What the fans say

[cowboy cookie returns?]

As taken from the Speedway GB website

the years I have been an avid fan of Speedway, It was a family treat every Monday night going down to watch the Exeter Falcons. After moving away from my home town I lost track of the Speedway scene but the thought of the atmosphere and the smell and flying shale was still in my mind.

 

I ended up starting to go to Belle Vue Aces and everything I remembered about my days at Exeter came flooding back even though I don't go every week it is still a thrill the next time I go back.

Pete - Stockport

 

 

From the first race it became obvious that, despite this being a testimonial, the riders meant business. As they jostled for position around the tight bends, every sinew straining to keep control of the sliding back wheels, the crowd roared on their favourite, struggling to be heard over the deep growl of the engines. The blur of sound and colour, as they passed only yards away, was replaced by the one sensation that, for me, made the whole experience real. The exhaust fumes from the methanol fuel forced their way up my nostrils and left an overpowering but not unpleasant lingering smell reminiscent of cooking oil. It was at this point that I felt a connection with my fellow spectators, as if I had just experienced some rite of passage, which no amount of armchair viewing could bestow upon me.

Daren Cowen

 

 

I went to my first Speedway meeting at Poole in 1979. It was generally thought by those who knew me best that it would not be "my cup of tea" at all, but how wrong they were! I absolutely loved it! I didn't understand about helmet colours and teams and so on, but I bought the Speedway Star and the Speedway Mail at the track, asked a few questions and I was hooked! From that time on, I went to meetings home and away as often as I could and four of us become regulars at our home track Poole and at Swindon in the Phil Crump era.

 

So what makes it such an exciting sport? The smell of the methanol, the buzz when the bikes are roaring, friendly supporters, the Stadium atmosphere and the fact that Speedway is so unpredictable. Even the score card is important.

Mary

 

 

Speedway racing is the most exciting and breathtaking 1minute of action available. The emotions that occur from the build-up of the riders coming onto the track, to the final chequered flag is sometimes more than you can take! The air of awe from around the stadium is a phenomena that no other sport can bring. The sounds, the smell, the taste and the feeling in the air of the dust mixed together with the oil and fumes leads to nothing but memories that you will never forget!

 

As a spectator, my heart pumps really fast and that feeling as the tapes fly up, is not comparable to anything in the world. The thrills of seeing 4 riders bumping and grinding into the first corner and the leader trying to get away is superb! Speedway is modern day hunting, where the leader will be chased by other riders trying to outwit them, out-manoeuvre them and ultimately push them to the limit of making a slight error upon which to capitalize on. A minute of speedway racing combines all emotions, reactions and fear for success. The sounds of the crescendo of the crowd cheering, the air-horns blowing and the announcer going crazy is one word! HEAVEN!!!

David Hensby - Canada

 

 

It's great to support your local and national team, lots of passion comes from that. The bravery and skill of the riders is special, as much as we might moan about the lack of passing or whatever, no way would the majority of fans have the guts to get out there and do what the riders are doing in the first place. No brakes, boarded circuits, racing centimetres from one another ............ scary but exciting to watch!!

 

The camaraderie and banter of the fans is good, discussions maybe heated but they never turn to violence. The accessibility of the riders to the fans is unheard of in sport, there's no having a pint with Wayne Rooney in the bar after a match like you could with Scott Nicholls for instance. Same with referees, team managers and promoters, everyone is accessible if you want to talk to them.

Theresa Carman

 

 

Speedway is the best sport in the world - Speedway rules!!!!!!!

Tracey Knights

 

 

I Love Speedway!

 

It was a trip on the train to Cradley Heath on July 18th 1970 that did it. My Dad and my brother took me to my first meeting to see the Swindon Robins race the Heathens. That wide eyed 10 year old boy was enthralled, from the moment the gleaming bikes lined up for the parade to the wind down lap of heat 13. It was the greatest thing I'd ever seen, or heard, or smelled. On the way home, I raced in my mind, me against Chris Bass or Bernie Persson or Martin Ashby. I was in a speedway world of my own. And now, almost 37 years later, I still am. The sport still enthralls me. After being slightly concerned that a 20 year wait for the return of our famous Brummies may diminish my interest in the sport, I'm now as enthusiastic as ever, if not more so. It's like being 16 again, when I chose to read Speedway Star from cover to cover, or paint another program board, rather than revise for my O levels or do my homework. Race days are now spent with the same excited, butterflies in the stomach feeling that I had way back then. And that's just brilliant.

 

Our sport isn't the "beautiful game", even that game is as ugly as sin now, it isn't the sport of kings and it certainly isn't a noble art. What it is though, is a people's sport, a fans' sport, where the stars are within easy reach and the opposing fans approachable, where you can walk around your local stadium, have a pie, a pint, a chat, make new friends, relax 

[The White Knight]

Most of this reminds me of what Speedway used to be like, I wouldn't change a thing.

Nowadays though, no real smell of Castrol 'R' any more. 4 Valve Engines that are too powerful for the Tracks they are expected to race on, in the chase for extra speed. Speedway then was slower in those days, but crucially,  but a damned sight more exciting. Speed does not mean better or more exciting, it means more dangerous for the riders.

I have been a big fan of Speedway for over fifty years (1964). Those days are gone now, and will sadly never return.

Speedway is not what it was, and that is a tragedy.

[topsoil]

Stand at the apex of the first / second bend at Shielfield and watch the riders throwing the bikes into the corners, it's bloody frightening.

Watching a rider sweep up onto the third and fourth bend banking and go round the rider in front, or execute the perfect cutback.

Watching Tomasz Gollob at Bydgoszcz.

[TINYS]

10 minutes ago, The White Knight said:

Most of this reminds me of what Speedway used to be like, I wouldn't change a thing.

Nowadays though, no real smell of Castrol 'R' any more. 4 Valve Engines that are too powerful for the Tracks they are expected to race on, in the chase for extra speed. Speedway then was slower in those days, but crucially,  but a damned sight more exciting. Speed does not mean better or more exciting, it means more dangerous for the riders.

I have been a big fan of Speedway for over fifty years (1964). Those days are gone now, and will sadly never return.

Speedway is not what it was, and that is a tragedy.

Well said agree with everything you have said, I have been a fan for over fifty years also (1967).

Edited September 27, 2021 by TINYS
spelling mistake

[Buttons]

I totally agree

Edited September 28, 2021 by Buttons

[IronScorpion]

From the initial post, I have read these, also, but they have no dates attached so these could be years old.

[martinmauger]

17 hours ago, topsoil said:

Stand at the apex of the first / second bend at Shielfield and watch the riders throwing the bikes into the corners, it's bloody frightening.

Watching a rider sweep up onto the third and fourth bend banking and go round the rider in front, or execute the perfect cutback.

Watching Tomasz Gollob at Bydgoszcz.

Used to witness similar at Sheffield, Owlerton & likely still can.  Between the start and turn 4 but nearer the corner, as the riders drive off the bend especially if near the white line, before getting wheels in line for the home straight, for a spilt second, or even less, it looks as if they just might launch into the crowd !   Such an accident is a mega rare occurance at any track and to the best of my knowledge has never happened at Sheffield.  But a tad scary , yet at the same time exciting ....

Edited September 28, 2021 by martinmauger
scaled down terror

[OGT]

My word, I'm responsible for the last comment on there! How times change, unfortunately.