Elite League Best Pairs

[Guest PanthersChamp06]

Didnt think the track was that bad TBH, that shower that finally postponed it, lasted for 30 seconds, and they all run off! Oh well...waste off 40 quid and 120 miles off nothing!

 

Loads off fellow panthers fans there which was great to see, think we made up nearlly a quarter off that crowd

[rabbit]

Obviously can't comment on the track, but you can now see why there's never exactly a queue of EL tracks wanting to stage this, or the ELRC anymore. It's the same old, same old every single time.

[Team Man]

I can't imagine KL speedway without Buster.

 

 

No more can I......but it could happen.....lets hope he will wake feeling better in the morning

[stevehone]

it got wet, it was called off, rubbish happens.

[Trees]

Grumpy and Hans are the usual ones unless anyone else knows any better.

In his rant at the end Buster said Jason was prepared to ride, the track was reminiscent of the one he rode every week in 01 imo ..................... it's quite possible that the right decision was made because probably 3/4 hour and 20 miles away after the meeting was called off we did have another heavy rain/hail shower, whether they had it at Lynn I know not ................ I was sooooooooo looking forward to the racing, bu**er bu**er bu**er I hate our flipping weather!

[Shortcrust]

In his rant at the end Buster said Jason was prepared to ride, the track was reminiscent of the one he rode every week in 01 imo

 

You know, I remember press and practice 2001, with messrs Crump, N Pedersen, Klingberg, P Karlsson, it was absolutely p1ss1ng it down yet they still went out and gave the crowd something to watch. How times change.

 

[London Witch]

Absolutely the right decision in my opinion. It was freezing cold, the track was soaking wet, and it may have been rideable but it wouldn't have been raceable. On such a cold night, racing was essential to stop the frost-bite. We went to the pub down the road for a hour afterwards and it was still drizzling when we came out.

Edited April 5, 2008 by London Witch

[NOBBY]

What a brilliant call Nobby. Just got home, oh well down the pub now.

 

 

It was extremely accurate wasn't it...it's a pity I didn't take any notice of what I said, because BIVI, Ron and I went !!!! We left BIVI's in Witham at 2:30pm because we were going to the Harvester to have steak and chips before going to the meeting. Off we went down the A120 towards Stansted Airport at a relaxed speed, which became very relaxed as we neared the junction with the M11 as an accident had closed the southbound carriageway and was causing those wanting the northbound M11 difficulty getting to the slip road. We moved about a mile in one hour and decided as we got to the Stansted roundabout to turn back and race (at a legal speed !!) across country via Bury St. Edmonds, Swatham etc and up to Kings Lynn that way...we finally reached Norfolk Arena at 6:05pm and decided we'd have to miss out on the steak and chips. So a Nuked Cardboard Burger, luke warm sausage, matchstick chips and two cups of dishwater powdwered tea later we stood in the back straight shed bathed in sunshine at 6:20pm. At 6:50pm we had a 20minute reasonably heavy downpour, but it was not raining stair rods !!! then it passed over and Buster Chapman started to rake some dirt back over from the outside to cover the wet bits. I think he did a good job myself, but as soon as it started raining again that was it...the agreement already made previously in the pits was that any more rain and it was toys away and off to bed !!!! We stayed for a while to let the traffic out of the car park die down and were entertained with an interview with Buster Chapman who ripped into the decision to postpone like a chainsaw !!! In his opinion it was still raceable and the sky did look clearer even if it was getting dark. In his opinion Premier League meetings would go on in those conditions and he could not believe the riders decision...or accept it....reading between the lines he was very critical of the Elite League riders decision and I have a feeling it will not be the last we hear from him on the subject of the Elite League this year. He could only apologise to everyone, but by that time 90% had left the stadium. We can of course use the tickets for the re-run, if we can be bothereed to go through all that crap again, or they can be used for any other super7even rain off !!...sorry I mean super 7even meeting !! After the day we've had (I wasted 9 hours travelling and standing around in the freezing cold) I doubt we will bother again.

 

Amazing just how close I was with the timing in my original post though....I should have had a bet on the National shouldn't I ???

[Rob B]

Just got back from a waste of a day and money. What a farce, first of all what the hell were Kings Lynn track staff doing watering the track half an hour before the start when the sky was black in the background, it was so obvious it was going to rain.

Track was obviously wet but I don't think it would have been too bad aftere Buster graded it, first 4 heats would have been a bit dodgy but then the track would have sorted itself out.

What we couldn't understand is why they called it off so quickly when it started raining again and it only lasted for a minute at the most. I know for a fact that Belle Vue pair of Jason Crump and Charlie Gjedde were more then willing to ride, whilst negotiations were going on Jason Crump had actually gone to the spares van to buy some extra tear offs and couldn't believe it when he came back and that it had been called off!

 

The referee was bullied by just a couple of riders to call it off.

Edited April 5, 2008 by Rob B

[Trees]

And what two riders were they Rob? We thought of all the fans who had come miles to see the meeting when we are only down the road in comparison, how bloody annoying!

[Sandie]

Been home around 10 minutes and read through the posts.

The correct decision in my opinion. As LW has said - rideable maybe but raceable probably not .

 

As I heard it - the riders said that if the rain came again then that would be the trigger to call it off. Whether the rain came for 30 seconds or 30 minutes that was the decision and thats what they kept to.

 

Disapointed yes but I have to say that I am not sure I could have stayed on the terrace for 2 to 3 hours having got soaked in the first downpour. It had gone beyond cold to hyperthermic nearly

 

I too heard Busters interview from the car park and understand his disapointment. But as someone who has been on the road for 6 hours today - Im not unhappy it was called off.

 

[Matousek]

These meetings arent what they used to be. Riders arent as bothered, so really just scrap them. Harsh but if they cant be arsed then bin em.

[rhidassa]

The meetings are put on for fans, as well as for riders.

The weather is temperamental, lets hope for better luck next time. The meetings must be somewhat 'good' or people wouldn't bother going to them, if you dont like it fair enough but lets not get over dramatic saying the entire series is a waste of time. Theres good racing produced in meetings involving more than just 2 teams, it was just bad weather (depending on your attitude to why it got called off anyway), and at the end of the day thats that.

Edited April 5, 2008 by rhidassa

[Trees]

I think the riders would have given it 95% if it hadn't rained, that would have done me haha ................... it's just great having them race at Lynn again.

 

 

[Haza]

I think the riders would have given it 95% if it hadn't rained, that would have done me haha ................... it's just great having them race at Lynn again.

To right i was looking forward to this meeting as you say Trees it just been great to see the EL boys race at Lynn again Crumpy would have loved that track last night, just hope they can fit in a re run date at Lynn .

[iris123]

It is always a risk you take going to a meeting when the weather is dodgy.I travelled up to Vojens last year only for the meeting to be cancelled.Wasn't the best of weather on the way up but once i got about 5 miles from Vojens everything was soaking.Same thing a few years ago.I travelled all the way over near the Dutch border for a meeting in reasonably good weather,only to find the meeting had been called of days before.Only myself to blame.But then again i didn't bother to travel up to Vojens a couple of years back for an 80cc test between Denmark and Sweden.Saw the photos and the meeting was held in terrible conditions.That is a lesson learnt.The youngsters are more likely to ride in bad conditions.Same as at last years Danish 80cc Final.Meeting was delayed by 45 minutes because they had forgotten to get a Doctor.And then had to ring around(on a sunday)and find one.Just as the meeting started the heavens opened up.But the kids got on with it.But like some have said,it is best to cancel unless you just want to watch riders struggle and play follow the leader

 

Danish 80cc Final

[Bagpuss]

In my opinion the right decision was made, to be honest I was suprised that they were prepared to give it a go after the first lot of rain which was fairly heavy and lasted for a good twenty minutes. I wouldn't take too much notice of Buster's rant, he always speaks from the heart rather than with his head and I expect his opinion will be much less damning once he has calmed down. We have seen it many times before when he has worked hard to make a wet track raceable to no avail. And at the end of the day the referee has the final say regardless of what pressure he is or isn't put under

 

I too was at Poole for the ELRC a couple of years ago and for me last night's track looked a lot wetter. And I don't think the watering of the track last night made much difference, at that time the sun and wind were both strong and the tractor only did one fairly swift lap anyhow.

 

Feel sorry for those people who travelled long distances but unfortunately that is the risk of being a speedway fan. As SS says heavy showers were forecast and we got one. Hopefully a new date can be sorted when all the big boys can be there

[colincooke]

Such a shame this was off.I Was still looking forward to it despite Scott & AJ having to pull out, who knows they may be fit for the restaging whenever that may be. That said the right decision, the rain came exactly when nobody wanted it & racing would have been very limited.

That apart the company on the bus there & back was once again second to none, cheers you guys(& gals).

[HAR]

It was a pity the meeting was cancelled last night, but it was probably the right decision, as I said in an earlier posting, too early in the season/year. I was at the ELRC last August and the first few heats were awful, not a good advert for speedway, especially when it's shown on Sky.

 

This is maybe the time for a revamp of the EL Best Pairs. Could the competition not start at say lunch time(ish) for the two best riders from each Elite Team (the 'Best Pairs'), basically as it is now, but when the 2008 averages are out. Then, in the late afternoon/evening the Elite Best Reserves. It would give the 'big boys' time to get their part of the meeting over and leave the track sooner and quicker for their other commitments, rather than late in the evening when all the fans are leaving as well.

 

The competition would then have four riders from each Elite team represented and I'm sure more fans would want to travel to watch it. Obviously the entrance fee would have to go up, but if the competion was well staged and properly respected and represented by the Elite teams, I think it would be a great day.

 

Just a thought!

 

[Trees]

Given that the Polish meetings start today at 4.30 (so I've been told) perhaps yesterday's meeting could have started earlier in the day too, for the benefit of the riders .................... it would have gone ahead then on that beautiful track, owwwwww it was looking so good, the racing would have been ace, the track record would have been in jeopardy!

 

Hindsight and all that