KENT 2019

[GWC]

1 hour ago, BobC said:

Last race started just after 18.00.

Thanks so it was a 2 hour meeting with the need for an ambulance as well.

My gripe with Kent is their vulnerability to going over the curfew as happened a few occasions last season and making no attempt to compensate.

[cityrebel]

38 minutes ago, GWC said:

Thanks so it was a 2 hour meeting with the need for an ambulance as well.

My gripe with Kent is their vulnerability to going over the curfew as happened a few occasions last season and making no attempt to compensate.

That's Len for you. Why wasn't the track graded and watered during the earlier delays. Someone needs to get a grip at Kent to ensure delays are kept to a minimum. If that means a second ambulance, then so be it. The crowd levels and high admission price should be enough to cover it.

[HGould]

Enjoyed the meeting there are would say a decent crowd around around the 750-800 mark which at prices you'd pay at some Championship Tracks (more than Leicester and Eastbourne for me to get in to as an OAP) ; is cracking for NL so unless Len is paying well above NL pay-rates someone is milking it, although no idea what rent he has to pay for that very luxurious Stand and Restaurant.

The track (and its my 4th visit) just doesn't cut it for me, not sure whether they need to sort the cambers out or get some more even dirt on it but seeing good level riders having to cling on when hitting grip on 2nd bend and rut on 3rd bend when they have had all winter to blade and grade seems a lack of attention to me.

I'd contrast with Stoke who have a fraction of the crowd and income who have gone the extra mile and produced a stunning race strip since they changed curator last season and Leicester/Peterborough who have also invested time and effort in to track preparation.

Excellent Team Kent have and very enthusiastic support but they deserve better track and lower prices in my opinion. Can't be right that I can see Richard Lawson for £14 on Friday and Rob Ledwith for £15 on Monday at much lower level???..

[cityrebel]

With the dreaded 2 hour curfew and the usual racing incidents at NL level, there is not enough time to do proper track grades and water breaks. It's very frustrating that the product could be so much better, but if the council wont budge, i can't see it improving.

[Ben91]

2 hours ago, HGould said:

Enjoyed the meeting there are would say a decent crowd around around the 750-800 mark which at prices you'd pay at some Championship Tracks (more than Leicester and Eastbourne for me to get in to as an OAP) ; is cracking for NL so unless Len is paying well above NL pay-rates someone is milking it, although no idea what rent he has to pay for that very luxurious Stand and Restaurant.

The track (and its my 4th visit) just doesn't cut it for me, not sure whether they need to sort the cambers out or get some more even dirt on it but seeing good level riders having to cling on when hitting grip on 2nd bend and rut on 3rd bend when they have had all winter to blade and grade seems a lack of attention to me.

I'd contrast with Stoke who have a fraction of the crowd and income who have gone the extra mile and produced a stunning race strip since they changed curator last season and Leicester/Peterborough who have also invested time and effort in to track preparation.

Excellent Team Kent have and very enthusiastic support but they deserve better track and lower prices in my opinion. Can't be right that I can see Richard Lawson for £14 on Friday and Rob Ledwith for £15 on Monday at much lower level???..

Haven’t been to Kent for a couple of seasons but the track reminded me of the track at Rye from Len’s era. 

By most accounts Peterborough’s “improved” track this year isn’t producing very good racing. 

No doubt Kent are charging too much for NL speedway but Robert Ledwith probably provides more intrigue and excitement than Richard Lawson. 

[East End Fan]

I was at Sittingbourne yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed the meeting apart from the long delay caused by the accident to Ablitt ( I hope he isn't

too badly hurt).  Some of the racing was top drawer stuff with some great passing moves, so I just don't understand the gripes on here about

the track. It looked good to me and as the Belle Vue lads got used to it, they put up a great fight and did not deserve to lose so heavily. Top man for me 

was Ledwith who made some gutsy passes. Worth the price of admission on his own.

[cityrebel]

As long as you're happy everything must be alright then. The fact that there wasn't a track grade until after heat 8 is ok by you, when clearly the riders were struggling with conditions. You should try taking those rose tinted glasses off, you might see better.

 

[Sings4Speedway]

Very dominant display against one of the fancied teams this year just shows how many tonkings this side will dish out this year. Only Jenkins starting the year slowly and Gilkes over trying prevented the 60 mark being beaten. Couldn't make the opener and unlikely to bother with a Central Park visit now until Mildenhall come to town at the end of May.

[HGould]

Yes I do think there is a fine line between building a strong side and too strong a side.

All within the rules of course and no complaints there, those 2 reserves will be amongst the best 2 pointers in the League and very clever to pick them up when Eastbourne moved up as they had been regulars there, but with the top 5 they have and those 2 reserves look very strong, prospect of Jenkins and Spooner at reserve already in May.

That and the issues with the track, turn 2 looks in desperate need of modification and 3 not much better means "tonkings" and long drawn out meetings will negate some newcomers from going back and that's a shame then there is the elephant in the room "the curfew".

I sincerely hope that Kent can find a way to move up as they would grace CL with their set up and if they could just sort the track out. Enthusiastic crowd who deserve professional grade racing.

Although Len knows he can make a nice buck in NL with much lower pay scales.

[blueherb777]

1 hour ago, HGould said:

Yes I do think there is a fine line between building a strong side and too strong a side.

All within the rules of course and no complaints there, those 2 reserves will be amongst the best 2 pointers in the League and very clever to pick them up when Eastbourne moved up as they had been regulars there, but with the top 5 they have and those 2 reserves look very strong, prospect of Jenkins and Spooner at reserve already in May.

That and the issues with the track, turn 2 looks in desperate need of modification and 3 not much better means "tonkings" and long drawn out meetings will negate some newcomers from going back and that's a shame then there is the elephant in the room "the curfew".

I sincerely hope that Kent can find a way to move up as they would grace CL with their set up and if they could just sort the track out. Enthusiastic crowd who deserve professional grade racing.

Although Len knows he can make a nice buck in NL with much lower pay scales.

Agree with those comments.

Why is there so many delays at CP? Cannot just be the riders.....poor track prep......I always thought the track was too narrow in places?

[blueherb777]

2 hours ago, Sings4Speedway said:

Very dominant display against one of the fancied teams this year just shows how many tonkings this side will dish out this year. Only Jenkins starting the year slowly and Gilkes over trying prevented the 60 mark being beaten. Couldn't make the opener and unlikely to bother with a Central Park visit now until Mildenhall come to town at the end of May.

Agree and makes visits to Eastbourne more agreeable. 

[East End Fan]

18 hours ago, HGould said:

Yes I do think there is a fine line between building a strong side and too strong a side.

All within the rules of course and no complaints there, those 2 reserves will be amongst the best 2 pointers in the League and very clever to pick them up when Eastbourne moved up as they had been regulars there, but with the top 5 they have and those 2 reserves look very strong, prospect of Jenkins and Spooner at reserve already in May.

That and the issues with the track, turn 2 looks in desperate need of modification and 3 not much better means "tonkings" and long drawn out meetings will negate some newcomers from going back and that's a shame then there is the elephant in the room "the curfew".

I sincerely hope that Kent can find a way to move up as they would grace CL with their set up and if they could just sort the track out. Enthusiastic crowd who deserve professional grade racing.

Although Len knows he can make a nice buck in NL with much lower pay scales.

From such comments, you would think that earning a profit is something to be avoided. Profits keep the sport going, we've lost far too many clubs because of

a lack of profit. 

[HGould]

27 minutes ago, East End Fan said:

From such comments, you would think that earning a profit is something to be avoided. Profits keep the sport going, we've lost far too many clubs because of

a lack of profit. 

I wish all Clubs well in making a profit.

In the case of Kent who have a lovely stadium and decent support, it is a shame that they have seen fit to raise admission prices to above the level of some CL Teams and provide a track that is in desperate need of some TLC and attention and in the case of the 2nd turn downright dangerous. If Len could see for to employing a proper track man for a few hundred quid a meeting I'm sure the majority of kent fans would love it.

[Vic Meldrew]

12 hours ago, HGould said:

I wish all Clubs well in making a profit.

In the case of Kent who have a lovely stadium and decent support, it is a shame that they have seen fit to raise admission prices to above the level of some CL Teams and provide a track that is in desperate need of some TLC and attention and in the case of the 2nd turn downright dangerous. If Len could see for to employing a proper track man for a few hundred quid a meeting I'm sure the majority of kent fans would love it.

Why don't you meet Len on site and explain to him where he is going wrong with the track surface, materials and shape?

[Sings4Speedway]

11 hours ago, Vic Meldrew said:

Why don't you meet Len on site and explain to him where he is going wrong with the track surface, materials and shape?

Don't forget to take a flip chart, power point presentation, some throat lozenges and an oxygen tank because you will talk until you are blue in the face an beyond before Len Silver ever admits he got something wrong.

[blueherb777]

19 minutes ago, Sings4Speedway said:

Don't forget to take a flip chart, power point presentation, some throat lozenges and an oxygen tank because you will talk until you are blue in the face an beyond before Len Silver ever admits he got something wrong.

Summed up nicely. 

[Vic Meldrew]

Sings4Speedway and blueherb777 clearly not Len Silver fans!!

[East End Fan]

I am an ex-Hammers fan going back to the days when West Ham raced at Custom House and I now have no Hammers to

support  ( except for this coming Bank Holiday at Kent).  Mostly because of the comfortable facilities at Kent, which at my age is

very important, I am becoming a regular there.  Like most onlookers, I am not a track expert.....but I do watch when riders are

in action. At Kent I see the vast majority of riders able to ride for 4 laps at full throttle and I'm pretty sure this would not be possible

if the track was as bad as I read about on this forum.  Maybe Victor Meldrew had a good idea when he suggested that a meeting with

Len Silver to discuss the track failings by the experts on here would be a good idea.

[HGould]

16 minutes ago, East End Fan said:

I am an ex-Hammers fan going back to the days when West Ham raced at Custom House and I now have no Hammers to

support  ( except for this coming Bank Holiday at Kent).  Mostly because of the comfortable facilities at Kent, which at my age is

very important, I am becoming a regular there.  Like most onlookers, I am not a track expert.....but I do watch when riders are

in action. At Kent I see the vast majority of riders able to ride for 4 laps at full throttle and I'm pretty sure this would not be possible

if the track was as bad as I read about on this forum.  Maybe Victor Meldrew had a good idea when he suggested that a meeting with

Len Silver to discuss the track failings by the experts on here would be a good idea.

strange then that several Kent riders have pointed out the 2nd bend issue, and last season the ruts in 3rd turn were a continual problem. I'm only making comment about what I have seen with my own eyes and read with them too. Have widely praised Kent for getting many things right, but a dangerous track that could be rectified with a day with a blade is surely something that needs sorting. 

[Sings4Speedway]

32 minutes ago, Vic Meldrew said:

Sings4Speedway and blueherb777 clearly not Len Silver fans!!

Big fan of everything that Uncle Len has done for the sport and greatly applaud his efforts but doesn't take away from the fact that he is a stubborn old goat.

 

10 minutes ago, HGould said:

strange then that several Kent riders have pointed out the 2nd bend issue, and last season the ruts in 3rd turn were a continual problem. I'm only making comment about what I have seen with my own eyes and read with them too. Have widely praised Kent for getting many things right, but a dangerous track that could be rectified with a day with a blade is surely something that needs sorting. 

The 2nd bend has always had grippy patches which have often been used to home riders advantage but have also seen plenty take out the boards. My fears for turn 3 are a little deeper as the debut season saw problems with the base and suspect IF it is rutting up continually the same may be the case again.