Benfund 2011

[Bagpuss]

So what actually is the purpose and need for them? To be fair, I didnt really realise all that much difference in the sound from the bikes.

 

Personally I found them much quieter, especially when the bikes were at the 'other end' of the track. At last year's King's Lynn P&P Kozza and Ricky Wallace used these new style silencers while all the others were on the old ones, and the difference was quite substantial.

 

I guess the 'purpose and need' for them is to make the sport more audibly friendly. If for example the quieter noise keeps Mildenhall and Birmingham open, or is the difference between Bristol getting planning permission or not, then surely less noise is a small price to pay?

 

Of course if time proves that the handling of the bikes and therefore the racing is affected then thats a different matter.

Edited March 13, 2011 by Bagpuss

[cometsfan2k4]

Personally I found them much quieter, especially when the bikes were at the 'other end' of the track. At last year's King's Lynn P&P Kozza and Ricky Wallace used these new style silencers while all the others were on the old ones, and the difference was quite substantial.

 

I guess the 'purpose and need' for them is to make the sport more audibly friendly. If for example the quieter noise keeps Mildenhall and Birmingham open, or is the difference between Bristol getting planning permission or not, then surely less noise is a small price to pay?

 

Of course if time proves that the handling of the bikes and therefore the racing is affected then thats a different matter.

 

Sure!

 

I think the reason maybe I didn't realise the sound difference was because I wasn't listening out for it. The first I knew of it was when I was just reading this forum.

 

I think it will take time for the riders to get themselves dialled in with any new equipment that they need to use, and hopefully then we should begin to see the real action! Hopefully it wont take them too long, and a few spins at their respective P&Ps will sort things out!

[bellevueace]

My first visit to scunthorpe and after all the hype the racing was dire. Having said that i like the track and no doubt it does produce good racing. These early season openers are rarely classics as the riders shake off the cobwebs. Im going to wait until the season gets properly underway and then return for a scorpions league match and judge it then.

[cee the bee]

And I'm surprised nobody has said that Coventry are still beating Poole in another final!

Well, you said it.

[Storming Norman]

Really disappointing after Rob Godfrey bigged up the quality of his track and the racing. A blue groove really isn't acceptable and surely must be down to poor track preparation? At least the profits were going to a good cause but not poor quality racing wasn't what we needed to fire up enthusiasm at the start a difficult season.

[topgun]

have to agree with some of the posts on here no atmosphere and a lack of racing.i am used to plenty of atmosphere watching the workington comets.if you want amosphere and good racing come to derwent park.

[balloon]

Guys,

 

Dont blame the scunthorpe promotion/track staff for the lack of racing yesterday. This is purely down to the silencers.

 

Any one who went for a blast around the outside only went backwards, and the track was slick at the riders request.

 

alot of the guys came in and said they were bored cause the couldnt do anything on track only stay on the inside, but even if there was dirt, the guys couldnt use it or they would end up in the fence.

 

There are not any mechanical issues with these silencers, that was proved yesterday.

 

Single file traffic is how speedway is gonna be from now on i am afraid, speedway will be finished unless they come up with a better solution not because of engines blowing up , riders not controlling there bikes but because the general public will just be bored.

 

Great day for the benfund organisers though.

[Foxylion]

Some Photos from the meeting yesterday

 

[Hansfan]

WELL DONE HANS!!!!!!!!! Wasn't over impressed with the racing overall but chuffed to bits that 'my bloke' won. Bless him.

[loopylou]

As a regular Scunny fan who is always there at least an hour and a half prior to tapes up ,the track was not normal as the blade never comes out during a meeting to move the shale back to the middle. Track was also in my opinion underwatered, inside line was not touched and was bare of shale.

 

 

Yes, the track was not as wet as normal, however this was at the request of the ben fund organiser, as there was a slight threat of early morning rain for Saturday, he was not keen on the track being watered the night before the meeting. This along with the fact that it was a windy day time meeting, meant the track dried out quickly and with thirty odd races to complete, there was very limited time for any substancial track watering.

 

As for the blade coming out, this was to create a fresh surface for the second half of the racing, just like what happens with double headers, with the thirty heats.

 

As regards to the silencers, there was more than just Ryan Fisher complaining about how they kill the engine when they get in the dirt!

[Trees]

Can the riders usually ride really wide on the 2nd bend and get back into contention, I'm guessing they can only do this if there is room for them to on the back straight near the fence ....... I thought one or two of them were just too wide and left themselves too much to do against top riders.

 

Let's hope that the riders/tuners can get used to the new silencers and the set ups required quick.

 

It would have been nice to hear the winners interviewed.

 

Re all those who are moaning about the atmosphere, did you make loads of noise? I have to admit that I think we, the fans, do take the riders and their exploits for granted at times, when the riders were being announced I was standing on the 3rd bend and nobody was applauding as the riders were being announced. Mind you it's a two way thing because not many of the riders bothered to come round on a victory lap following their heat victories, they forget the fans are there to watch them and the fan/rider relationship is mega important!!!!!!

Edited March 13, 2011 by Trees

[montie]

Can the riders usually ride really wide on the 2nd bend and get back into contention, I'm guessing they can only do this if there is room for them to on the back straight near the fence ....... I thought one or two of them were just too wide and left themselves too much to do against top riders.

 

Let's hope that the riders/tuners can get used to the new silencers and the set ups required quick.

 

Usually thats where it works Trees,some of the riders in the Ben fund yesterday have scored big points from the outside,Proctor,Fisher,Hall,Piszcz,Larsen,all of them of the last few season have done it,but yesterday they just went backwards,Chris Harris is no mug when it comes to riding wide is he but just couldnt do it

 

At practice to day,all the riders were saying they just felt bikes die when in the dirt,worrying times for race tracks like scunny i think

 

Time will tell i guess

[Paulco]

I hope these new silencers aren't responsible for yesterday's pretty tame affair , but i fear the worst .

I know they have now become a necessary evil , but it sounded if the riders were on mopeds . One or two decent races , but on the whole it was early season nonsense .

Decent crowd there though , which was the whole point of the exercise . But i doubt very much if i would travel any distance for one of these things again .

Good to see some old friends again though , and a good night in the bar was enjoyed in the company of Mr Dietbowers and family .

Looking forward to the real stuff starting soon . And wasn't the Edinburgh rider rubbish .

[Dietbowers]

I agree with Paulco,not very much in the way of racing at all yesterday,with the exception of Puk going around the outside to pick off a rider who`s name I can`t remember at the moment ,but that was about heat 3,after that ,pretty tame for the rest of the meeting.

Don`t like the lack of sound coming from the bikes either.

And yes,it was a good night in the bar after the meeting,had a taste in my mouth like an Arab`s armpit this morning ,but didn`t need the headache tablets.

Had to chuckle that my mate,the Sump,and Paulco found a mutual source of conversation,their dislike of a certain woman Prime Minister

Good to meet Falkirkbandit as well.

[Shadders]

have to agree with some of the posts on here no atmosphere and a lack of racing.i am used to plenty of atmosphere watching the workington comets.if you want amosphere and good racing come to derwent park.

I was at the 2009 PL 4TT where the racing was on the whole disappointing ... You've never seen a poor meeting at Derwent Park?

[moorwell]

Really disappointing after Rob Godfrey bigged up the quality of his track and the racing. A blue groove really isn't acceptable and surely must be down to poor track preparation? At least the profits were going to a good cause but not poor quality racing wasn't what we needed to fire up enthusiasm at the start a difficult season.

Hi storming

Lets get the argument straight,Yes i did big up the track as there was nothing wrong with it,The blue groove appeared because the riders would not move of the inside line as they felt it was the fastest way around.You may asked as ive asked myself and consquently did not sleep last night what has changed., the introduction of these new silencers.Every rider i have spoken to has voiced there concerns not about there own ability to use them but about the long term future of british speedway.I myself after listening to riders today from the ipswich team voiceing the same concerns that were witnessed yesterday and even going as far as they were dangerous.The way now forward for me and our club is to monitor our match against sheffield and to reapraise the situation after that.If the situation is the same after that meeting well all i can tell you is that will not be the end of the story i can assure you as i can not see a happy ending.

Rob Godfrey

[frostylion]

Thanks for that post Rob,intertesting times ahead i think

 

And you were right to big up you track,you dont win track of the year for nothing

 

The odd rider i spoke to said they had problems with the silencers,but were greatfull to be able to test them on a beautifully smooth consistant track so early in the season

 

Good effort by all involved

[Bagpuss]

Very interesting comments from Mr Godfrey.

 

I hope these issues can be ironed out with a few meetings, as needless to say that bikes which can't be ridden out in the dirt could be disastrous for the sport.

[falkirkbandit]

I agree with Paulco,not very much in the way of racing at all yesterday,with the exception of Puk going around the outside to pick off a rider who`s name I can`t remember at the moment ,but that was about heat 3,after that ,pretty tame for the rest of the meeting.

Don`t like the lack of sound coming from the bikes either.

And yes,it was a good night in the bar after the meeting,had a taste in my mouth like an Arab`s armpit this morning ,but didn`t need the headache tablets.

Had to chuckle that my mate,the Sump,and Paulco found a mutual source of conversation,their dislike of a certain woman Prime Minister

Good to meet Falkirkbandit as well.

 

 

Good to finally meet you too DB, i thoroughly enjoyed my day/evening, great banter in the bar afterwards too

[topgun]

shadders posted on there about poor racing at derwent park.i take it you were not at derwent park for the young shield against rye house i say no more.