Track Preparation

[steve roberts]

Interesting that people often say that the tracks are now generally slick and void of shale but I have just finished reading Dave Morton's book where he discusses the fact that certain tracks, during the seventies and eighties, often had a 'strip of dirt' laid on a particular racing line which was only known to the home team. Despite what we may think most tracks (unless it was Hyde Road) generally only had two, or at best, three racing lines. Therefore the 'strip of dirt' was put down to create an advantage to the home team during, presumably, the early heats before the dirt disappeared.

 

Dave quotes that during an important meeting at Hull in 1972 Colin Tucker (track manager) prepared parts of the surface that only the home riders knew about, where extra grip and momentum could be gained. He prepared three 15 foot-long strips about a foot wide. After the track had been watered, these strips received an extra dousing, so instead of around two inches of wet shale, these doctored areas were around four inches deep. Before the meeting he walked his riders around the track and secretly pointed out theses strips thereby giving the home team an advantage.

 

Chris Morton has gone on record to say that he, on occasions, requested a 'strip of dirt' to be laid at Belle Vue on the inside close to the white line entering the third bend to which he would utilise as a last resort to pass an opponent.

Edited January 1, 2016 by steve roberts

[steve roberts]

Interesting that people often say that the tracks are now generally slick and void of shale but I have just finished reading Dave Morton's book where he discusses the fact that certain tracks, during the seventies and eighties, often had a 'strip of dirt' laid on a particular racing line which was only known to the home team. Despite what we may think most tracks (unless it was Hyde Road) generally only had two, or at best, three racing lines. Therefore the 'strip of dirt' was put down to create an advantage to the home team during, presumably, the early heats before the dirt disappeared.

 

Dave quotes that during an important meeting at Hull in 1972 Colin Tucker (track manager) prepared parts of the surface that only the home riders knew about, where extra grip and momentum could be gained. He prepared three 15 foot-long strips about a foot wide. After the track had been watered, these strips received an extra dousing, so instead of around two inches of wet shale, these doctored areas were around four inches deep. Before the meeting he walked his riders around the track and secretly pointed out theses strips thereby giving the home team an advantage.

 

Chris Morton has gone on record to say that he, on occasions, requested a 'strip of dirt' to be laid at Belle Vue on the inside close to the white line entering the third bend to which he would utilise as a last resort to pass an opponent.

FAO Shale Searcher

 

Located my comment for your information!

 

Regards

[foamfence]

FAO Shale Searcher

 

Located my comment for your information!

 

Regards

If you watch the SKY matches they usually tell you which parts of a track have been doctored to provide extra grip, I think these days most riders seem to know how to assess a track from walking round it, so 'secret' patches are probably less likely.