The 4 Hours Speedway Meeting....

[New Science]

In amateur racing, the riders are waiting at the pit gates with their engines running as the previous heat finishes, and go out on to the track when the previous riders exit it. If amateurs can do this, why not the professionals?

With fifteen two minute warnings plus 15 races at 1 minute a piece we could be all be out of the stadium within the hour,

[Halifaxtiger]

Burger and Pies were amazing,believe he no longer is doing the catering,R Grant Jnr is now doing it.

[The White Knight]

 

Unnecessary delay annoys everyone. Standing at Ipswich on Saturday the lads I was with all complained about the interval, all the more so because it was a cold night.

 

Scunthorpe rarely have a meeting that takes longer than 90 minutes because they get on with it - I have even heard Rob Godfrey tell the referee to put the 2 minutes on - and have no interval. No reason why everyone else can't do the same.

 

As to food, get Mr Anderson to supply it. The burgers and pies at Berwick are amazing.

Gauranteed a 'Like' is the mention of Anderson's Pies. They are great.

 

What do you care, the length of a UK meeting will never affect you again!!

Whole story Shovlar .....

I am going to a Meeting at Redcar in a few weeks time to see a Sunderland Team racing. Rather knocks your argument on the head - doesn't it?

[Trees]

Gauranteed a 'Like' is the mention of Anderson's Pies. They are great.

 

 

I am going to a Meeting at Redcar in a few weeks time to see a Sunderland Team racing. Rather knocks your argument on the head - doesn't it?

"faints"

[f-s-p]

 

Home promoter can still exert a little influence, though. After all, he's the one left picking up the pieces afterwards.

 

All the best

Rob

The very RAW generalisation is that in a FIM meeting the local club pays the prize money for the riders and a staging fee to the FIM. With the staging fee comes a FIM ref and a jury president to make sure that rules are applied correctly. Someone still has to sell the tickets and organise the meeting.

 

Now with these promoted meetings, god and Armando only know what has been agreed on paper. But basically the promotors are marketing companies and want everything to look good, make good tv and sell it to sponsors. The KL u21 final was a joke.

[Tsunami]

Kings Lynn have form for this. Last years U21 went on and on and on..... watching online it was way after 11. Problem is Kings Lynn have no curfew to speed things along. Pity the poor souls that attended the U21.

 

Just think what it was for the Doctor for the meeting, my daughter !!! Didn't get to bed till 2.30am after the Jury meeting.

[Danny Connor]

The problem yesterday was the meeting start was delayed. Then every 4 heats the track was overhauled and it was kept almost perfect. But each time it took far too long.

 

The mood was a relaxed Sunday afternoon out. I'm sure if it had been a 7 pm start it would have been over befor ten allowing for the late flurry of incidents. It was a no win to some extent but heat 12 pre grade was a good race with passing as was heat 13 post grade. So I do wonder if every 4 heats was necessary . It never dusted once and was a lovely warm day. Had it been dusty people would have moaned too. A happy medium is needed but can you fault a track man laying a perfect race track. A lot of places could take note of the effort put in.

[Trees]

Just think what it was for the Doctor for the meeting, my daughter !!! Didn't get to bed till 2.30am after the Jury meeting.

Done loads of meetings over the years getting home later than that, at least she was paid for the priviledge

[stevehone]

Done loads of meetings over the years getting home later than that, at least she was paid for the priviledge

 

I'm not so sure that was getting home, I've a feeling the jury meeting after the meeting made it a long night and the doc was staying local

[Daniel Smith]

The problem yesterday was the meeting start was delayed. Then every 4 heats the track was overhauled and it was kept almost perfect. But each time it took far too long.

 

The mood was a relaxed Sunday afternoon out. I'm sure if it had been a 7 pm start it would have been over befor ten allowing for the late flurry of incidents. It was a no win to some extent but heat 12 pre grade was a good race with passing as was heat 13 post grade. So I do wonder if every 4 heats was necessary . It never dusted once and was a lovely warm day. Had it been dusty people would have moaned too. A happy medium is needed but can you fault a track man laying a perfect race track. A lot of places could take note of the effort put in.

 

I assume you wasn't standing anywhere near turns 1-2 then as dust was a big problem.

Absolutely covered head to toe by the end of the meeting.

 

But you're right in that had it been an evening meeting it would have run much quicker simply because less track work would have been needed

 

Standing in between turns 1-2 I was very grateful of the track grades and watering.

 

Yes, I do agree it was a long afternoon but I suppose, because I expected it being quite a warm sunny afternoon & a GP format meeting I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

In fact, has any SGP / SEC / SWC meeting ever been completed in 2hrs?

 

All in all

• 27 Heats
• 7 Heats Rerun
• 3 Due To Tape Replacements
• 4 Crashes
• 3 Of Which Required Medical Attention, Lambert's (rightly so) causing the longest delay

The start was delayed but while Lambert was on parade we were treated to an RAF Marham flyby with 6 Tornado GR4's flanking the A330 Voyager (Air to Air Refueller).

All part of the show I'd say

 

All in all, a great afternoon out I'd say

[f-s-p]

 

 

In fact, has any SGP / SEC / SWC meeting ever been completed in 2hrs?

SGP meetings have a timetable for the entire day of the meeting that is planned to every ten seconds including prize giving and fireworks. So even though they most likely will never get their 23 heats done in 2 hrs, they sure do try.

Edited March 28, 2017 by f-s-p

[Trees]

SGP meetings have a timetable for the entire day of the meeting that is planned to every ten seconds including prize giving and fireworks. So even though they most likely will never get their 23 heats done in 2 hrs, they sure do try.

They must be panicking if there's a fall and injury then ....

[mikebv]

SGP meetings have a timetable for the entire day of the meeting that is planned to every ten seconds including prize giving and fireworks. So even though they most likely will never get their 23 heats done in 2 hrs, they sure do try.

 

Having to pay for satellite time certainly focuses attention I would imagine...

 

I remember at Hyde Rd that the complex wanted the Speedway done for 9pm so that the fans could go and spend money on the funfair and bars...

 

Bikes went in one gate and out the other, with the bikes for the next race on track well before the riders from the previous heat had entered the pits...

 

If it could be done over forty years ago (running 13 heats and a full second half in two hours) then surely the same could be done today for 15 races?

[f-s-p]

They must be panicking if there's a fall and injury then ....

Not really... They just cut out some of the unnecessary stuff out. Like if there's a show for the interval and they are late, cut some of it out or similar.

 

A couple of seasons ago when they introduced the two minute warning for the gate draws, it was because they had seen that it took too much time to ride the last three heats. I think it was about 45 mins or similar for the semi's and final. So they cut the nonsense from the draw and saved alot of time.

 

Basically my point was (and not talking of lambo's testimonial, but of these 4 hour meetings that are a problem, even 3 is a problem) that if you try, it can happen. If you just Cruise through it as the clerk of the course, it wont.

[Katew1988]

Some people just love a good moan! Well done to simon and family....

 

All those years back at lynn when this little mascot came out and now hes achieved this meeting.

[Normski]

Berwick v Newcastle meeting finished at 8-30pm which left a good hour for the youngsters to get valuable track time.

[SCB]

Having to pay for satellite time certainly focuses attention I would imagine...

 

I remember at Hyde Rd that the complex wanted the Speedway done for 9pm so that the fans could go and spend money on the funfair and bars...

 

Bikes went in one gate and out the other, with the bikes for the next race on track well before the riders from the previous heat had entered the pits...

 

If it could be done over forty years ago (running 13 heats and a full second half in two hours) then surely the same could be done today for 15 races?

If you attend a South Track Riders meeting these days (admittedly nearer 10 years ago for me now) they have the riders for the next race lining up at the tapes as the riders from the last heat are pulling into the pits! No messing about. I remember seeing 60-odd heats in a little over 2 hours and that included trophy presentations at the end for about 5 or 6 classes.

 

But those riders have paid to race and just want to race.

[Trevor]

I agree with most of the comments on here, my biggest gripe is when there has been a long delay earlier in the meeting, but they still take an interval. I know they want to maximise food and drink takings, but if people don't come back next week what is the point?

[Tsunami]

 

I'm not so sure that was getting home, I've a feeling the jury meeting after the meeting made it a long night and the doc was staying local

She was Steve. Husband and baby had to go back to the hotel, and then back to the stadium to pick her up.

[Mike.Butler]

The vast majority of fans want 15 heat meetings to last between 90-105 minutes. All those involved in the meeting who dilly-dally/insist on intervals/overdo/fail to plan properly for breaks that result in this elapse time being exceeded do so at their own peril and do the sport a disservice generally. I do feel that some promotions now 'get it'..but by no means all.

 

REFEREES / RIDERS / TRACK STAFF / PROMOTERS / MANAGERS listen to your audience. A few mins here and there add up so easily and the frustration of watching NOTHING for no good reason is driving even us old-timers away..

 

We left Newcastle for the drive back to Sussex on Sunday very grateful that the meeting was over in less than 2 hours meaning I got home an hour earlier than I possibly could have done. So thank you so much to all for that.

Edited March 28, 2017 by Mike.Butler