Coventry Track

[Woz01]

It was never an issue a decade or more ago when speedway was on 3 Saturdays a month and Stox on the other Saturday. Now throughout the year we get situations where speedway is on Friday, Stox Saturday and speedway again Monday. The track has less time to recover than ever before and id suggest its the most used venue in Speedway. What hasn't helped this season was the stadium hiring a guy to do the pre season work who was clearly not qualified, he was a bloody taxi driver!

Can you just answer one question please FTM. Has Colin Pratt been in charge of the track preparation for the past two/three months or not?

Actually I've thought of another now, which of course no one answered on another thread. What exactly has to happen to prepare the track for Stock Cars being as the Storm match had to be cancelled? What would take 2 days preparation because all I can think of is removing the air fence?

None they've often had a meeting a night before the Stox.

[Gemini]

Isn't it strange how simple questions can conveniently just be ignored. FTM to his credit responded earlier to a couple of posts in detail about the track preparation but seems to have disappeared now. No wonder fans get paranoid, cheesed off and cynical.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Gemini

[Halifaxtiger]

you thank me for my honesty then say it doesn,t wash with you and probably in your opinion with everyone else .Just what doesn,t wash with you can you explain what you would like to see written in my post .I agree with you and other fans the track wasn,t good and we worked hard at it to get it raceable to the Referees agreed standard .Never mind perhaps I would be better off ignoring posts instead of trying to explain what a lot of people don,t see in preparing tracks.

 

What doesn't wash with me (and most others) is the endless stream of excuses about why the Coventry track is so poor - because this isn't just about Sunday week, its about all season.

 

Others have exactly the same issues yet produce very good, decent or even adequate racing tracks week after week - Belle Vue & King's Lynn to name two.

 

The point is If they can do it why can't Coventry ? Why has Brandon deteriorated so badly in the last couple of seasons ?

 

Last Sunday week, the soft, grippy patch going into the third corner was apparently discovered by the referee and Chris Louis after track preparation had finished. Many fans and every rider and official know that grippy surfaces going into a corner can be very dangerous, because it fires riders across the track towards the fence.

 

So either the trackman knew that was the case and did nothing about it which is grossly irresponsible, or he knew about it and wasn't aware of its effect which is grossly incompetent, or he didn't know about it at all which is equally grossly incompetent.

 

Care to say which it was ?

 

I have seen the Mildenhall track so badly damaged by stock cars the previous night that on a Sunday morning it looks like it has been hit by an RAF air raid. Less than 6 hours later, it had been turned into a superb speedway racing surface by Robert Huggins.

 

That's why I regard all this talk about stock cars, weather, Sky television and heaven knows what else as cheap excuses to mask nothing other than incompetence and an utter lack of care towards paying customers.

 

Personally, I would say you would be better off explaining why Coventry can't prepare a decent track when everyone else can, because that's the issue here.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Halifaxtiger

[SCB]

What doesn't wash with the fans is reason/excuses for poor tracks however "justifiable" from the track mans perspective. You can't imagine turning up at Old Trafford and being told, "the pitch is crap because we had rugby in here 2 days ago" or going to a restaurant and having a poor meal that you paid full price for because, "the usual chef is on holiday and 2 days ago we had a big party in here and he's been trying to clean up from that".

 

If you sell a product or service, you have a responsibility to provide that service as well as possible. You can't expect people to pay good money and give them a bad service, even if there are "good reasons", it's all about customer service.

 

Too many times this season Coventrys track has not been up to scratch, that has to change or people will stop going.

[Gemini]

.....Halifaxtiger......Last Sunday week, the soft, grippy patch going into the third corner was apparently discovered by the referee and Chris Louis after track preparation had finished. Many fans and every rider and official know that grippy surfaces going into a corner can be very dangerous, because it fires riders across the track towards the fence.

So either the trackman knew that was the case and did nothing about it which is grossly irresponsible, or he knew about it and wasn't aware of its effect which is grossly incompetent, or he didn't know about it at all which is equally grossly incompetent.

Care to say which it was ?

You'll be lucky if you get an answer to that one being as no-one seems willing to even say who the track curator is these days and everything is shrouded in secrecy. Sod the paying fans who have to put up with this all the time.

[Halifaxtiger]

You'll be lucky if you get an answer to that one being as no-one seems willing to even say who the track curator is these days and everything is shrouded in secrecy. Sod the paying fans who have to put up with this all the time.

 

For me, Gem, your comment that you would not attend the Storm's most important match of the season on the Wednesday/Friday because of the state of the track on Sunday just about sums up just how damaging crap tracks are.

 

You are clearly very passionate about Coventry Speedway and have taken to the NL completely.

 

Its fair to say, then, that poor racing surfaces are sufficient to drive away even the most committed fan.

[Gemini]

I like to think I'm not biased and won't defend Coventry when clearly something is wrong. A poor racing circuit is inexcusable considering all the years Speedway and Stock Cars have been at Brandon and standing around for ages watching tractors/staff trying to get the track in some sort of rideable condition after a match has started, as in the previous Storm meeting, or worse still before it's even started at the N.L. Fours is pathetic. So yes I'd had enough and didn't intend going to the play off final. I changed my mind when I heard it was going to be held at Leicester and they did everything right - well prepared track at short notice, brilliant atmosphere and the match all over by ten past nine.

I know you are a well travelled speedway fan and promoters should be taking notice of what you and I say but they won't (with one or two exceptions) and then they wonder why fans stay away.

 

Edited for a spelling mistake.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Gemini

[FTM]

Sorry Iv,e not answered you Gemini I have been pretty busy doing my proper job driving trucks for Disney . The Trackman is listed in the Programme and I think that Colin has some input into the prep but he wasn,t responsible for the N/L Fours as he was away on personal buisiness all weekend .As you can see from the time on this post I have only just got in my house been out working since 3 pm Tuesday .I offered to help out only on race nights and on the Sunday for the 4 team .The Track was put in during the week but I don,t know who did it and I only discovered the 3 rd bend problem when I was sweeping the water off parts of both bends Sunday about 12.30 I put some fresh shale on both bends to blind in the inside part of both bends where they were wet .but after grading in and out the soft patch became apparent outside of the new stuff I had already put on .After talking with the Ref and Chris Louis it was decided to try and grade in reverse to lift off as much soft stuff as possible then run the wheel and grader around to try and improve the situation.We then added the cement dust and I am pretty sure that surface did start to dry off .On the day overall I don,t think that there were many falls or problems on bend 3 the riders were having trouble with bend 2 but there were no apparent problems with this corner so you will have to ask the riders why .As regards the Friday night moving of the Play Off 2nd leg Final I totally agree we have done a change over from Speedway to Stox on first week of the month for years and I was very sorry for Storm Fans who missed out on seeing the 2nd leg on their home track and defitnately didn,t agree it going to Leicester as Cradley were basically given it on a plate with Clegg and Perry being home lions riders .Was this another Fordgate scandal ??. Think I will go get some sleep now as I,m back to work this afternoon at 4 pm also after my last statement I will go and look for my Tin Hat Byeeee.

[Gemini]

Many thanks for the reply FTM. I know you are as passionate about a good track as I am about Speedway....or was....I'm hoping the Winter break will get my enthusiasm back. I think someone has discovered a secret ingredient for difficult tracks now - cement. Perhaps Poole should have tried that in their hole.

Hope you've had a good night's sleep.

[Vince]

The main damage was done at the start of the season with the man appointed as Curator but he was in over his head as he had never experienced English conditions .

 

Having seen this feller in action I can well believe that his handiwork ruined the track for the rest of the season. If he trashed it pre season and then it is used as much as Coventry is it was never going to recover fully and I guess that long dry spells followed by some very wet weather would put paid to any improvement that had been made.

[bigred]

Sorry Iv,e not answered you Gemini I have been pretty busy doing my proper job driving trucks for Disney . The Trackman is listed in the Programme and I think that Colin has some input into the prep but he wasn,t responsible for the N/L Fours as he was away on personal buisiness all weekend .As you can see from the time on this post I have only just got in my house been out working since 3 pm Tuesday .I offered to help out only on race nights and on the Sunday for the 4 team .The Track was put in during the week but I don,t know who did it and I only discovered the 3 rd bend problem when I was sweeping the water off parts of both bends Sunday about 12.30 I put some fresh shale on both bends to blind in the inside part of both bends where they were wet .but after grading in and out the soft patch became apparent outside of the new stuff I had already put on .After talking with the Ref and Chris Louis it was decided to try and grade in reverse to lift off as much soft stuff as possible then run the wheel and grader around to try and improve the situation.We then added the cement dust and I am pretty sure that surface did start to dry off .On the day overall I don,t think that there were many falls or problems on bend 3 the riders were having trouble with bend 2 but there were no apparent problems with this corner so you will have to ask the riders why .As regards the Friday night moving of the Play Off 2nd leg Final I totally agree we have done a change over from Speedway to Stox on first week of the month for years and I was very sorry for Storm Fans who missed out on seeing the 2nd leg on their home track and defitnately didn,t agree it going to Leicester as Cradley were basically given it on a plate with Clegg and Perry being home lions riders .Was this another Fordgate scandal ??. Think I will go get some sleep now as I,m back to work this afternoon at 4 pm also after my last statement I will go and look for my Tin Hat Byeeee.

lambert and sarj rode for Leicester in the premier league,dan rode for them in the national trophy(impressed with dan that night) so how you can say " given it on a plate" I don't know.

Really enjoyable meeting,great racing,well done to all the riders and all three sets of managment for getting the final on.

[FTM]

lambert and sarj rode for Leicester in the premier league,dan rode for them in the national trophy(impressed with dan that night) so how you can say " given it on a plate" I don't know.

Really enjoyable meeting,great racing,well done to all the riders and all three sets of managment for getting the final on.

My statement refers to the fact that Max Clegg and Tom Perry were in the Elite League with Leics and although James Serjeant rides in the E/L for the Bees it is no secret that he has never ridden well at Beaumont Park and Dan Greenwood as you say rode in the Trophy which as everyone knows is 2 divisions below the E/L .which is why I think the Storm didn,t get a level playing field for their leg .But we shall never know

[Woz01]

Any chance the stadium re - hiring the previous track curator? Let's hope if they employ a new guy they actually check his credentials!

[Gemini]

Which previous track curator do you mean? I think the previous one to this one, whoever he is, was the Polish chap and we don't want him back again thanks.

Incidentally FTM says his name is in the programme so if you have one can you say on here who it is because I don't buy a programme these days as I'm supposed to be getting rid of any unneccesary junk not adding to it.

[Dave Jones]

The Guy's name is Steve Austin according to the bees website. He certainly doesn't appear to be any six million dollar man though.

[Gemini]

Thanks Dave. Never heard of him but he must be doing his best to help Sandhu shut the place down.

[cityrebel]

Thanks Dave. Never heard of him but he must be doing his best to help Sandhu shut the place down.

I agree, the ever changing curfew together with the unpredictable track conditions certainly look like a plot to undermine the current speedway promotion.

[Dave Jones]

I agree, the ever changing curfew together with the unpredictable track conditions certainly look like a plot to undermine the current speedway promotion.

I'm not sure the current promotion need any help in that department to be honest.

[FTM]

Thanks Dave. Never heard of him but he must be doing his best to help Sandhu shut the place down.

Unfortunately for Steve his name is in the programme as he is the curator for the Dogs but you are miles away with your comment ref: shutting the place down He isn,t responsible for the decisions regarding Speedway track prep .I am not going to say anymore on the Subject as it could cause problems for me helping out next season if needed ..Sorry Gem xx

[Halifaxtiger]

 

I know you are a well travelled speedway fan and promoters should be taking notice of what you and I say but they won't (with one or two exceptions) and then they wonder why fans stay away.

 

Edited for a spelling mistake.

 

They should listen to every speedway fan.

 

Too often, I get the impression that they don't.