Why Is Speedway Great?

[E I Addio]

This is a great thread. There is nothing like talking about Speedwáy with fellow fans who have the same affinity for the sport, and the fact that the rest of the world think we are completely bonkers makes it even more special.

 

There is something unique about the spectacle of the sport that doesn't seem to exist in other sports. The very idea of riders being identified in red, blue white and yellow has some sort of magnetism to me. Then riders being numbered 1-7, then being designated heatleaders, second strings and reserves, somehow adds to the drama, with red and blue the heroes and white and yellow the villains. I suppose all those details plus the idea of filling the programme in progressively does give a sort of trainspotter or anorak quality but there's nothing wrong with that.

 

As others have said, the fans are special. I love the fact you can walk round and see people you have seen for years and just nod or have a word with them even though you don't really know them and I love getting peoples opinions before the start on how they think the match will turn out. We all have a laugh about old Sid and Doris sitting in their fold up chairs with their flask of tea and sandwiches but they are the salt of the earth types and I love chatting to them as most have been going for years and are often very knowlegdeable.

 

I suppose most of all I think I love that moment of tension between the riders coming under starters orders and the tapes going up. Even after about 150 years of going to Speedwáy that part still sends shivers down my spine. Very rare for me to go to a Speedwáy meeting and not enjoy it.

Edited July 26, 2016 by E I Addio

[allthegearbutnaeidea]

My favourite thing has to be an away win, what a feeling it is, I much prefer going to away meetings than home meetings just for the hope of pulling a win off

[Gresham]

What kind of a twit turns up at Speedway and says “it is like watching racing surrounded by Train Spotters”…..

 

There are a small % of people who attend speedway who are old or wear dated clothing other than that most of the people in attendance are just ordinary dressed people who you wouldn’t look twice at on the street - despite being "geeky" about the workings sport I don't think there is a "geek" element to it, any regular of any sport is a "geek" by that definition eg guys cheering fat blokes chucking sticks at a board is as "geeky" as it gets if you wish to boil things down on such a simplistic level

I suppose that is addressed at me, as it was me who quoted it.

 

Why so aggressive? The person who said it, didn't mean it in a derogatory way. It was referring to the filling in of programmes and looking at who could possibly ride next, depending on score. The closest I can think to that is filling in a cricket scorecard whilst at a county game or standing on a station platform writing down numbers. Plus there is nothing wrong with 'Geekness'...it has it's place.

 

As for attire...I would have to disagree with you. I don't know where you live, but if I walked down my street, I wouldn't see people in garish coloured 'Speedway clothing' or carrying programme boards. I sat in a few bars at the Cardiff GP, and overheard many general public mention the attire of the Speedway fans. None of it was positive. I've even had people say to me...'I wouldn't bring my Girlfriend here'. Because of how people looked.

 

Now that maybe shallow...and I agree. I'd also say the Darts fan was very similar. Fat blokes...cheering on even fatter blokes whilst wearing silly outfits lol

 

Nothing to do with the older generation, who I personally think look very normal at Speedway.

 

This is why I mentioned in my post, that I'd find it hard to decide who to Promote the Sport too if I was a promotor.

 

Can't see many Rugby, Cricket, F1, Tennis, Golf types being interested...although I know a few including myself.

 

Burgers, chips and Garish polyester clothing is fine...but if you want to attract more money and a different clientele then you have to be aware of your product and how it is viewed by the general public.

 

For me...I love the oddness of it all :-)

[Trees]

I love the anoraks covered in sew on patches, old people sat on fold up chairs with their flasks, the silky smooth voice of Craig Saul, wide open spaces on the terraces, 1970's music on the tannoy, track shop lucky bags, challenge matches against made up teams, the mushy peas at the Rye Fish Bar (but not the cutlery), trophies named after a motorway, but what I love most of all is being part of a family...the speedway family.

Yep, all part of the family lol

[Tsunami]

Nothing in the rulebook. No first timer has ever turned up and gone, "R/R is rubbish, guests are rubbish, the points limit is rubbish and there not enough Brits in teams". People want an efficiently run meeting on a good track and a home win. Get that right and the rule are almost irrelevant. I bet 95% of people don't know the rules beyond the TR and the use of a reserve.

But some twits on here with 'issues' would have you believe their visitors were rolling in the ailses with laughter when they told them walking through the gates.

Edited July 26, 2016 by Tsunami

[Ommer Mon]

I think we will find out what's great about Speedway on Friday and Saturday.

 

From what I've seen of the Belle Vue track it looks magnificent, a great size, banked and with racing lines all over it.

 

The World Cup should be a great advert for the sport in Britain.

 

Perhaps track designers will take note in future where we get opportunities to build some more e.g Coventry / Swindon and with a big slice of luck Cradley.

[sparkafag]

I suppose that is addressed at me, as it was me who quoted it.

 

Why so aggressive? The person who said it, didn't mean it in a derogatory way. It was referring to the filling in of programmes and looking at who could possibly ride next, depending on score. The closest I can think to that is filling in a cricket scorecard whilst at a county game or standing on a station platform writing down numbers. Plus there is nothing wrong with 'Geekness'...it has it's place.

 

As for attire...I would have to disagree with you. I don't know where you live, but if I walked down my street, I wouldn't see people in garish coloured 'Speedway clothing' or carrying programme boards. I sat in a few bars at the Cardiff GP, and overheard many general public mention the attire of the Speedway fans. None of it was positive. I've even had people say to me...'I wouldn't bring my Girlfriend here'. Because of how people looked.

 

 

 

Yes, that’s something we have all encountered while in Cardiff, the people of Cardiff wandering around all weekend pointing saying “ow don’t they dress funny” that definitely happened, happens all the time, it is all you hear.

Edited July 27, 2016 by The Mockingjay

[Sidney the robin]

This is a great thread. There is nothing like talking about Speedwáy with fellow fans who have the same affinity for the sport, and the fact that the rest of the world think we are completely bonkers makes it even more special.

There is something unique about the spectacle of the sport that doesn't seem to exist in other sports. The very idea of riders being identified in red, blue white and yellow has some sort of magnetism to me. Then riders being numbered 1-7, then being designated heatleaders, second strings and reserves, somehow adds to the drama, with red and blue the heroes and white and yellow the villains. I suppose all those details plus the idea of filling the programme in progressively does give a sort of trainspotter or anorak quality but there's nothing wrong with that.

As others have said, the fans are special. I love the fact you can walk round and see people you have seen for years and just nod or have a word with them even though you don't really know them and I love getting peoples opinions before the start on how they think the match will turn out. We all have a laugh about old Sid and Doris sitting in their fold up chairs with their flask of tea and sandwiches but they are the salt of the earth types and I love chatting to them as most have been going for years and are often very knowlegdeable.

I suppose most of all I think I love that moment of tension between the riders coming under starters orders and the tapes going up. Even after about 150 years of going to Speedwáy that part still sends shivers down my spine. Very rare for me to go to a Speedwáy meeting and not enjoy it.

God Addio i am not six foot under yet a flask never,🤓speedway is a special sport and as you say i still enjoy it maybe not as much as the good old days but then you see a great race and the enthusiasm comes flooding back. Edited July 27, 2016 by Sidney the robin

[Gresham]

 

 

Yes, that’s something we have all encountered while in Cardiff, the people of Cardiff wandering around all weekend pointing saying “ow don’t they dress funny” that definitely happened, happens all the time, it is all you hear.

There's no need to be like that...of course, not everyone says it...but I've never heard anything positive said about Speedway and the 'attire' associated with it...and it is something that I've heard numerous times at speedway meetings from people new to the sport. The fact people wouldn't bring a Girlfriend to a meeting, because they wouldn't want her to judge, says something. whether that's shallow or right or wrong...it is what it is.

 

In fact, it has been noted by certain Speedway promotions. At Somerset for example, they realised it had to be changed, and brought more in line with what is considered 'normal' and less garish. They brought in someone especially to change the line of Speedway attire.

 

So it's not a fallacy...it's something that has been noted by others and acted on.

 

The point I was trying to make in my initial post, was 'who do you promote' the sport to for the future?

 

The Speedway and Darts fan seem very similar.

 

What 'Image' is speedway trying to portray?

 

Who are they marketing towards?

 

Personally, I don't think the expense and expenditure of running speedway, coincides with the fan base, and the surplus cash a great majority of fans have at their disposal.

 

It, imo, is a very working class sport with a very 'amateur' family feel, run like a circus event. Nothing wrong with that.

 

However...Speedway is trying to be something it's not. Expensive, and in line with other motor sports, with far more affluence.

 

The two don't go hand in hand at the moment, imo.

 

Small issues in the bigger picture of things...but never the less an issue worth considering.

[sparkafag]

There's no need to be like that...of course, not everyone says it...but I've never heard anything positive said about Speedway and the 'attire' associated with it...and it is something that I've heard numerous times at speedway meetings from people new to the sport. The fact people wouldn't bring a Girlfriend to a meeting, because they wouldn't want her to judge, says something. whether that's shallow or right or wrong...it is what it is.

 

 

So now, despite there being numerous, in fact loads of women in attendance at speedway on a weekly basis it is now “people” who won’t bring their girlfriends…as in numerous people saying it?

 

And yeah, every meeting you go to up and down the country it is newbies commenting on fans attire….”look at him over there in his jeans and t-shirt” and “ew look at him in his jacket”, always heard that, every meeting you go to.

[BWitcher]

I do love how Gresham keeps trying to band speedway together with Darts and trying to create some conception that folk don't go to Darts because of the way people dress?

 

I guess that's why they've moved out of small clubs and into arenas for their events....

[Vince]

For me the racing is almost everything, I've no real interest in the rules (apart from the ones about machinery), don't care much about teams, actually prefer individual meetings and never fill in a programme. Was a bit different when I was a kid in that I had a team but now although I usually want one team to win more than the other I'd prefer good racing to the right team winning every time.

 

The only reason it's almost and not all is that I also have an interest in the machinery and the way it's set up.

 

4 blokes with big balls on a good track is unbeatable entertainment in my view.

[Gresham]

 

So now, despite there being numerous, in fact loads of women in attendance at speedway on a weekly basis it is now “people” who won’t bring their girlfriends…as in numerous people saying it?

 

And yeah, every meeting you go to up and down the country it is newbies commenting on fans attire….”look at him over there in his jeans and t-shirt” and “ew look at him in his jacket”, always heard that, every meeting you go to.

I suppose it depends who you bring to the meeting.

 

I've heard it from everyone I've ever taken to Speedway, on numerous occasions, who'd never been before.

 

People who follow or play other sports, like Rugby, Tennis, Skiing, Cricket and F1.

 

But again...looks like people are looking to pick a fight and argue, rather than actually see the point being made about who to Promote the sport too....rolls eye's in disappointment.

 

As for me bringing 'Darts' into the conversation...I suggest that person reads the thread, as it wasn't me who introduced 'Darts' into the topic of conversation. It was used in replying to the person who brought it up.

 

Like someone else said...would love him to represent me in a murder case, has a great ability in twisting threads, and making people believe something else. Say it enough...and people start to believe. Plus never agree to disagree or say you're wrong....recipe for a successful defence I reckon...very skilful....wasted on here lol

[steve roberts]

I followed speedway for over thirty years before relocating.

 

It had everything and some of the aspects that first attracted me to the sport are as follows...

 

The atmosphere and the smell of castrol R.

 

Visiting different tracks (home and abroad) that required different riding techniques adding to the pleasure.

 

The sad demise of Wembley as a speedway.

 

The personalities involved (riders, management and fans).

 

The colourful and distinguishing leathers which made identifying riders more easy.

 

Old style second halves.

 

Meeting up with people on the terraces and developing a little clique.

 

Trying to out guess the Team Manager's next tactical move.

 

Collecting the programmes and filling them in with accuracy.

 

The noise of the bikes with straight thru' exhausts (never quite the same with the advent of silencers).

 

Local derbies (sadly no longer possible with many now defunct tracks).

 

The statistical side of the sport that enabled fans to keep their own records together with the official ones.

 

I could go on.

Edited July 27, 2016 by steve roberts

[allthegearbutnaeidea]

Never heard anyone mention 'sppedway attire' at Berwick or anywhere else, just jeans and a t shirt/shirt and maybe a hoodie/coat?

[sparkafag]

I suppose it depends who you bring to the meeting.

 

I've heard it from everyone I've ever taken to Speedway, on numerous occasions, who'd never been before.

 

People who follow or play other sports, like Rugby, Tennis, Skiing, Cricket and F1.

 

 

 

So specifically people from Wales and Rugby fans mocking fans of other sports attire while at an even? That is what you are saying? And fans of Cricket?

 

Specifically fans of both sports commenting on how people dress at sporting events?

[BWitcher]

I suppose it depends who you bring to the meeting.

 

I've heard it from everyone I've ever taken to Speedway, on numerous occasions, who'd never been before.

 

People who follow or play other sports, like Rugby, Tennis, Skiing, Cricket and F1.

 

But again...looks like people are looking to pick a fight and argue, rather than actually see the point being made about who to Promote the sport too....rolls eye's in disappointment.

 

As for me bringing 'Darts' into the conversation...I suggest that person reads the thread, as it wasn't me who introduced 'Darts' into the topic of conversation. It was used in replying to the person who brought it up.

 

Like someone else said...would love him to represent me in a murder case, has a great ability in twisting threads, and making people believe something else. Say it enough...and people start to believe. Plus never agree to disagree or say you're wrong....recipe for a successful defence I reckon...very skilful....wasted on here lol

 

The thread is about what makes speedway great, not your fantasy stories that you are prone to trot out.

 

I haven't said you brought Darts into the conversation, I said that you have tried to compare the two, which is ridiculous.

 

You mention Formula One, fans and indeed competitors wear garish clothing in that too.

 

Cricket, fans dress up in silly costumes.

 

I've taken many, many people to speedway, not one of them ever has 'laughed at the rules'.. made comments about clothing.. said they wouldn't take their girlfriends or any of the cliched comments you always roll out.

 

Now back onto the thread.. what makes the sport great...

 

As a child I was into every sport going, my Dad first took me to speedway in 1984 when Wolverhampton re-opened and I was hooked from the first moment. He explained how to calculate averages and the statistical side was massive to me. I was unable to attend much between 84 and 87 but used to eagerly look forward to the newspaper on Tuesday evening with the scores from the previous nights meeting. I had a folder (still got it) where I would write out all the heat results and calculate the averages etc.

 

Come 1990 I was old enough to be attending myself and pretty much didn't miss a meeting after that till moving abroad. I can't say exactly why the sport hooked me in as much as it did, bit of everything. The on track action of course, the riders... Sudden Sam, Rocket Ronnie, PK... Lars Munkedal was an early favorite rider of mine.

 

Being able to meet the riders afterwards, get photos signed was a big appeal as a youngster, I dread to think how many photos Sam Ermolenko has signed.

 

As others have said, travelling around the country following the team, I was fortunate enough to go to every meeting home and away in 1996 when Wolves did the double and the memories of that season are fantastic.

 

I got involved in organising fund raisers for riders and in later years sponsored riders bringing another level of connection.

 

Then of course the friends met during that time. Some sadly no longer attend, but there is a steady group I've stood with for many years now. In fact, this thread has actually reminded me of just how much I miss attending speedway.

 

Hopefully Wolverhampton will make the play-offs and if so, I will be there, wouldn't miss those for the world!

[Gresham]

 

 

So specifically people from Wales and Rugby fans mocking fans of other sports attire while at an even? That is what you are saying? And fans of Cricket?

 

Specifically fans of both sports commenting on how people dress at sporting events?

No not at all.

 

I find it hard to have any decent conversation on here with some, as it seems some just don't read a post as intended.

 

People have various experiences at meetings...if fans have never heard what I've heard, then that's their experience.

 

Mine is totally different.

 

I've taken people to various meetings all around the country...and MY experience is that the people who I've taken have all mentioned the 'Speedway look'.

 

Yes a great majority are 'normal'...but it only takes 20 odd or so, to stand out like a sore thumb in a crowd of maybe 400, and that's what they remember.

 

It's not the norm to wear Garish Wulf Sport jackets, carry Programme boards, wear T shirts emblazoned with pictures of speedway riders, and the odd one's who still wear jackets covered in patch's and badges with year bars down to their navel.

 

As others have said on the first page of this discussion...it is all a bit odd and 'different'.

 

It really doesn't bother me...but like I keep trying to get over....as a promotor, who do you promote too? What type of person?

 

Your average guy that follows Speedway is often very down to earth, salt of the earth types, working class sorts. With very little disposable income compared to other sports followers.

 

Speedway as far as I can see, is trying to be like the big boys of motor sport where finance and sponsorship is far more available.

 

Imo...Speedway is a 'Garden shed' sport...not like many mainstream motor sports.

 

The money is with the 'Prawn sandwich brigade and such like. Is Speedway attractive to them? Those that attend the likes of Wimbledon, Silverstone, Lords, Twickers, Henley, Cheltenham etc....do you think those type of people would be attracted to Speedway? Those with more of a disposable income and who expect more from a night out.

 

Having experienced 'packages' at Speedway meetings....they are far removed from other sporting events.

[sparkafag]

Fight – take part in in a violent struggle involving the exchange of physical blows or the use of weapons

 

No one is “fighting” with you here, and haven’t on any other thread on this forum but…if you post vast nonsensical sweeping statements people will reply….that’s the entire nature of the beast of a forum, just accept that and make a logical point back rather than constantly throwing tantrums….it’s so petulant.

 

It evidently isn’t “the norm” to carry a programme board, but people are at a Sporting event they aren’t just walking down the street….

 

Just as it isn’t the norm for fans of Welsh Rugby to wear Dafodils on their head each day, fans of Cricket to wave cards with “4” and “6”, Darts fans to scream 180 every other minute, Football fans to scream “penalty” if someone falls in work.

 

The notion that you regularly see people with t-shirts with their favourite rider across it died out years ago, literally years, just as Wulf Sport jackets did, you might see the odd one or two but that is about it – certainly not the same number of fans who you will see at a game of football wearing colours to represent the team they are supporting yet other sports don’t carry any kind of “geek” stigma that you are attempting to attach based on a fan showing the team they support.

 

Ow and by the way parts of this post were told to me by someone, a newbie mentioned the Dafodil thing and I overheard the bit about the Wulf Sport jackets so that means everything I have said is totally loads more valid and truer than anything you say and if you dare and I mean DARE say anything other than that or reply, it means you are fighting me, literally kicking and scratching me

 

Ow and re Speedway trying to align it's self with other big sports, it's really not, it is muck cheap in all honesty, the prices of things like the GP, World Cup and most league meetings is filth cheap when compared to most other bespoke events held by "big sports".

Edited July 27, 2016 by The Mockingjay

[BWitcher]

 

 

The money is with the 'Prawn sandwich brigade and such like. Is Speedway attractive to them? Those that attend the likes of Wimbledon,

 

Have you ever been to Wimbledon?

 

I have, many times and there are all sorts of weird and wacky characters there in knitted Tim Henman/Andy Murray cardigans, wearing Henman/Murray t-shirts/hats etc.