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Why is it some riders are good round one track and not so good at others?

I guess a lot has to do with where they first learnt their track skills.

 

Gordon Kennett was one of the best small track riders having started his career at Eastbourne and then moving to Oxford (another small track). He initially used to struggle on some of the larger tracks in Division One but spending an off season in Australia (where the tracks, then, were generally larger) and his subsequent move to White City developed him in to a first class all rounder able to adapt to all circuits shapes and sizes.

 

Raises the question is it easier to adapt to larger tracks having started one's early career at a small one or the other way round?

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Wasn't it Jan Steachmann who when he had trouble with a track went back again and again to try and better himself?

The great Hans Nielsen had for years trouble with big tracks,but went on to become one of the best ever.

You could look at how Australians and Poles,who generally have big tracks fare on the world scene against Americans,who generally have small tracks.Although back in the 70s i do think riders like Autrey often rode big dirt tracks like Ascot as well,though that wasn't speedway

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Why is it some riders are good round one track and not so good at others?

 

 

Because they are human, confidence, technique, familiarity and set-up, all play a part.

 

That just about covers it.

 

There just isn't no right or wrong way to answer this question.

 

Take as an example home riders from each track, i.e. King's Lynn - Lakeside, just because one track is big & the other is small not all the home riders run identical set-up's.

There's just to many differences from rider to rider

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Wasn't Andrew Silver the classic case of a rider who had a great style for small tracks,but Ivan Mauger,i think warned him he had to change if he wanted to become a top international star?Don't think he ever did manage either,but he was very exciting and could get around Blunsdon quite well

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Wasn't Andrew Silver the classic case of a rider who had a great style for small tracks,but Ivan Mauger,i think warned him he had to change if he wanted to become a top international star?Don't think he ever did manage either,but he was very exciting and could get around Blunsdon quite well

Andrew Silver's style didn't lend itself to big tracks and, yes, Ivan suggested that he should try and adapt but Andrew didn't take on that advice (in fact he openly ignored it) and hence his career really stood still once he moved up with the 'big boys' and he eventually retired (did make a brief come back) having lost his appetite for the sport.

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Wasn't it Jan Steachmann who when he had trouble with a track went back again and again to try and better himself?

The great Hans Nielsen had for years trouble with big tracks,but went on to become one of the best ever.

You could look at how Australians and Poles,who generally have big tracks fare on the world scene against Americans,who generally have small tracks.Although back in the 70s i do think riders like Autrey often rode big dirt tracks like Ascot as well,though that wasn't speedway

 

Was Mike Bast generally poor on the big tracks? he was awesome around Costa Mesa (ect).I always felt Wimbledon would of been ideal for him gain confidence then learn on the bigger British tracks.Mauger/Briggs both said he would of cracked it over here both rated him highly a shame we did not get the chance to see him try.
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Was Mike Bast generally poor on the big tracks? he was awesome around Costa Mesa (ect).I always felt Wimbledon would of been ideal for him gain confidence then learn on the bigger British tracks.Mauger/Briggs both said he would of cracked it over here both rated him highly a shame we did not get the chance to see him try.

Was it rumoured that he about to sign for 'The Dons' prior to the start of the 1975 season but it fell thru' for whatever the reason?

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Was it rumoured that he about to sign for 'The Dons' prior to the start of the 1975 season but it fell thru' for whatever the reason?

Wimbledon did have some bad luck were they not suppose to of signed Christer Lofqvist once ? and later missed out on Bast i actually think Bast might of done a few laps at Plough Lane.??
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Wimbledon did have some bad luck were they not suppose to of signed Christer Lofqvist once ? and later missed out on Bast i actually think Bast might of done a few laps at Plough Lane.??

I do remember Lofqvist being named in one or two Wimbledon programmes,but he never turned up.And i do seem to remember Bast riding after one meeting.Think it was also suggested that Ivan was coming back to Plough Lane and it was almost a done deal,before he went to Exeter

Edited by iris123
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I do remember Lofqvist being named in one or two Wimbledon programmes,but he never turned up.And i do seem to remember Bast riding after one meeting.Think it was also suggested that Ivan was coming back to Plough Lane and it was almost a done deal,before he went to Exeter

Lofqvist i think then went and signed for Hackney i was a real fan of Christer a really exciting rider class.Bast in 77 came over for White City and i remember him moaning that he did not get the practice laps that he required to be competetive at White City. Who would of predicted in 77 that Penhall would end up being a double WC in the future.!!???
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I do remember Lofqvist being named in one or two Wimbledon programmes,but he never turned up.And i do seem to remember Bast riding after one meeting.Think it was also suggested that Ivan was coming back to Plough Lane and it was almost a done deal,before he went to Exeter

He was coming to Glasgow until Exeter offered to fly him meetings.

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Why is it some riders are good round one track and not so good at others?

Same as some racehorses act better round some than others.

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Andrew Silver's style didn't lend itself to big tracks and, yes, Ivan suggested that he should try and adapt but Andrew didn't take on that advice (in fact he openly ignored it) and hence his career really stood still once he moved up with the 'big boys' and he eventually retired (did make a brief come back) having lost his appetite for the sport.

I'm glad he never did change it...for me, he was one of the most exciting riders to watch, especially if he missed the gate at Blunsdon.

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Same as some racehorses act better round some than others.

 

That's mainly because some racecourses are left-handed and some are right-handed (with one figure of 8 track). You only go one way round a speedway track :wink:

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