Belle Vue -v- Swindon 19th August

[Gemini 4,894]

The same happened at the Leicester v Kings Lynn match, big rain shower (over an hour) we swept all the surface water off, did a bit of grading, and I thought and so did a few others Inc Leicester trackman, that it was ok, after 3 or 4 races, the track would have developed.. but Kings Lynn wanted it blading, and once a blade is used, it usually only goes one way in the UK, and that's off!! And it was off!!

 

Why is a visiting team allowed to dictate how a track is prepared, especially with the track staff knowing what the outcome will be?

[BWitcher 12,453]

You put 'carbon copy' in quotes, you were quoting me, you should have posted 'appears to be almost a carbon copy' if you are using quotes!

 

Yawn.

 

Your desperation knows no bounds. If you think I have broken forum rules, present the rule.

[Gemini 4,894]

Oh gawd! Will one of you just give up so we can have some peace.

[BWitcher 12,453]

Oh gawd! Will one of you just give up so we can have some peace.

 

If he has an issue Gemini he should take it to the moderators instead of hurling around stupid allegations clogging up the forum.

[Aces51 2,778]

I blame the parents.

[Shale Searcher 1,264]

Why is a visiting team allowed to dictate how a track is prepared, especially with the track staff knowing what the outcome will be?

 

I can't answer that one, the days of the referee having the final say seem long gone.. Leicester didn't help the cause, none of them had changed, and that sends out the wrong message...

 

Also, every man and his dog had been out onto the track on turn 2 (pits entrance/exit) and had kicked, heeled, scraped, stubbed their feet all over, and that made it look far worse than it was... In the old days, pit gates were shut, with signs up saying "Riders Please Keep Off The Track" until the pit gates were opened by the clerk of the course..

 

There are riders that just don't like riding on wet tracks, and its worse now than at any time I can recall, and the Elite League is far worse than the Premier League..

That sounds to me as if it could be right. There was certainly a deep layer of loose wet shale on top. I'm sure Colin Meredith would have tyre packed it knowing the forecast but I don't know much about his replacement and to be fair to him he must still be finding his feet.

 

I can understand what Gresham 78 is saying and why but the drains are excellent and have dealt with prolonged heavy rain on a number of occasions, the British Final, the World Cup race off and the Leicester meeting spring to mind. I recall a really heavy downpour shortly before a meeting and literally within 10 or 15 minutes the water had disappeared. I travel quite a distance and from previous experience fully expected the meeting to go ahead and can believe that the promotion would as well. If the meeting had been at the old track I wouldn't have set off.

 

Interestingly, Tony Steele and the track curator walked the track a while before the JAPS went out and nothing was said then about calling it off, that only arose after the riders had an input and the blade was brought out.

 

When you have adequate drainage, decent banking and clay to shale bias, if you pack it down with tyres, whilst it's damp, it forms a almost a skin, which will allow a lot of the falling rain to make it down hill to the drains. However, once the surface is disturbed, it will leech water down through the track. If rain is forecast, you need to moisten the surface, and tyre pack and tyre pack and tyre pack, then get off the track, and leave it well alone until the ref wants to look at it.. And most of all, keep the "track kickers" off until official pre meeting track walk..

[Gresham78 215]

I'm assuming Shale Searcher you've worked on tracks yourself judging by your comments in which case I accept what you're saying.However it doesn't excuse the lack of communication by the club. If they'd just announced something on the lines of ' despite heavy rain the club are confident of the meeting going ahead'That announcement could have been proceeded by a track inspection and followed up with a further inspection when the rain stopped.

Everybody in speedway knows rain and racing don't go together very well so you've got to keep people informed when a meeting is likely to be affected by the weather & the track condition needs to be monitored regularly. It's no good just relying on the drains,letting people in and then saying 'oh darn it we forgot to tyre pack it'.

If this sport wants to be taken seriously again its got to act more professionally and that includes the National Speedway Stadium as it should be setting an example to the rest of the sport.

[bruno 1,790]

I blame the parents.

I blame Maggie Thatcher

[KIRKYLANE 534]

A general comment re the above and the other occasions when things have gone astray throughout British Speedway in recent times :

 

When will British Speedway stop shooting itself in the foot ?

 

Sadly, I think the answer is likely to be never !!!!

 

It is no wonder that the media and TV regard Speedway as a minority sport and give it minimal support.

 

I have watched Speedway for over 50 years and there are times when I despair with the way British Speedway runs itself.

[Shale Searcher 1,264]

I'm assuming Shale Searcher you've worked on tracks yourself judging by your comments in which case I accept what you're saying.However it doesn't excuse the lack of communication by the club. If they'd just announced something on the lines of ' despite heavy rain the club are confident of the meeting going ahead'That announcement could have been proceeded by a track inspection and followed up with a further inspection when the rain stopped.

Everybody in speedway knows rain and racing don't go together very well so you've got to keep people informed when a meeting is likely to be affected by the weather & the track condition needs to be monitored regularly. It's no good just relying on the drains,letting people in and then saying 'oh darn it we forgot to tyre pack it'.

If this sport wants to be taken seriously again its got to act more professionally and that includes the National Speedway Stadium as it should be setting an example to the rest of the sport.

Yes, you assume correctly.. And yes your are right about clubs not keeping its fans updated with info..

 

There's so much in speedway that is out of control, some you can take control of, and should.. Inc keeping supporters updated with team news, mind you, with the reactions you get on here, perhaps they can't risk losing 50+ to a meeting because their star rider is in some other way occupied abroad, and their best "7 rides, rider" is performing in a meeting a division or two lower down the leagues!!!

[Gemini 4,894]

 

 

......Shale Searcher......I can't answer that one, the days of the referee having the final say seem long gone.. Leicester didn't help the cause, none of them had changed, and that sends out the wrong message...

Also, every man and his dog had been out onto the track on turn 2 (pits entrance/exit) and had kicked, heeled, scraped, stubbed their feet all over, and that made it look far worse than it was... In the old days, pit gates were shut, with signs up saying "Riders Please Keep Off The Track" until the pit gates were opened by the clerk of the course..
There are riders that just don't like riding on wet tracks, and its worse now than at any time I can recall, and the Elite League is far worse than the Premier League..

 

Thanks for your reply. The main thing fans object to is being kept in the dark what is going on and allowed to pay admission when there is obviously no chance of the match going ahead. In this case it's even worse because some Kings Lynn fans are having problems getting a refund weeks afterwards. Unlucky for me I think I must have thrown our two tickets away as I can't find them so that's £30 the promotion can have.

[Agrotron 955]

Well another pr disaster for the club. Why the track work didnt start around 4.30- 5.00pm i dont know. I was stood at the front of the stadium around 6.30 when a couple of people came up to me asking where you buy tickets and how do you get into the grandstand, obviously new to the sport and the stadium, after this latest shambles im sure they wont be in a rush to return. After the opening meeting disaster it appears lessons have not been learned, we have a fantastic new stadium, best track in the country, and a team top of the league. Yet still past mistakes are revisited, the crowd was woeful anyway and ive no doubt many yet again will have been alienated. After all the trials and tribulations of delivering this stadium all that good work is being undone by very poor management. I posted a couple of seasons ago i believed this promotion would deliver this facility but would not have the ability to run it to its full potential. What i witnessed tonight sadly does not make me change my mind. I feel the promotion are out of their depth, this is a great oppertunity to launch the club into a new golden era and that is being squandered. Imagine the Facenna brothers or Matt Ford for example having a stadium like this in a major city, the public awareness and the complete running of the club would be far more professional. You only get one oppertunity to create a good first impression, that was lost at the grand opening, tonight did nothing to convince me the promotion are learning from their mistakes.

 

 

Best post on here sums it up in a honest manner

[Shale Searcher 1,264]

 

 

Best post on here sums it up in a honest manner

 

Agree....

 

I was under the impression, that once the referee arrives at the track, he/she takes over control of the track, in which case he/she would have made an inspection of the air fence/mesh fence on straights, and kickboards, kerb, and walked on the track.. So surely, the referee has to take some, if not all responsibility of the meeting going ahead or not?

[Shale Searcher 1,264]

Covers would have saved this meeting, ok, I know the rhetoric over covers, so perhaps a different solution...

 

If, only 25% to 40% of the rain could have been prevented from being absorbed by the track, it would also have gone ahead...

 

Surely, and i've mentioned this before to no avail, perhaps there's something that could be added to the shale when tyre packing to prevent water ingress....

 

Perhaps something similar to what gets sprayed on cricket wickets (when they mention its a glued pitch) Something like PVA glue, or something that helps seal the track surface..

 

Anyone have any thoughts/alternative methods to waterproof the racing surface (obviously, it has to be environmentally safe)?

[A ORLOV 8,628]

I'm sure you are right about covers which makes the issue with the manufacturers of the covers Belle Vue ordered even more frustrating.

 

Based on some of the information posted on this forum the cost and manpower issues with covers aren't significantly different to those faced when airfences were introduced. Every track found the money and manpower so it should be possible to do it again.

 

I like the creative suggestion of 'waterproofing' the track.

Most airfences are just deflated and left on the track, the putting up and taking down of covers is a totally different, cumbersome and time consuming job, something that cannot be done with half a dozen volunteers unless they have got hours and hours free.