NeilWatson Posted December 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2013 (edited) Holidays, machines and fitness play a big part in the line-up - Jadon Garrity was invited but is away. Sorry, Jason! Edited December 26, 2013 by NeilWatson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benson30uk Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 just hope the tracks alright after the stock cars yesterday, first turn looked a bit rough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilWatson Posted December 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 COVENTRY have taken the regrettable but necessary decision to postpone this Sundays scheduled Christmas Cracker meeting at Brandon. Following atrocious weather conditions in the second half of December, including storms earlier in the week and further rain last night, a track inspection has confirmed there would be no chance of producing a safe, raceable surface by Sunday. In the interests of all parties, an early decision has therefore been taken, and the club are looking into options for a re-staging date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G the Bee Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 What a shame. The weather has been awful lately and I'm not surprised its off. Can't help but think, though, that the club were always going to be up against getting a winter meeting on with, essentially, only two days to prepare the track following the stock car meeting on Boxing Day. Surely any preparation work done prior to Boxing Day would have been ruined once the stock cars got on the track? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spin king Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 Is it not about time that this Christmas Cracker meeting was put to bed. Speedway is a summer sport and that is where it should stay, I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would want to go, I doubt that the racing is much cop, there is every chance that the weather is going to beat the meeting. I have seen photo's of people at these meetings and they look absolutely froxen, every year I have consider going to this meeting and its take me about 3 seconds to realise that its not a good idea. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bees_Man Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 I think with the line up it could have ended up a loss leader. Best result all round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G the Bee Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 (edited) Is it not about time that this Christmas Cracker meeting was put to bed. Speedway is a summer sport and that is where it should stay, I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would want to go, I doubt that the racing is much cop, there is every chance that the weather is going to beat the meeting. I have seen photo's of people at these meetings and they look absolutely froxen, every year I have consider going to this meeting and its take me about 3 seconds to realise that its not a good idea. The fact is, the demand is there. They used to get good crowds at Newport with people coming from all over the country to go. The crowd at Poole for their meeting (which for me was the best ever winter meeting) was excellent and the racing pretty good too. I went to every New Year meeting at Newport (with the exception of the last running of it) from Jan 2004 and enjoyed each one. Yes it's cold, but no more cold than I have been some nights in the early and late part of the regular season at Brandon. Like I say, if the demand is there, then why not put the meeting on. If people choose not to attend (like yourself) then that's up to them but plenty of people enjoy these meetings. However... I think actually the biggest issue regarding these meetings is the seeming lack of enthusiasm from the riders to ride in them. The lineup at Newport was initially good (with the likes of Iversen, Harris, Watt etc. taking part) but, gradually, the quality decreased. Then Poole got it and put together a great meeting with the best winter line-up ever. It then went back to Newport, with a much poorer line-up before Newport folded. I was hoping that the meeting at Brandon might see a return to the sort of line-up that graced the Poole meeting, but it was not to be. My own opinion is that the fans will turn out in force for these meetings so long as the line-up is good. Unfortunately, the line up for the Brandon meeting was nothing to write home about - not helped, I am sure, by the likes of Kennett, Harris and Fisher (who had originally committed to the Brandon meeting but understandably pulled out) being unavailable as they were riding in the Monster Invitational meeting in the USA on the same weekend. Edited December 27, 2013 by G the Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 Told you so ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P T Preece Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 Bugger, looked forward to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonButler Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 I would have Invited Jarek Hampel , Emil Sajfutdinov , Greg Hancock ,and Tai Woffinden . I know they wouldn't have ridden but Inviting them and being turned down makes a better quality lineup , As an old codger of 81 years I don't understand how inviting top grade men who would not accept could 'make a better quality lineup'. Please enlighten me - or must I visit the local shrink? Happy New Year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS50 Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 Is it not about time that this Christmas Cracker meeting was put to bed. Speedway is a summer sport and that is where it should stay, I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would want to go, I doubt that the racing is much cop, there is every chance that the weather is going to beat the meeting. I have seen photo's of people at these meetings and they look absolutely froxen, every year I have consider going to this meeting and its take me about 3 seconds to realise that its not a good idea. Well it has been called off so don't go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 As an old codger of 81 years I don't understand how inviting top grade men who would not accept could 'make a better quality lineup'. Please enlighten me - or must I visit the local shrink? Happy New Year. As another old person - but admittedly not as old as you - I think you have to read between the lines of this post and put your sense of humour switch into gear. (I got it.) Disappointed this is off but understand the reasons why. I was actually looking forward to attending as I've never been to any of the Newport meetings and perhaps it's just me but I didn't particularly want to watch so called 'top riders' and was quite happy with the line up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob B Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 COVENTRY have taken the regrettable but necessary decision to postpone this Sundays scheduled Christmas Cracker meeting at Brandon. Following atrocious weather conditions in the second half of December, including storms earlier in the week and further rain last night, a track inspection has confirmed there would be no chance of producing a safe, raceable surface by Sunday. In the interests of all parties, an early decision has therefore been taken, and the club are looking into options for a re-staging date. And having stock cars yesterday had noting to do with it??? Madness trying to run a speedway meeting 3 days after stock cars in middle of winter. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G the Bee Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 I wonder which meeting had been arranged first? Obviously the stocks and the speedway lease the stadium off the owners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benson30uk Posted December 27, 2013 Report Share Posted December 27, 2013 stock cars arranged first a year ago, next years is already booked for 27th december Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 stock cars arranged first a year ago, next years is already booked for 27th december This has been confirmed by promoters Startrax. http://startrax.info/next-meeting-details/coventry-stadium/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimmo Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 Bugger, looked forward to that. My sentiments too. Although I'm not based in the Coventry area, the weather reports that have been coming out of that neck of the woods just lately, seem to have been good, so why build up our hopes like this, then send us crashing to the ground at the last minute? Hugely disappointing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Main Man Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 Sorry Mike -- but there are 20 riders very disappointed ..especially young Nike Lunna who has driven all the way from Finland !! and as you can imagine with all the work I have put into this I am more than disappointed to say the least!! When I took the call yesterday you can imagine how I felt but having seen pictures of the track it was the right decision. I have been involved in several winter meetings at Newport and know the risk element ..and with the sun shining today and tomorrow I know that had we been able to run it would have been a good afternoon's racing ...and when we get a new date sorted it will be !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Science Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 COVENTRY have taken the regrettable but necessary decision to postpone this Sundays scheduled Christmas Cracker meeting at Brandon. Following atrocious weather conditions in the second half of December, including storms earlier in the week and further rain last night, a track inspection has confirmed there would be no chance of producing a safe, raceable surface by Sunday. In the interests of all parties, an early decision has therefore been taken, and the club are looking into options for a re-staging date. No mention of stock cars here ! history shows Stock car meetings preceding speedway meetings are an absolute nightmare in the summer (ask Belle Vue fans) to attempt to run a meeting after stock cars in the winter is absolutely ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimmo Posted December 28, 2013 Report Share Posted December 28, 2013 Sorry Mike -- but there are 20 riders very disappointed ..especially young Nike Lunna who has driven all the way from Finland !! and as you can imagine with all the work I have put into this I am more than disappointed to say the least!! When I took the call yesterday you can imagine how I felt but having seen pictures of the track it was the right decision. I have been involved in several winter meetings at Newport and know the risk element ..and with the sun shining today and tomorrow I know that had we been able to run it would have been a good afternoon's racing ...and when we get a new date sorted it will be !! Yes I appreciate that Laurence, and I spoke without giving the matter proper thought, purely out of sheer disappointment. Let's hope a new date can be sorted, and that the same 20 riders will have first option of taking their places. Hope you had a good Christmas, and Best Wishes for a Happy & Healthy 2014. Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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