Stadium Racing

[Pieman72 588]

With the demise in tracks and attendences particulalry in urban areas I would like to propose a different type of racing that could include different classes capacities and also the inclusion of sidecars and grasstrack bikes. There are a lot of lads out there and lasses who I'm sure would relish the opportunity to race on the shale. This very much only a discussion and I'd welcome comments or ideas that could take this proposal a stage further.

[Shale Searcher 1,264]

Bit like what happens at Scunthorpe at the moment then....

[ColinMills 1,728]

I BELIEVE A FEW TRACKS tried this in the past, the sidecars were quite good the times i saw them, quite a few clips on you tube of these

[robert72 845]

I BELIEVE A FEW TRACKS tried this in the past, the sidecars were quite good the times i saw them, quite a few clips on you tube of these

Yes I have enjoyed the sidecars and found them to add value to the night.

[foamfence 2,917]

The DTRA already run such events, they are mainly flat track bikes but I've seen grassers and quads. To be honest they don't seem to attract crowds. I remember the Mike Parker set-up in about 1960. They had solos, sidecars and speedcars, to be honest it wasn't very good and Speedway fans tend to like Speedway rather than a mix (to me it just makes it into a circus).

[poole keith 909]

love the big chairs on the grass,not quite so much on the tracks,not the speed or width of track,drivers and passengers must be the bravest racers around. i think it was paul miller(good sidecar racer himself)tried to promote a few sidecar meetings at poole without success, terrrible crowds, bit like the buccaneers anything different nobody turns up

[Daniel Smith 5,645]

With the demise in tracks and attendences particulalry in urban areas I would like to propose a different type of racing that could include different classes capacities and also the inclusion of sidecars and grasstrack bikes. There are a lot of lads out there and lasses who I'm sure would relish the opportunity to race on the shale. This very much only a discussion and I'd welcome comments or ideas that could take this proposal a stage further.

 

Is this all within one night along side Speedway?

 

If yes, we then get into the situation of further increases in admission costs for not that many more 'bums on seats' argument as these extra classes won't be on show for free.

 

King's Lynn have had other classes on show before & they just don't get the punters i.e. 1000cc sidecar championships, National Quad Bike Championships etc.

In my opinion these would actually decrease the attendances as the days / nights drag on longer for extra events people don't want to watch + again, the added extra on the admission costs.

[Tigerite 319]

Sheffield had a stand alone sidecar meeting in 2010 and the crowd was terrible so don't think we'll see another at Owlerton.

[TonyMac 720]

By and large, speedway fans are (in the nicest of ways) an insular bunch. They don't particularly have much interest in motorcycle racing, they just love speedway. It's a unique sport in many ways.

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

I remember when in the early 90s we were supposed to be getting sidecar teams together, Tragically one of the intended Rye House passengers was killed at Matchams Park and that was the last we heard of it.

[Pieman72 588]

Thank you all so much for all the brilliant posts on the subject it has certainly stimulated some interest. Fundamentally it has to be a only a Speedway event defininitely not a Circus , I have methanol and nitro running through my veins lol. What we need is new idea's that will attract spectators and riders alike and to be fair the Sidecar events at Coventry have atrracted more than the Elite League Speedway so there is definitely the interest albeit with a £10 admission charge. Can I also say how excellent it was and certainly evocative and spectacular on a warm Summer's Friday ! evening. A downside is the grading required to keep some dirt on the racing line. Dirt Track Bikes and Quads aren't really on the agenda I'm more looking at 250's, 350's and 500's using different engines which would be particularly useful for keeping the costs down thus enabling Grass Boys and new riders to compete giving some variety to the Sport.

 

Speedway is a spectacular sport particularly on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday but race evenings are being dictated by foreign riders who are keen but do not have the affinity to the UK. Having local riders must be a plus though the public would not welcome raw riders on a training track either. There is a formula to draw in new spectators but finding it is difficult. Crucially the eyewatering admission/programme charges ie £42 for my wife and I is totally untenable and is going to leave us with empty Stadiums and no atmosphere. Fundamentally it's no point reminicing though it's does bring back many memories; British Speedway is in decline, hemoraging spectators and something has to be done or we will be left with only a handful of teams.

[baba 562]

Side cars at ryehouse? That would be a demolition derby.

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

Side cars at ryehouse? That would be a demolition derby.

Oh they managed it prior that happening, occasionally. Bear in mind during the 90s Spedeworth were running stock car racing on the circuit and they take up far more space. It's surprising what you can fit onto the smaller tracks, especially if the competitors use their heads and don't go blasting full-throttle as if they were at Peterborough.

Edited May 26, 2016 by rmc

[Alan_Jones 1,005]

Quad racing was tried at Rye House during speedway meetings a couple of seasons ago but didn't catch on. The track hosts the first and last rounds of the flat track championship and the building of the training track means that a TT track can be put together by combining the inner and outer tracks and having a removable jump.

[keepturningleft 588]

By and large, speedway fans are (in the nicest of ways) an insular bunch. They don't particularly have much interest in motorcycle racing, they just love speedway. It's a unique sport in many ways.

Very, very true and quite strange at the same time.

Speedway is a motor sport that isn't a really a motor sport - if that makes any sense.

 

From my observations, speedway fans are more likely to be into football than any other motor sport.