How Many Heats In A League Meeting ?

[moxey63 1,785]

I think top riders meet each other too much in a league match. In my day, you used to have to get there for the start of the match because quite often the likes of the two number ones only met once - in the first race. The nominated heat, I feel, has taken the gloss away from top riders meeting one another... it's a bit like having fish and chips more than once or twice a week. Something special in time loses its appeal when it become less special. Less is more, so they say.

[Paulco 7,075]

Why did the 13 heat formula get binned anyway ? Because that format had a tired look about it at the time . The second halves started with a reserves race , which featured the two number sevens from both sides and two track juniors . Then you had three rider of the night heats wich the three winners plus the fastest runner up made the final . You had another reserves race before the final .

If we had a southern based team up at Glasgow , they were generally keen to get on the road and few tried very hard in the rider of the night heats . You normally ended up with mainly home riders in the final . Sometimes some away riders didn't even bother hanging around for the 2nd half , which turned the whole excercise into a farce .

We tried 15 , 16 and 18 heat formats since then , but i think what we have now probably works best .

[george.m 3,063]

The point i'm making is not the heat formulae bringing back the crowds, but the anticipation of seeing the better riders meeting each other less frequently.

 

 

Surely there's more anticipation seeing the top riders meeting heat 1 when something depends on it, and this only a couple of times a season.

 

I respect you have your opinions, which you're entitled to.

 

I can't agree. As what you are saying is less, is more.

 

I've been to many meetings where the end result is influenced by heats 13 and 15 as the meeting is that close. May not be your experience, granted.

 

I'd rather see as much of the top riders as possible, not less.

 

Surely that's why so many go to the GP at Cardiff, to see as many top riders racing each other as possible?

 

Interesting to see the views of others in the "Dissertation Questionnaire - Results" thread:

 

 

Why do you personally like Speedway? - The racing 32%

 

Not suggesting you're wrong in your opinion.

[moxey63 1,785]

The current format does encourage strong sides that have two decent riders for heats 13 and 15.

[Paulco 7,075]

The current format does encourage strong sides that have two decent riders for heats 13 and 15.

There is that , but not being able to use the t/r after heat 12 has helped in that respect

[SCB 0]

13, 14, 15, 16, 18. Whatever you do, the racing will be the same, you just see 13, 14, 15, 16, 18 heats each.

 

And if I'm honest, I don't see the point of a second half. It's 4 pointless, meaningless heats. I only like individuals that mean something (GP, ELRC, PLRC) so taking away actual races that means something for some pointless races. I want to watch real teams and individuals that mean something, not made up teams and individuals that nobody will remember in a months time.

[The White Knight 9,039]

13, 14, 15, 16, 18. Whatever you do, the racing will be the same, you just see 13, 14, 15, 16, 18 heats each.

 

And if I'm honest, I don't see the point of a second half. It's 4 pointless, meaningless heats. I only like individuals that mean something (GP, ELRC, PLRC) so taking away actual races that means something for some pointless races. I want to watch real teams and individuals that mean something, not made up teams and individuals that nobody will remember in a months time.

 

Surely it is not beyond the whit of man to organise some kind of National Second Half Competition then. Make it worthwhile to ride in - and off we go.

 

13 Heats plus Second Half. Problem solved.

 

Q.E.D.

[SCB 0]

Surely it is not beyond the whit of man to organise some kind of National Second Half Competition then. Make it worthwhile to ride in - and off we go.

 

13 Heats plus Second Half. Problem solved.

 

Q.E.D.

Fair point if it could be made to work, make the second half the ELRC. It might actually be a decent idea.

[foamfence 2,917]

Surely it is not beyond the whit of man to organise some kind of National Second Half Competition then. Make it worthwhile to ride in - and off we go.

 

13 Heats plus Second Half. Problem solved.

 

Q.E.D.

I already mentioned this idea, earlier.

[The White Knight 9,039]

I already mentioned this idea, earlier.

 

Did you? - I never saw it.

[tonyd 165]

13 Heats every time for me. But then again - I'm an 'old git' and can remember the good times.

 

Well that makes two of us then so your not alone.

[seanmuffe 105]

I think top riders meet each other too much in a league match. In my day, you used to have to get there for the start of the match because quite often the likes of the two number ones only met once - in the first race. The nominated heat, I feel, has taken the gloss away from top riders meeting one another... it's a bit like having fish and chips more than once or twice a week. Something special in time loses its appeal when it become less special. Less is more, so they say.

 

dont start me on fish and chips..........this is a serious thread

 

Why did the 13 heat formula get binned anyway ? Because that format had a tired look about it at the time . The second halves started with a reserves race , which featured the two number sevens from both sides and two track juniors . Then you had three rider of the night heats wich the three winners plus the fastest runner up made the final . You had another reserves race before the final .

If we had a southern based team up at Glasgow , they were generally keen to get on the road and few tried very hard in the rider of the night heats . You normally ended up with mainly home riders in the final . Sometimes some away riders didn't even bother hanging around for the 2nd half , which turned the whole excercise into a farce .

We tried 15 , 16 and 18 heat formats since then , but i think what we have now probably works best .

didnt it get binned because the riders werent interested or off somewhere.

[Deano 1,318]

Speedways greatest and biggest problem is it's always looking backwards. Never out looking in and forwards, which is why is considered a naff, boring sport by old fans and outsiders.

 

It needs a bit more than tingering with the race format to bring back the interest i'm affraid.

 

Some new ideas that send out a breath of fresh air that can be built upon is what is needed.

 

 

Make it cheaper for riders to participate to help cut admission might be a start, without making the product look inferior.

Edited March 10, 2013 by Deano

[Humphrey Appleby 13,955]

Why did the 13 heat formula get binned anyway ? Because that format had a tired look about it at the time .

 

Probably more because promoters saw a way of cutting costs by ditching the second-half and introducing a juniors league, only to subsequently ditch the juniors league.

 

The 'traditional second-half' probably had got tired, but the races could have been linked into BLRC/NLRC qualification or something meaningful to increase the interest of both riders and fans.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

I much prefer 15 heats. Especially the nominated heat idea. If a meeting's been decided prior it still gives something to look forward too.

 

And my memory of second halves was the frequent disrespect shown by riders - uncompetitive riding, testing engines, finishing last in their first heat so they could leave and get to the pub before it closed, or just plain leaving the stadium due to a prior appointment (to get to the pub before it closed). Nowadays it would be leaving to get a flight to Poland.

 

For £16 I want 15 competitive races, not 13.

 

Second halves - no thank you.

 

Well you did question my age recently (52 btw...) - but I clearly AM hold enough to remember second halves in their pomp and you can't be, as I can assure you the second halves of the 1970s were NOTHING like you describe.

Riders took them every bit as seriously as the main meeting.

Stand-outs in my mind were the incredible race between the late Tommy Jansson and Gordon Kennett when Wimbledon visited White City for the opening meeting at Wood Lane in '76. Tommy won an absolute classic race.

And the year before on the eve of a World Final which was to see Tiger beat Mauger in a rostrum place run off, when John Louis beat the great Kiwi, then of Exeter to bring the house down in a second half final at Foxhall Heath.

The fact I remeber these great races and they were second half finals says it all!