Starman2006 Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 (edited) thanks for the replies chaps - i only went once and that was in conference days - didn't mean to sound negative i just wondered what others thought Sorry mate, but Small wonder, even then the racing was very good, you are either on a wind up or you went to a very rare bad meeting.. I've seen good meetings and poor meetings at the OTA, you can say the same about any track. Yeh ive been to the odd, duff meeting, but the good ones way out weigh the bad ones. The reason why some may find it boring is because like P'Boro, its so open, and you can get some cracking racing round there. any time I have been the racing has been cracking. perhaps I've just been lucky or perhaps you need racers on both teams willing to take it on and race. There have always been plenty of lines as well when I've been Quite right Lioness, you do need riders who like to race. But appart from it being a very well made track by default or purpose its also a very fair track, a little bit like ours at poole. But there is like ours, a way to ride it !! Edited October 13, 2014 by Starman2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 It's a brilliant track. Honestly never seen a duff meeting there and seen many brilliant meetings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewy Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Interesting how opinions vary i guess we all got our own views on the ota its down to the individual person and how they see it! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george.m Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 There have always been plenty of lines as well when I've been Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willowman Posted October 13, 2014 Report Share Posted October 13, 2014 Well I'm glad to be a Rebels fan rather than a Lions fan, put it that way. I wonder what the riders think? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigerite Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 Been to all Sheffield meetings this season and a good few others and the Somerset v Sheffield meeting was the best racing I've seen anywhere this season by a distance. So many racing lines and is the best track in the country for me and has been for a few years now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutz Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 You can't shoot someone for having a different opinion to yours... I've been to Somerset many times since I've been down here and the key to a good meeting is whether or not the opposition turn up already defeated or not... I'm blessed to support a team that will fight even when they are up against it at certain tracks... But take the Ipswich meeting earlier in the season where they were hit for 65+pts... That to me was one of the most boring one-sided meetings I've witnessed... If opponents turn up and give it a go, you'll get good racing (at most tracks)... However, if they turn up already defeated, you'll get a one sided procession. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whowasthatberntpersson Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 Somerset, Sheffield and Peterborough can all produce very good racing, the downside of these racetracks are the home Guys do usually get a larger than average home track advantage, so against the weaker teams racing can be a little dull...unless you get a bunch of trappers who are being overtaken by the home boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hutcheson Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 For me it's similar to Armadale in the sense that a lot of teams are beat before tapes up in heat one. A big mental block which creates a gulf between the riders at times. It is a never switch off track which can lead to riders roaring round the outside for last bend passes. But personally it doesn't require as much skill, if your machinery is firing, you are in with a very good shout. Best example this season is Olly Allen, rinsed us at OTA and days later was so overpowered he was lucky to not fire himself through the fence at the dale. Looked a very below average rider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagpuss Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 I think its a myth personally that faster tracks require less skill. Places like Somerset, Scunny, Kumla, Bydgoszcz, Peterborough etc can have multiple lines and the skill level required to stay in front and second guess what your opponent(s) are going to do has to be pretty high. Of course quick bikes are important too but I can't imagine that too many visitors to the OTA lack the required horsepower, it's more that the home lads know exactly where to put the bike and when. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lioness Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 similar to Armadale? In that its got a centre green, shale and pits perhaps. as to not requiring much skill to ride it, that has to be one of the most bizarre comments I have read on here. There is no repetititive passing in one place, passing happens all over the track - a quick look at match reports or televised meetings suggests that. There are constant references to cat and mouse battles with riders having to be clever to hold off challenges or find a way through and yet you dont think it requires skill? I'd say a track that appears to require you to ride both defensively to hold position and/or cleverly to thwart your opponents thinking to pass requires more skill than most 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hutcheson Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 similar to Armadale? In that its got a centre green, shale and pits perhaps. as to not requiring much skill to ride it, that has to be one of the most bizarre comments I have read on here. There is no repetititive passing in one place, passing happens all over the track - a quick look at match reports or televised meetings suggests that. There are constant references to cat and mouse battles with riders having to be clever to hold off challenges or find a way through and yet you dont think it requires skill? I'd say a track that appears to require you to ride both defensively to hold position and/or cleverly to thwart your opponents thinking to pass requires more skill than most I said it was similar to Armadale in providing a mental block to visiting riders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
springdale Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 I think it's the best track in the country I have seen some fantastic meetings their, many so much better that the Elite League televised meetings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whowasthatberntpersson Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 I have a mental block when I go to Armadale too...strange place and no shortage of strange people. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 I think its a myth personally that faster tracks require less skill. Places like Somerset, Scunny, Kumla, Bydgoszcz, Peterborough etc can have multiple lines and the skill level required to stay in front and second guess what your opponent(s) are going to do has to be pretty high. Of course quick bikes are important too but I can't imagine that too many visitors to the OTA lack the required horsepower, it's more that the home lads know exactly where to put the bike and when. Agreed. If there was a lack of skill how do the home team have such a home track advantage? Surely the advantage is knowing the line to use and how to ride that line - which is a skill. It's just a different skill. For me, the thing with Somerset (and Peterborough is the same), there doesn't have to be a pass. Just the perception that one is about to happen and at tracks like Somerset (and Peterborough, Scunny and a few others) you just know there is always a chance as even when it's not at it's best, there still isn't one obvious line. The straights are so wide that someone riding the white line on the bends doesn't end up on the fence for the straights to be able to turn in like at 90% of tracks so there always room. Go wide on the straight to block and you've left a gaping hole down the inside. Watching Magosi for Berwick there a few years back was hilarious as he was trying to go white line to fence so he could block and just kept getting himself in a mess - eventually he "got" Emil Krammer who just dived back under him Great track, great food. rubbish car park (almost literally if you end up in the over flow car park!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chucks Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 I have a mental block when I go to Armadale too...strange place and no shortage of strange people. welcome to west lothian now thats a question for you 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellevueace Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 In all my visits to Somerset ive seen nothing but excellent racing, every track has good and bad meetings but as a general rule tracks like somerset. kings lynn etc tend to provide mainly better meetings to watch, in all my years watching the Aces at Hyde Road I saw some duff meetings but the vast majority were top drawer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavan Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 These good tracks bad track debates are a tad tedious. You will get good racing at any track if prepared properly and the teams are even simple really. People rave on about Peterborough but ive been there tonnes of times when the home side are so much better than the away team its all from the gate. Somerset has more racing lines than my club Ipswich but we got thrashed there in a boring meeting. people get delude by fast racing means good racing - it doesnt. nothing was better than watching Loram hunt people down at Lakeside and pass with great throttle control, something Darcy has emulated there when ive seen him. Give me that skill rather than just flat out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagpuss Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 So tedious that you felt compelled to join in? Each to their own I say, you prefer throttle control whereas I'd much prefer to see close racing and passing at higher speeds, nobody is wrong. However it is incorrect for people to say flat out tracks don't require skill because they do.....just a different type of skill. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluPanther Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 The OTA and EOES are both fabulous racing tracks, providing high speed entertainment. I would never do a 180 mile round trip to watch 'from the gate' speedway'. Some smaller tracks also provide good racing, Wolves and Mildenhall being prime examples. I am a regular at Ipswich, Mildenhall and Boro, but the Showground easily provides the best racing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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