Jonny the spud Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 After Chris Holder's accident, he was asked what could improve British speedway in an interview and he replied the standard of tracks. I live abroad and watch good racing on permanent tracks however last year due to my son's involvement i got to see a few tracks in the UK . Oh my god !! Put your wheel over the inside markers at stoke and yo disappear down a 2 foot hole, Go slightly wide at Rye house on the first bend and you hit an offset camber which pushes you to the fence, come steaming down the straight at poole and theres a massive hole / take off ramp between the start and the corner . . . . etc I'm sure there's lots of other "quirky" tracks that fans and promotors will trot out the " well a good rider should be able to ride all kinds of tracks" line. But why can't some of the scant money in the sport be used to provide consistent, flat, safe racing surfaces ? When the world champion ( at the time) points out the blindingly obvious, when will people start to listen and more importantly act on it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinMills Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 personally think bends 1 and 2 at Arlington is too tight, the amount of lock ups, and 1st turn tight squeezes is too much, likewise at lakeside...also think both those sides pay the price at away tracks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny the spud Posted January 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 if you ever get the chance to walk the track at stoke, look at the inside then try to imagine the consequences of plating your front wheel over the line at 70 mph. Believe me, i've ridden internationally and i know how much it hurts when it all goes wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 Almost one and a half hours and no mention of Leicester yet. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragdoll64 Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 if you ever get the chance to walk the track at stoke, look at the inside then try to imagine the consequences of plating your front wheel over the line at 70 mph. Believe me, i've ridden internationally and i know how much it hurts when it all goes wrong. That's why you walk the track. Spot these thinks. Don't put your wheel over the line at Stoke. Adjust your gearing and use your throttle and head at Rye. Switch on your landing lights at Poole etc. etc. Boring if all tracks were flat and smooth and would lead to more gate and go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 Boring if all tracks were flat and smooth and would lead to more gate and go. No it wouldn't. Thats a a load of crap. Make them flat, smooth and consistent and the rider will have the confidence to race harder and closer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny the spud Posted January 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 That's why you walk the track. Spot these thinks. Don't put your wheel over the line at Stoke. Adjust your gearing and use your throttle and head at Rye. Switch on your landing lights at Poole etc. etc. Boring if all tracks were flat and smooth and would lead to more gate and go. i walked the track at stoke.......... with the visiting teams manager and the referee, ( who asked the visiting team to put in an official complaint and then the home promotor would be forced to act and rectify the problem before the meeting started as the referee himself couldn't act without the aforementioned complaint). you are perfectly within your rights as a rider to put one wheel over the inside line, there was a 2 foot drop immediately after the broken kerbstones which pass for track markers. Boring if all flats were flat and smooth ??? yes i suppose having a proper surface wouldn't encourage riders to try different lines etc, they must love the unpredictability of some of the excuses that pass as tracks. I must remember to tell Holder your opinion next time i see him, oh and all the other riders that seem to prefer racing elsewhere too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Blobby Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Glasgow it's like a bouncy castle and don't even get me started on that third bend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragdoll64 Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 No it wouldn't. Thats a a load of crap. Make them flat, smooth and consistent and the rider will have the confidence to race harder and closer. Nonsense. Once the momentum is up on flat, smooth full throttle tracks, there's little chance of gaining on your opponent unless he's a lesser rider who happens to have made the gate or he makes a mistake which is less likely on a flat, smooth full throttle track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Blobby Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Nonsense. Once the momentum is up on flat, smooth full throttle tracks, there's little chance of gaining on your opponent unless he's a lesser rider who happens to have made the gate or he makes a mistake which is less likely on a flat, smooth full throttle track. The only person talking nonsense is you! If you asked any rider if they prefered smooth flat tracks or bumpy tracks with holes in them they would pick smooth flat ones every time. If every track was smooth and flat riders would be able to take more of a risk and ride closer together try different lines that maybe they wouldn't have before due to there being no holes or ruts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragdoll64 Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 The only person talking nonsense is you! If you asked any rider if they prefered smooth flat tracks or bumpy tracks with holes in them they would pick smooth flat ones every time. If every track was smooth and flat riders would be able to take more of a risk and ride closer together try different lines that maybe they wouldn't have before due to there being no holes or ruts Ok. I'll just have to bow to all the experts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulco Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Ok. I'll just have to bow to all the experts That's the BSF way . All tracks should be like Peterborough anyway . I hate the wee toy trick tracks like Lakeside , Eastbourne and Edinburgh . A big track prepared properly , now that's speedway . 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinMills Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 would you rather watch lakeside style tracks or torun type?? you just know someone will say lakeside!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 I really like big, fast tracks however I have seen some brilliant racing at Eastbourne and some very poor racing at Peterborough but have also seen the situations reversed. I believe the best thing about British Speedway is the variety of track shapes and surfaces those 'quirky' tracks tend to be the places where second strings and reserves get to beat heat leaders. My opinion is that rider safety is the most important thing and it should never be left to a ref who has never ridden a bike to decide whether a meeting is run. However some riders are notoriously fussy and wouldn't ride anything except perfection given the choice so with the way the weather is in this country there has to be times when tracks are difficult. I also think ragdoll64 has a valid point about perfect racetracks not always providing the best meetings and explained why very well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavan Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Perfect race tracks is the amount if dirt not the size or speed. You are more likely to get better meetings at Peterborough then Lakeside but I've seen some poor meetings at Peterborough like when Ipswich were there the Panthers gated and were gone boring processional racing. On the flip side I saw an outstanding meeting at Eastbourne with Lorsm and the Karlssons with lots of passing and re passing all meeting. I know what I would rather watch. Track prep is important you only have to look at Pooles ploughed field and at times dangerous track to realise that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Shovlar Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Track prep is important you only have to look at Pooles ploughed field and at times dangerous track to realise that <personal abuse removed, valid points left in post> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevePark Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 No it wouldn't. Thats a a load of crap. Make them flat, smooth and consistent and the rider will have the confidence to race harder and closer. Nonsense. Once the momentum is up on flat, smooth full throttle tracks, there's little chance of gaining on your opponent unless he's a lesser rider who happens to have made the gate or he makes a mistake which is less likely on a flat, smooth full throttle track. Who mentioned "full throttle tracks"? You can race harder on a small "trick track" too. A lot of the time, track prep is down to the weather conditions leading up to a meeting. If the track is used for Stock Cars, that can play a big part too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 So there's plenty of tracks that would benefit from a go with Buster's motorway blade B-) Get it sorted promoters B-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halifaxtiger Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 You can race harder on a small "trick track" too. Definitely One of the 'quirkiest' tracks in Britain is St Boniface Arena, Plymouth (its also the smallest). As far as I am concerned, its also one of the best (along with Scunthorpe, Mildenhall & Peterborough). To me, the quality of the racing is far more about preparation than size and shape anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ommer Mon Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Two quirky tracks from the past - one brilliant and one not so! The Shay in Halifax with that incredible banking produced some spectacular racing with fans a couple of feet from the riders. Somerton Park Newport. The track was a rectangle around the football pitch with virtually no bend to it and I almost broke an ankle in a pothole walking it one night! I agree with the tightness of the Arlington first turn though it was good to see how Martin Dugard used to cope with it. I also agree with the comments on the inside line at Stoke. It looks dangerous to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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