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False dawn

Unfair advantage - starting gates

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4 hours ago, britmet said:

Concrete starting grid at Stoke 1953, with Belle Vue, led by Jack Parker, as visitors
It looks to be about 4 bikes length, going well beyond the stationery bike position, so that transition isn't abrupt.
(Peter craven is 3rd from left, on back row.)

Belle-Vue-at-Stoke-1952.gif

With the speed of todays machines, the bikes rarely go in a straight over the start/finish line. At most tracks the bikes are still slightly sideways and spinning on the home straight. If a spinning and slightly turning bike hits the concrete at 70mph I think disaster would follow.

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Look how many people are watching...

Is the grandstand still there, unchanged?

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2 hours ago, Richard Weston said:

Look how many people are watching...

Is the grandstand still there, unchanged?

That was Stoke Sun Street and it is long gone.

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55 minutes ago, Stoke Potter said:

That was Stoke Sun Street and it is long gone.

Thank you... I forgot my speedway history.

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21 hours ago, Stoke Potter said:

That was Stoke Sun Street and it is long gone.

I remember Sun Street from the early 60's. Was the track sunk down below the level of the grass/soil, cos I can remember I couldn't see the lower half to the riders on the opposite side. Might just have been they hadn't cut the grass of course. Adams, Harris and Peter Kelly I think were riding for Stoke.

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To me, one of the main reason the sport has lost the wide appeal it once enjoyed,  is the stereo type rules implemented to eliminates the unexpected from happening.  Does it matter if a lesser rider anticipates the start,  it makes for better racing,   Years ago we had riders pushing the tapes,  we had riders trying to out think the ref, we had the ref doing his best to catch the riders moving back,  it all added to the occasion.     All we get now is stereo type races where riders are not allowed to move or show any initiatives.   Only allowing for the best riders to win.....       Once,  every race had an angle to it , each could offer a surprise when an unexpected rider could win...    

Why do we need strict rules  on gate positions, why not let the team choice who rides where,   Where have all the character gone???   Once upon a time every team had a showman, a rider or manager who the fans cold relate with.   Now we have nothing,  just robotic riders going round and round, not even bothered if they win or not...  They mustn't do this , they mustn't do that,   its little wonder the sport is dying...   

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3 hours ago, Tsunami said:

I remember Sun Street from the early 60's. Was the track sunk down below the level of the grass/soil, cos I can remember I couldn't see the lower half to the riders on the opposite side. Might just have been they hadn't cut the grass of course. Adams, Harris and Peter Kelly I think were riding for Stoke.

Thats right, - you just saw the heads bobbing up and down on the top bend, over the rough surface.

Note that Parker and his team mate have their helmet and colours on, ready for Ht.1. 
That was the way back then, no returning to the pits,  and another 15 mins. delay before the racing started !

Edited by britmet
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22 hours ago, Tsunami said:

I remember Sun Street from the early 60's. Was the track sunk down below the level of the grass/soil, cos I can remember I couldn't see the lower half to the riders on the opposite side. Might just have been they hadn't cut the grass of course. Adams, Harris and Peter Kelly I think were riding for Stoke.

Sorry I'm not sure as I never actually went to Sun Street, it was before my time!

The site became a Garage/Car Sales business and I think still does car repairs to this day.

Not sure if you can get any clues from what you remember here: 
 https://www.search.staffspasttrack.org.uk/details.aspx?ResourceID=35846&ExhibitionID=35849&SearchType=2&ThemeID=768

Not sure if the Greyhound track is higher than the Speedway Circuit??

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18 hours ago, britmet said:

Thats right, - you just saw the heads bobbing up and down on the top bend, over the rough surface.

Note that Parker and his team mate have their helmet and colours on, ready for Ht.1. 
That was the way back then, no returning to the pits,  and another 15 mins. delay before the racing started !

Certainly the photos that Stoke Potter has kindly put a link shows the centre green quite elevated, with the middle part higher than the white line level. Obviously  I must have seen it in 1963 on me and my mate's 2 weeks tour of tracks, sleeping in my car with a track every night( Rye House on Sunday). Sadly I saw New Cross in that holiday in 1963, and it also closed down after that year. Was going to go to Norwich, The Firs, that year but left it for a later year and missed out due to its closure. Certainly lost a lot of tracks in the boom years of the 60's but I saw West Ham before that closed. . 

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On 1/21/2019 at 2:38 PM, Richard Weston said:

Look how many people are watching...

Is the grandstand still there, unchanged?

I dont think thats loomer road . I'm guessing sun street

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