Ipswich V Scunthorpe (pl) - Thursday, 18 April 2013 @ 19:30

[Roger Jacobs]

David Howe has posted on Twitter, re the conversation with the ref (Mick Bates):

 

"I said it was up to him, me and Leigh both agreed it would have been difficult but was the refs choice not ours."

[seanmuffe]

aka: Helmut Hayfever

 

Also:

 

Vladimir Kalina

Dawid Stachyra (a controversial choice for some, but was of no value to the EL - and has again proved it at Poole, where their fans are calling for him to be booted out).

 

 

Weather looking over Foxhall towards Ispwich: bright, with approx five tenths cloud. Extremely windy! Currently a "sandstorm" of topsoil blowing off the fields across houses on Martlesham Heath and the A12. Forecast showers, but I can't imagine it will be off unless there's heavy rain later.

And you've never acknowledged the fact that despite yuor admiration of Magda Zimny-Louis, there's little doubt that her continuing influence was the driver behind the over-reliance on Polish riders - at the expense (sic) of arguably better riders. In fact, she is very similar to that of Maggie Thatcher - a strong-minded woman, who did exactly what she thought was right, but her legacy was that of a downward trend.

 

The weather is still set fair. Some clouds over Ipswich, but it's so windy they will zoom across. Showers possible, but given that the topsoil of a field at Martlesham has been blown across the village and the A12 today, the track at Foxhall must be bone dry, and Trackman Bob probably wouldn't mind some natural watering.

Gone dark very suddenly, and just heard the first thunder ...

 

Hopefully it will pass over with a suitable watering of the track, and Bob will have enough time to complete his prep

Pouring at the stadium, but it will pass ...

Bright sunshine, lovely rainbow

 

No puddles on track, but it took a 10 min shower.

 

It's off ... Just announced...............none of my business but did you get the job at the Met Office?

[Jackal]

I sat outside because of the rain, not getting my money for nothing, been there done that. Maybe it was called off because the track had been watered all day and just wasn't able to cope with that last shower? A track can be water logged without puddles being all over it, maybe that was the case. Only the riders and ref know. Just remember the next trick when you still get charged full price for a programme with old news in it when they re stage the meeting. Maybe tomorrow night someone can ask David or Leigh if the track was raceable or not

 

Oh yes wise to all those little tricks now, us regular fans know all of them now

[Roger Jacobs]

..............none of my business but did you get the job at the Met Office?

 

Nope

 

Beautiful clear evening now - the moon shining brightly.

 

I genuinely thought the match would be on, but as mentioned above in the quote by David Howe, the ref decided to call it off.

[seanmuffe]

Nope

 

Beautiful clear evening now - the moon shining brightly.

 

I genuinely thought the match would be on, but as mentioned above in the quote by David Howe, the ref decided to call it off.

we should never be surprised this is speedway Edited April 18, 2013 by seanmuffe

[Roger Jacobs]

Oh yes wise to all those little tricks now, us regular fans know all of them now

 

The programme is a fixed cost, which needs to be recovered. That's not an excuse, it's a simple business statement.

 

Apart from varying levels of sponsorship, British Speedway relies almost entirely on cash flow. Tonight's rain-off will have cost a comparatively large amount of money versus no significant income. Again, not an excuse - just simple business facts. Sorry if these concepts are difficult to grasp (or at least acknowledge).

[spanner47]

Amazed there was no puddles on the track, as i got close to the track at 19-25 there was puddles all over the roads. But if the Ref says no, thats it. Hopefully it saved us a boring night watching a meeting on a wet track, thats not entertainment, shame the club lost a chunk of money and the supoorters lost a few quid in petrol, but if it had have gone ahead, and a rider had been injured, then people would be bleating "it should never had gone ahead". Mick Bates has seen more wet tracks than most of us, and if he reckoned it wasn't fit for racing, thats ok by me.

Edited April 18, 2013 by spanner47

[Ipswich Jules]

Disgusting. Scunny from 1-7 wanna ride

 

 

 

Utter bull s h I t.....track is ok.......

 

Not true, ref called it off.

Nothing Ipswich could do

Edited April 18, 2013 by Ipswich Jules

[lucifer sam]

Oh dear. Not a good night for Speedway. Can't believe how easily that meeting was called off - one brief shower.

 

In contrast, I went to Scunny on October 29th last year (the play-off final), it was obvious that they'd had prolonged rain during the afternoon (the pits was almost underwater!!) but that meeting went ahead.

 

All the best

Rob

[Presenter]

There was significant rain at the stadium this afternoon, around 3pm. It then took until 6pm to correct the track after that. With heavy black clouds surrounding the stadium from 6pm, it was always gong to spell trouble if there was any more rain. And the rain at 6.45 was the straw that ... Sod's law, that we then had sunshine and a clear evening.

 

One problem being that the track was open after the earlier remedial work, whereas if rain is forecast or expected then it is packed in preparation; which was not possible as the track was being worked on after the afternoon deluge.

 

Vicious circle of weather and circumstances it seems. Real disappointment all round!

[lucifer sam]

There was significant rain at the stadium this afternoon, around 3pm. It then took until 6pm to correct the track after that. With heavy black clouds surrounding the stadium from 6pm, it was always gong to spell trouble if there was any more rain. And the rain at 6.45 was the straw that ... Sod's law, that we then had sunshine and a clear evening.

 

One problem being that the track was open after the earlier remedial work, whereas if rain is forecast or expected then it is packed in preparation; which was not possible as the track was being worked on after the afternoon deluge.

 

Vicious circle of weather and circumstances it seems. Real disappointment all round!

 

Funny I couldn't see a single puddle on the track even after the 6.45pm shower.

 

Stop trying to defend the indefensible... there is no way that meeting should have been called off.

 

All the best

Rob Peasley

[neb]

sometimes its not what you can see its what you cant see maybe the track was soaked underneath the surface and would of cut up bad.

[montie]

sometimes its not what you can see its what you cant see maybe the track was soaked underneath the surface and would of cut up bad.

 

Was them lily white Kevlars that was the problem...didn't want to get them dirty!:-);-)

[Racin Jason 72]

I'm sure rob knows best looking from the top of the terraces. Especially as the man who made the decision last night was a experienced ref and former rider who was on the track to see how wet or not it was.

[Roger Jacobs]

Funny I couldn't see a single puddle on the track even after the 6.45pm shower.

 

Stop trying to defend the indefensible... there is no way that meeting should have been called off.

 

The ref called it off. As you will have read from above, both Lanham & Howe said it would be tricky, but they left it up to the ref to decide.

 

There were no puddles becasue the track had been ripped-up and ready to be raced on (yes, it is ripped-up and grippy and Foxhall), so the rain soaked straight in, making it very greasy.

 

I personally think that they might have tried blading it and trying to mix in some new surface or sawdust - but that would have taken a lot of time - and what sort of racing surface would ahve been the result?

 

Answer: it would clearly have deprived the paying fans of witnessing the unquestionable talent of all seven Scorpions in their full flying ready-to-race grippy track configuration. Indeed, a bladed track would probably have played into the hands of the obviously gating-tart Sackers Witches.

 

[lucifer sam]

The ref called it off. As you will have read from above, both Lanham & Howe said it would be tricky, but they left it up to the ref to decide.

 

There were no puddles becasue the track had been ripped-up and ready to be raced on (yes, it is ripped-up and grippy and Foxhall), so the rain soaked straight in, making it very greasy.

 

I personally think that they might have tried blading it and trying to mix in some new surface or sawdust - but that would have taken a lot of time - and what sort of racing surface would ahve been the result?

 

Answer: it would clearly have deprived the paying fans of witnessing the unquestionable talent of all seven Scorpions in their full flying ready-to-race grippy track configuration. Indeed, a bladed track would probably have played into the hands of the obviously gating-tart Sackers Witches.

 

 

Mr Love, I see you've lost none of your sarcasm in the last ten years.

 

Quite frankly I don't care who the track would have suited. After a three-hour journey, I just wanted to see some speedway. I'm fully aware that rain-offs are part and parcel of the sport (been to enough over the years, including four at Glasgow's Shawfield stadium and two in Sweden), but I expect the home club to do their absolute all to try to get the meeting on. Last night there was no apparent effort from Ipswich to get the meeting on.

 

I didn't see a single member of track staff on the circuit yesterday. I have been to enough meetings over the years, to know when a track is beyond saving. That didn't look the case last night.

 

I had to ask about four people if the meeting was off yesterday, such was my complete bewilderment and amazement at the decision.

 

Last night, speedway yet again shot itself in the foot. One day, it'll do that once too often and topple over.

 

All the best

Rob Peasley

Edited April 19, 2013 by lucifer sam

[Jonny the spud]

Read my post about racers not being able to see. If the meeting had gone ahead and a rider had ended up in a wheelchair ( or worse) who's fault would it have been then ?

 

Until you've been in that position you can't really comment. It all looks so easy from the other side of the fence.

[montie]

Read my post about racers not being able to see. If the meeting had gone ahead and a rider had ended up in a wheelchair ( or worse) who's fault would it have been then ?

 

Until you've been in that position you can't really comment. It all looks so easy from the other side of the fence.

 

You cant see at Scunny on a good day

[Jackal]

It seems to me we see these comments oh so often about meetings being cancelled due to a little rain at foxhall! Fans wasting their hard earned cash on petrol and being let in to the stadium to see nothing being done to get the meeting on by staff. Its certainly happened more often recently without a doubt, I couldn't imagine a meeting being off in the great John Berrys days with just this small amount of rain. Customer relations by the management do not seem to exist once the season has started, yes all cosy before the season starts holding meet the riders night to get fans in the mood and spend their money (if on) through the turnstiles. Not good at all and its another night where speedway shoots itself in the foot, yet again.

[Roger Jacobs]

Mr Love, I see you've lost none of your sarcasm in the last ten years.

 

Quite frankly I don't care who the track would have suited. After a three-hour journey, I just wanted to see some speedway. I'm fully aware that rain-offs are part and parcel of the sport (been to enough over the years, including four at Glasgow's Shawfield stadium and two in Sweden), but I expect the home club to do their absolute all to try to get the meeting on. Last night there was no apparent effort from Ipswich to get the meeting on.

 

I didn't see a single member of track staff on the circuit yesterday. I have been to enough meetings over the years, to know when a track is beyond saving. That didn't look the case last night.

 

I had to ask about four people if the meeting was off yesterday, such was my complete bewilderment and amazement at the decision.

 

Last night, speedway yet again shot itself in the foot. One day, it'll do that once too often and topple over.

 

 

 

I have stated that I was surprised it was called off, and I also stated that I personally think they could have tried blading it.

 

http://scunthorpesco...?Team=Scorpions

 

http://ipswichwitches.co/

 

PS: Interesting to note that Ipswich still keep referring to matches being cancelled, rather than postponed. If it is cancelled, maybe Rob Godfrey can claim the points? .

Edited April 19, 2013 by Dave Love Speedway