More Corners Needed?

[pugwash]

I almost fell of my chair when i read this thread..

Yes... Unbelievable.....no mention of Poole, Matt Ford, Middlo, heat 10 call offs, moisture in the track, Gordon The tramp or Tatnum Chippy!!!

Gavan's blown it.

[weatherwatcher]

Has Gavan ever been to a speeway meeting or even know what speedway is. Not sure from the statement made. Think it is good enough as it is without all of the wizz and bangs. It has been going on from before I was was born and it is still going on now in the same form and I hope that it goes on for a lot longer as my grandson will be very disapointed if he misses his speedway.

[Mike.Butler]

i've always called them 'bends'..but then I always refer to 'excluded' and 'first bend bunching'...clearly too set in my ways.

[weatherwatcher]

i've always called them 'bends'..but then I always refer to 'excluded' and 'first bend bunching'...clearly too set in my ways.

No I wouldn't call them bends or corners, they are the sort of things you have at the Isle of Mann TT races a speeway track is just two inter connected straights a bit like your first model railway layout.

Lets keep our speedway as it was always ment to be and always will be. Great fun for those watching and a great skill for those who ride on our tracks.

[kelvinht]

The basic speedway product is fine. We all like lots of exciting racing, over-taking, close scores....etc

Even watching old footage from years gone by when the product was supposedly far superior,there were boring races / meetings then. Time does funny things to the memory...

There are only two basic things wrong with speedway

1) bikes are less controllable so get it wrong and the riders have no chance of correcting

2) tooooooooooooo may complex rules governing a simple sport

[Mike.Butler]

yes and no...on grip i agree, but bikes are too controllable on modern tracks that have to be so slick for the lay-downs, resulting in less mistakes out in front and less excitement generally.. Worst development ever changing from uprights IMV..

[lionheart]

yes and no...on grip i agree, but bikes are too controllable on modern tracks that have to be so slick for the lay-downs, resulting in less mistakes out in front and less excitement generally.. Worst development ever changing from uprights IMV.

 

Personally, I think the worst development was going from 2 valve to 4 valve, resulting in ballooning of repair and tuning costs.. A black day, which added nothing to the spectacle, but plenty of Shekels to the tuners.

[skthecat]

I am sure that in thw 1980's I saw photos of speedway being ridden on a figure of 8 track.... the footrests on both sides collapsed/folded out of the way and the exhaust silencer was mounted slightly higher to avoid grounding on right hand corners!!

Anyone else recall this type of speedway racing event....????

[Guest]

I am sure that in thw 1980's I saw photos of speedway being ridden on a figure of 8 track.... the footrests on both sides collapsed/folded out of the way and the exhaust silencer was mounted slightly higher to avoid grounding on right hand corners!!

Anyone else recall this type of speedway racing event....????

 

I have a vague recollection of this but tend to think it may have been flat-track riders and not speedway riders involved. But I do stand to be corrected...!

[Ray Stadia]

I am sure that in thw 1980's I saw photos of speedway being ridden on a figure of 8 track.... the footrests on both sides collapsed/folded out of the way and the exhaust silencer was mounted slightly higher to avoid grounding on right hand corners!!

Anyone else recall this type of speedway racing event....????

I have a feeling this is a type of Grass Track in Australia. There was a rider who came over from Aus, circa 1983, I think his name was something Gray (possibly Chris?) and he excelled at this particular discipline. I believe he may have had some outings with Rye House?

[Mike.Butler]

Kerry Gray?

[Ray Stadia]

Kerry Gray?

Kerry Gray! Thanks Mike, that's the chap!

[skthecat]

I have a feeling this is a type of Grass Track in Australia. There was a rider who came over from Aus, circa 1983, I think his name was something Gray (possibly Chris?) and he excelled at this particular discipline. I believe he may have had some outings with Rye House?

The more I here and think about it, I am certain the info came from "FROG"! (Leicesters Steve Regeling) so it was around 1982 I think we spoke about it..... Anyone got any pics/video?

[The White Knight]

i've always called them 'bends'..but then I always refer to 'excluded' and 'first bend bunching'...clearly too set in my ways.

 

Me too Mike - me too.

 

yes and no...on grip i agree, but bikes are too controllable on modern tracks that have to be so slick for the lay-downs, resulting in less mistakes out in front and less excitement generally.. Worst development ever changing from uprights IMV..

 

Totally agree about 'Laydowns' - 'Uprights' were a LOT safer too.

[weatherwatcher]

It goes to show from this year alone that most of the accidents to the riders are far worse than they used to be. Some of the riders seem to act like kamakazi pilots, with no regards to other riders saftey or to themselves. Used to go to Cradley Heath and Long Eaton in the 70's and 80,s and I am sure that the riders where less agresive than thy are now.

You only have to look at the amount of fisty cuffs that go on even at GP level,due to some actions by the rider can only be called driving without due care and attention. I think riders where more like gentlemen in the years past and not only thought about their own livelyhood but the livelyhood of other riders.

It seems we have a new breed of speedway rider now with a don't care less attitude to their own lives or the lives of others.

We need to cut down on the amount of really bad crashes that hagve happened this year alone. Air fences can still be dangerous.

When you hit the track at the speed these guys are going, then the results can be quite disastourous.

Can't wait to see what the AGM brings in a few days time. I just hope it dosen't bring us a Winter of Dis-content. "Now is the winter of our discontent / Made glorious summer by this sun [or son] of York," . Or will it as the bard wrote give us a glorious Summer I hope so for the sake of our sport.

[Cockney Rebel]

i've always called them 'bends'..but then I always refer to 'excluded' and 'first bend bunching'...clearly too set in my ways.

And where's the 3rd bend on a track surely there's only two bends."Disqualified" always sounds like they've done something naughty whereas they might just have fallen of or touched the tapes and what happened to the yellow and black helmet colour. Tut before you know it they'll all be wearing brightly coloured racesuits instead of leathers and what's happend to the handlebars they're all turned down nowadays, you wouldn't catch Ove or Briggo riding with bars like that. Blimey did all that happen while I've been watching speedway, don't half make you feel old dunnit?

[Mike.Butler]

If i arrange to meet someone then i'll say 'see you on the x bend'. where x = 1st,2nd,3rd or 4th.

[FranktonBee]

I'd just call all the riders Kenny Roberts or Steve Baker and make them ride with clip-ons, rearsets, slicks, full fairings and OW31 motors.

 

That'd be fun....

[ford]

Yeah great idea .......... how about a installing a ramp half way down the back straight and turning the starting gate into a wall of fire on the last lap for the winner to ride through ?????

 

But if you have a ramp, this might happen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzC-VZqgu_Y&app=desktop

[Trevor]

If we're on silly, wacky, wild ideas, how about this one........if a team is behind, allow the loosing team to play a 'joker', and a rider can earn twice the number of points just for his team losing at that time? Too daft? ok, lets just stick to ramps and riders going through hoops of fire.