TonyE

No surprise for me. Still feeling a great loss though.

Unfortunately the future of virtually all tracks is at risk from 'developers'. The Showground in particular from what I have heard.

You were doing reasonably well until that last bit. Riders averages are based on 4 rides, 7 riders per team equals 28 rides equals 14 heats - so 42.50 should win you the meeting!

I could ask the same question of you. You are entitled to your opinion of course and there has already been a rebuttal of a couple of your viewpoints. Watching from a little further back allows a greater field of vision, especially when we have 'the two races in one' scenario and, also, in my opinion Arena was a much safer track. Rye House is too narrow and had Nick Morris had the same type of incident as happened in the first attempt to run Heat 15 against Glasgow, he would have piled into the fence - no wrap around the corners airbags at RH! As for the quality of racing, I find it really difficult to even put RH in same league as Arena which at least offered riders options on the lines they take rather than just open the throttle and blast round for four laps.

I dread to think just how much money Stuart has pumped into Lakeside. He makes light, in his comments, of the 'battles' he has encountered during his spell of ownership (in fact he is quite restrained) and it comes as no surprise that he is calling it a day. Thank you, Stuart, for giving it go at least and best wishes for the future.

If the Hammers do stay at RH, then they will almost certainly have to change their name to help 'locals' identify with the team and build support . It remains a huge gamble though.

We will have to agree to differ then - Arena offered, in my opinion, far better all round viewing. Yes, you can get closer at Rye but that isn't everything - agreed the seating is a bonus but seems haphazard in placement. Cannot comment on the influence of the trackman ( I would hope he was heeding what the riders wanted)). I just do not think anyone is going to stump up the money for the necessary improvements to both track and the poor lighting.

Agreed, it reads like an obituary/farewell. So sad.

For what it is worth, I believe the Hammers will effectively cease to exist having now completed the season. Rye House was merely an expedient - I still do not understand the logic of the authorities in ruling we had to switch all remaining fixtures to RH rather than just run the ones we could not fit in at Arena - but then this is speedway , often devoid of any logic. RH is much, much worse than Arena - poor viewing, poor racing, poor lighting and, as others have said, not really a viable option without major and costly changes. Thanks for the memories.

The Hammers were effectively 'screwed' when they had to move and have done well to get this far. Having said that, I expected them to put up more of a fight tonight but it is what it is.

It's over.

My second visit to Rye since the move -I just cannot take to the place. Yes there are stands/seating but it doesn't appear co-ordinated in any way. Plenty of lights around the track but, in my opinion, they do not illuminate the track effectively: I was watching the riders enter bend one from the tapes and had no idea who was whom. I counted three passes last night (there may have been more that I missed in the dark). For a meeting of this importance, there was little to no atmosphere - what do you expect on a cold damp late October evening on a track not renowned for good racing? I agree with others, the powers that be have made a complete cods of this season and, realistically, I hold out no hope that they won't do it again. Good to see that two Friday night impacted teams made it to the final notwithstanding the 'difficulties' placed in their way. Best wishes to both teams tonight and hope everyone stays safe. Whoever wins will be worthy champions.

Just wish the tie was at Arena as it would make for a much more competitive pair of meetings overall.

According to the preview on Hammers' website - he rides.

I can't of course but the general feeling from various sources is that they do. Why else would promotions continue them?