Leicester V Eastbourne 14 July

[bigcatdiary]

Nobody wants him out......we just want a reasonable track...........is that too much to ask?David Hemsleys programme notes in last nights programme were eye-opening or was he taking the Michael? He says...

"I now feel that we have fully arrived on the speedway scene with the meeting being broadcast live tonight.I hope that viewers experience the special atmosphere that is generated here at the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium on match days which arises from the feast of exciting racing that the track has served up throughout this season.Last week it was very nice to see Jason Crump making an unscheduled appearance here at our stadium and he was treated to some excellent racing.Jason was really impressed with how the stadium has developed and the quality of racing the track was serving up"

Ho Hum!

And therein lies the problem he even believes his own bull$hyte.

[wilsonpaul198]

That is what is good about the different speedway tracks that are all around the country. It is up to the riders to learn and learn quickly to adapt to the different track shapes and conditions.

I think a lot of the problem with riders that come to Leicester and with some of the Lions riders also. Is that they all lack confidence to commit themselves to ride the track. You only have to take a look at Iverson and Doyle to see they way that they both comit the way that they ride there.

Young Josh Bates was a different rider to the one we saw last Saturday night, when he could not put a foot wrong. Not sure if it was nerves in front of the cameras or if he was just having a bad night, but he road like an idiot last night, he has been riding long enough now to learn when it is time to ease off a bit and get a 2nd place instead of throughing the bike around and then falling off and losing 2 valuable points.

Max Clegg just can't seem to be able to put it together in this league, I think that it was maybe a year or two, to soon for him. His starts let him done as his front wheel nearly always ends up 4 feet in the air and the other riders are at the first bend before he comes back down on the track.

 

Thank god, a knowledgable and constructive comment about Leicester. Thank you!

I hope he can come good, because I know that he can ride a sight better than we are seeing him at the moment, maybe it is just nerves or a lack of confidence in the EL, don't know what the answer is. Would hate to see him lose his chance of what the FTR are giving these lads.

If all he has left is his hardcore fan base then they will still be the envy of many a promotion.

There are 2 sides to it isn't there tho. Mads said it was a `cool track to ride` so clearly some riders do like it.

Plenty of fans have said they have enjoyed watching a match at Leicester but those are usually mocked on here for daring to have view that isn't a negative one.

I have no idea why the track was designed the way it was, and i think its unlikely it will be altered anytime soon.

Maybe that hardcore base are happy with whats on offer - like i have said some don't like the shape. Some do.

 

Excellent, Commom sense prevails. I hope others post so we can put the anti Leicester negativity brigade to bed!!!!

I enjoyed the meeting from leicester yesterday, definitely not a dangerous track at all. Some riders were more skilled than others that's all. Good crowd as well, full marks to leicester. Bates was the victim of a left turner when hit off, his childish reaction was quite funny but he is very young so cut him some slack.

Excellent post.

Its only the perpetual moaners that want change.

You have a `reasonable` track - what you want is a pass a minute thrill track. Not ALL tracks can be like that.

Plus the plenty who attend looked happy last night with the meeting and the result.

 

Agreed, Which teams / tracks in the Elite league have continual overtaking??? Tracks might be conjusive to overtaking but I seldom see it on TV. Even At the GP the guy who led at the 2nd bend won the race!!

[LionsDen]

Nobody wants him out......we just want a reasonable track...........is that too much to ask?

David Hemsleys programme notes in last nights programme were eye-opening or was he taking the Michael? He says...

 

"I now feel that we have fully arrived on the speedway scene with the meeting being broadcast live tonight.I hope that viewers experience the special atmosphere that is generated here at the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium on match days which arises from the feast of exciting racing that the track has served up throughout this season.Last week it was very nice to see Jason Crump making an unscheduled appearance here at our stadium and he was treated to some excellent racing.Jason was really impressed with how the stadium has developed and the quality of racing the track was serving up"

 

Ho Hum!

Good grief! Is this for real? Be really funny if it wasn't so painfully deluded.

 

The conclusion is you can all stop going on about track changes because they'll never occur if the 'boss' thinks this is the fact of the matter. One can only assume he's either lost the plot if he thinks the speedway on offer at JRSS is "a feast of exciting racing" (even his more vociferous supporters on here don't argue that for goodness sake!) or alternatively, he's just getting increasingly desperate in his attempts to convince everyone they're wrong and he's right - something he's not immune to believing anyway. Whatever, happens, it's his business, his call and therefore his sword to fall on. If you believe he's right you support him (as obviously some do) and if you don't, then you have no choice but to stay away. He wont change.

 

 

[g13webb]

I won't except the track is dangerous. Looking at the shape it reminds me of Monmore Green, in both have long straights and sharp corners. Appreciate there more room on the bends and probably the camber is different at Wolves, but they're not a million miles apart. Addressing them issues is not the end of the world.

With the comments about the footprint could have been different, and yes, in a ideal world and hindsight the perfect venue could have been created. Unfortunately life's not like that. We sometimes have to cut the material to suit the cloth.

 

A big statement from Chris Louis on Monday spoke about the shale topping and in that it didn't bind together, and breaks up more easily than was normal. Could this be the real issues of track safety rather then the shape. Having witnessed Lynn win there earlier in the season I thought it was a nice setup and one that could only get better. As that meeting went on so the track started to cut up them. That was nothing to do with the shape.

 

I feel it is wrong that Hemsley getting pillared by all and sundry, just because he doesn't jump to people suggestions. I am in no doubt the problems will be addressed given enough time.

[stevebrum]

Excellent post.

 

 

All tracks can have meetings with little passing but thrilling close racing.

[SteveLyric2]

Even if Helmsley did listen to any of the constructive fan/rider criticism regarding the track shape, it ain't about to get changed mid-season!!! Even reducing the centre green by a metre or so on the bends will take some time to do and settle enough for racing!

[TMW]

Good grief! Is this for real? Be really funny if it wasn't so painfully deluded.

 

The conclusion is you can all stop going on about track changes because they'll never occur if the 'boss' thinks this is the fact of the matter. One can only assume he's either lost the plot if he thinks the speedway on offer at JRSS is "a feast of exciting racing" (even his more vociferous supporters on here don't argue that for goodness sake!) or alternatively, he's just getting increasingly desperate in his attempts to convince everyone they're wrong and he's right - something he's not immune to believing anyway. Whatever, happens, it's his business, his call and therefore his sword to fall on. If you believe he's right you support him (as obviously some do) and if you don't, then you have no choice but to stay away. He wont change.

 

 

That's the point I have been making for 3 long long years. Hopefully coming from you it may be taken onboard.

[ColinMills]

Speedway is a entertainment. are the leicester fans entertained? i been twice, i wouldnt go again, because its not the racing i enjoy. I guess leicester fans are just glad to have speedway back, whats the alternative for them?

Edited July 16, 2014 by ColinMills

[lionstigersnotbearsohmy]

Speedway is a entertainment. are the leicester fans entertained? i been twice, i wouldnt go again, because its not the racing i enjoy. I guess leicester fans are just glad to have speedway back, whats the alternative for them?

The alternative if you like entertaining speedway is to visit other tracks and avoid BP.......;-)

[ColinMills]

The alternative if you like entertaining speedway is to visit other tracks and avoid BP.......;-)

quite right....but as a business, i would look at whats keeping customers from returning...the stay away if not happy attitude in speedway is the biggest reason people ARE stgaying away

[stevec]

Such a shame this track is being slated for lack of racing/passing.

It is one of the best tracks for viewing in my opinion and if they could sort the racing it would be a great place to watch speedway

[ColinMills]

Such a shame this track is being slated for lack of racing/passing.

It is one of the best tracks for viewing in my opinion and if they could sort the racing it would be a great place to watch speedway

totally agree, the set up is nice.viewing is very good.shame the main indegrediant lets it down

[mrcts]

All tracks can have meetings with little passing but thrilling close racing.

That's true,but we get very,very,very,very,very,very little close racing.

[stevebrum]

That's true,but we get very,very,very,very,very,very little close racing.

 

 

You had a few heats on Monday that were close racing through-out.

[mrcts]

You had a few heats on Monday that were close racing through-out.

Nah,the only close race over 4 laps was the last heat.

I go every week and watch every heat and on average you get one close race every 3or 4 meetings.

If anybody can provide evidence to the contrary I would be very interested.

But saying that I did enjoy the meeting.

Edited July 16, 2014 by mrcts

[stevebrum]

Nah,the only close race over 4 laps was the last heat.

I go every week and watch every heat and on average you get one close race every 3or 4 meetings.

If anybody can provide evidence to the contrary I would be very interested.

But saying that I did enjoy the meeting.

 

 

Yep, so did i, As i have on all my visits to BP.

[Blackadder]

I enjoyed the meeting from leicester yesterday, definitely not a dangerous track at all. Some riders were more skilled than others that's all. Good crowd as well, full marks to leicester. Bates was the victim of a left turner when hit off, his childish reaction was quite funny but he is very young so cut him some slack.

His reaction was due to an insult from an Eastbourne rider off camera. Thumping a rider results in a ban; thumping a wall does not but probably hurts more.

[Bagpuss]

He should have enough self control to not thump anything/anyone.

[Big Al]

His reaction was due to an insult from an Eastbourne rider off camera. Thumping a rider results in a ban; thumping a wall does not but probably hurts more.

And costs a packet from having to miss matches because of injury! He's 16, didn't do anything illegal, and hopefully learned from it. Isn't that what this FTD thing's all about!?

[Big Al]

Watched the match recently after being away. And read through the comments made on here.

One or two posts have mentioned track prep.

OK, track shape is the main underyling factor, but that's also a fixed factor while the current promoter is in control and I think the overwhelming view has been well and truly made.

I've got a theory about this match!

1. Sky were cacking their pants because they knew, in "normal" circumstances, the entertainment was going to be poor. Knew they had to cover Leicester at some point, but how were they going to handle it?

2. Choose a date where the meeting is "buried" among others. In this case, just after Somerset pairs and British GP, even a Swedish match the next day.

3. Ensure the track is prepared in a way that increases the chances of incidents, to compensate for the low entertainment likely otherwise.

 

My immediate thought, before the match started, was that more material seemed to have been put down than is usual at Leicester, especially from mid-track outwards. This was kind of confirmed by the comments of young Mr Louis, before the start.

 

I can recall past comments on this forum from Glyn Taylor on the subject of how much depth the BP track can safely have (taking into account the dimensions/speeds), and from those posts it's clear there's a fine line between good (safe) and not good (not so safe). I think he's said that beyond a certain depth of material, riders struggle to turn their machines - and i suppose that extends to more chance of two-wheeling, pulling lockers, hitting the deck.

 

I'm not completely sure about this, but when matches are televised by Sky, I think that track prep is, to some extent, taken away from the home club? If anybody has more definite info, please comment!

This match certainly had quite a lot of incidents caused by riders getting into trouble, and it was due to the surface.

When Iversen set his track records a few weeks ago, he was riding on a billiards table, compared to the track for this match.

 

After Michelsen's accident, I noticed the tractor was out, this time pulling the row of tyres - which i think is normally used to pack the material down. After this, i did think the track was easier to rider, and riders had more confidence to go a bit wider and enter the bends with more speed.

Could it be that Michelsen's accident was the "final straw" for the riders, who acted to get the material packed down and therefore make the track safe to ride.

 

In my view, the track in heats 1-10 was possibly unsafe/dangerous. Is an increased possibility of serious injury something that Sky (and speedway promoters, BSPA, and their customers) are prepared to accept, in order to satisfy commercial needs? On the evidence of this match, and the notorious Belle Vue v Poole match in 2013, it looks that way to me.

 

Or am i talking a load of cr#p??