Rye House 2018

[RobMcCaffery]

On 31/03/2018 at 11:25 PM, bruno said:

Off topic a bit but I've just come across some racing on you tube where old cars are pulling old caravans around a track where the object of the race seemed to be to smash anything that gets in the way to bits. Strange thing was the stadium seemed to be packed

I used to commentate on Banger Caravan racing back in the 1980s. It was a bit of fun, designed as an 'extra' to regular banger racing. There were various forms. One saw two teams , one car from each towing a caravan with about three cars defending the caravan and another three attacking the other. There was another where the aim was to drive a car up into the opponent's caravan at high speed, park in it for a few laps then reverse back out of it. 

I got into TV commentary to cover speedway but it was soon decided that we needed another sport and since we knew our way round many of the same stadia I found myself covering stock car racing, which to be honest I'd had little interest in before 1984. We mainly covered the serious BriSCA series with rather expensive if brutal cars, but often also covered the less formal, cheaper and fun formulae. 

It was frustrating to constantly visit speedway tracks to cover stox to find the crowds much higher than for our sport. Places like Coventry, Belle Vue, Long Eaton and Sheffield were close to capacity whenever we visited while former speedway tracks like Brafield, now called Northampton would also have very healthy gates.

Perhaps the general public relate more to cars than bikes, or perhaps people were entertained, saw action they liked and wanted more? I certainly remember how well organised most meetings were and how few delays there were, despite the carnage after races. They just got on with matters.

Whether you like or respect that sport or not perhaps instead of sneering at it all, like so many speedway fans seem to do, it might be an idea to learn from it? They give the public what it wants. We used to. What happened? 

I'd suggest we took our eye off the ball. We've been wasting years of time and effort fretting over team compositions, averages and starting regulations instead of just giving people the formula that works - good quality racing, meaningful teams that the public can identify with and a regular supply of entertaining meetings that make people find ways to watch, not, as seems to be the way now, to find reasons not to. 

Now, back to Rye House Rockets? 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 1, 2018 by RobMcCaffery

[Gemini]

6 minutes ago, RobMcCaffery said:

Perhaps the general public relate more to cars than bikes, or perhaps people were entertained, saw action they liked and wanted more?

Or perhaps it's just the fact that mostly these meetings are only once a month? 

[OldRacer]

8 minutes ago, Gemini said:

Or perhaps it's just the fact that mostly these meetings are only once a month? 

That's the spirit.  Ignore the expert and assume that there is a trivial explanation as to why they draw better crowds than speedway.

[RobMcCaffery]

21 minutes ago, Gemini said:

Or perhaps it's just the fact that mostly these meetings are only once a month? 

Not really. Many tracks run at the lower levels weekly, and often twice-weekly during high summer. These tend to be the Spedeworth tracks in the south and other, lesser promoting groups. It's much less cohesive than speedway. 

The monthly meetings tend to be BriSCA events where there is a national travelling circus of drivers, backed up by local racers. Taking Coventry, a good 50% of drivers at Brandon on a Saturday would be seen at Northampton the next day and the fixtures were arranged so that there were few fixture clashes at F1 level, which Coventry mainly operated at. So to the fans the racing was 2-3 times a week, within a fairly tightly-spaced area with the northernmost track being in County Durham and the southernmost being Northampton. So, most supporters would have a wide choice of meetings and not just a monthly event at their local track. Fans would follow their heroes around the various tracks, just like we would follow our teams.

There is also a greater tradition of monthly racing at individual tracks, dating back over six decades. By contrast speedway's successful years were always based on regular weekly speedway. The professional promoters of the past knew this and made sure that the fixture gaps were kept well under control. Len Silver for example would even go so far at Hackney to arrange a top-class individual meeting, Superama, at Waterden Road when the Hawks were away to a Friday track like Wolverhampton, Newport or Glasgow. Continuity was the key. 'Make it a date, Friday at 8' was more than just a throwaway marketing line, nor was the Rayleigh equivalent of Saturday at 8. Sadly "Make it a date, Sunday at 4.30" wouldn't have quite sounded right at Rye House. 

For several peak months of the year we are now witnessing almost monthly speedway. It doesn't seem to be doing much to raise crowds does it? 

Returning to Rye House, it's been commented on how the track had good crowds early season last year but they tailed-off later. Perhaps this is because the early season saw regular Saturday night racing before the fragmented midweek schedule came along once the full SGP and Polish seasons became a more lucrative distraction for riders? I worry that a full season like that, of irregular Mondays and Wednesdays could be damaging for the track. We can only wait and see. I do hope it works but I can't help feeling that BMR's lack of understanding of speedway that has see the move to the top level could prove to be costly for a track with decades of weekend racing.

 

 

Edited April 2, 2018 by RobMcCaffery

[startline sid]

7 hours ago, RobMcCaffery said:

I used to commentate on Banger Caravan racing back in the 1980s. It was a bit of fun, designed as an 'extra' to regular banger racing. There were various forms. One saw two teams , one car from each towing a caravan with about three cars defending the caravan and another three attacking the other. There was another where the aim was to drive a car up into the opponent's caravan at high speed, park in it for a few laps then reverse back out of it. 

I got into TV commentary to cover speedway but it was soon decided that we needed another sport and since we knew our way round many of the same stadia I found myself covering stock car racing, which to be honest I'd had little interest in before 1984. We mainly covered the serious BriSCA series with rather expensive if brutal cars, but often also covered the less formal, cheaper and fun formulae. 

It was frustrating to constantly visit speedway tracks to cover stox to find the crowds much higher than for our sport. Places like Coventry, Belle Vue, Long Eaton and Sheffield were close to capacity whenever we visited while former speedway tracks like Brafield, now called Northampton would also have very healthy gates.

Perhaps the general public relate more to cars than bikes, or perhaps people were entertained, saw action they liked and wanted more? I certainly remember how well organised most meetings were and how few delays there were, despite the carnage after races. They just got on with matters.

Whether you like or respect that sport or not perhaps instead of sneering at it all, like so many speedway fans seem to do, it might be an idea to learn from it? They give the public what it wants. We used to. What happened? 

I'd suggest we took our eye off the ball. We've been wasting years of time and effort fretting over team compositions, averages and starting regulations instead of just giving people the formula that works - good quality racing, meaningful teams that the public can identify with and a regular supply of entertaining meetings that make people find ways to watch, not, as seems to be the way now, to find reasons not to. 

Now, back to Rye House Rockets? 

 

 

 

 

well said Rob I have no interest in stock cars etc but do admire the way their meetings are run (I have been a few times to take grandchildren) fully agree with you about the state of speedway - the fans have been saying the same thing for years but nobody listened but now I fear it is too late.  At Rye we do at least have a promotion who do listen and talk to the fans we just need a few more like them within the sport.

[GWC]

We live in a totally different world now with 24 hour TV and sports.

Speedway like Cricket (although 20-20 has been its salvation) lost its family image and patience seems to have gone as people want continuous excitement.

Speedway racing is as exciting if not more so than ever and the riders exceptionall skilful but for now we live with what we have, there are still nearly 30 clubs going so nothing as bad as 1958 when there were only 10 full time clubs.

 

[cityrebel]

The problem is, that joe public doesn't think that 15 minutes of 'entertainment' is worth 20 quid. Run the main event for those that want a quick get away, and put on some motocross for those that want their money's worth.

[RobMcCaffery]

It's a heck of a long time ago but at Rayleigh in the early 60s the Rockets had to finish on time to let the greyhound racing take over, so they do have 'previous; ;-)

One major change in British society in my lifetime is that we are no longer a nation of non-complainers, at least publicly to bad service providers. Instead of just moaning in private or just putting up with rubbish part of the slow Americanisation of our society is the willingness to complain and to expect good service. Sadly few in speedway have woken up to this and believe they can just do what they want, offer what they want and the customer will just take it. Times have changed, expectations have changed and you can't get away with that anymore.

Back in the days when meetings abandoned after heat 6 saw no refunds at all and so with just 6 heats to pay for it could be rather rewarding for promoters, I remember one of the 'old lags' of speedway talking in the old caravan office at Rye House. "Old 'so and so' had a result last night - called off after six." Our much vilified promoter of the day, now happily curating the track at Swindon rebuked him pretty directly, "And what about those who won't come back next week?"

Sometimes the ones who are alert to the needs of the public are the 'villains' while those who put together winning teams but don't give a damn about the fans are the 'heroes'. 

I do hope the new promotion do show genuine regard for the fans. An old friend of mine did complain about the stadium work being dangerously incomplete and was banned for it but I do hope that was just a stupid mistake that has been learned from. 

GWC quite rightly pointed out that with 30 tracks running we are in terms of numbers better off than 1958 but in those days promoters expected to make money from the sport. Now many are fans who are prepared to make losses. So, while I am concerned about the lack of understanding of customer care or respect you do have to appreciate their determination to keep going.

Of course we knew there was a crisis the year before, 1957, when the previous three leagues finally collapsed into one and a certain team spent their only year in the top flight - Rayleigh Rockets. That put them out of business for a few years until the arrival of the Provincial League. I do hope the Rye House version of the Rockets fares better. 

 

Edited April 2, 2018 by RobMcCaffery

[SFTGNigel]

 Not a regular contributor here but thought I would come in and see what the news was on this farce with the MotoX track. 

I cannot see how there will be even half decent views from anything except small pockets of the trackside, at best. It will take major work in terms of building extensive and substantial stands to give the majority of the crowd sightlines that let them see the racing. 

The new racenights were actually a bonus for me and I was expecting to get to more than my usual 6-8 home meetings a season but I really fear that my first one this campaign may be my last, at least for the foreseeable future.

I’ll attend the opening fixture and if it’s as difficult to enjoyably view the racing as I expect it to be then will ask for a refund (and I suspect I won’t be the only one) and sadly have to consider making Lakeside my regular speedway fix. That would be a huge pity as Rye House is where I discovered the sport, is my favourite track to to watch it at and the team I care about. At Lakeside I would be an interested well-wisher,  no more. 

I read someone upthread tell people to “Support BMR” which is absurd, I support Rye House Rockets not the company currently owning it. The promotion have done a lot of good in the short term but some of their actions show a worrying ambivalence to speedway’s  long-term future at the track. 

[poppetman]

"Sadly "Make it a date, Sunday at 4.30" wouldn't have quite sounded right at Rye House". 

Come and get dirty,Sunday at 4.30!

[RobMcCaffery]

5 minutes ago, poppetman said:

"Sadly "Make it a date, Sunday at 4.30" wouldn't have quite sounded right at Rye House". 

Come and get dirty,Sunday at 4.30!

You could have a great future in speedway administration.

Run now, while you can.......... ;-)

 

[martinmauger]

On 02/04/2018 at 10:10 AM, GWC said:

Speedway like Cricket (although 20-20 has been its salvation) lost its family image and patience seems to have gone as people want continuous excitement.

 

At the risk of appearing somewhat dense, though ball games aren't my bag at all, briefly how does 20./20 cricket differ from the 'regular' version of so many overs?...

[Speedwaycrazy]

2 hours ago, SFTGNigel said:

 Not a regular contributor here but thought I would come in and see what the news was on this farce with the MotoX track. 

I cannot see how there will be even half decent views from anything except small pockets of the trackside, at best. It will take major work in terms of building extensive and substantial stands to give the majority of the crowd sightlines that let them see the racing. 

The new racenights were actually a bonus for me and I was expecting to get to more than my usual 6-8 home meetings a season but I really fear that my first one this campaign may be my last, at least for the foreseeable future.

I’ll attend the opening fixture and if it’s as difficult to enjoyably view the racing as I expect it to be then will ask for a refund (and I suspect I won’t be the only one) and sadly have to consider making Lakeside my regular speedway fix. That would be a huge pity as Rye House is where I discovered the sport, is my favourite track to to watch it at and the team I care about. At Lakeside I would be an interested well-wisher,  no more. 

I read someone upthread tell people to “Support BMR” which is absurd, I support Rye House Rockets not the company currently owning it. The promotion have done a lot of good in the short term but some of their actions show a worrying ambivalence to speedway’s  long-term future at the track. 

Hi All,

Has anyone got any photos of the centre green / track so we can all see what it now looks like please?

I am picturing a  small Ben Nevis on the infield....I hope I am wrong!

[barraider]

Theres plenty of pictures on rye house fans page on facebook

[SFTGNigel]

Not sure if this link will work, some video on instagram here : https://instagram.com/p/BgzRXc6hQSx/

[racers and royals]

 

[cityrebel]

I must say, I've never seen the launch pad looking so sad. A far cry from my first visit, way back in 1972.

[hammer1969]

2 hours ago, Speedwaycrazy said:

Hi All,

Has anyone got any photos of the centre green / track so we can all see what it now looks like please?

I am picturing a  small Ben Nevis on the infield....I hope I am wrong!

To me it looks like big piles of mud and lots of potholes - bit like the car park!  Still looking on the brightside its a good place for the riders to practice their gardening

 

[tonyd]

Plenty of dirt for the riders to collect and use to garden at the gate. Imagine out the pits onto the motoX track to the highest point wave to the crowd collect a bucket of dirt while your up there and then off to the starting gate to deposit the dirt in your selected rut ( while maintaining full control of the bike at all times) 

[barraider]

For those of you who would like to see track/view of track, Steve Jenson has invited people to attend this sunday between 11am-1pm with free tea/coffee 

And he will answer any concerns you may have