An Open Letter To David Hemsley

[Chrall 11]

I feel that Glyn Taylor should have been allowed to alter the track as he wished and for DH to alter it, whilst Glyn was in Australia, was more cost effective but did little for the racing. The inside line on the bends needs to be taken in but it need the drains to be moved. Maybe some of The Scunthorpe shale needs to be laid also.

[robert72 845]

Just had a look at Beaumont Park on Google maps satellite view & it's not hard to see why the racing is poor. From the air it looks like Belle Vue, only narrower. Makes an interesting comparison with other recent "green field" tracks like Somerset, Scunthorpe & Redcar and you have to ask who thought it would be a good idea to build it like this? Long straights, tight bends with narrow entry & exit = no room to pass.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.6688119,-1.1598311,483m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en (Leicester)

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.2302026,-2.9555397,250m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en (Somerset)

It's a bigger version of a cycle speedway track that Doesn't work. People tried to give him advice when building it and still do but he will not change it as he clearly sees it different to everyone else.

 

It's a real shame that he is damaging sport of speedway.

[Gemini 4,894]

The Problem at Leicester is not the track but the league. From what I have witnessed over the last few years this type of boring racing is indictive of the Elite league. Anybody who as ever watched the Primer league matches on Sky can not fail to have noticed this.

I don't agree with that generalization but in any case Leicester spent 3 seasons in the Premier League and that's when all the opinions of the poor racing were formed so nothing to do with joining the E.L.

[Ott2trot 7]

You have to remember that all the grippy tracks have a clay base.

Leicester I'm guessing doesn't,I also noticed a pronounced blue groove when I went to see the stars race there earlier in the month and yet no one could pass on the inside because the only fast line is what I call the high three quarter line.

In my opinion the only viable alteration would be to bring the inside line in as both Eastbourne and Peterborough have done.

This is a lovely stadium with good facilities and good crowds on the best race night so deserves good racing and whilst I agree with most of your 'letter' I find the last line extremely patronising.....

[*JJ 512]

Just had a look at Beaumont Park on Google maps satellite view & it's not hard to see why the racing is poor. From the air it looks like Belle Vue, only narrower. Makes an interesting comparison with other recent "green field" tracks like Somerset, Scunthorpe & Redcar and you have to ask who thought it would be a good idea to build it like this? Long straights, tight bends with narrow entry & exit = no room to pass.

David Hemsley told me that he wanted a fast speedway, this is why he built it with long straights. Of course with hindsight, he should have copied Somerset or Scunthorpe a bit larger.

[Mark 1,497]

The bends seem too narrow upon entry which allows just one line. Whic is why the racing is (a) over after bend 2 ( the riders are spaced with big gaps.

 

A rider who does go wide on the bend loses ground and has no hope of picking up drive and/or making "a long straight". Has a ny Leicester supporter seen a rider have success going by the boards.

 

Its a poor design and will be a terrible advert when live on Sky. Hopefully Kelvin or Nigel P will ask a few riders why is so hard to pass.

Edited June 26, 2014 by marky

[Shale Searcher 1,264]

Ok, if you add up all the fans on here that say the track needs changing, it still only adds up to between 60/99 people, not exactly the whole Leicester Fan base, so you can probably see it from D.H's point, you can probably not add many to that amount that may have said anything directly to his face, so say 200 tops..

That equates to less than a quarter of a 1,000 gate, and considerably less than 15% if a 1,600! It would NOT be enough to change my mind as what about the other 85%!!!!! Whether or not they want it changing or not, if they don't say, how can he possibly take the risk.....

 

However, if there is someone who wants to take on the responsibility of organising a proper, paper petition, conducted in the proper manner, which includes more info on what needs to be done, and then presents this information to him/his Leicester Speedway business in a proper and professional manner then you will get a definitive answer.

It's a big and responsible job that needs conducting in a thoroughly professional manner, is there someone who would want to and able to do this in a completely unbiased way, with no bullying, coersing, no shortcutting, cheating and no cheap shot behaviour to finally put this issue and the future of Leicester Speedway to bed, forever?

 

What do you think???

[mrcts 252]

Ok, if you add up all the fans on here that say the track needs changing, it still only adds up to between 60/99 people, not exactly the whole Leicester Fan base, so you can probably see it from D.H's point, you can probably not add many to that amount that may have said anything directly to his face, so say 200 tops..

That equates to less than a quarter of a 1,000 gate, and considerably less than 15% if a 1,600! It would NOT be enough to change my mind as what about the other 85%!!!!! Whether or not they want it changing or not, if they don't say, how can he possibly take the risk.....

 

However, if there is someone who wants to take on the responsibility of organising a proper, paper petition, conducted in the proper manner, which includes more info on what needs to be done, and then presents this information to him/his Leicester Speedway business in a proper and professional manner then you will get a definitive answer.

It's a big and responsible job that needs conducting in a thoroughly professional manner, is there someone who would want to and able to do this in a completely unbiased way, with no bullying, coersing, no shortcutting, cheating and no cheap shot behaviour to finally put this issue and the future of Leicester Speedway to bed, forever?

 

What do you think???

I have been to every home meeting since we reopened and I have never heard anyone say the racing is good,it blatantly isn't is it.

You say he can't take the risk of changing the track,I say he can't risk not changing it.

A couple of seasons ago Hemsley asked supporters for their views on what they wanted to see in the future,the overwhelming responses were they wanted the track changing,he moved the bends in about 3ft each end.....big deal,it did nothing to the quality of the racing.

How can track be good,there is virtually no passing at all.....the riders must be pulling their hair out,if you don't gate you've little chance of ever passing anyone.

By the way what do you think of the track?

Edited June 26, 2014 by mrcts

[ruckerroo 792]

There won't be many passes with eastie in town frs

[Fromafar 10,359]

It is hard to believe what they came up with regarding track shape and size,when the 2 off the best shaped tracks in the country were built from green field sites .A straight copy would have done the trick it wasn't as if they were stuck for room,everything else looks the part.(Somerset &Scunthorpe)

Edited June 26, 2014 by Fromafar

[Hodgy 976]

Just had a look at Beaumont Park on Google maps satellite view & it's not hard to see why the racing is poor. From the air it looks like Belle Vue, only narrower. Makes an interesting comparison with other recent "green field" tracks like Somerset, Scunthorpe & Redcar and you have to ask who thought it would be a good idea to build it like this? Long straights, tight bends with narrow entry & exit = no room to pass.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.6688119,-1.1598311,483m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en (Leicester)

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.2302026,-2.9555397,250m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en (Somerset)

Great idea to post these views of the two tracks.

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv 10,706]

Ok, if you add up all the fans on here that say the track needs changing, it still only adds up to between 60/99 people, not exactly the whole Leicester Fan base, so you can probably see it from D.H's point, you can probably not add many to that amount that may have said anything directly to his face, so say 200 tops..

That equates to less than a quarter of a 1,000 gate, and considerably less than 15% if a 1,600! It would NOT be enough to change my mind as what about the other 85%!!!!! Whether or not they want it changing or not, if they don't say, how can he possibly take the risk.....

 

However, if there is someone who wants to take on the responsibility of organising a proper, paper petition, conducted in the proper manner, which includes more info on what needs to be done, and then presents this information to him/his Leicester Speedway business in a proper and professional manner then you will get a definitive answer.

It's a big and responsible job that needs conducting in a thoroughly professional manner, is there someone who would want to and able to do this in a completely unbiased way, with no bullying, coersing, no shortcutting, cheating and no cheap shot behaviour to finally put this issue and the future of Leicester Speedway to bed, forever?

 

What do you think???

Didnt they start with crowds of 3000+?

 

That means 1500 - 2000 have expressed the opinion its not up to scratch.

[robert72 845]

Didnt they start with crowds of 3000+?

 

That means 1500 - 2000 have expressed the opinion its not up to scratch.

 

and a lot of away fans have also visited and said they will give Leicester a miss next time there team ride there due to the lack of passing.

[Shale Searcher 1,264]

So someone do the petition then! For God's sake, I can't change it and nor can xxx poster or yyy poster, what have you got to lose??

[Trees 2,814]

Get a group up to do it on a race night?