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20:00 tommorow (sunday 22nd) on motors tv

USA National Speedway 2008

Spring Classic.

A small oval, 4 bikes, no brakes and some 20 heats to fight before the winner is eventually decided, Speedway is one of the most exciting 2 wheel series, and we show the very best racing from the 2008 season :wink:

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20:00 tommorow (sunday 22nd) on motors tv

USA National Speedway 2008

Spring Classic.

A small oval, 4 bikes, no brakes and some 20 heats to fight before the winner is eventually decided, Speedway is one of the most exciting 2 wheel series, and we show the very best racing from the 2008 season :wink:

thanks for info - will have it recorded

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20:00 tommorow (sunday 22nd) on motors tv

USA National Speedway 2008

Spring Classic.

A small oval, 4 bikes, no brakes and some 20 heats to fight before the winner is eventually decided, Speedway is one of the most exciting 2 wheel series, and we show the very best racing from the 2008 season :wink:

 

Thanks for that. Sounds interesting enough to record. Senior Management is in possession of the TV at that time! :wink::shock:

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
Don't know what Motors TV are playing at. Tuned in to watch Sunday's speedway but they had quads on instead. Have they ditched the oval sport already. I am surprised that nobody has had a whinge before me.

Same here, I've set the V+ box to record every showing but all last week they were still showing the Costa Mesa meeting and the last 2 progs have both been quad racing!

WTF is gooin' on?? :blink::blink:

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Same here, I've set the V+ box to record every showing but all last week they were still showing the Costa Mesa meeting and the last 2 progs have both been quad racing!

WTF is gooin' on?? :blink::blink:

 

 

The second meeting, the 40th Anniversary Meeting, was shown tonight at 6pm. I'm sure you'll be able to catch one of the repeats.

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Well, they got round to showing the Season Opener tonight @ 6:00.

In some respects it's improved - a bit (or were there simply less cameras at the meeting?), but mostly it's reassuringly just as appalling.

 

Either it was recorded in betamax (remember that?) or there's a total lack of ability to convert NTSC to PAL.

The editing (for want of a better expression) is err... "innovative", with s-l-o-w cross fades between the cameras, monotone commentary, either overpowering or non-existent live audio, 1980's home-movie graphics, etc. etc.

 

From the amount of footage that features only the heads & occasionally the torsos of those racing it's evidently been recorded in 4:3 and cropped to fit 16:9 widescreen without the footage actually being LOOKED at. Christ even the sponsors logo is stretched!

 

Totally amateurish "production" that we should be pleased is being aired - because there isn't enough of a rag tag & bobtail image for speedway :rolleyes:

 

Still, I guess if they have to air 12 month old, second rate footage that is an embarrassment to the sport, at least they got their sponsorship right :unsure:

Edited by Backless
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Dear Backless,

 

Thank you for your comments. I won't be responding to everything everyone posts on any forum, as obviously time would not be on my side, but I can say that everything written on this forum is read both by myself and the team at American Speedway Online who film the footage and complete the in-race edits.

 

I feel the need to post simply to clarify what I feel are a couple of innacuracies in your post.

 

Firstly I would like to take the opportunity to point out that the image quality is four times that of a standard DVD, so to compare it to Betamax is obviously somewhat off the mark.

 

My second point is regarding the graphical work. I am not sure what "home movie graphics" you were using in the 1980s, but I would like to show you what graphics were being used in the 1980s and 1990s by well-respected television companies.

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/993/80sand9...edwaygraphi.png

The top image comes from ITV (1984), the second and third from Screensports (1987), the fourth from ITV (early 1990s) and the botttom two from Sky Sports (mid-1990s).

Please compare with:

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/7015/usan...peedway2008.png

 

Thank you for your interest in the series, and I hope that future programmes will capture your imagination,

 

Regards,

 

Alex Raby

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  • 2 weeks later...

I tried sky+ to record the repeats due to having a full listing on days run first time. So far I have not had the speedway on once. Not sure what MotorsTV are doing but usually end up with motox instead. I want to see the meetings but until MotorsTv get their scheduling correct I will be giving it a miss.

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For those who have not yet seen the AMA Nationals (one of the most exciting events of the season's programming), the remaining broadcasts are:

Friday 8th May at 11:25pm (after FIM World Ice Racing, so a double dose of two wheels!)

Saturday 9th May at 11am

 

Next week's programming features the 2008 Kid's Night, and will be broadcast on:

Sunday 10th May at 8:10pm

Monday 11th May at 3pm

Tuesday 12th May at 6pm

Wednesday 13th May at 2pm

Friday 15th May at 11pm

Saturday 16th May at 11am

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  • 2 weeks later...

This week's Speedway on Motors TV from the world famous Costa Mesa Speedway features 'Speedway and Sidecars' night:

Sunday 17th May at 9:15pm

Monday 18th May 2009 at 3pm

Tuesday 19th May 2009 at 6pm

Wednesday 20th May 2009 at 2pm

Friday 22nd May 2009 at 11:25pm

Saturday 23rd May 2009 at 11am

 

Video Preview:

 

Meeting Scorechart:

http://webjam-upload.s3.amazonaws.com/prog...d569__113__.pdf

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I'm just trying to watch tonight's programme. It's dreadful!!!

 

Why is the picture in a small box in the middle of the screen? The graphics are completely illegible and it looks like the whole thing was filmed through the bottom of a beer glass. In these days of HD this is just not good enough. Youtube videos are better quality.

 

It is reminiscent of BBC coverage of the '70s and '80's. The camerawork and editing are laughable, we've just had a mid-race shot of the 1st and 2nd bend with not a single rider in shot. The commentator tells us about a good race for 2nd and 3rd place and we have long close ups of the leader completely on his own!

 

Don't know how much more of this crap I can take.

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I'm just trying to watch tonight's programme. It's dreadful!!!

 

Why is the picture in a small box in the middle of the screen? The graphics are completely illegible and it looks like the whole thing was filmed through the bottom of a beer glass. In these days of HD this is just not good enough. Youtube videos are better quality.

 

It is reminiscent of BBC coverage of the '70s and '80's. The camerawork and editing are laughable, we've just had a mid-race shot of the 1st and 2nd bend with not a single rider in shot. The commentator tells us about a good race for 2nd and 3rd place and we have long close ups of the leader completely on his own!

 

Don't know how much more of this crap I can take.

Maybe we've been spoilt by Sky's coverage (even if it does generate endless complaints on here)

 

Motors TV is low budget and the US speedway scene is not exactly up to the standards of the Polish Extraliga

 

BUT

 

I enjoy it, I'm grateful for having the opportunity to watch it, and it does make a pleasant change from Sky's drearily predictable Elite League coverage (It's going to be an exciting night tonight, both teams want to win...). Yes it could be improved and I'm sure that note will be taken of the constructive suggestions.

 

However I'd like to thank those behind the coverage, Alex Raby's team and Motors TV, for their efforts.

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Firstly thank you for your comments both Chris and Arnie; everything that is written on this forum and others is read and considered. With regards to last week's formatting issue with Motors TV, I have not yet been told why the box appeared: all I do know is that it was particularly a problem for non-widescreen (4:3) TVs. I am hoping that the issue will be corrected as we go racing this week!

 

This week's Speedway on Motors TV from the world famous Costa Mesa Speedway features 'Speedway and Motorcycle Demo Derby' night:

Sunday 24th May 2009 at 8:10pm

Monday 25th May 2009 at 3pm

Tuesday 26th May 2009 at 6pm

Wednesday 27th May 2009 at 2pm

Friday 29th May 2009 at 11:25pm

Saturday 30th May 2009 at 11am

 

Video Extract:

 

Meeting Scorechart:

http://webjam-upload.s3.amazonaws.com/prog...a3d1__112__.pdf

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For those who haven't yet had the chance to see the latest installment of 'USA National Speedway 2008', the Fair Derby runs at the following times:

Sunday 31st May 2009 at 8pm

Monday 1st June 2009 at 3pm

Tuesday 2nd June 2009 at 6am

Tuesday 2nd June 2009 at 10am

Tuesday 2nd June 2009 at 6pm

Wednesday 3rd June 2009 at 2pm

Friday 5th June 2009 at 10:55pm

Saturday 6th June 2009 at 11am

 

The annual Fair Derby from the world famous Costa Mesa Speedway has been a massive competition since its inauguration way back in 1970. Bill Cody was the first winner way back when, Bruce Penhall taking victory in 1976, Mike Bast and Kelly Moran some of the famous names to have taken the title since then. The Championship's most successful rider Mike Faria, who has won a total of eight crowns stretching back to 1986, was not set to race in the 2008 Championship, so a different winner was very much on the cards. At one end of the experience scale Bobby Schwartz, 1978 Champion and five times winner who last took victory in 1998 competes, and at the other end two time USA Under 21 Champion Ricky Wells, who became the youngest ever event winner with a victory in 2007 - can he retain his crown?

 

Video Preview:

 

Meeting Scorecard: http://webjam-upload.s3.amazonaws.com/prog...7a25__134__.pdf

Edited by unknown
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