Nutz Posted May 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2014 Plymouth again! Ludvig Lindgren in Ht9 with 49.69. Becoming a weekly event at SBA!!! Also updated to include Richie Worrall equalling the Armadale track record on Friday in Ht1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutz Posted May 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 Updated with Cookie's track record from Armadale on Friday of 54.8s against the hapless Pussycats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutz Posted June 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 Updated with Richard Lawson's record breaking return to Derwent Park on Saturday... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutz Posted June 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 Updated for Tai Woffinden's Track Record in the British Final last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Cross Posted August 30, 2014 Report Share Posted August 30, 2014 You need to update the Devon details. You changed Plymouths!!! The track length is officially 207 metres. NL track record is held by Matt Bates @ 51.80 on 14th June 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 I found it quite interesting comparing big tracks Berwick, Exeter and Sheffield with my sadly lamented West Ham. All four tracks being somewhat similar in size as I think West Ham was c. 383m.. My memory (sometimes failing sadly) tells me race times at West Ham used to be around the 72 sec. mark. We thought that was fast but seems slow compared to Sheffield. A contentious thought...why watch SPEEDway at Lakeside with an average race speed of 39mph?. Sorry if this old Hammer offends the new Hammers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryn Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 (edited) I found it quite interesting comparing big tracks Berwick, Exeter and Sheffield with my sadly lamented West Ham. All four tracks being somewhat similar in size as I think West Ham was c. 383m.. My memory (sometimes failing sadly) tells me race times at West Ham used to be around the 72 sec. mark. We thought that was fast but seems slow compared to Sheffield. A contentious thought...why watch SPEEDway at Lakeside with an average race speed of 39mph?. Sorry if this old Hammer offends the new Hammers. My own personal thoughts are that if sheer speed is the B-all and End-all then drag racing and/or Grand Prix motorcycle racing and/or Superbikes etc should be for those who crave it? Average race speeds have nothing to do with my 48 years (so far! ) enjoyment following speedway, like you starting at Custom House and taking me to all the current British tracks except Devon, Northside & Redcar, various tracks across Europe & Aussie plus loads of UK venues that sadly no longer exist. I can honestly say that I'm really not bothered whether a race is won in 58.97 (hand held stop watches are good aren't they! ) or 72.53 seconds! What I do appreciate is close, competitive racing especially in team matches with riders looking to try and 'team ride' with their partner when they can and fully appreciating the different skills they (and their mechanics) require to both set up their bikes pre-meeting, race on any circuit whether it be 230 metres of 400 metres in length - whatever those measurements might be in yards! - and make any alterations to the bikes and/or riding technique that's necessary as the meeting evolves. Others will disagree with me I know but so be it, that's their prerogative. Edited September 17, 2014 by Bryn 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penny Cross Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 I agree with you Bryn. Essentially, race times are irrelevant, as the other riders are slower than the winner. The quality of racing is the biggest single factor of my enjoyment. Team racing far outweigh individuals for me. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 My own personal thoughts are that if sheer speed is the B-all and End-all then drag racing and/or Grand Prix motorcycle racing and/or Superbikes etc should be for those who crave it? Average race speeds have nothing to do with my 48 years (so far! ) enjoyment following speedway, like you starting at Custom House and taking me to all the current British tracks except Devon, Northside & Redcar, various tracks across Europe & Aussie plus loads of UK venues that sadly no longer exist. I can honestly say that I'm really not bothered whether a race is won in 58.97 (hand held stop watches are good aren't they! ) or 72.53 seconds! What I do appreciate is close, competitive racing especially in team matches with riders looking to try and 'team ride' with their partner when they can and fully appreciating the different skills they (and their mechanics) require to both set up their bikes pre-meeting, race on any circuit whether it be 230 metres of 400 metres in length - whatever those measurements might be in yards! - and make any alterations to the bikes and/or riding technique that's necessary as the meeting evolves. Others will disagree with me I know but so be it, that's their prerogative. I fully agree Bryn that close racing is the ultimate which actually makes race times and track records irrelevant. I was just reflecting that today's racing is faster, on big tracks anyway and that on small tracks it is not really SPEEDway. I love to see really close wheel to wheel racing but like it to last more than 50 seconds. I know it is only a personal opinion but a short race on a tiny track like Lakeside really does not do it for me...hence my great memories of West Ham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryn Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 (edited) I fully agree Bryn that close racing is the ultimate which actually makes race times and track records irrelevant. I was just reflecting that today's racing is faster, on big tracks anyway and that on small tracks it is not really SPEEDway. I love to see really close wheel to wheel racing but like it to last more than 50 seconds. I know it is only a personal opinion but a short race on a tiny track like Lakeside really does not do it for me...hence my great memories of West Ham. Is 256 metres "tiny" chr? On that basis both Buxton (240 metres) and Plymouth (even smaller at 207 metres!) must be classed as "minute" then! Mildenhall's not much bigger than Lakeside - a mere four metres in fact at 260 metres, Rye House 262 metres and Wolverhampton just 264 metres! And delving back in time Crayford's circuit, when the Highwaymen were formed in 1968 by Mike Parker & Bill Bridgett was just 265 yards in length which some flash website I managed to find is according to them 242.316 metres! As I said though all individuals have their own likes , dislikes, foibles and preferences and so they should! Edited September 17, 2014 by Bryn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 A contentious thought...why watch SPEEDway at Lakeside with an average race speed of 39mph?. Sorry if this old Hammer offends the new Hammers. SPEEDway. Not FASTway. 1mph is a speed as much as 100mph is a speed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Is 256 metres "tiny" chr? On that basis both Buxton (240 metres) and Plymouth (even smaller at 207 metres!) must be classed as "minute" then! Mildenhall's not much bigger than Lakeside - a mere four metres in fact at 260 metres, Rye House 262 metres and Wolverhampton just 264 metres! And delving back in time Crayford's circuit, when the Highwaymen were formed in 1968 by Mike Parker & Bill Bridgett was just 265 yards in length which some flash website I managed to find is according to them 242.316 metres! As I said though all individuals have their own likes , dislikes, foibles and preferences and so they should! I surrender. I am going to contradict myself here. I have said several times how I used to love Rye House, and I always looked forward to visiting Plough Lane. So...I can appreciate speedway on smaller tracks. At the end of the day, close exciting racing is what we all want wherever it may be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester Hunter Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 I agree with you Bryn. Essentially, race times are irrelevant, as the other riders are slower than the winner. The quality of racing is the biggest single factor of my enjoyment. Team racing far outweigh individuals for me. Yes, how many times over the years after a race winning time has been announced have we heard from some fans "Slow!" only for opposition fans to retort "Fast enough to win!"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 SPEEDway. Not FASTway. 1mph is a speed as much as 100mph is a speed. Enough...I admit defeat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 It is striving for higher speeds that will be the end of Speedway. The Bikes now are too fast for the Tracks that they are expected to Race on, hence all of the serious injuries these days. There was nothing wrong with the Racing fifty years ago - slower yes, but infinitely safer and just as good if not better, certainly as a spectacle. I know that my views are not popular - but since the advent of the 'Lay Down' Engine the Bikes seem to be far harder to actually control than in the days of the Upright Engines. I would have thought that control would be very important for the safety of the Rider and those he is Racing? There will always be crashes and accidents in a Sport like Speedway - but - should we not be trying to keep these accidents to an absolute minimum? The Racing is the skill - not the speed. Just my opinion - but - I do think I am right. Titanium Parts for Engines. For heavens sake they use Titanium in the Engines of the 'Eurofighter' Jet Aircraft (Typhoon). Says it all really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted September 20, 2014 Report Share Posted September 20, 2014 I have a signed copy of the book "Hammerin' Round" which is essential reading for all us old Hammers fans. On page 85 there is a photo of the scoreboard taken during a West Ham v Belle Vue match.I don' t know the year but I would guess c. 1948. It shows the time of the last race as 81.4 seconds and the average speed 44,7 mph. This would have been on the old 440 yard track (c. 406m.). I would be very interested to know the race times at last night's SEC round in Czestochova, as the track is very similar to the old Custom House track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScotsman Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Craig Cook - Ipswich - 56.3 - 16 October 2014. Ya beauty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arson fire Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Danny King, Glasgow 56.2 28/9/14 Knocking 0.8 off cookies record i think it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbuck Posted November 16, 2014 Report Share Posted November 16, 2014 I doubt whether any rider could match the achievements of Graham Warren who broke the Perry Barr track record eleven times and also simultaneously held the track record at eight different circuits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 If that's the average speed what do you reckon the top speed would be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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