Kings Lynn 2018..

[Danny Connor]

So the last few posts just completely ignoring the fact the racing had improved no end after the new shale/riders came and the 2nd half of the season was good racing. 

 

Sorry that doesn't fit the negative theme! . . . . at least the results were rubbish though 

[Bagpuss]

Absolutely no surprise that a change of dirt resulted in better racing. Along with the two bad attitudes being removed from the team.

The heavy, stock car friendly shale has resulted in poor racing for a few years now. No outside line, the following riders being slowed down by the heavy spray from the leaders back wheel. Hopefully the penny has dropped.

[tellboy]

2 hours ago, blupanther said:

Kings Lynn has been pants for a few years now, i can't see it ever improving without taking in the corners...

I don't really get this taking in the corners bit.Been done at Lynn before,nothing changed.At various tracks we get good racing,Peterborough,Belle Vue,Wolves,Scunthorpe different size tracks they are and all produce good racing on their day.So i really don't think size or shape matters(keep telling the missus that to).To me it is the material used and the application of the riders that makes the difference.As Danny Connor said the racing certainly improved when different riders and material was used half way through last season.

[BluPanther]

Just now, tellboy said:

I don't really get this taking in the corners bit.Been done at Lynn before,nothing changed.At various tracks we get good racing,Peterborough,Belle Vue,Wolves,Scunthorpe different size tracks they are and all produce good racing on their day.So i really don't think size or shape matters(keep telling the missus that to).To me it is the material used and the application of the riders that makes the difference.As Danny Connor said the racing certainly improved when different riders and material was used half way through last season.

Combination of the two maybe. Always enjoyed my monthly visits to Lynn over many years, but gave up on it about six years ago and decided to make the Showground my 'entertainment' venue...

[bellevueace]

3 hours ago, Haza said:

Thing also to remember the stadiums main business is Stock Cars not speedway - it’s a stock car stadium that happen to run speedway as well , I’ve several stock car friends and they all say about Lynn what we used to say about speedway best track in the country .  

Hyde Road managed to marry the two sports together very successfully, why not Lynn? Then the promoter gets the best of both worlds.

[Warriors]

Unfortunately until they go back to using what I call proper shale, the orange stuff like they use at other tracks such as belle vue, wolves, Somerset , etc, & not using muck co’s that’s all it is that’s why it’s so tacky because of all the clay in it, the racing will pretty much remain the same, so as someone already said it’s not good getting all the other stuff right and forgetting about the track.

[mrss]

Sadly we cannot live in the past. The days of exciting speedway are few and far between. The bikes are too fast and most riders don't like a grippy track.

[Insider]

I have some snippets of information regarding the 2018 Stars line up. No names were mentioned, but this came from the man at the very top!

All seven riders have already signed, although one is pending a work permit application.

There will be one rider with an over eight average.

Young, talented Danish rider will be at reserve.

The line up has been constructed so that there will always be a solid performer at reserve alongside the new Dane.

He didn’t give too much away, but is sure it will be an exciting line up that will be pushing for the playoffs.

Edited December 29, 2017 by Insider
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[g13webb]

26 minutes ago, mrss said:

Sadly we cannot live in the past. The days of exciting speedway are few and far between. The bikes are too fast and most riders don't like a grippy track.

Unfortunately, the sport has changed tremendously since them early days, when bikes were of a lesser importance than the rider.   A good rider could always be competitive on poor machinery , whereas today the bike has to be equally as good, just to be in with a chance...    The skill factor has changed.  these high revving engines likes nothing more then to have the throttle turned up.    No doubt the greats of years back who then ruled the world would struggle on these super fast bikes.....  

So tracks of today, has to cater for these ultra quick machines and that is where the problems some in...... 

[OldRacer]

1 hour ago, g13webb said:

Unfortunately, the sport has changed tremendously since them early days, when bikes were of a lesser importance than the rider.   A good rider could always be competitive on poor machinery , whereas today the bike has to be equally as good, just to be in with a chance...    The skill factor has changed.  these high revving engines likes nothing more then to have the throttle turned up.    No doubt the greats of years back who then ruled the world would struggle on these super fast bikes.....  

So tracks of today, has to cater for these ultra quick machines and that is where the problems some in...... 

I've heard this a few times, but don't understand why heat times and track records aren't way faster than they used to be.  What am I missing?

[Bald Bloke]

55 minutes ago, OldRacer said:

I've heard this a few times, but don't understand why heat times and track records aren't way faster than they used to be.  What am I missing?

Probably because the modern engines rev so high,with peak power high up in the rev range.When these modern bikes hit a bit of of extra grip,it kills off the revs a bit and the bike grips hard and takes off.

So in general the tracks have less  shale than they use to to make these modern bikes easier to control,less grip in general = slower times,up to a point.

However as we saw in the Lynn v Poole meeting on "that" night if a rider attacks a grippy track,the race times are faster than on a slick track..

A lot of riders want a smooth consistant ride over a 'tighten their bum cheek ride' on a really grippy track these days.

Edited December 29, 2017 by Bald Bloke

[Trees]

7 hours ago, Bald Bloke said:

Probably because the modern engines rev so high,with peak power high up in the rev range.When these modern bikes hit a bit of of extra grip,it kills off the revs a bit and the bike grips hard and takes off.

So in general the tracks have less  shale than they use to to make these modern bikes easier to control,less grip in general = slower times,up to a point.

However as we saw in the Lynn v Poole meeting on "that" night if a rider attacks a grippy track,the race times are faster than on a slick track..

A lot of riders want a smooth consistant ride over a 'tighten their bum cheek ride' on a really grippy track these days.

Can't blame them with the bikes they are on, lives and bodies on the line, they need to feel confident to race properly... 

[g13webb]

9 hours ago, OldRacer said:

I've heard this a few times, but don't understand why heat times and track records aren't way faster than they used to be.  What am I missing?

Cant be as specific with other tracks, but at Lynn there is a vast difference in the times of yesteryear to that of today.  At that first meeting in 1965 the track record was recorded as 72.8 sec .  In early time of Michael Lee,   he reduced the record to 68 sec.    This time was repeatedly lowered to the present record of around 57sec,  actually achieved by Nicky Pedersen .   What is strange is that nobody has beaten his time in the last 10 years though.....   This could be attributed to many things,    the track and weather were in top condition,  Nicky was on fire that night,  or could it have been a malfunction of the timing equipment,,,   Whatever it was,  it has sure stood the test of time......

[Danny Connor]

I remember schliens sub 58 time was really questionable. Transponders would be great going forward and would reduce the guessing from the ref at level finishes too.

 

[mrss]

7 hours ago, Trees said:

Can't blame them with the bikes they are on, lives and bodies on the line, they need to feel confident to race properly... 

No you can't blame the riders for wanting a good track. But good tracks produce boring speedway. Boring speedway puts people off attending. Smaller crowds means clubs lose even more money. Clubs losing money will eventually mean no club. 

[Trees]

2 hours ago, mrss said:

No you can't blame the riders for wanting a good track. But good tracks produce boring speedway. Boring speedway puts people off attending. Smaller crowds means clubs lose even more money. Clubs losing money will eventually mean no club. 

I wouldn't say that, good tracks produce good racing. Trouble with our track is the clay content, it is a good track but not all riders fancy it, they don't feel confident imo and that stops them giving 100%.  It might not be the only reason that the racing isn't what the fans want to see, maybe riders don't give 100% because they aren't happy with their pay and don't think it deserves 100% effort, who knows?  What I do know is that riders must know that fans want to see great racing and if they can't produce it speedway will die.  The riders need as much input as anyone imo ....

[Danny Connor]

Another page of comments forgetting the racing was pretty good the 2nd half of the season!!!! it was drab until the new stuff was put on the track! i agree with that. but it improved loads in the 2nd half! Riders like thj auty and toft made loads of passes and this wasn't just the odd meeting it was many meetings. 

[mrss]

53 minutes ago, Danny Connor said:

Another page of comments forgetting the racing was pretty good the 2nd half of the season!!!! it was drab until the new stuff was put on the track! i agree with that. but it improved loads in the 2nd half! Riders like thj auty and toft made loads of passes and this wasn't just the odd meeting it was many meetings. 

If riders like Thj ,Auty, and Palm Toft were passing people regularly the opposition must have been poor. I attended the last double header meeting and the racing was dreadful. I will be on the first bend supporting the Stars again next season, but if the racing is poor again I will stop going.

[Steve0]

18 minutes ago, Richard Weston said:

The change in silencers a few years back slowed the bikes considerably.

Except for Eddie “the driller” Kennett

[Ghosty]

7 hours ago, mrss said:

No you can't blame the riders for wanting a good track. But good tracks produce boring speedway. Boring speedway puts people off attending. Smaller crowds means clubs lose even more money. Clubs losing money will eventually mean no club. 

I can't agree that "good tracks produce boring speedway"  if you went to any meeting @ Somerset during the 2017 season & likewise Belle Vue (from what I did see) you would have seen brilliant speedway. It's not good when riders crash - only due track POOR conditions! this is costly on machinery & even worst  riders injuries.