Track Covers

[Max the rebel]

Can't teams have a meeting each at the start of the season to pay for track covers as they did for air fences.

The covers work very well at Berwick and would stop most meetings being OFF

Edited June 10, 2017 by TEAM LOGAN AND ERIKA

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

Plenty of other tracks could afford covers - I dont think cost is the issue for all.

 

The problem is the logistics of stadium use and man power as to when they could be used.

[allthegearbutnaeidea]

Plenty of other tracks could afford covers - I dont think cost is the issue for all.

 

The problem is the logistics of stadium use and man power as to when they could be used.

Agreed, it is just tarpaulin I think but stadium use will be the biggest factor

[Tsunami]

They only last about 4 to 5 meetings.

[toontrader]

They only last about 4 to 5 meetings.

But surely that is five meetings already this season that Berwick have saved

[Gazc]

But surely that is five meetings already this season that Berwick have saved

Must be , I know we had a moan earlier but you have to credit them for there forward thinking and the meetings they have saved.

Edited June 10, 2017 by Gazc

[Joseq7]

They only last about 4 to 5 meetings.

Really? Why?

[CookieIpswich]

Should be compulsory in the top league

[crescent girl]

They only last about 4 to 5 meetings.

 

Dave, Dave.... That's just not true. The current covers at Berwick were first used for a match against Redcar in April 2016, and again before another meeting, maybe two more, last season.

 

This year, the Berwick promotion have saved SEVEN meetings more or less directly through the use of the same covers.

 

To add to other posts on the subject, track covers cost about 50% of the cost of raining off ONE meeting.

 

Now, I agree that other tracks aren't suited to being covered, and stadium access -- and availability of man-power -- might be a problem elsewhere.

 

But problems are there to be sorted. I cannot believe other promotions have so far not investigated why Berwick have been so successful in this matter.

[Tsunami]

Really? Why?

It what was said when Berwick saved that FIM championship event about 3 years ago. I had reason to remember it. Don't forget not only do you have to have the covers but a large gang of people who can turn up at the right time to both put them down and lift them, and the duration and intensity of the rain to be to your advantage.

Edited June 10, 2017 by Tsunami

[False dawn]

Attention Briggo.

Following your double action flicker and the Briggo dirt deflector, surely you can come with the Briggo track cover?

[crescent girl]

It what was said when Berwick saved that FIM championship event about 3 years ago. I had reason to remember it. Don't forget not only do you have to have the covers but a large gang of people who can turn up air the right time to both put them down and lift them and the duration and intensity of the rain to be to your advantage.

 

Yes, three years ago -- when Berwick had completely different covers -- that was perhaps true.

 

That was then, this is now. Different covering system, and each time it gets done it gets easier.

 

Twelve people, about an hour and they are laid.

 

Always plenty of helpers to lift them before the meeting starts, which then maybe takes 20 minutes or so.

[Tsunami]

 

Yes, three years ago -- when Berwick had completely different covers -- that was perhaps true.

 

That was then, this is now. Different covering system, and each time it gets done it gets easier.

 

Twelve people, about an hour and they are laid.

 

Always plenty of helpers to lift them before the meeting starts, which then maybe takes 20 minutes or so.

It was, and a lot of them got damaged.

[ruffdiamond]

For covers to work well, would adequate drainage be needed ?

[DiamondGlory]

For covers to work well, would adequate drainage be needed ?

Probably, which is why it wouldn't work as well for us, because our draining is awful. Plus, there'd need to be more volunteers, so that's another problem that would need to be tackled.

[allthegearbutnaeidea]

It was, and a lot of them got damaged.

And that was basically the first time anyone had tried to use covers in the UK just about so we was going in blind not knowing how to do it properly...

[Super Blue]

If covers were used all over the leagues I'm sure a lot of meetings would be saved, however as has been said the manpower would be extensive, time consuming and would require some sort of reciprocal gestures from the promotions involved (like free admission for the helpers) and as we all know they don't like giving anything away!

 

At Ipswich if a season ticket holder can't make a meeting they won't even let someone else use their ticket which I think is disgusting PR.

 

However back to original thread I think they are a great idea that should be in much wider use!

[Max the rebel]

I think they should be mandatory like air fences after they have done what they need to do after a meeting the track staff put on the covers till next meeting.

Then track staff get to next meeting take them off to do what they need to do to the track.

If the hevans open then nothing u can do.

U would save 90% of meetings and save thousands of pounds in doing so and the supporters no that they are doing everything possible to get the meeting on.

[topsoil]

If covers were used all over the leagues I'm sure a lot of meetings would be saved, however as has been said the manpower would be extensive, time consuming and would require some sort of reciprocal gestures from the promotions involved (like free admission for the helpers) and as we all know they don't like giving anything away!

 

At Ipswich if a season ticket holder can't make a meeting they won't even let someone else use their ticket which I think is disgusting PR.

 

However back to original thread I think they are a great idea that should be in much wider use!

Berwick offered free admission to helpers on Friday night. It normally take around a team of 12 to lay covers. It's £15 admission for adults. Therefore effectively it should cost £180 (lost takings). Compare that with the cost of a rain off. Any promotion not considering this would be daft.

[New era Panthers]

I think they should be mandatory like air fences after they have done what they need to do after a meeting the track staff put on the covers till next meeting.

Then track staff get to next meeting take them off to do what they need to do to the track.

If the hevans open then nothing u can do.

U would save 90% of meetings and save thousands of pounds in doing so and the supporters no that they are doing everything possible to get the meeting on.

Unfortunately most tracks don't belong to speedway teams and are used for various other purposes that makes it impractical to be able facilitate this idea, so we have to put up with chances of rain offs.