Meaningful Second Halves anyone?

[cinderfella]

Got thinking back to the days of old 13 heat league matches followed by 5 or 6 further races in the 2nd half culminating in the Rider Of The Night Final.
Why don't they bring back a National Rider Of The Night Final but with points awarded throughout the season with the rider with the most aggregate points at the end of the season winning something like a new machine, van etc.
A scoring system awarding success at an away track (such as an extra point for reaching the final) could be introduced to make things interesting perhaps.
Any thoughts?

[andout]

Unfortunately it costs money.......doubt riders will do it for free.

 

[ch958]

could be used as qualifying points for a big meeting in September

[waytogo28]

Be careful what you wish for. Some BSPA "bright spark" might think " hang on that's a good idea, let's make all matches over 10 heats ( to the interval ) and have five more 2nd half heats for a bonus point". No extra cost!

[BWitcher]

Absolutely awful idea and even less value for money.

[ch958]

1 hour ago, ch958 said:

could be used as qualifying points for a big meeting in September

actually i don't know why i posted this - i hated 2nd halves haha and the crowd started to drift out. Prefer 14/15 heats plus 3 junior races

[steve roberts]

17 hours ago, cinderfella said:

Got thinking back to the days of old 13 heat league matches followed by 5 or 6 further races in the 2nd half culminating in the Rider Of The Night Final.
Why don't they bring back a National Rider Of The Night Final but with points awarded throughout the season with the rider with the most aggregate points at the end of the season winning something like a new machine, van etc.
A scoring system awarding success at an away track (such as an extra point for reaching the final) could be introduced to make things interesting perhaps.
Any thoughts?

Personally I feel that a meeting should consist of 20 heats whether that be of an extended match varirty or a junior match following the main event or such as something you suggest are all possible variations.

Of course there are financial implications and/or rider commitments and/or fans enthusiasm to be considered.but personally I feel that 20 heats would offer better value for money.

[IainB]

yes please

[Thornaby48]

4 hours ago, steve roberts said:

Personally I feel that a meeting should consist of 20 heats whether that be of an extended match varirty or a junior match following the main event or such as something you suggest are all possible variations.

Of course there are financial implications and/or rider commitments and/or fans enthusiasm to be considered.but personally I feel that 20 heats would offer better value for money.

The danger with 20 matches is if a team is running away with the match it becomes very boring. I am in favour of the old "40-38" formula with interval after heat 13 followed by a second half.

 

22 hours ago, cinderfella said:

Got thinking back to the days of old 13 heat league matches followed by 5 or 6 further races in the 2nd half culminating in the Rider Of The Night Final.
Why don't they bring back a National Rider Of The Night Final but with points awarded throughout the season with the rider with the most aggregate points at the end of the season winning something like a new machine, van etc.
A scoring system awarding success at an away track (such as an extra point for reaching the final) could be introduced to make things interesting perhaps.
Any thoughts?

The good thing about the old system is that it allowed the reserves extra rides including the up and coming riders who got valuable experience against established riders. At Middlesbrough several riders came through the ranks like this. At Redcar  none of the current second  junior's have appeared in the team despite on the odd occasion being listed at no 8.

[topsoil]

I would like to see every team run a junior team and have fixtures every week. Every team should enter into the NJL, MDL or SJL, even if it means adopting teams like Reading, Weymouth etc. This gives younger riders much more track time and lets them develop quicker. Would probably encourage more youngsters into the sport if they knew they were guaranteed more track time as well and would be a natural stepping stone into the National League. 

[britmet]

37 minutes ago, Thornaby48 said:

The good thing about the old system is that it allowed the reserves extra rides including the up and coming riders who got valuable experience against established riders. At Middlesbrough several riders came through the ranks like this. At Redcar  none of the current second  junior's have appeared in the team despite on the odd occasion being listed at no 8.

Second Halves served a useful purpose:
- Winner (of 4) in the Novice Race got to ride (against programmed 3) in the Juniors' Race;
- winner of the Jnrs got to ride against 3 team reserves in the Reserves Race,
- and that winner got a ride against the #1s to #5s (plus home #6) in one of the 3 heats.
Hence a new name could even get to the Scratch Final,  - for example if a regular grass-tracker decided to try out speedway.
So a rider got an opportunity to prove himself and claim a team place on current form, (and not on historical statistics. )
There's no facility for that today.
.
.
www.speedwaychampions.com
www.speedway-sa.com

[cityrebel]

From a personal point of view, I've never liked 2nd halves. I used to watch them as a kid at Wembley and Wimbledon, but I found them boring. I'd like speedway to be like football, done and dusted in 90 minutes.

[steve roberts]

4 hours ago, britmet said:

Second Halves served a useful purpose:
- Winner (of 4) in the Novice Race got to ride (against programmed 3) in the Juniors' Race;
- winner of the Jnrs got to ride against 3 team reserves in the Reserves Race,
- and that winner got a ride against the #1s to #5s (plus home #6) in one of the 3 heats.
Hence a new name could even get to the Scratch Final,  - for example if a regular grass-tracker decided to try out speedway.
So a rider got an opportunity to prove himself and claim a team place on current form, (and not on historical statistics. )
There's no facility for that today.
.
.
www.speedwaychampions.com
www.speedway-sa.com

...that's how the likes of Julian and Simon Wigg, Ken Matthews etc got their opportunities as did countless others I would hazzard to guess? Certainly was the case at Cowley.

Edited August 26, 2018 by steve roberts

[Sidney the robin]

2 hours ago, steve roberts said:

...that's how the likes of Julian and Simon Wigg, Ken Matthews etc got their opportunities as did countless others I would hazzard to guess? Certainly was the case at Cowley.

Holloway,Young Hewlett, ,Rossiter,Smart x3 ) Satchell a few examples Steve at Swindon.

Edited August 26, 2018 by Sidney the robin

[steve roberts]

24 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Holloway,Young Hewlett, ,Rossiter,Smart x3 ) Satchell a few examples Steve at Swindon.

...and, of course, Malcolm Holloway. Kevin Young and Kevin Smart all graduated to Oxford's NL team (as well as the Chessell Brothers!)

Used to enjoy watching 'The Sprockets'. Throw in Steve Bishop and Terry Broadbank as well.

[Sidney the robin]

9 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

...and, of course, Malcolm Holloway. Kevin Young and Kevin Smart all graduated to Oxford's NL team (as well as the Chessell Brothers!)

Used to enjoy watching 'The Sprockets'. Throw in Steve Bishop and Terry Broadbank as well.

Sorry mate forgot the Chessell clan and Bish  and Terry who with a bit more luck could of pushed on.Brian Butterfield,Dave Main,Steve Goodwin all did well as well and all of those never had money that could of pushed them on.Going  back even farther Melvyn Soffe and Dave Patten both  were very capable and  the reserves jaunt  i.e. 1977   onwards    Young Holloway,Evans,Pope bring's back real memories great days.

[steve roberts]

1 hour ago, Sidney the robin said:

Sorry mate forgot the Chessell clan and Bish  and Terry who with a bit more luck could of pushed on.Brian Butterfield,Dave Main,Steve Goodwin all did well as well and all of those never had money that could of pushed them on.Going  back even farther Melvyn Soffe and Dave Patten both  were very capable and  the reserves jaunt  i.e. 1977   onwards    Young Holloway,Evans,Pope bring's back real memories great days.

...Remember Melvyn Soffe second halving down at Weymouth and, if I'm correct, Kevin Pope was a regular in the second half at Reading's old Tilehurst track? Was Dave Patten from the Channel Islands? Recall Blacbird Leys lad, Ashely Pullen, riding in a second half at Weymouth whilst I was on holiday down there and he, of course, later signed for Rye House and eventually after a few years ended up at Oxford.

I've said it many times before but we at Cowley due to the promotional ties with both Eastbourne and Peterborough got to see many of their riders (Gordon Kennett,  Malcolm and Timmy Ballard, Bobby  McNeil, Roger Johns, Paul Gachet, Trevor Geer, Laurie Sims, Eric Dugard, John Davis, Richard Greer, Brian Clark,, Kevin Hawkins, Paul Tapp ext etc) during the second halves and they were certainly exciting and productive times with many of those riders going on to represent teams in the upper league...even got to see the fifteen year olds Colin Richardson, Michael Lee and much later Alistair Stevens performing during the interval.

We even witnessed grass track riders take to the track on their grass track bikes (Julian Wigg - who later turned out for 'The Rebels' - Chris and Alan Drewitt, Ken Matthews and a host of others). We certainly had variety down at Cowley...on one occasion we had a Tony Brooklister take to the track during a second half only to learn later that it was Colin Meredith riding incognito whilst having a trial and who later turned out for 'The Cheetahs'.

I have nothing but fond memories of the old second halves and I appreciate that people's expectations are somewhat different today but I wouldn't have wanted it anyway different during my formative years following speedway.

Great days!

Edited August 26, 2018 by steve roberts

[Sidney the robin]

5 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

...Remember Melvyn Soffe second halving down at Weymouth and, if I'm correct, Kevin Pope was a regular in the second half at Reading's old Tilehurst track? Was Dave Patten from the Channel Islands? Recall Blacbird Leys lad, Ashely Pullen, riding in a second half at Weymouth whilst I was on holiday down there and he, of course, later signed for Rye House and eventually after a few years ended up at Oxford.

I've said it many times before but we at Cowley due to the promotional ties with both Eastbourne and Peterborough got to see many of their riders (Gordon Kennett,  Malcolm and Timmy Ballard, Bobby  McNeil, Roger Johns, Paul Gachet, Trevor Geer, Laurie Sims, Eric Dugard, John Davis, Richard Greer, Brian Clark,, Kevin Hawkins, Paul Tapp ext etc) during the second halves and they were certainly exciting and productive times with many of those riders going on to represent teams in the upper league...even got to see the fifteen year olds Colin Richardson, Michael Lee and much later Alistair Stevens performing during the interval.

We even witnessed grass track riders take to the track on their grass track bikes (Julian Wigg - who later turned out for 'The Rebels' - Chris and Alan Drewitt, Ken Matthews and a host of others). We certainly had variety down at Cowley...on one occasion we had a Tony Brooklister take to the track during a second half only to learn later that it was Colin Meredith riding incognito whilst having a trial and who later turned out for 'The Cheetahs'.

Great days!

I can remember first seeing Ali Stevens and he was very talented young Paul Dugard and Jon Surman also give there alll never quite made it but we're able riders.Going back further for the rebels really liked Timmo,Dews, and Ulf Lovass who was the complete opposite to Dag.Pander ( only see once)  Genz ,and Gooddy were stalwarts and Middleton what can you say a class act who put bums on seats.

[orion]

During the war ..

[steve roberts]

6 hours ago, orion said:

During the war ..

...when of course speedway ceased to run excepting meetings at Hyde Road and the question on everybody's lips is whether they included second halves? 

Edited August 27, 2018 by steve roberts