Dangerous Machines Or Dangerous Tracks.

[iris123]

Good point Steve.Said it a number of times here.What we have is fewer riders riding more meetings.Anders Michanek said in Backtrack about a decade ago that in his day there were far more Swedish riders.I'd be fairly confident in sayingat the same time there were far more British riders. Certainly Scottish riders.....

Think someone went to all the trouble of looking at the stats,and they showed there weren't more injuries anyway,because practically every start of the season we had a thread asking why there were more injuries........

[waiheke1]

You may have a point here regarding different Countries - but as for media coverage it is virtually none existant these days, sadly. There was loads more media coverage in the 60's/70's.

 

I still believe my statement about more injuries these days to be true though. It has to be said that I cannot prove it - but that is my honest belief.

It depends what you consider media. If we are talking print or free to air coverage, certainly far less.

But the amount of meetings you can watch has increased exponentially, each week there are minimum a dozen meetings you can watch online. Results of any meeting are available online, and there is more information available online than was ever published on the media. So id say people's are far more aware of injuries etc than in prior years.

as Iris has mentioned I'm pretty sure someone has done the analysis and concluded that injuries are no more prevalent now than historically.

So I think it's z perception thing, not a reality

[SCB]

What I say is that the majority of life / career ending accidents tend to happen outside of British Speedway yet Brirish Speedway gets thw biggest flack from riders.

Some tracks here could do with being smoother but they're no more dangerous than anywhere else.

In fact, our safety records are way better than Polish tracks.

The thing is, they pay bigger bucks so that stops riders bleating about them.

Money over safety with riders imo

I was saying this to my dad the other day. We have more meeting in this country ban anywhere else but seem to have less injuries. Meanwhile Poland have a lot of injuries for so few meetings.

 

Yet Poland slag off our tracks.

[The Master 88]

The White Knight, on 13 Aug 2017 - 12:44 PM, said:

You may have a point here regarding different Countries - but as for media coverage it is virtually none existant these days, sadly. There was loads more media coverage in the 60's/70's.

I still believe my statement about more injuries these days to be true though. It has to be said that I cannot prove it - but that is my honest belief.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was referring to the likes Of this forum, Internet in general, Live streaming, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Back then you had to read the Speedway Mail Speedway Star & Express or maybe The MCN, and none of them really covered overseas unless a Brit was involved

Edited August 13, 2017 by The Master 88

[Theboss]

 

It's a different type of skill. It tests split second reactions and the expensive skill of the tuner.

 

I prefer the other type of skill based purely on riding ability but each to their own.

Bobby ott was very good at the type of skill you are on about

[The White Knight]

 

It's a different type of skill. It tests split second reactions and the expensive skill of the tuner.

 

I prefer the other type of skill based purely on riding ability but each to their own.

Hear, hear!!! :approve:

[Vince]

Increased torque = quicker starts but also = a lot more lifting in the corners on grippy tracks

Increased bhp / revs = faster top speeds but also means less time to react to trouble

 

Big sweeping tracks without a lot of shale are an answer to both of the above.

 

Pay your money, and take your choice.

 

I'd have said that increased torque lower down the rev range makes the bike spin more easily and therefore less lifting in corners. To my way of thinking it's the lack of flywheel weight in the chase for revs that cause the lifting and makes the bikes less predictable.

 

 

As I've watched it for 50+ years now....let me think.....can't remember Olle Nygren having super tuners nor Ove Fundin but by god they had fantastic riding skills

 

You can bet that for the big meetings they both had the fastest engines they could get their hands on from the likes of Lattenheimer.

 

I do think that there is a problem with the modern short stroke engine but I don't think the skill level is any lower than it was, if anything it's higher.

[The White Knight]

 

I'd have said that increased torque lower down the rev range makes the bike spin more easily and therefore less lifting in corners. To my way of thinking it's the lack of flywheel weight in the chase for revs that cause the lifting and makes the bikes less predictable.

 

You can bet that for the big meetings they both had the fastest engines they could get their hands on from the likes of Lattenheimer.

 

I do think that there is a problem with the modern short stroke engine but I don't think the skill level is any lower than it was, if anything it's higher.

It probably has to be in order to actually control the 'Rocket Ships' they are riding these days.

[waiheke1]

It probably has to be in order to actually control the 'Rocket Ships' they are riding these days.

But also look at the quality of racing produced by these riders. Can you name even one world final where the racing was as good as at Mallila on the weekend? I've watched every world final that is available on DVD or YouTube and would suggest none come close.

[steve roberts]

But also look at the quality of racing produced by these riders. Can you name even one world final where the racing was as good as at Mallila on the weekend? I've watched every world final that is available on DVD or YouTube and would suggest none come close.

...not obviously seeing the above mentioned meeting but the 1972 (Wembley) & 1973 (Katowice)...amongst others... had their fair share of drama, excitement and controversy which I'm sure most would agree are the main ingredients in what qualifies as a good speedway event.

Edited August 15, 2017 by steve roberts

[Stoke Potter]

So where are you going to site these tracks and the get the finance to buy the land and develop it? Most current tracks are in rented and shared arenas with little or no scope for alteration. You certainly could standardise machinery, you don't have to follow the herd.

The same place you did for Somerset, Scunthorpe, Belle Vue, Leicester, etc. Putting tracks in places where they essentially don't fit is just stupid.

Another benefit of not sharing with Greyhounds running 2/3 times a weeks is that you would have the possibility of running on your day of choice and not just when the Greyhounds could fit you in. Opens up the possibility of having a fixed race night, should you think that's a good idea. Also gives you more access and time to prepare a decent track surface as well.

If there's going to be a future for British Speedway that's where it lies.

Edited August 15, 2017 by Stoke Potter

[foamfence]

The same place you did for Somerset, Scunthorpe, Belle Vue, Leicester, etc. Putting tracks in places where they essentially don't fit is just stupid.

Another benefit of not sharing with Greyhounds running 2/3 times a weeks is that you would have the possibility of running on your day of choice and not just when the Greyhounds could fit you in. Opens up the possibility of having a fixed race night, should you think that's a good idea. Also gives you more access and time to prepare a decent track surface as well.

If there's going to be a future for British Speedway that's where it lies.

Sorry but that is just daydreaming, ask Cradley and Coventry fans. If you can build a stadium on a plot you can usually build something else, something that rakes in more money and which developers and financiers are more likely to invest in. Hopefully Cradley might get a new home but it's taken decades to get to the current stage. Somerset was built on the club owners land and Belle Vue will be lucky if it's financial backers ever get their full investment back.

[Fromafar]

The same place you did for Somerset, Scunthorpe, Belle Vue, Leicester, etc. Putting tracks in places where they essentially don't fit is just stupid.

Another benefit of not sharing with Greyhounds running 2/3 times a weeks is that you would have the possibility of running on your day of choice and not just when the Greyhounds could fit you in. Opens up the possibility of having a fixed race night, should you think that's a good idea. Also gives you more access and time to prepare a decent track surface as well.

If there's going to be a future for British Speedway that's where it lies.

The same place you did for Somerset, Scunthorpe, Belle Vue, Leicester, etc. Putting tracks in places where they essentially don't fit is just stupid.

Another benefit of not sharing with Greyhounds running 2/3 times a weeks is that you would have the possibility of running on your day of choice and not just when the Greyhounds could fit you in. Opens up the possibility of having a fixed race night, should you think that's a good idea. Also gives you more access and time to prepare a decent track surface as well.

If there's going to be a future for British Speedway that's where it lies.

Dont think there is enough money in the sport for Promoters to invest in new Stadiums on new sites,given the Planning,Permission and cost of finding suitable land.

[The White Knight]

Dont think there is enough money in the sport for Promoters to invest in new Stadiums on new sites,given the Planning,Permission and cost of finding suitable land.

And there's the rub.

 

As regards running when you like - that would also be under the Rules of the Council as they always have stipulations on things like this. Curfews etc.

[waiheke1]

...not obviously seeing the above mentioned meeting but the 1972 (Wembley) & 1973 (Katowice)...amongst others... had their fair share of drama, excitement and controversy which I'm sure most would agree are the main ingredients in what qualifies as a good speedway event.

For drama magic and controversy I agree you can't beat the old one off world final.

However for quality of racing I defy you to say that either of those finals had better racing than the gp from Saturday which was the pint I was making. I'd really recommend you watch it on youtube.

I'd say there are a range of factors driving the improved quality of racing (better track prep, a field where all 16 riders are world class, every rider having something to race for right to the final heat, improvement in safety meaning riders are willing to take more risks), but skill of riders is certainly one of them imo.

[Starman2006]

Dont think there is enough money in the sport for Promoters to invest in new Stadiums on new sites,given the Planning,Permission and cost of finding suitable land.

True.

. Somerset was built on the club owners land and Belle Vue will be lucky if it's financial backers ever get their full investment back.

Spot on.

[keef robin]

For drama magic and controversy I agree you can't beat the old one off world final.

However for quality of racing I defy you to say that either of those finals had better racing than the gp from Saturday which was the pint I was making. I'd really recommend you watch it on youtube.

I'd say there are a range of factors driving the improved quality of racing (better track prep, a field where all 16 riders are world class, every rider having something to race for right to the final heat, improvement in safety meaning riders are willing to take more risks), but skill of riders is certainly one of them imo.

The last two Cardiff GPS have seen some superb speedway.

[bruno]

I watched the Wembley one which Penhall won a few months back and it wasn't as good as I remember it except a couple of classic races

[steve roberts]

I watched the Wembley one which Penhall won a few months back and it wasn't as good as I remember it except a couple of classic races

...but the atmosphere was electric!

[GWC]

It was noticeable after seeing laydowns for the first time how riders sat forward almost hugging the fuel tank.

The upright style was to sit back towards the rear wheel so the power must be far less.