Which track will be the first closure of the 2020's?

[JamesHarris]

Sounds like the wrong topic to write about but I was wondering in these modern times when land is at a premium for housing, what will be the first track to permanently close its doors in the 2020's?

At the turn of the last century there used to be a new track opening every couple of years but there has not been any new ventures (if you take Belle Vue's new track out of it) since Kent opened in 2013. I wonder how many tracks will be in operation in 2030? 

[Piotr Pyszny]

Developers are surely less of a threat than waning interest among what few supporters the sport still has.

[BuxtonTiger]

It must be Swindon. Not sure if Ladbrooks are offering odds.

[Racin Jason 72]

I would say Edinburgh. Planning permission has been granted for 80 houses

[A ORLOV]

2 hours ago, BuxtonTiger said:

It must be Swindon. Not sure if Ladbrooks are offering odds.

I should wait till after the planning permission meeting this tues before posting. 

[waytogo28]

On 1/10/2020 at 8:06 PM, Piotr Pyszny said:

Developers are surely less of a threat than waning interest among what few supporters the sport still has.

The only stadiums that have run speedway in the past that will continue in the years ahead, will be those that house others sports or are multi use. I can't see ten stadiums existing by the centenary of speedway in 2028. Or is it now heralded as 2023?

[ch958]

On 1/13/2020 at 9:14 AM, waytogo28 said:

The only stadiums that have run speedway in the past that will continue in the years ahead, will be those that house others sports or are multi use. I can't see ten stadiums existing by the centenary of speedway in 2028. Or is it now heralded as 2023?

or in the middle of nowhere, or nowhere anyone wants to build, such as Redcar

 

[Ray Stadia]

On 1/10/2020 at 7:36 PM, JamesHarris said:

Sounds like the wrong topic to write about but I was wondering in these modern times when land is at a premium for housing, what will be the first track to permanently close its doors in the 2020's?

At the turn of the last century there used to be a new track opening every couple of years but there has not been any new ventures (if you take Belle Vue's new track out of it) since Kent opened in 2013. I wonder how many tracks will be in operation in 2030? 

Even Kent is not so much of a new venture. Iwade, which is virtually in Sittingbourne has been there for years and was a conference league track for a while. 

[flipper11]

1 hour ago, Ray Stadia said:

Even Kent is not so much of a new venture. Iwade, which is virtually in Sittingbourne has been there for years and was a conference league track for a while. 

The Kent Kings have nothing to do with Iwade. Different stadium & different promoters. 

[Ray Stadia]

1 hour ago, flipper11 said:

The Kent Kings have nothing to do with Iwade. Different stadium & different promoters. 

I know, but what I was saying is it was a venture in a town where speedway was already established. But hey ho, the promoters have done a great job! I think I agree with an earlier posting that the best chance for any further new tracks is out in the sticks somewhere. However, the survival of speedway is a big subject and has been discussed on the forum many times. Cost for the riders, promoters and fans is probably one of the biggest issues. 

[ch958]

there should be a team tasked with reducing costs in GB. If people ride GP, Poland or wherever they can do what the hell they like but the British leagues need to trim costs drastically - how they do it I'm not sure, maybe move to F2

[Wee Eck]

48 minutes ago, ch958 said:

there should be a team tasked with reducing costs in GB. If people ride GP, Poland or wherever they can do what the hell they like but the British leagues need to trim costs drastically - how they do it I'm not sure, maybe move to F2

Nobody makes the riders buy the most expensive equipment but they all do from NDL upwards. F2 is a red herring and always has been. Why buy a bike that can only be used in one league or one country? Why learn a different style of riding that can only be used in one league or one country?

Promoters and supporters have been subsidising riders’ vanity for far too long. The riders need to learn to use what they can afford and not expect others to pay

[ch958]

1 hour ago, Wee Eck said:

Nobody makes the riders buy the most expensive equipment but they all do from NDL upwards. F2 is a red herring and always has been. Why buy a bike that can only be used in one league or one country? Why learn a different style of riding that can only be used in one league or one country?

Promoters and supporters have been subsidising riders’ vanity for far too long. The riders need to learn to use what they can afford and not expect others to pay

if you can ride in 2 countries or more u can afford a second/third bike - something has to be done its easy to shoot down ideas but what then???

 

[Wee Eck]

2 hours ago, ch958 said:

if you can ride in 2 countries or more u can afford a second/third bike - something has to be done its easy to shoot down ideas but what then???

 

Can I assume you are referring to F2 as an idea? This is an “idea” that has been around for 15-20 years and hasn’t caught on, so it’s reasonable to ask why not? I saw them at a meeting at the NSS two or three years ago, doing exhibitions using riders like Carl Stonehewer and Andy Mellish. After a couple of rides, most of the riders were refusing to ride them and the last race, maybe the last two races, were cancelled. I simply don’t believe they are the answer.
There are various answers to cutting costs, but it has to be driven by the team owners, because the riders will always want the latest gizmo, and latest is usually also most expensive,

The GTR engines were a joke, cutting costs by making riders buy engines costing four grand doesn’t make much sense to me. 
But a low rise cam plus, perhaps, a physical restriction on fuel flow, would cost, maybe £120 per engine, which would be saved straight away due to lower maintenance costs. Make it compulsory in the NDL with confiscation of the engine being the penalty for breaking the rules. 
Anyone riding in another league, would simply have to swap cams and remove the fuel flow restrictor. 
I gather two well known - and well respected - engine tuners suggested this to BSPA before they blew a fortune on GTRs, but, for reason I neither know nor understand, the idea was turned down. 

[martinmauger]

How many GTR engines did the BSPA buy and what is happening with them now, anyone know ?...

[OveFundinFan]

Did they actually buy them or was it a sale or return agreement?

[Sings4Speedway]

14 hours ago, Wee Eck said:

Can I assume you are referring to F2 as an idea? This is an “idea” that has been around for 15-20 years and hasn’t caught on, so it’s reasonable to ask why not? I saw them at a meeting at the NSS two or three years ago, doing exhibitions using riders like Carl Stonehewer and Andy Mellish. After a couple of rides, most of the riders were refusing to ride them and the last race, maybe the last two races, were cancelled. I simply don’t believe they are the answer.
There are various answers to cutting costs, but it has to be driven by the team owners, because the riders will always want the latest gizmo, and latest is usually also most expensive,

The GTR engines were a joke, cutting costs by making riders buy engines costing four grand doesn’t make much sense to me. 
But a low rise cam plus, perhaps, a physical restriction on fuel flow, would cost, maybe £120 per engine, which would be saved straight away due to lower maintenance costs. Make it compulsory in the NDL with confiscation of the engine being the penalty for breaking the rules. 
Anyone riding in another league, would simply have to swap cams and remove the fuel flow restrictor. 
I gather two well known - and well respected - engine tuners suggested this to BSPA before they blew a fortune on GTRs, but, for reason I neither know nor understand, the idea was turned down. 

Whilst the idea is sound why is it that is always the NDL that is the proposed testing ground? These are often the riders who are making no money out of the sport that would need to fund the changes and often derived as lower standard riders who's opinion would not be respected by higher grade competitors. The leading ideas are supplying the engines like the 2 valve meetings for testing prior to breaking intro a league or a factory side that supplies the engines to its riders for the season.

[Wee Eck]

25 minutes ago, Sings4Speedway said:

Whilst the idea is sound why is it that is always the NDL that is the proposed testing ground? These are often the riders who are making no money out of the sport that would need to fund the changes and often derived as lower standard riders who's opinion would not be respected by higher grade competitors. The leading ideas are supplying the engines like the 2 valve meetings for testing prior to breaking intro a league or a factory side that supplies the engines to its riders for the season.

The reason for starting with the NDL (and this is just my opinion) is that it’s one of the worst offenders when it comes to riders buying equipment way beyond their ability. Young riders turn up with two near GP standard bikes in the belief that it’s all to do with the bike. 
The incidence of injury is greater in that league largely, it seems to me, due to riders riding bikes faster that they can go. They need to learn to ride in a progressive manner until they reach the stage that they are faster than the bike. 
The advantage of a low lift cam and fuel restrictor is there’s no benefit having a Peter Johns engine as it won’t be any faster than one put together by the rider’s dad. The cost isn’t great compared to everything else - these guys spend £600 on a Blixt carb after all - and there’s the added advantage that they can use the same engine, with the cam replaced by a standard one and minus the fuel restrictor, in any other meeting anywhere in the world, something you can’t do with a 2 valve or an F2.

[Sings4Speedway]

18 minutes ago, Wee Eck said:

The reason for starting with the NDL (and this is just my opinion) is that it’s one of the worst offenders when it comes to riders buying equipment way beyond their ability. Young riders turn up with two near GP standard bikes in the belief that it’s all to do with the bike. 
The incidence of injury is greater in that league largely, it seems to me, due to riders riding bikes faster that they can go. They need to learn to ride in a progressive manner until they reach the stage that they are faster than the bike. 
The advantage of a low lift cam and fuel restrictor is there’s no benefit having a Peter Johns engine as it won’t be any faster than one put together by the rider’s dad. The cost isn’t great compared to everything else - these guys spend £600 on a Blixt carb after all - and there’s the added advantage that they can use the same engine, with the cam replaced by a standard one and minus the fuel restrictor, in any other meeting anywhere in the world, something you can’t do with a 2 valve or an F2.

Certainly cannot disagree that the level of bikes used throughout the sport are far more similar and aggressive but i don't agree that the injury rate is higher (no stats to back this up) but fallers are more frequent due to rider decisions rather than being aboard bikes that cannot be controlled. Most are not ridden anywhere near their actual abilities anyway. 

The point im not making clear enough is that many riders have already spent out on carbs, engines etc so to either render then useless or require constant changes is additions to costs that the league and its riders can do without. If it was compulsory in the Prem for example then riders could prove that the racing is just as good which is what the sport revolves around and then the results could be filtered down through the levels.

[*JJ]

National League riders are obliged by the promoters to have two bikes, vans etc. As for F2, two valve engines or whatever: the question is, who is going to pay for them? You are in a chicken and egg situation, as beginners start with second-hand equipment, but ther is no s/h F2 or fancy engines available for them to buy! A pre-used Jawa bike will cost about £1000 or a GM, £1500, as opposed to £5000 just for a new engine. It just isn't on.

As for fallers: of course beginners are going to fall, but any standard bike is going to throw the rider off if he mishandles it. I spent five years helping a rider (who got to MDL level); the GM bike he bought turned out to have an Ashtech engine, GP standard. Although he was faster than most of his contemporaries, he actually never dared to open the throttle fully! Other beginners are probably the same.