An Open Letter To The Riders At The Elrc

[Djs]

Because most people have already paid?  Or even weirder, we're speedway fans who like to watch speedway   

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It could be either, but I won't be going again!

[Djs]

According to Poole official website "We will be re-staging the event at some point in the future and all patrons are urged to retain their re-admission tickets as we will be allowing Free admission on presentation of the appropriate tickets when the meeting is re-arranged. Of course that is going to be a headache to find a suitable date but we will announce it as soon as possible."

 

We'll done:) But I still agree with the original post by Steve!

[Alan Campbell]

Poole-Dirt-Rain-Off.

 

Nuff Said!

 

Poole-Concrete-Rain-On

[home straight]

Poole-Dirt-Rain-Off.

 

Nuff Said!

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Poole-Concrete-Rain-On

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Oh right.

[Steve Shovlar]

Pretty obvious you were not there then Alan.

[bellevueace]

Be interesting to see how many people are willing to travel hundreds of miles for the restaging, once bitten twice shy perhaps? Feel a bit sorry for the promotion here couldnt blame them if they didnt want this meeting now.

[witchnut]

Should there be an "Open Letter to the Clerk Of The Course" and "Open Letter to the Referee" as well as the original letter to the riders? They haven't exactly been exonerated for what went on.

[lupus]

That was a little tongue-in-cheek.  I doubt they would refuse if people were to post them back rather than actually go to the stadium.

 

Before deleting the match I watched it again just to confirm a couple of things.  Based on what was seen and heard by the Sky cameras.

 

Jason was the only rider seen on the phone to the ref, just a second before the ref asked for the CotC.

 

Jason was only rider in the ref's ear when he first looked at the track.

 

Jason was certainly not intending to ride again, as he walked back to the pits on this first occasion.

 

Neither Jason, nor Mark, said it was dangerous.  Scott said that they'd said this.

 

Mark said he didn't mind as he walked back to the pits past a camera, you can just make it out as there was no mic on him.

 

Chris said he was p!$$ed off waiting and he thought the track was okay, just before he suggested a show of hands.

 

There is no indication whatsoever of how Nicki felt about racing.  He is only seen breifly from a distance, and there is no way of telling from the shots shown.

 

PK, Hans, David, Lee, and Charlie, are all seen quite relaxed.  They all seem ready to carry on as they chat and joke amongst themselves in the pits.  Non of them are in ref's ear, and non show any signs of negativity at all. 

 

Leigh, Greg, KK, (virtually unseen until now), and Scott all agree very quickly not to go out and ride.  At that point they should be making their way onto track.  At that point the official word from the ref is that the meeting is on.  At that point those four riders are refusing to race despite the fact that the match is on, at that point.

 

The ref then bows down to their wishes and calls it off.

 

I said on the other thread, and will repeat here, the interview with RR was very good.  He was the only one to think of the fans, and he earned himself some brownie points in my eyes last night.  I've never particularly liked the guy, although I respect the work he puts in to speedway, but he gets my man of the match award. 

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Here, Here Chris - well said!!!

[Addy]

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.

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Well said, Grachan

[Big Arthur]

Having read only the first few posts of this forum i find its the same people over and over again wanting.. no "DEMANDING" that riders carry on a meeting for their pleasure just because they travelled x amount of miles and paid x to get into a meeting. WHAT A SELFISH ATTITUDE TO HAVE!

 

 

IF one of your clubs riders had been injured for the season you'd have all been moaning that it should have been called off.

 

As correctly stated above it's the OFFICIALS that make the decision not the riders (although they do contribute to the final decision with their opinions).

 

It's just easier for you to blame someone because you lost money.. but dont you think the riders lost out too?

 

I have said it a million times before and will say it again.. the slightest doubt over the state of the track and weather and the meeting is called off.. hey I'd rather that than someone injured.

 

You may say but no one would have been hurt etc.. how do you know?

After all I may be wrong and the meeting gone ahead and there be no injuries, BUT if YOU were riding would YOU be prepared to take the same risk?

 

I was watching the event at home and it didnt make speedway look stupid in the slightest. Quite the opposite and as a sport that listened to it's participents and made an informed decision regardless of the pressure SKY and the press put on the event.

 

You'll find that I will slate the authorities as much as anyone else when I think they're wrong, but on matters like these IMO theyre right and I respect any decision made.

 

Get on a bike tuned to the standard of their bikes and ride a track that they're as you put it "moaning" about, also think about the risk of injury you may get and add in the effects it will have on your family if you cant ride for the season and the distress suffered by seeing you hurt?

[KevH]

Having read only the first few posts of this forum i find its the same people over and over again wanting.. no "DEMANDING" that riders carry on a meeting for their pleasure just because they travelled x amount of miles and paid x to get into a meeting. WHAT A SELFISH ATTITUDE TO HAVE!

IF one of your clubs riders had been injured for the season you'd have all been moaning that it should have been called off.

 

As correctly stated above it's the OFFICIALS that make the decision not the riders (although they do contribute to the final decision with their opinions).

 

It's just easier for you to blame someone because you lost money.. but dont you think the riders lost out too?

 

I have said it a million times before and will say it again.. the slightest doubt over the state of the track and weather and the meeting is called off.. hey I'd rather that than someone injured.

 

You may say but no one would have been hurt etc.. how do you know?

After all I may be wrong and the meeting gone ahead and there be no injuries, BUT if YOU were riding would YOU be prepared to take the same risk?

 

I was watching the event at home and it didnt make speedway look stupid in the slightest. Quite the opposite and as a sport that listened to it's participents and made an informed decision regardless of the pressure SKY and the press put on the event.

 

You'll find that I will slate the authorities as much as anyone else when I think they're wrong, but on matters like these IMO theyre right and I respect any decision made.

 

Get on a bike tuned to the standard of their bikes and ride a track that they're as you put it "moaning" about, also think about the risk of injury you may get and add in the effects it will have on your family if you cant ride for the season and the distress suffered by seeing you hurt?

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If the opionion that the track was dangerous was shared by the majority of riders you would have had a point there.

[Big Arthur]

If the opionion that the track was dangerous was shared by the majority of riders you would have had a point there.

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Look at my post again I said "I have said it a million times before and will say it again.. the slightest doubt over the state of the track and weather and the meeting is called off.. hey I'd rather that than someone injured" so whether it was ONE or ALL riders that moaned good on the final decision!

 

so reading it in that context I DO have a point there!

[Guest cheetahhawk]

For what it is worth here is my opinion,feel free to agree or disagree.

 

I was at Poole for the meeting as along with other members of Oxford Speedway Supporters Club we were doing a collection for the Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund(btw thanks to all who contributed to this very worthy cause). It was raining,a kind of heavy drizzle from around 3.30pm onwards on and off. At start time of 5pm it was NOT raining,all during the six races we actually saw it was also raining,heavyish drizzle on and off but nothing that riders haven't ridden in before. Like Rob Peasley says it was the referees decision to call the meeting off. If it had been held up say for about half an hour maybe once the rain did stop we could have seen some racing. There was dirt on the track contrary to what some people might think and now I have some of it in my bag and the bucket I was using for the collection. I travelled home via Bournemouth and Christchurch and it was dry there so it was a really local to Poole that the rain fell.

The track staff deserve a medal for all the hard work they put in just to see it was all for nothing because of a weak referee.

 

On another note I hope the stupid man(don't know who he supported as he wasn't wearing any club colours, but did have a Dorset accent) who thought it was okay to be very rude to me doesn't get his money back.He asked me where he could find the Poole management and when I replied" I'm sorry I don't know as I don't know where the speedway office is at Poole, as I come from Oxford,"he then replied "well you should "expletive" know,you are working here".Another guy told me he had thrown his readmission ticket away,for pity's sake are some people stupid or what.I don't know what he thought I could do,I do the collections because I love speedway not to get stupid people being rude to me.

 

 

Like a lot of people think I think it was really a combination of things that got the meeting called off.

[Guest Sir Lunchalot]

Look at my post again I said "I have said it a million times before and will say it again.. the slightest doubt over the state of the track and weather and the meeting is called off.. hey I'd rather that than someone injured" so whether it was ONE or ALL riders that moaned good on the final decision!

 

so reading it in that context I DO have a point there!

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And some smart a**e (me in this case !!!) will come along and suggest that in the future fans might say "the slightest doubt over the state of the track and weather and I won't go"

 

It cuts both ways in my opinion and I don't think fans expect riders to ride when it is dangerous BUT there is an underlying inference here that there were other factors that came into play such as the riders Polish commitments and Sky having a deadline that made it a convenient and easy decision to make. I'll also venture the opinion that if one rider deems it unsafe and 15 don't then why not run the meeting with 15 riders ? You will get no argument from me if the majority of riders are of the opinion the track is unsafe though.

 

Playing the devils advocate here I'll also make the point that riders also get injured on fine clear days and if no one wants any injuries then the answer is simple, don't have any speedway at all.

[marcusthepom]

Dear riders, I was one of many fans who paid £17 to watch what, outside of the British GP, is regarded as the biggest individual meeting to take place in the uk, The ELRC.

 

Arriving at the stadium at 3.30 pm, it was overcast, but the long queues of excited and expectant fans knew, or thought, they were in for a teat of a speedway meeting. Looking along the queue I could see fans from Belle Vue, Eastbourne, Peterborouogh, Swindon, Ipswich, Oxford and even some Arena fans who had made the trip from the east of London to cheer on Steve Johnston. In fact, I saw fans from all elite league clubs this afternoon, who had given up their day to support you, the riders, and enjoy some exciting speedway racing. many of them knew that their rider ws not likely to win it, but they travelled the length and breadth of the UK to be in Poole for this prestigious meeting.

 

Settling in my place 30 minutes before the first race, it had clouded over considerably, buut was still dry. the track looked superb. Plenty of dirt on it out wide, and nice and smooth. I thought, as everyone else did, that we would be in for a speedway treat, and those with Sky TV would see just how good racing is at Poole speedway every week.

 

20 minues before the start, there was a short shower. Nothing torrential. Just a shower, which soon passed over and it had stopped before the parade had ended. It did make the track a bit wetter than hoped, but everyone who goes to Poole knew the track wouold soon settle after a few heats. And so it proved. After a couple of races the dry shale could clearly be seen on the inside, and track times were as per usual.

 

Heat 6 finished and there seemed to be a bit of a delay. I said it must be a commercial break on Sky, but if it was, then it was a long one. A few more minutes passed. It suddenly dawned on us that all was not well in the pits, though the track was getting into a good shape and racing had by and large been OK, with the best obviously yet to come.

 

It was then announced that a few of the riders were unhappy with the conditions and further grading needed to take place. Well, I looked at the track and it looked OK to me. A touch wetter than normal but far better than the rain off against Coventry 3 weeks ago. So the tractors came out and graded the track. And went back in again. It was not raining. More delays. The ref went across, though the fans in the stand had no idea why. He should have had his finger on the 2 mnute button.

 

A few minutes later and the sawdust came out. this was soon evening spread and the track looked excellent. Great, we all thought. NO excuses now, they have to race. But no. Some of you were still not happy. It was raining so lightly it made no difference to the track conditions. Again there was another meeting, and this time it was announced the racing would continue. Thanks god for that we all thought. noting wrong with the track, just a few troublemakers, of whom I had no idea who they were.

 

Hansd Andersen was then brifly interviewed, and we settled back in our places for what we thought would be the continuation of the event.

 

But no. You riders needed an excuse. And fast. And at that moment, for 1 minute, it rained. Lightly. Just enough to see it in the air against a dark background. And that was all you needed. Meeting off. Six heats run, fans ripped off.

 

I would like to personally ask the reason you riders whinged and moaned and made utter fools of our sport, live on Sky TV. I would like to ask the reason you didn't want to ride, when track conditions were good, and the rain had been in such a small amount that is deemed the track dangerous to ride? I would like to ask what you would tell all those fans that travelled from Manchester, Ipswich, Peterborough, Areans, Oxford, Swindon, Eastbourne, Wolverhampton, Reading and Poole why you wouldn't ride on a track in good shape after the work had been carried out on it, and the forecast for the shower to move away to leave a dry evening?

 

You riders are meant to be the best riders in the UK, representing your club and their fans. Today you let the sport of speedway down in front of these supporters, as well as the many thousands watching on Sky TV. It was an utter disgrace. I hope the riders who instigated this decision are named and shamed.

 

Please feel free to come on here and tell me what I have written above is wrong.

 

In all the years I have been going to speedway I have attended thousands of meetings, and dozens of rainoffs. I have seen meetings called of in wet conditions, I have seen meetings run in conditions where the meeting should have been called off. But today, for the very forst time, I saw a meeting called off when conditions were absolutely fine for racing.

 

I am disgusted with the attitude of the riders who managed to get this meeting abandoned. If they didn't want to ride, pack up their bikes and the fans would have been happy to watch Lewis Bridger get some races in, and if it meant two or three riders only in some heats so be it. For these riders to ruin an afternoons entertainment for all because they would rather save themselves for next weeks GP stinks to high heaven.

 

I am sorry for the length of this post but I am a very angry fan, probably one of many, who was totally ripped off today at Poole Speedway by so called speedway superstars.

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well this is what im on about,theres no bottle no go in them,i bet if the meeting was in poland,germany,sweden,denmark those riders from there own country would have riden,riden aswell as the conditions would have allowed.bugger the fans,tv,fox,or any body else.whats happening in the uk....fellows wake up ,look at your selfs,try postponing the meeting in the good old days ,try telling bruce,kenny

ivan ,briggo,and alike it was to wet.its the same for all of them.i must add thou its easy in the grand stand to be an expert,these guys put there lifes at risk,but on most accounts the track was very ridable.oh well if the sport keeps going the way it is,you will not need an english final anyway.they will all be from over seas anyway.once again were are all the great english riders.great isnt just being a winner on the track ,you must also be a winner of it.

[Ron Butler]

That word being what? One: I'm trying to put people straight that's all.

 

Two: There are none so blind as those who will not see.

 

Three I wash my hands of you.

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I'm going to jump on this 'is what he said what we mean' bandwagon:

 

One: He's trying to guide us along the straight and narrow path.....

 

Two: .....because some of us have walk with grey sticks.

 

Three: Perhaps he could further set a good example by following his signature.

 

I jest, naturally

[lupus]

And some smart a**e (me in this case !!!) will come along and suggest that in the future fans might say "the slightest doubt over the state of the track and weather and I won't go"

 

It cuts both ways in my opinion and I don't think fans expect riders to ride when it is dangerous BUT there is an underlying inference here that there were other factors that came into play such as the riders Polish commitments and Sky having a deadline that made it a convenient and easy decision to make. I'll also venture the opinion that if one rider deems it unsafe and 15 don't then why not run the meeting with 15 riders ? You will get no argument from me if the majority of riders are of the opinion the track is unsafe though.

 

Playing the devils advocate here I'll also make the point that riders also get injured on fine clear days and if no one wants any injuries then the answer is simple, don't have any speedway at all.

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Playing devils advocate or not Lunchy, this is the point exactly...having seen a rider get injured on Friday on the driest, dustiest track you'll ever see, then it seems the answer to Big Arthur's point is to get rid of the sport all together!

 

It seemed to me at the time, as I've already said, that there were two 'camps' - those who would have ridden and those who wouldn't. Someone should have taken up Chris Louis suggestion and done a show of hands. Those who then refused to go with the majority decision (had it been for the meeting to be called off) would be banned for a fortnight! That would sort the men from the boys....(or the GP 'stars' - I use the term loosely! - from the ones loyal to the EL fans!)

[G the Bee]

Big Arthur misses the point completely. There will often be some doubts about a track whether wet or not. How often do we watch a Sky match and hear a rider say 'The track's tricky / patchy / rutty / slick'. Using Arthur's recommendations, no team would ever complete their fixtures!

If the track had been like Sheffield or Peterborough in the World Cup in 2002 I agree that it should have been off but we all know, as evidenced by Crumps ride in the previous heat, that the track wasn't that bad at all. The riders just needed to adapt to the conditions.

The point is, there is no consistency from riders. The same riders who appear to grumble and moan about the state of a difficult track will often be the same ones who go out and race in far worse conditions come GP weekend.

Speedway riders are in the entertainment business yet (at the risk of taring all the riders at the meeting with the same brush) I don't think, generally speaking, the riders had a second thought for the fans who had travelled so far to see them race. Not sure I heard one rider say "what about the people who are watching, and pay our wages, do we not have a responsibility to get the meeting on for them?"

I don't think that in return for travelling hundreds of miles and paying money to get in the stadium, expecting riders, referees and promotions to put 110% into getting a meeting on is a selfish attitude to have at all.

[stevehone]

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.

[Yorkshire Ace]

if the meeting wasn't on sky they would of waited a while, with sky being there it enforced a decision sooner than would of been liked.