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2 minutes ago, Daniel Smith said:

Nobody is ridiculing rider's, just stating that the rider's wouldn't be anywhere near the 10+ averages of today's format. That is absolutely correct, they wouldn't. 

Also, I believe that in today's Speedway the 2nd string / reserves are of much better standard than years gone by too.

The only significant difference of now and years gone by has been quality of racing. Rider's are saying it, promoters are saying it, fans are saying it, racing and tracks in the UK are abysmal. Tracks haven't evolved with the changes in machinery. Today's bikes are rev hungry machines but don't actually deliver faster race times.

David Howe explained in his Speedway Star piece that today's engine's are impossible unless you're ringing the throttle. Get off the throttle today to change your racing line in the middle of the bend, and these machines will try to put you in hospital. 

What I'd love to see happen is some testing. Say at Belle Vue, 1 trustworthy rider, 4 bikes. One with his current engine in, 4 heats on his own, calculate the race times and speed.

Then, re-dress the track, in the next bike, run the last of the high powered uprights at full tilt, 4 heats as before

3rd and 4th bikes to run the updated Gerhard and Godden engine's.

Then repeat the above with the track covered in deep dirt.

Then, with the same rider, repeat the whole process at a tight technical track. Work out all the data and from that World Speedway would have a better idea of where it needs to be.

After reading the Speedway Star, while everything seems all rosy in the Polish garden it's quite clear they to have financial worries. 

So, if we can get the machine v track combination right, make the engines run longer etc the sport can then start to look at saving money from top to bottom. Only then, maybe the sport can then get that feel good factor of years gone by, hopefully we'll see and hear clubs turning a profit.

What many have said is correct, whatever comes out of this AGM is irrelevant as it won't keep everyone happy all of the time. First and formost for me, there needs to be a program in place to test all possibilities of track and machine, in attendance, the chairmen of FIM, BSI and international leagues to run these tests.

To make Speedway the sport it should be track v machine is vital and only then the thrill factor of 4 blokes, 4 laps, handlebar bashing may be a more regular occurrence than just the standard gate and go.

agree, addressing tracks and Machinery would be a good start.

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5 hours ago, SPEEDY69 said:

The pits were visible at Odsal I seem to remember - needed binoculars if you were any distance away of course.  I expect the old H&S would create hurdles most couldn't be bothered to overcome.  They would need cover - it's ok for fans to get wet but not riders!  Much better to get views from the pits onto a big screen I think to help make it more interactive.

Whity City moved the pits from under the terraces via a  tunnel onto a paved area on the third and fourth bends. I recall that Oxford tried a similar thing during their National League Era (1970's) before reverting back to behind the terracing.

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My   fear is that they will make a bigger balls of it than they have ever previously achieved

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6 hours ago, iainb said:

And your point?

It was in response to the post directly before mine by SteveRoberts who was quoting a guy who advocated having pits on the centre green. 

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3 minutes ago, OveFundinFan said:

It was in response to the post directly before mine by SteveRoberts who was quoting a guy who advocated having pits on the centre green. 

Yes, that guy was me... I assume you were trying to make the point that it's dangerous having the pits on the centre green? If you were then fair enough... My general point is that they must be in the view of the spectator, there generally tucked away behind the arena in areas the fans can't access

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23 minutes ago, OveFundinFan said:

It was in response to the post directly before mine by SteveRoberts who was quoting a guy who advocated having pits on the centre green. 

Yes I recall Peter Seaton being quoted some time ago...never agreed to the proposal personally for reasons subsequently given following my initial post.

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17 minutes ago, iainb said:

Yes, that guy was me... I assume you were trying to make the point that it's dangerous having the pits on the centre green? If you were then fair enough... My general point is that they must be in the view of the spectator, there generally tucked away behind the arena in areas the fans can't access

Let's go through the Championship one by one (generally North to South (ish!):

Edinburgh - off the second bend, away from the crowd.

Glasgow - off the second bend towards the back straight, up on high, visible to most, if not all the crowd.

Berwick - off the the fourth bend, easily seen from back straight and maybe a little from the main stand.

Newcastle - off the first turn and anyone can  stand next to the fence and look in the pits during meetings.

Redcar - Apex of turns 3 & 4 and everyone can see from the crowd

Workington - entrance to turn 1 and you can easily look down from turn 1 and see into them

Scunthorpe - off turn three and not easily seen (especially the away pit as it backs on to the home pit.

Sheffield - off turn 4 and you can stand next to the pits in the main stand on the home straight and also from the stand on 3&4.

Peterborough - off turn 2 and easily seen from the main stand and also if you stand near the pits.

Ipswich - just before turn 1 and not easily seen into

Lakeside - (at Rye House) entrance to turn 1 and can be seen if you look down off turn 1 but not easily if you are in the main stand or further along towards turn 2.

So (at least in the Championship) generally the pits can be seen.

 

 

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There we have it. There has been a shuffle round but nothing fundamental has happened. 

Not quite steady as you go but the tone seems to be: things are not as bad as people make out.

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 Workington listed as running along with Somerset and Leicester in the second division plus two other clubs to be announced.

ipswaich and Peterborough to the top league

Edited by topaz325

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Birmingham and eastiemy guess. 

 

What another pathetic AGM. Nothing changed what so ever. They never learn 

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Just now, Phil The Ace said:

Birmingham and eastiemy guess. 

 

What another pathetic AGM. Nothing changed what so ever. They never learn 

Hope so.

Been the same for years. I will be honest, I am not sure there is much that can be done. Speedway does not fit in to the lives of people in the modern world. Speedway was my life when I was a kid but there is so much more to do now that watch a load of bikes going round a track.

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