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Our track doesn’t guarantee good racing anymore than any other track does. Occasionally we watch processional racing as do fans at all tracks. Weather, prep, rider preference etc. all factors. But it can and does produce superb racing as do most other tracks. Bias? Maybe. But I’ll continue to passionately dispute posts that claim the track can’t produce great racing. Good racing at Plymouth needs guile and cahoonas, those without both or either can often blame the track… Riders blaming the track when they should be looking closer to home, isn’t something unique to the coliseum. Last night at Poole, I can’t recall a pass after bend 3 lap 1. Not the tracks fault, more to to with the Gladiators not looking capable of passing wind let alone an opponent. I’ve watched truly tedious meetings at Somerset, but on the right night with the right riders the racing could be thrilling. On the payroll? Certainly not. But I do feel a loyalty to the club and the promotion to defend their corner when I see them unfairly criticised. In the current British Speedway environment I think a phenomenal job has been done by Mark and the team down here. We’ve seen some fantastic meetings on a lovely little track in a well equipped atmospheric stadium. There’s a true buzz about speedway and crowd numbers are on the up…. That’s almost as unique as the track. I continue to be dumbfounded every time I log on and see negative posts aimed at the club and it’s facilities. Get behind Speedway and one of it’s good news stories.

Deano you clearly don't know what you're talking about so it's easier for you to just stop talking. The track work had no influence from Redcar other than us wanting a safe track to ride. The only way to make it safe was to make it slick and dusty. The main problem with Birmingham, and it was the same in our first visit, is the inconsistent surface. It is soft in places and like concrete elsewhere. This not only creates ruts but also throws riders around as the bike grips/spins with the changing surface. Harris even admitted it was "fair enough" that Redcar complained. He also struggled with his practice laps to okay the surface, being thrown about on bends 1 & 2 particularly. Redcar have nothing to be sorry for if Birmingham don't come to the tapes next season. It's purely down to an inadequate promotion who have consistently blamed everything/everyone but themselves.

Lost all respect for the Redcar management last night after they threw their toys out of the pram basically because they were getting outgated and beat early on. They appeared to have an agenda which goes back to the first meeting between the teams. Nothing to report on the track walk, didn't hear anything about the track from the first few heats and then the manager decided he wanted to speak to the referee. Even his own riders looked miffed. By this point, no rider had struggled with the track, nobody had fell off and Kerr had posted one of the fastest times of the year. So the referee had to come down because the team manager said his riders wouldn't ride. The manager insisted on the grading taking place. A stronger referee would have told them to crack on but once she agreed to walk the track they were always going to get what they wanted. It's these sort of childish shenanigans that's killing speedway and it was sad to see. The way Birmingham started, it was set up to be a really good meeting, Kerr was superb and showed everyone how to ride a track. The delay did enhance the crowd participation and produced a great atmosphere, something that a lot of meetings sadly lack. If the meeting had just carried on, it had the potential to be a classic but Redcars management had other ideas. Can only think it's a bit of payback from previously. I'm not bothered about the result too much but the way we got there, I do have an issue with. Yes Birmingham have had problems with the track this year but last night wasn't really one of them but Redcar made it a problem. Redcar are a good side with some excellent fans but the management side are quite frankly pathetic.

Thanks Keith. I accept that it’s not everyone’s ‘cup of tea’ but we have had some very positive feedback regarding this years parade format. Personally, I like the added build-up and the focus placed on each team. Last night’s timing problems seemed to be mainly due to a couple of excruciatingly long track grades and an interval. The Referee actually kept things moving in slick fashion and, as Ray C points out, I even shaved about a minute and a half off, myself, by somehow managing to ignore the Pirates intros! Oops! My fault…Sorry….

So then, Aaron Summers, Ricky Wells, Nick Morris, Palm Toft...are these riders all pussies too?! When will Birmingham see that it is THEIR doing?! Its not much to ask from riders that a track is prepared safely for them to ride. Dust would have been acceptable on a hot day like yesterday. A patchy rutty track, soaked in places and dry in others is never acceptable. For me, if Harris says "it's fair enough" that Redcar challenged the track conditions then that says a lot about how bad they were as he'll ride anything!

I think lack of track preparation ( again !) killed any chance of Birmingham running next season.

Well its a warm welcome to the Gladiators on Friday, a team that have made much progress in recent weeks although now hampered by the injury to Richard Lawson. The Plymouth owners and management are to be congratulated for adopting a positive approach and actually promoting the sport. Looking forward to seeing Jason and Bjarne and I'm sure they'll love racing on a fair, smooth, well prepared track unlike some of the tracks they will have encountered away from home this year. With Richard in the team this would have been a close one but Tigers should now have enough strength in depth to win. They will be missing Tom Brennan on GB U-21 duty but have managed to bring in Ben Barker as a guest. Remember the match is being streamed and passes can be purchased here Home | Glasgow Tigers Speedway

Fair comment, but it’s a very short term view. Redcar have come close to folding under previous promotion/s. I’ve been around this sport for a good 40 years and seen speedway on many different circuits. Many far worse than last night, many where riders can’t turn or even slide too well. But they’ve got on with it.

As I've said before. The track is the most important part of a promoters business. Get that right and you've got a chance.

Correct.The point is when you a run speedway club as bad as Brum has been I dont think you should be calling out Redcar as having bad mangerment when they are bucking the trend when it comes to crowds.just plan stupid.

I saw a guy with 666 on his head I think it was down to him .

I've had an official email from IMG to clarify that the start time is 4pm local time both days. So everyone should be getting this email or some other direct communication. Mind u, it says 'local time'.....Manchester as it's own 'local weather' so does mean their clocks are different as well!

As I posted even a billiard table of a track doesn't stop something else happening to turn speedway (Zzz) It's just always gone on. Also we can't forget that speedway is not a smooth velodrome it is ridden on different size tracks, different types of surfaces and in different weather. As a fan that's one of its great attractions and I would think as a rider too testing your abilities against other riders but also the track, every meeting and every race being a new challenge. And sometimes if you don't fancy it than so be it; you just have to back off and run a third or forth place and let the riders with the all-round skills and passion take the win. I've been to Berwick (not Shielfield) on a lovely clear day only to find from out of nowhere a underground spring had appeared under the track near the fence on one the straights, meeting abandoned. I've been to Berwick after heavy rainfall and a lot of the track had been moved up to the edges of the football pitch and if I remember correctly had even had white markings around it making the track only ¾ of its normal size on the straights and certainly not a billiard table but the meeting went successfully ahead. I've seen a 65-0 at Peterborough and a cup final at Coventry in shocking condition when Poole wanted out but the ref said get on with it and Poole from wishing to go home and pack there kit away, really did get on with it and turned the meeting around and won. Clearly I would never wish out and out dangerous track conditions on anyone, however the mind set of riders (management) really does come into play. All of which doesn't help Joe Public standing there thinking I've seem them ride in worse than this.

Damming quote on FB after tonight's match from soon to be retired & former Birmingham rider, Aaron Summers:- "track is the worst I've ridden in the UK and I use to love Birmingham being 1 of my home tracks was like a billiard table then. Now you need a mx bike to ride it"

Yes, Ian was 97, and was in a retirement home in NZ. Joe Hicks and Dave Gifford passed this on to Reg Fearman who in turn passed it on. Dave and Joe kept an eye on him, as did a number of the "speedway family" members in the rickety-racket islands(haven't heard that term used for years!!). Whenever Reg was down under he would always visit with Ian. I well remember Ian as the flamboyant promoter of Edinburgh in 1964-65-he would have been about 40 then!! How time flies. After he retired from speedway he ran a movie theatre in Rhodesia- when the "barbarians" took over he left and returned to NZ- sensible decision. He was a real character. I also think he may have been the first promoter that Bernt Persson and Bengt Jansson rode for. Another real piece of speedway history has left us. R.I.P. Ian .

Yup I’m biased. But not irrational. Scapegoating Redcar for your own team and promotions shortcomings.

I am proud to be a Redcar supporter. A well run, well promoted, good team on a fair, well prepared racetrack. A model for most other teams in the league. Can understand you’re upset at tonight’s events but the blame, if the Brummies don’t run next year, doesn’t lie with Redcar. The Bears have been well beaten a number of times away this year and not complained about track issues. The issues with track prep at Birmingham have been well documented.

“Main Man” Rogers overseeing another track related fiasco! Don’t recall track issues week in week out under Graham Drury’s stewardship!

Anyone wanting to watch this meeting can now do so on the Bears website £4.99 for a 30 day rental http://www.redcar-speedway.com/on-demand/

Greig has been riding his old standard type engine this year up until a week ago good equipment for NL but he then tried one of the newer offset engines from mitch davy in a meeting and struggled with it totally different power output to his standard engines having never ridden one in a race meeting felt the bike was in control and not him but had a couple outing after the meeting and enjoyed it pretty sure once he gets used to them will be a lot better

Didn't attend again armchair??? Tut Tut. Doesn't stop you commenting on everything though.

The A34 is stop & start due to traffic lights, regardless of roadworks, that isn't really the issue especially that late. If the M6/M54 are clear I can get home in 20 minutes from Perry Barr, the roadworks at M6 junction 10 are the issue, it's taken me nearly 2 hours to get home recently. I'll deal with it if the meeting ends at 21:15 as normal but any later and the build up of traffic crawling towards junction 10 is far worse, it's been a crawl from just after the M5 junction a couple of times.

How about supporting a team that produces a good race track……week, after week, after week ?

Scored 8 around the EOES. He's on s tour of the country getting rides so credit to him

In previous years I used to think they did a good job even though some people on here made it clear that they disagreed with that view. However last night they really were awful. They seem to have forgotten what their job is, made mistakes, interrupted each other and appeared to have not undertaken any basic research.