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Dear Mod, I do not find the remark i made at the head of my post as

distastful. during my short spell on this forum i have read a lot worse.

I find the remark made by a fellow poster as below the belt, as Matt and the

track staff did there upmost to get the meeting ran to its conclusion

i do not feel that Get a life constitutes as a distasteful remark.

Could you please remove the said remark at the bottom of my post,

and if nessasary this post. Thank you

Starman 2006.

[Ace no.5]

Never mind...

Btw, if the distasteful remark was aimed at me, as I'm guessing it may have been, I have got a life thank you, unlike this thread, which has most certainly been done to a death.

Also, I am deeply offended by what you posted...

Edited April 21, 2006 by Ace no.5

[21st century heathen]

Unlike this thread, which has most certainly been done to a death.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Nah, I'm just getting warmed up mate.

[bananas]

Never mind...

Btw, if the distasteful remark was aimed at me, as I'm guessing it may have been, I have got a life thank you, although I am deeply offended by what you posted...

Unlike this thread, which has most certainly been done to a death.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ignore him - he's just got a fit up coz this thread's gone on and on and on.......and on and on!!!!! And just coz someone doesn't happen to agree with him - diddums!!!!

 

Whether you have a life though - debatable really!!!!!

[crazycol]

it was rider power that got the northern riders championship at derwent park stopped. one of the riders was involved with the australian match that was cancelled last year. and the ref has only been in the game a few years and buckled to rider pressure and six times world champ ivan called them all wimps

[Trees]

Having watched Speedway for 36 years I guess I have become somewhat

immune to the farcial events that all to regularly surround our 'great' sport. I attended on Sunday and would have to say that this latest sham has to be

near to the very top in all time speedway farces, witnessed by myself. Time

for all those involved to take a long hard look at themselves and the damage

they are causing as I, along with many others, feel that this was a meeting that

should never have been called off.

How absolutely disappointing it must be for everyone involved in british speedway to read postings like the above, I do hope that the authorities seriously consider what went on and whether there should have been a different outcome and what they are going to do about it all ................

[barrow boy]

How absolutely disappointing it must be for everyone involved in british speedway to read postings like the above, I do hope that the authorities seriously consider what went on and whether there should have been a different outcome and what they are going to do about it all ................

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What authorities ?

[colin wood]

In his original post Steve asks for the riders who didn,t want to ride named and shamed. In this weeks Speedway Star the two Poole riders Pedersen and KK both agreed with the refs decision to call it off. Obviously there were others that didn,t want to ride as well but surely it should be down to the referee. The heat times looked quite fast and the decision to call it off looks wrong. To me the riders these days want perfect conditions every time they ride. The paying public deserve better. The Elite League Riders Championship is now treated as just another open meeting, the GPS far more important to these Prima Donna riders. But remember without fans there is no speedway. I wasn,t at the meeting but nearly all the posts suggest the fans got ripped off and alack of willingness by certain riders to give it a go shows contempt to these loyal fans. As Ivan Mauger says the throttle works both ways and wet tracks can be ridden provided riders use common sense. I am sure the 3000 or so fans would agree. Come on riders refs etc think of the fans,a few showers should not cause a meeting to be called off. We deserve better.

[home straight]

bigest problem here is the bikes ... the laydowns are made to be at full throttle for 4 laps on a smooth, slick surface, and any deviation from that causes the meeting to be postponed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Don't the grasstrackers ride laydowns?

 

I know Grass bikes are structurally different from speedway bikes, but, if it was impossible to ride anything other than a smooth slick surface flat out on a laydown surely the grasstrackers would have to use uprights?

[Blazeaway]

Don't the grasstrackers ride laydowns?

 

I know Grass bikes are structurally different from speedway bikes, but, if it was impossible to ride anything other than a smooth slick surface flat out on a laydown surely the grasstrackers would have to use uprights?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I may be wrong but do grasstrack bike have some form of suspension? If so the frames will flex less etc

[stevehone]

grasstrack bikes have a good suspension, and i think a longer wheelbase and a 22" rear wheel.

 

maybe something you need to think about also is that a lot of the riders from a few years ago that were prepared to ride on less than perfect tracks were former grasstrack riders ... don't seem to get that too often these days do you.

Edited April 24, 2006 by stevehone

[21st century heathen]

Steve/anyone - Are the grass trackers on uprights?

[stevehone]

laydowns ... other than the upright class

[Blazeaway]

maybe something you need to think about also is that a lot of the riders from a few years ago that were prepared to ride on less than perfect tracks where former grasstrack riders ... don't seem to get that too often these days do you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Agreed, although watching conference racing over the past few years i have noticed a willingness to ride in less than perfect conditions. Hopefully these young lads will carry this through.

[clunsey]

grasstrack bikes have a good suspension, and i think a longer wheelbase and a 22" rear wheel.

 

maybe something you need to think about also is that a lot of the riders from a few years ago that were prepared to ride on less than perfect tracks where former grasstrack riders ... don't seem to get that too often these days do you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I've noticed this as well. It seems that very few riders are now coming through from the grasstrack circuit, most seem to come straight into speedway. Very different from say 15 years ago.

[21st century heathen]

So if laydowns can be used in grass track why is it an issue for speedway riders to be riding laydowns in 'tricky' conditions? I'm not trying to catch anyone out, I'm just trying to understand.

[Blazeaway]

I've noticed this as well. It seems that very few riders are now coming through from the grasstrack circuit, most seem to come straight into speedway. Very different from say 15 years ago.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I reckon this is probably down to cost. There have been a few that have given it a go. Namely Darren Rolph grasstracker turned speedway rider. Not too sure what happened to him he looked a tidy rider from what i can remember.