Odsal

[Ray Stadia]

On 4/9/2022 at 6:30 PM, steve roberts said:

Never got to see any racing at Halifax but called in many years later to view the stadium and with some imagination could visualise where the track once was?

I didn't ever see any racing at Halifax, but did once see the stadium when the track was still down. It did look a tight squeeze, as I recall. 

[waiheke1]

On 4/9/2022 at 10:12 PM, martinmauger said:

I visted both the Shay  & Odsal, in days before & after Hull's 1995 return, and enjoyed both.  As at Hull, Craven Park, the view from the main stand at Odsal was great but of the two I preferred The Shay though, reasons of smaller stadium so better atmos and in pre-2m safety barrier days (which must be said was defo needed at The Shay !) one could literally get more than up close and personal with the racing and great pits viewing too.  Racing was mostly brilliant at the Shay, unless it was a hot, dry day and then it got pretty slick, otherwise it was great.  Both sadly missed venues still, Odsal has a shale track once more so looking good for poss speedway return.....

I always enjoyed my trips to both, but my recollection is of Odsal being the better race track. I remember the steep banking of the Shay, and Kenny Carter being nigh on unbeatable. Of the two, I probably have fonder memory of the Shay, but don't recall that the racing was brilliant, and the dvds I have of meetings there seem to support that. 

[chunky]

21 hours ago, waiheke1 said:

I always enjoyed my trips to both, but my recollection is of Odsal being the better race track. I remember the steep banking of the Shay, and Kenny Carter being nigh on unbeatable. Of the two, I probably have fonder memory of the Shay, but don't recall that the racing was brilliant, and the dvds I have of meetings there seem to support that. 

I only went to Halifax once, but I remember peering over the fence on turn one, and the banking made me think it was a huge wall-of-death! The racing when I went wasn't brilliant either, but then were crap! We lost 56-22... 

I used to enjoy my visits to Odsal, and racing was decent.

Edited April 15, 2022 by chunky

[ch958]

not sure i ever saw anyone overtake at the Shay, spectacular though

[Bruiser]

Seemingly I am in the minority but I made several visits to Halifax for matches against Belle Vue, Test matches and occasional other matches and I thought it was a poor race track…very very fast and very very processional…even videos I have since watched back show the same to me…..Odsal was a far superior track in my opinion 

 

[The Third Man]

22 minutes ago, ch958 said:

not sure i ever saw anyone overtake at the Shay, spectacular though

Should have seen Sheffield there, we had some good meetings, used to love going to Halifax

[1 valve]

1 hour ago, ch958 said:

not sure i ever saw anyone overtake at the Shay, spectacular though

Saw Kenny Carter blast underneath Bruce Penhall coming out of bend four - brilliant piece of riding - think it was a match race thing (silver/golden helmet - not sure of the metal) 

[Goldhawk]

i went there once with Hackney for Halifax v Hackney in 1980. As a Hackney fan it was a brilliant night winning from i think 16 points down 38 - 39.  Zenon Plech scored a paid five ride maximum for Hackney. The racing was incredible. We got there late and rushed into stadium for heat one and on back straight coming into bend 3. Kenny Carter flew into bend three and passed Finn Thompson on inside entry at high speed like he was in reverse. The place was spectacular. My stand out memory also was the very sporting Halifax fans who applauded us after meeting. i went to Bradford years later and visited stadium with rugby pitch now in place but remains of bends still in place. Went on the bends to have a look couldn't believe how bloody high the banking was ! Bradford also great, hope track comes back to sport.

[martinmauger]

Yeh I got the racing at Odsal / The Shay the wrong way around, s'what happens when you post when supposed to be working. i.e staring into, rather than at, the screen to check no-one is standing behind.  Racing at the Shay prob looked more spectacular as you could get more than up close and personal, was my first permitted away trip as a youngster; "no Halifax isn't far, I won't be back late"  (nor from Berwick, Coventry, King's Lynn, Reading, Swindon, etc, etc, LOL!).  Would welcome speedway back at Odsal, you never know, always enjoyed my visits there....

[speed29]

If Bradford will come back in Speedway!!! it will make Speedway fans happy , not only that we need bring some old teams back like Swindon, Reading and Coventry.

[keepturningleft]

I watched speedway at Halifax almost every Saturday night from the opening meeting in 1965 until closure in 1985 and therefore was witness to hundreds of races.

As a superfan I think that qualifies me to comment on the quality of racing at Halifax over a long period of time and believe me, there was plenty of overtaking at the shay.

[tyretrax]

On 4/24/2022 at 6:54 PM, speed29 said:

If Bradford will come back in Speedway!!! it will make Speedway fans happy , not only that we need bring some old teams back like Swindon, Reading and Coventry.

Where are the riders coming from? We are constantly told there's not enough riders for one league never mind another four teams.

[customhouseregular]

4 hours ago, tyretrax said:

Where are the riders coming from? We are constantly told there's not enough riders for one league never mind another four teams.

Russia riding on Finnish licenses 

[tyretrax]

6 hours ago, customhouseregular said:

Russia riding on Finnish licenses 

Why Finnish?

[customhouseregular]

13 minutes ago, tyretrax said:

Why Finnish?

no reason, not meant to be taken seriously.

[tyretrax]

2 minutes ago, customhouseregular said:

no reason, not meant to be taken seriously.

Sorry, just thought it was stupid rather than funny. Have you not noticed Russians being stopped from riding on Polish licences?

[f-s-p]

7 hours ago, customhouseregular said:

no reason, not meant to be taken seriously.

SML ruled out Russian and Belarussian riders fairly quickly behind FIM, so not gonna happen even in theory.

[speed29]

lot of people think Bradford will come back even Workington as well, we need more teams come back from the past years.

Edited May 25, 2022 by speed29

[Guest]

17 minutes ago, speed29 said:

lot of people think Bradford will come back even Workington as well, we need more teams come back from the past years.

...and a lot of people these days who are interested enough in speedway to attend them if both tracks do/if ever reopen.

Edited May 25, 2022 by Guest

[Ghosty]

3 hours ago, speed29 said:

lot of people think Bradford will come back even Workington as well, we need more teams come back from the past years.

Every true Speedway supporter would welcome more tracks/teams but the fact is there is already an acute shortage of U.K. based riders. Currently for every rider that doubles up/down equals 1 rider short & that's the current situation so how can we possibly have extra tracks in 2023?