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Winter Meetings


SJA

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I am surprised that a club has not tried to organise a meeting over the festive period. I always liked the New Year Classic at Newport and it always appeared well supported.

Besides the weather I wonder what puts a club off trying it?

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The New year classic at Newport was an eagerly anticipated event and was staged in a variety of conditions due to the time of year, but Tim Stone always managed to select a bunch of riders who were prepared to give it a go regardless of the conditions, not always the best line up, but no prima donnas who were not prepared to give it a go, it produced a few non-fancied winners like Lee Smart, although even back as far as 2004, 2005, 2008 Chris Harris was a winner and that says it all !

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This time of year a lot of the Non UK Riders have returned home so for example a lot of the Aussies are back home and doing meetings in Aus. I guess the cost also for European riders to come for one event wouldn’t be worthwhile unless big money is on offer - it would be great to have a event during this period but don’t think it’s viable anymore. 
 

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13 minutes ago, piston197 said:

The New year classic at Newport was an eagerly anticipated event and was staged in a variety of conditions due to the time of year, but Tim Stone always managed to select a bunch of riders who were prepared to give it a go regardless of the conditions, not always the best line up, but no prima donnas who were not prepared to give it a go, it produced a few non-fancied winners like Lee Smart, although even back as far as 2004, 2005, 2008 Chris Harris was a winner and that says it all !

God I miss those wet, baltic Sundays in Jan. How they managed to get the track to stand up to some of the conditions still baffles me to this day.

 

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21 minutes ago, 1stbender said:

This time of year a lot of the Non UK Riders have returned home so for example a lot of the Aussies are back home and doing meetings in Aus. I guess the cost also for European riders to come for one event wouldn’t be worthwhile unless big money is on offer - it would be great to have a event during this period but don’t think it’s viable anymore. 
 

Was not the case back in 2010  1 Aussie, 2 Swedes  3 Danes

1. Chris Neath (Rye House) 2. Chris Mills (Unattached) 3. Ricky Ashworth (Sheffield) 4. Kevin Doolan (Kings Lynn) 5. Ben Barker (Coventry) 6. Adam Roynon (Workington) 7. Steve Boxall (Unattached) 8. Andrew Tully (Edinburgh) 9. Brent Werner (Unattached) 10. Andrers Mellgren (Newport) 11. Mads Korneliussen (Swindon) 12. Robert Henderson (Sweden) 13. Carl Wilkinson (Scunthorpe) 14. Niels-K Iversen (Peterborough) 15. Jerran Hart (Scunthorpe) 16. Daniel Henderson (Sweden)

Meeting reserves: 17. James White-Williams (Newport) 18. Tom Young (Newport)

 

Full article New Year Classic – super line-up set to thrill fans | South Wales Argus

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9 minutes ago, DJC said:

God I miss those wet, baltic Sundays in Jan. How they managed to get the track to stand up to some of the conditions still baffles me to this day.

 

I recall driving through snow on the way to the final one I attended which I think could have been the last meeting at Newport.

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I used to enjoy them, I think Sheffield put one on once too. These days though most, so called, promoters won't put anything on other than a league match. They won't even hold international test matches, so no chance of a Christmas/NY meeting

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I also enjoyed the Telford "ice Speedway" meetings, not much of a spectacle, but a good day out and some interesting distraction watching the "Dancing on ice" half time entertainment, enjoyed  the likes of Tony Atkin and Wayne Broadhurst showing some of the young bucks how to do it by exercising throttle control .

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Yes and there is that man Wayne Broadhurst winning again at the age of 56, 63 riders at Isle of Wight and 40 races, sounds like a good day out and giving the spectators value for money  most league speedway track spectators just see 15 minutes of racing,

it is time the SCB realise the spectators paying £20 + programme + food and beverages ,want a lot more than the 2 hours of standing around to watch 15 minutes of racing !

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17 hours ago, piston197 said:

Yes and there is that man Wayne Broadhurst winning again at the age of 56, 63 riders at Isle of Wight and 40 races, sounds like a good day out and giving the spectators value for money  most league speedway track spectators just see 15 minutes of racing,

it is time the SCB realise the spectators paying £20 + programme + food and beverages ,want a lot more than the 2 hours of standing around to watch 15 minutes of racing !

was a really good day out on the Island, and with the admission only £5 too.

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On 12/18/2023 at 12:24 PM, piston197 said:

I also enjoyed the Telford "ice Speedway" meetings, not much of a spectacle, but a good day out and some interesting distraction watching the "Dancing on ice" half time entertainment, enjoyed  the likes of Tony Atkin and Wayne Broadhurst showing some of the young bucks how to do it by exercising throttle control .

They did one at Milton Keynes for at least one year as well

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There was a meeting at the London Arena in winter 1990 (or 91, can't remember the exact date) - another former London Speedway venue that's bitten the dust.

Seem to remember there was a problem halfway through - could have been a leaking roof but the memory is too hazy - hopefully someone out there can remind us more about that day 

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