Stadium Design

[Trevor]

I know that very few Speedway stadium are built from scratch. However when new ones do get built, I'm surprised that the pits are always built out of sight behind a stand. Would'nt it provide more interest if the pits were in full view of the public, say on the back straight, or bends 3/4? So the public could see how ready a rider was to meeting the two minutes? Or, if a rider was making a last minute bike switch? Even the extra fun of an occasional bust up! As Speedway by it's nature has gaps between races, there would be added interest if that part of the event was visable.

If ever I win the lotto, which I don't buy tickets for, I would build my stadum that way.

Edited November 19, 2020 by Trevor

[TheWatcher]

A very good point. This was a major missed opportunity at the NSS, where bends 3/4 would indeed have been ideal. Instead, the pits are hidden away.

[OveFundinFan]

I ffully understand what is being said, and it is interesting to see what goes on in the pits, but, re NSS, bends 3/4 left open proved its worth in the world cup of 2016 when extra stands were temprary erected. That would not have been possible if the pits would have been there.  What tends to be forgot is that whilst NSS is a brand new stadium, the land built on had physical restraints that the whole comples had to fit in - the space was non-expandable. 

[geoff100]

One of the good things about derwent park was the view looking in the pits, no finer start to the night than standing watching 14 bikes being warmed up with the noise and smell, i used to go look in pits between races it made the night special .

[cityrebel]

I always enjoyed looking in the pits at the Groveway, Milton Keynes. There was a glass viewing area in the cafeteria, so you could eat and watch at the same time. The pits was situated next to the Greyhound kennels.

[steve roberts]

I recall that White City moved the pits from within the stand structure unseen to the third and fourth bend which made better sense all round.

[Tsunami]

2 hours ago, OveFundinFan said:

I ffully understand what is being said, and it is interesting to see what goes on in the pits, but, re NSS, bends 3/4 left open proved its worth in the world cup of 2016 when extra stands were temprary erected. That would not have been possible if the pits would have been there.  What tends to be forgot is that whilst NSS is a brand new stadium, the land built on had physical restraints that the whole comples had to fit in - the space was non-expandable. 

One major consideration would have been the need for direct access from the main road for the riders vans next to the pits area. Then the changing rooms and medical room next to the pits in the main stand. 

[nw42]

Looking in the pits was also a big part of the experience for me, at Hyde Rd this was possible by looking through the gaps in the floorboards in the stand above the pits.  I always loved going to Sheffield because, from hazy memory, you could be very close to the pits pre and post meeting, think they were on the left as we entered the stadium via the road where the bakery was, just a low wall separated you from the riders,  like I say, hazy memory.

Can't remember which stadium it was but I'm sure I recall a meeting a couple of years ago where the pits were situated the length of the back straight, could've been a made track in Russia or Poland, was it the venue where Hancock launched himself at N Pedersen after an on track spat?

Anyway, great suggestion OP, I'll do same with my lottery win that I don't partake in. 

 

[bruno]

I'm sure at Dudley Wood the pits were moved from bend 3 to the end of bend 4 so you could get close. 

[racers and royals]

9 minutes ago, nw42 said:

Looking in the pits was also a big part of the experience for me, at Hyde Rd this was possible by looking through the gaps in the floorboards in the stand above the pits.  I always loved going to Sheffield because, from hazy memory, you could be very close to the pits pre and post meeting, think they were on the left as we entered the stadium via the road where the bakery was, just a low wall separated you from the riders,  like I say, hazy memory.

Can't remember which stadium it was but I'm sure I recall a meeting a couple of years ago where the pits were situated the length of the back straight, could've been a made track in Russia or Poland, was it the venue where Hancock launched himself at N Pedersen after an on track spat?

Anyway, great suggestion OP, I'll do same with my lottery win that I don't partake in. 

 

Torun for league matches, the pits are along the back straight. At the Gelsenkirchen GP the pits were along the back straight.

[salty]

I might be wrong, but when the short lived London Lions rode at the short lived London Stadium I think the pits were in front of the main grandstand. Certainly can remember away riders being situated there.

[Pieman72]

I'd settle for any type of stadium anywhere lol.

[martinmauger]

Think the pits in the London Lions (Hackney) stadium were re-located early 1996 so spectators could see into them better.  As a track anorak I could literally fill the entire forum and likely cause it to crash due to insufficent bandthwidth / data allowance - but won't as I don't have the time.  (you'll all thank me not to, really).  Nutshell: I've always favoured 'non-round' shaped circuits as if the track surface is 100% perfect 'all' a rider needs to do on such a track is get onto the racing line, open the throttle wide and keep it nailed and 'sit in his armchair, eating his sandwiches and reading his Financial Times (!) for an easy win', to paraphrase Martin Brundle & Peter Collins.  As often happens in Champ Car / Indy Car and Nascar races.  But recent the most GPs and the excellent 2020 Belle Vue meetings have made me change my mind somewhat on track shape designs.  More than a bit. 

Stadium-wise: one wouldn't go far wrong at all copying the NSS at Belle Vue.  A few things to bare in mind, should one be in the fortunate position to be able to build a dedicated speedway stadium from scratch (we can all dream) are: re-create the seat height and angle of the 'home straight stand' at Hull's Craven Park.  To show I'm not (much) biased, the seat height angle from the main stand at Braford's Odsal would also suffice, anyone who visted either venue will know exactly what I'm talking about; brilliant views of the entire track.  But before the digging starts, hold a wetted finger in the air to check wind direction, anyone who visted Craven Park will know exactly what I'm talking about; it was cold....

Edited November 20, 2020 by martinmauger
spelling due to track-anorakism

[HGould]

I liked the old Perry Barr (now One Stop Shopping) because you could walk past Pits on way to Home Straight and watch all the bikes warm up.

Like many Tracks the current PB is hidden but more down to lay out of a Dog Track and lack of access to large part of the venue.

Most places you either can't see or can see from a distance.

I don't think or can't remember anywhere better than Brandon, where provided you could arrive early enough you could get a great high vantage point and look down in to the Pits area. I used to like Halifax too, where you could see in and watch.

Of the other tracks visited in last few years, Mildenhall, Eastbourne, Berwick are ones you can look in to if you stand adjacent and see what's happening during Racing and a few Tracks allow you in to view if you are there early enough.

No excuse really for the purpose built more recent tracks like Belle Vue, Leicester and Somerset for hiding Pits largely away from fans. 

 

 

[steve roberts]

I remember tha late Peter Seaton once suggesting that the pits should be on the centre green but I'm not sure how practical that would be?

[1 valve]

41 minutes ago, HGould said:

No excuse really for the purpose built more recent tracks like Belle Vue, Leicester and Somerset for hiding Pits largely away from fans.

In Leicester’s case placing the pits along the straight would have removed significant spectating opportunity as the space available on both straights is very narrow. Planning permission also required a high degree of cover to reduce noise emissions. 

[arnieg]

8 minutes ago, 1 valve said:

In Leicester’s case placing the pits along the straight would have removed significant spectating opportunity as the space available on both straights is very narrow. Planning permission also required a high degree of cover to reduce noise emissions. 

Biggest mistake at Leicester (apart from the rubbish track) was the orientation of the track, with the sun setting on the third bend (it should set behind the main grandstand)

[1 valve]

1 minute ago, arnieg said:

Biggest mistake at Leicester (apart from the rubbish track) was the orientation of the track, with the sun setting on the third bend (it should set behind the main grandstand)

Spot on re orientation although the original intention (& insistence by the council) of having a football facility and BMX biking adjacent to the speedway stadium meant the current location was the only option available if all three were to fit in side by side. 
as we now know, BMX never arrived (though the space is there) and the ground level of the football area was raised quite a bit to accommodate the dumping of waste soil (which paid for the speedway stadium)
At least over the years the race track itself has been greatly improved from the miserable effort first conceived. 

[*JJ]

2 hours ago, 1 valve said:

In Leicester’s case placing the pits along the straight would have removed significant spectating opportunity as the space available on both straights is very narrow. Planning permission also required a high degree of cover to reduce noise emissions. 

As with the Perry Barr stadium; when it was used in the 1950s, the pits were on the 1st bend, but they had to be moved to the far side, and sound proofed, for planning permission purposes.

[geoff100]

3 hours ago, arnieg said:

Biggest mistake at Leicester (apart from the rubbish track) was the orientation of the track, with the sun setting on the third bend (it should set behind the main grandstand)

Move the start line to the back straight lol sorted .