A Very Short Season

[bruno]

Il defend riders most times but the Scunthorpe Workington meeting last year was a shambles with the riders attitude except a couple namely Josh Auty and James Sargeant. What gets me is that the riders tend to say they can't ride because of visibility but I watched a couple of moto gps last season when it bucketed down but they get on with it going at treble the speed at least

[RS50]

One point I would like to make. Surely with less fixtures, and no championship/premiership doubling up issues, should be possible to issue fixtures a lot earlier. Not convinced it will happen though.

[Halifaxtiger]

They need to clamp down on meeting being postponed for anything but an act of god TBH. And even then if it raining at start time, you can't be allowed to call a meeting off once it started.

 

I can't agree. Its occasionally the case that there is a hope that the rain will stop and it just gets worse instead.

 

I think there has to be a realisation as to just how much a rain off with all the spectators in the stadium will cost a promoter, because its thousands even at most NL clubs.

 

For that reason, it is rare that a meeting is called off in those circumstances unnecessarily.

[SCB]

 

I can't agree. Its occasionally the case that there is a hope that the rain will stop and it just gets worse instead.

 

I think there has to be a realisation as to just how much a rain off with all the spectators in the stadium will cost a promoter, because its thousands even at most NL clubs.

 

For that reason, it is rare that a meeting is called off in those circumstances unnecessarily.

Ive been to too many meetings (more fool me) where it has been drizzling all afternoon, the meeting has started in drizzle and then low and behold you get to heat 8/10/12 (whatever is needed for no money back) and we're told, "Tracks to wet to carry on", well the rain had got no worse and was only doing what was forcast. By doing that, all they do is make people like me refuse to go now if the weather even looks slightly dodgy. They're killing the support by ripping them off.

 

I remember in times gone by watching racing in the actual rain, not just a wet track. But racing, in the rain!

[balderdash&piffle]

Ive been to too many meetings (more fool me) where it has been drizzling all afternoon, the meeting has started in drizzle and then low and behold you get to heat 8/10/12 (whatever is needed for no money back) and we're told, "Tracks to wet to carry on", well the rain had got no worse and was only doing what was forcast. By doing that, all they do is make people like me refuse to go now if the weather even looks slightly dodgy. They're killing the support by ripping them off.

 

I remember in times gone by watching racing in the actual rain, not just a wet track. But racing, in the rain!

Just thinking of the Tomicek this year, raining when we got into stadium, it progressively got worse, yet they still run the meeting till heat 16 at Marketa. They did the same in the 250 world championship only abandoned the final, it was lashing it down. What is it about UK speedway,m 'ITS SPITTING ABANDON THE MEETING'

[SCB]

Just thinking of the Tomicek this year, raining when we got into stadium, it progressively got worse, yet they still run the meeting till heat 16 at Marketa. They did the same in the 250 world championship only abandoned the final, it was lashing it down. What is it about UK speedway,m 'ITS SPITTING ABANDON THE MEETING'

In 2009, heat 15 of Coventry vs BV was run in a torrential downpour. The result was settled so was a pointless heat in many respects but the race was run with KK gating for BV and the two Bees, Harris and Nicholls passing him and getting a 5-1.

[Halifaxtiger]

Ive been to too many meetings (more fool me) where it has been drizzling all afternoon, the meeting has started in drizzle and then low and behold you get to heat 8/10/12 (whatever is needed for no money back) and we're told, "Tracks to wet to carry on", well the rain had got no worse and was only doing what was forcast. By doing that, all they do is make people like me refuse to go now if the weather even looks slightly dodgy. They're killing the support by ripping them off.

 

I remember in times gone by watching racing in the actual rain, not just a wet track. But racing, in the rain!

 

I have done over 700 meetings at every track in the UK in the last 12 or so seasons and I haven't been to many where its been as blatant as that. In addition, don't we all try to avoid a potential rain off ? I know I do.

 

I don't mind a meeting reaching heat 10 and being called off even if the conditions were the same at heat 7, and there is a good reason for that.

 

One NL promoter told me that a rain off had cost him £4,000 and that two more like it would have closed the track. I was chatting with him at the start of one meeting with no rain predicted and a few spots came down (possibly signalling some heavy stuff) and the look on his face was scary. Getting to heat 10 - even if it is a bit fixed - avoids that and this isn't penny pinching (like full price insert programmes) this is the very future of the track.

 

Where I do agree, though, is when meetings are abandoned to suit one side or the other, the infamous Belle Vue-Poole EL Semi Final the other year being the prime example. That is just not on.

[CookieIpswich]

If a cancellation costs promoters £4k then track covers are surely a must and something must be put in place for riders to be able to race in wet conditions

[IronScorpion]

Like this year, 3 teams will be racing on a Thursday but Friday has got more popular with Scunthorpe & Glasgow joining Edinburgh racing on that night. Throw in few meetings for Lakeside & Peterborough on a Friday & it will not be as short as some might think, just might not be regular with the possibility of 1 meeting in 3 weeks. It will be interesting if some teams are still interested in having Bank Holiday Monday meetings.

[Tsunami]

If a cancellation costs promoters £4k then track covers are surely a must and something must be put in place for riders to ride in wet conditions

Except of course they are probably not be able to see.

[CookieIpswich]

Which would require some R&D

[East End Fan]

The talk of track covers has been going on for years.  Berwick seem to have got the hang of it, but I can see almighty problems

with them.  The pure size and weight of the sheets would need an army to handle. And where do you store them ?  How do you

move them ?  I'm very curious as to how Berwick do it.  Can someone tell me ?  HOWEVER, the point that strikes me is...Are they

worth doing anyway because when it is looking like rain, the public stay away anyway, so a massive bit of work laying sheets so that

you can run to an empty stadium...doesn't sound like a great idea to me.