Heathens 2015

[Tommy Sweetman]

Phase 2 is 65,000 sq feet....The Monmore track on its own is 92,500 sq feet or thereabouts...so a very small track and nowhere to watch from?

Having dealt with Hulberts through their machinery division,not a chance in hell would they allow speedway on that site.

Also nowhere big enough,and traffic congestion on Peartree Lane already chaotic.

[brianbuck]

Stock Cars have been tried at Monmore in the past and have not been very successful. The track is really too small and not wide enough to cope with the cars and Ladbrokes must surely be aware of the mess and damage which would occur to what is a very neat and tidy stadium and centre green.

 

Stock Cars ruined the potential of Bordesley Green, and although some tracks such as Coventry seem able to live alongside them, they don't generally mix well with speedway and in any case are best on tarmac surfaces which don't cut up and need little or no maintenance.

 

I certainly hope that Ladbrokes don't get carried away by pound signs and bring them into Monmore. That would be a disaster.

 

Fortunately, the planning consent at Birmingham specifically excludes any other motor sport apart from speedway and even though I realise that these conditions can be overturned, I doubt very much that the City Council would be agreeable to changing this one unless speedway did finish at Perry Barr, which is a consolation.

[Guest]

Stock Cars have been tried at Monmore in the past and have not been very successful. The track is really too small and not wide enough to cope with the cars and Ladbrokes must surely be aware of the mess and damage which would occur to what is a very neat and tidy stadium and centre green.

 

Stock Cars ruined the potential of Bordesley Green, and although some tracks such as Coventry seem able to live alongside them, they don't generally mix well with speedway and in any case are best on tarmac surfaces which don't cut up and need little or no maintenance.

 

I certainly hope that Ladbrokes don't get carried away by pound signs and bring them into Monmore. That would be a disaster.

 

Fortunately, the planning consent at Birmingham specifically excludes any other motor sport apart from speedway and even though I realise that these conditions can be overturned, I doubt very much that the City Council would be agreeable to changing this one unless speedway did finish at Perry Barr, which is a consolation.

How did stock cars ruin the speedway prospects at Bordesley Green (Birmingham). Wasn't it already an oval car track venue when speedway was tried there?

[Blackbird]

How many dates equates to a full fixture list in the National League,7 home fixtures plus maybe 2 play offs.Its hardly taxing within a 28 week season.

Eastbourne joining; Lakeside entering a team; possibly IoW rejoining; Plymouth maybe moving down; a joint Tyne-Tees team; Rye House Raiders returning. Could mean an NL of 14 teams in 2015...?

[martin_t]

Eastbourne joining; Lakeside entering a team; possibly IoW rejoining; Plymouth maybe moving down; a joint Tyne-Tees team; Rye House Raiders returning. Could mean an NL of 14 teams in 2015...?

Wonder where all the riders are going to come from.

[Alan_Jones]

Wonder where all the riders are going to come from.

The MDL, NJL & training schools as always.

[*JJ]

There is a list of no less than 66 riders in the Development League forum; plus there must be another dozen who have only done amateur racing as yet (see the Scunthope amateur Facebook page). There is no shortage of potential riders.

[brianbuck]

There isn't a shortage of riders like some people seem to think. These nonsensical "double-up" rules have created an artificial shortage and there has been absolutely no benefit accrued from these rules. All they have done is deprived 20-plus riders of a place in Elite League teams, at least as many again of Premier League places and forced just as many either into an unwanted retirement or to keep riding in the National League when they have been ready to move up.

 

One-man-one-team is the rule in other sports so why should speedway be any different?

 

We need to get some sanity back into this sport if we are to find a platform for it to begin to expand again, and allowing riders to ride for two and three different teams certainly doesn't do anything for its image.

[Wolfsbane]

Been a bit busy, caught up with this johnny come lately. Initial reactions :

 

You guys don't have a lot of luck

 

Never mind wanting a statement from Ladbrokes, it's their business so up to them if they want to keep it confidential. Ask Pearson, he knows the real reason but based on the radio interview, doesn't appear to be letting on.

 

Ladbrokes are in trouble, share price has tumbled recently & CEO is under big pressure to sort it out so this has got to be about money.

 

It's a big leap but worst case scenario could be Ladbrokes are 'doing a Sandhu' in which case we're in the sugar as well.

[martin_t]

There is a list of no less than 66 riders in the Development League forum; plus there must be another dozen who have only done amateur racing as yet (see the Scunthope amateur Facebook page). There is no shortage of potential riders.

So have teams like Scunthorpe did this year?

[Fromafar]

There isn't a shortage of riders like some people seem to think. These nonsensical "double-up" rules have created an artificial shortage and there has been absolutely no benefit accrued from these rules. All they have done is deprived 20-plus riders of a place in Elite League teams, at least as many again of Premier League places and forced just as many either into an unwanted retirement or to keep riding in the National League when they have been ready to move up.

 

One-man-one-team is the rule in other sports so why should speedway be any different?

 

We need to get some sanity back into this sport if we are to find a platform for it to begin to expand again, and allowing riders to ride for two and three different teams certainly doesn't do anything for its image.

Well said,it's the self interests of Promoters that are ruining the sport.

[chopper]

There is a list of no less than 66 riders in the Development League forum; plus there must be another dozen who have only done amateur racing as yet (see the Scunthope amateur Facebook page). There is no shortage of potential riders.

 

Would be a massive shame to see the Heathens disappear again, great support for there team.

Problem with being in a NL , team as opposed to amatuer racing, develpment league, is the time off work etc, especially if there were over 10 teams.

You nearly need to be a semi proffesional racer if you get my meaning.

 

Chopper

[salty]

Been a bit busy, caught up with this johnny come lately. Initial reactions :

 

You guys don't have a lot of luck

 

Never mind wanting a statement from Ladbrokes, it's their business so up to them if they want to keep it confidential. Ask Pearson, he knows the real reason but based on the radio interview, doesn't appear to be letting on.

 

Ladbrokes are in trouble, share price has tumbled recently & CEO is under big pressure to sort it out so this has got to be about money.

 

It's a big leap but worst case scenario could be Ladbrokes are 'doing a Sandhu' in which case we're in the sugar as well.

No chance of a "Sandhu" in my opinion. The ownership of their dog tracks at Monmore and Crayford over the years is simply about having control over two of the tracks that are mainstays of the BAGS service. Can't see that changing in the future as they still need that product for the betting shops.

The two tracks are only a very small part of their business and their current issues are more to do with the increasing pressures on the viability of many of their shops as they struggle with the change in betting patterns and the increased tax on the FOBT's which was levied this year.

[montie]

Can someone tell me if there is any news on getting your own track?

Sites been looked at or any consultation with local planners??

 

With the strong crowds reported and NL pay rate over the last few years there must be a tidy fighting fund set up somewhere?

[greyhoundp]

Having dealt with Hulberts through their machinery division,not a chance in hell would they allow speedway on that site.

Also nowhere big enough,and traffic congestion on Peartree Lane already chaotic.

 

 

Taking your points, never dealt with Hulberts, Nowhere near big enough its my belief you are wrong, there is more land there than the basic 65,000sq ft stated, a Buxton type facility would fit into the land available, I know Iv walked it, not just looked try to google the land before you reach the Nature Reserve. Traffic congestion ?? I never notice much Traffic on Sunday evenings between 5-oopm and 10-00pm, I live just off Peartree lane and no-one has more knowledge of the Traffic situation than me, believe me Tommy i know.

 

So its my firm belief that land could support a Speedway Track, The Traffic congestion can be avoided, but Hulberts need to be convinced to change (according to you) there attitude to leasing there land to a Speedway team. This land has been lying idle since before Cradley Heath lost Dudley Wood, surely an annual rent whilst waiting to build is better than nought ??.

[martin_t]

Hope this makes sense.The yellow lines represent 150 yards using Google Earths` ruler.`The Buxton track has been superimposed onto the Grazebrook site so hopefully to scale.Still don`tthink its big enough

 

Hope this makes sense.The yellow lines represent 150 yards using Google Earths` ruler.`The Buxton track has been superimposed onto the Grazebrook site so hopefully to scale.Still don`tthink its big enough

 

Bugger I double clicked as well

Edited October 26, 2014 by martin_t

[brianbuck]

Replying to the post from Gustix, it is true that the track at Bordesley Green was built as a joint stock car and speedway track and although I accept that the two sports can and do live with each other as at Coventry for example, the killer was in the fact that anyone who wanted to, was allowed to drive stock cars round Bordesley Green every day of the week and whatever the weather conditions were, and even after the venue had closed down for the night, the clever boys would force open the entrance gates and drive round until late and night.

 

The track was a really good shape and received fulsome praise from many of the riders when the speedway was first launched there, but it couldn't stand the battering it got from the cars which wrecked the base and the quality of the racing deteriorated sharply because the riders didn't trust the track surface.

 

We tried very hard to come to some kind of agreement over usage with the stock car promoters including doubling the width of the bends so that speedway would use the inside section and the cars the outside, but the Wheels operators would always say that the track was there to be used as often as possible and no matter how bad the weather was, they wouldn't say "no" when someone turned up with a car and wanted to drive it round.

 

We did make an agreement with the stock car promoters Incarace that cars would stay off the track on Thursdays so that it could be prepared for speedway which at the time ran on Friday nights, but the Wheels people just wouldn't enforce it and time after time in the second season especially, our people would spend Thursday afternoon and evening preparing the track only to find it wrecked again by the cars by the next night.

 

I doubt that Bordesley Green would ever have been an outstanding success - it was in the wrong part of the City really, but with a bit of sensible give and take I do think that it could have paid its way without ever making anyone a fortune.

[greyhoundp]

Hope this makes sense.The yellow lines represent 150 yards using Google Earths` ruler.`The Buxton track has been superimposed onto the Grazebrook site so hopefully to scale.Still don`tthink its big enough

 

Hope this makes sense.The yellow lines represent 150 yards using Google Earths` ruler.`The Buxton track has been superimposed onto the Grazebrook site so hopefully to scale.Still don`tthink its big enough

 

Bugger I double clicked as well

 

Martin I can see you are a bit of a wizz with computers, coming South East as you look at the Pic there is an amount of ground which could be used, currently its a buffer between the Ind Estate and The Nature Reserve, its is the first squiggly line that you can see, its a fenced pathway seperating the Ind Est and Nature reserve, Now if that lands useable it alters everything, if its not useable then you are correct, but then again everything is down to Hulberts.

[martin_t]

Martin I can see you are a bit of a wizz with computers, coming South East as you look at the Pic there is an amount of ground which could be used, currently its a buffer between the Ind Estate and The Nature Reserve, its is the first squiggly line that you can see, its a fenced pathway seperating the Ind Est and Nature reserve, Now if that lands useable it alters everything, if its not useable then you are correct, but then again everything is down to Hulberts.

i didn't superimpose it very well as its over the corner of that industrial unit so its needs moving a tad.Also there's an electricity pylon on the border between nature reserve and available land

[Guest]

Replying to the post from Gustix, it is true that the track at Bordesley Green was built as a joint stock car and speedway track and although I accept that the two sports can and do live with each other as at Coventry for example, the killer was in the fact that anyone who wanted to, was allowed to drive stock cars round Bordesley Green every day of the week and whatever the weather conditions were, and even after the venue had closed down for the night, the clever boys would force open the entrance gates and drive round until late and night.

 

The track was a really good shape and received fulsome praise from many of the riders when the speedway was first launched there, but it couldn't stand the battering it got from the cars which wrecked the base and the quality of the racing deteriorated sharply because the riders didn't trust the track surface.

 

We tried very hard to come to some kind of agreement over usage with the stock car promoters including doubling the width of the bends so that speedway would use the inside section and the cars the outside, but the Wheels operators would always say that the track was there to be used as often as possible and no matter how bad the weather was, they wouldn't say "no" when someone turned up with a car and wanted to drive it round.

 

We did make an agreement with the stock car promoters Incarace that cars would stay off the track on Thursdays so that it could be prepared for speedway which at the time ran on Friday nights, but the Wheels people just wouldn't enforce it and time after time in the second season especially, our people would spend Thursday afternoon and evening preparing the track only to find it wrecked again by the cars by the next night.

 

I doubt that Bordesley Green would ever have been an outstanding success - it was in the wrong part of the City really, but with a bit of sensible give and take I do think that it could have paid its way without ever making anyone a fortune.

An excellent explanation. There is a detailed look at this venture on the ultra-excellent Defunct Speedways - there is a LINK available but I am in "BSF default" over posting these. You may know the forum I refer to - it has been publicised on the BSF many times over the years and is operated by my very good friend John Skinner. A Google search should bring it up the site for you.