Bank Holiday Monday 27/05 • Poole v Swindon (12.00) • Premiership

[Steve0 5,517]

1 hour ago, Grachan said:

Troy Bachelor apologises to fans over the state of Poole's track:

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/speedway/17667825.troy-batchelor-apologises-to-paying-public-amid-poole-track-concerns-after-bank-holiday-flop/?fbclid=IwAR1oEGiT64Axm6N-hKC67j2YEL-9wvdRCPudNB_f4tn0ka0HSCK5u4Q6_tw

This needs to be addressed ASAP as neither team came out with any credit for yesterday’s ineptitudes.  Get it sorted for the sake of British Speedway - it’s a basic requirement to have a decent track to race on!!

[Gavan 5,049]

34 minutes ago, ray c said:

pretty blunt comments by troy . at the end of the day he is the guy who puts his life on the line to entertain 

But Shovlar says the track was fine..................Swindon were overriding

[Gavan 5,049]

Might have been good to see Middlo mention the poor nature of the track but no he only moans about Swindons fans........shouldnt be on social media ............all he worries about is piratespride lol...........

[Grachan 7,314]

Jason Doyle getting in on the act now, saying on Twitter that yesterday's tracks (plural) were among the most dangerous he has ever ridden on. He says the riders were all ready to pull the plug after heat 7, but decided to keep going for the fans.

Edited May 28, 2019 by Grachan

[Skidder1 7,631]

13 hours ago, Bald Bloke said:

Great. I did say I didn't know. I can't remember anyone mentioning it before. Did you ask him about the track?

No I didn't. Part of my attending Poole every meeting requires me to go into the speedway office before the meeting begins and before I take my place. Its then that I see Matt (and Middlo yesterday) as well as often Danny Ford.

Danny spent some considerable time on the centre green talking with some of the track guys so as Steve Shovlar has already commented, I expect some serious track work to be undertaken in due course.

Yes the track was poor yesterday but not as bad as Good Friday. With some saying its 'been bad for ages' I'm surprised the Swindon riders didn't come crashing down then as they clearly knew how to avoid any ruts, bumps or holes on that occasion!!

The big racing difference between the Good Friday and BH Monday performances was that the Pirates seem to have learned how to get their set-ups and gating right!

Still not seen any Poole riders complain about either track other than Josh's wrist injury from the big flying stone at Blunsdon.  But work to be done at both tracks.

Edited May 28, 2019 by Skidder1

[acef 795]

4 minutes ago, Skidder1 said:

No I didn't. Part of my attending Poole every meeting requires me to go into the speedway office before the meeting begins and before I take my place. Its then that I see Matt (and Middlo yesterday) as well as often Danny Ford.

Danny spent some considerable time on the centre green talking with some of the track guys so as Steve Shovlar has already commented, I expect some serious track work to be undertaken in due course.

Yes the track was poor yesterday but not as bad as Good Friday. With some saying its 'been bad for ages' I'm surprised the Swindon riders didn't come crashing down then as they clearly knew how to avoid any ruts, bumps or holes on that occasion!!

It's been this way for about 6 years. Gradually getting worse.

There are days when it is passable but for the majority it's nowhere near good enough.

It needs ripping up, base included, and relaying.

It really is that simple, and yes, I know there will be a huge cost implication.

[waytogo28 2,054]

The problem seems to be that the promotion is half in and half out. Why not sell out to Buster Chapman ( for a modest sum ) so that a majority of tracks can be under the control of one owner?

When a recent World Champion says it's dangerous I accept his word as he has never been faint-hearted.

Edited May 28, 2019 by waytogo28
Additional point made

[auntie doris 2,339]

Batch summed it up, track curators need to have years of experience, it's a very skilled job. Good examples in Poland. Luckily neither match was televised. Speedway cant afford to lose any more fans.

[Baldyman 6,243]

I think in Poland as well,, its their job and they work on the track all week. Or it is at some anyway

[stevebrum 6,819]

25 minutes ago, Baldyman said:

I think in Poland as well,, its their job and they work on the track all week. Or it is at some anyway

And they own the stadiums which only a handful do in the UK.

[Fromafar 10,322]

The bottom line is ,these days Top Men riding in UK is a pain in the a#re for them ,so dodgy tracks makes a good case for bailing out.UK tracks are becoming more unsuitable to super fast machinery and more risk to picking up an injury preventing them getting “ big bucks” abroad.

[lisa-colette 6,014]

12 hours ago, ray c said:

pretty blunt comments by troy . at the end of the day he is the guy who puts his life on the line to entertain 

I'm sorry but no. 1.They do not do it to entertain anyone. They do it because they enjoy it. 2. If they didn't get paid they would soon stop.

The argument about doing it for fans entertainment is a big load of BS.

[Wolfsbane 12,944]

18 minutes ago, lisa-colette said:

I'm sorry but no. 1.They do not do it to entertain anyone. They do it because they enjoy it. 2. If they didn't get paid they would soon stop.

The argument about doing it for fans entertainment is a big load of BS.

[drew2 248]

I attended this meeting yesterday as I was in Poole with the family and Doyley was in town and here is my view on it for what it is worth.

Track looked well watered when we arrived at around 11am and wandered around the pits with the kids. Both teams seemed quite relaxed on the the track walk , laughing and joking with each other as they approached the start line and none of the usual collective dirt kicking and rider debates when issues are apparent. Plenty of track work was going on with the starts being ripped up and more water going down. The guy in the tractor certainly didn't hang around as he was belting up and down in the tractor. Never seen a trackman move so quickly!

Then they announced the news re Lampart's 'injury' which when looking at the averages already meant the meeting would be a longer affair as the Swindon reserves had to cover a bulk of the rides. The next announcement was that due to the threat of rain at 1pm they wouldn't do the parade as usual but get straight into heat one at 12noon which they did with Zach as R/R so immediately a delay loomed there. Good job the rain didn't arrive!

Doyley was flying heat one to the quickest time of the season so far and he seemed to be easing off in last couple of bends. So far so good. The Poole reserves had a fairly easy 5-1 in heat two as Ellis Perks had the first 'moment' on the bottom bend losing second to NBJ.

Then came heat three with Ellis suffering the same fate of Perks with a massive tankslapper on the 4th bend. The following lap was Musielak's spectacular 'lay down' in the same spot which even if he wasn't injured before it looked enough to rule him out anyway. No idea of the alleged 'plan' by Swindon beforehand but when he walked over to get changed soon after his right arm was not being moved much at all.

I am no rider but it looked in heat 4 that Batch had the wrong setup as the bike was very lively and difficult to control. I can see why he pulled up as it was taking him in directions he didn't want to go. After that race he got it sussed out and rode ok, maybe he changed bikes or setup?

Richie Worrall looked good in heat 6 riding mid track without problem to gain his first win of an impressive afternoons work. The next race not to be re-run after this was heat 13!!!

Perks was done for two minutes in the next and much to my surprise was replaced by Zach in my eyes wasting a valuable available ride for Rosco and his over worked reserves. The ref dragged back heat 8 for a jump by Ellis although he was in third down the back straight and it had the early makings of a decent race when the reds came on.

Next up was Doyley's crash and when you see him bin it on his own something isn't right with the track. Not being a regular at Wimborne Road I thought it odd that the blade was used and not a grader on the tractor all afternoon as the bottom bends seemed quite deep.

Perks then had another 2 minute exclusion much to his disgust as I think some confusion might have been had over the IRR regs. He was back out again in the next one, for 1 corner anyway, after being on the wrong end of a first bend clash between JD, Rich Lawson and himself. Glad neither rider was hurt as it was a nasty one that deflated an airbag on bend one and ended with only Lawson's right boot and his steel shoe being visible as he disappeared under the fence face first and had to wait to get the air bag lifted before he could get up! Perks didn't re-appear in the re-run which by my reckoning made it seven rides for him. I had actually written Wajtknecht in as the original RR before they announced Perks thinking he would have run out of rides. I had him down as starting in heats 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 and 11 (although didn't appear for the re-run but I thought they announced it still counted as a ride?) but then he re-appeared in heat 14 too!! Which one didn't count please???

Nico and Doyley had a good race in the re- run of the re-run of the re-run of heat 11 after  Klindt's tape exclusion and Zach's fall which if the track was as dangerous as JD states then fair play to him for making that move on Nico! 

Strange start to heat 13 with JD getting it spot on from the replay I have seen although it looked a flier and Batch making a decent start from 4 but the tapes detached themselves from the post and dangled the whole race over gate 4 position. If ever a race was likely to be called back then that was it but no we had four laps and no reds!

By then the dust was getting bad but that was due to the length of time the meeting had taken at that point. It wasn't too bad in the earlier races to be fair. The track had also developed a blue groove but also a couple of whiter areas on bends one and two which my 11yr old daughter asked me was it the base? It could have been I guess but couldn't tell from the grandstand, whatever it was it didn't look right being on a speedway track.

Overall the entertainment served up didn't give value for money I feel. The racing was poor but I guess daytime meetings are not always the best anyway. I am pleased to see the hole on bend one has been sorted out as that was awful when I was there last August for the Rebels fixture. One thing I thought was poor was the presentation of the meeting. Results and race information couldn't be faulted on the whole but other than the toss of the coin and the rider of the meeting no other interviews were done with any riders etc. The announcer didn't really get any connection with the crowd at all and with the meeting taking around 2 1/2 hours to complete (it wasn't the 3 hours stated elsewhere on here) some more entertainment/interaction might have been nice. I know some people on here feel the presentation at Somerset could be improved but it is already far better IMO than that I experienced yesterday morning. The whole visit to Poole was built around the speedway fixture to be fair but I might think again unless the track improves. I read later in the programme notes that Matt Ford doesn't understand why numbers are dropping through his turnstiles but if that is what is served up each week in Dorset I have a good idea why as like I said I didn't feel it represented value for money yesterday.

 

[ray c 2,299]

8 hours ago, drew2 said:

I attended this meeting yesterday as I was in Poole with the family and Doyley was in town and here is my view on it for what it is worth.

Track looked well watered when we arrived at around 11am and wandered around the pits with the kids. Both teams seemed quite relaxed on the the track walk , laughing and joking with each other as they approached the start line and none of the usual collective dirt kicking and rider debates when issues are apparent. Plenty of track work was going on with the starts being ripped up and more water going down. The guy in the tractor certainly didn't hang around as he was belting up and down in the tractor. Never seen a trackman move so quickly!

Then they announced the news re Lampart's 'injury' which when looking at the averages already meant the meeting would be a longer affair as the Swindon reserves had to cover a bulk of the rides. The next announcement was that due to the threat of rain at 1pm they wouldn't do the parade as usual but get straight into heat one at 12noon which they did with Zach as R/R so immediately a delay loomed there. Good job the rain didn't arrive!

Doyley was flying heat one to the quickest time of the season so far and he seemed to be easing off in last couple of bends. So far so good. The Poole reserves had a fairly easy 5-1 in heat two as Ellis Perks had the first 'moment' on the bottom bend losing second to NBJ.

Then came heat three with Ellis suffering the same fate of Perks with a massive tankslapper on the 4th bend. The following lap was Musielak's spectacular 'lay down' in the same spot which even if he wasn't injured before it looked enough to rule him out anyway. No idea of the alleged 'plan' by Swindon beforehand but when he walked over to get changed soon after his right arm was not being moved much at all.

I am no rider but it looked in heat 4 that Batch had the wrong setup as the bike was very lively and difficult to control. I can see why he pulled up as it was taking him in directions he didn't want to go. After that race he got it sussed out and rode ok, maybe he changed bikes or setup?

Richie Worrall looked good in heat 6 riding mid track without problem to gain his first win of an impressive afternoons work. The next race not to be re-run after this was heat 13!!!

Perks was done for two minutes in the next and much to my surprise was replaced by Zach in my eyes wasting a valuable available ride for Rosco and his over worked reserves. The ref dragged back heat 8 for a jump by Ellis although he was in third down the back straight and it had the early makings of a decent race when the reds came on.

Next up was Doyley's crash and when you see him bin it on his own something isn't right with the track. Not being a regular at Wimborne Road I thought it odd that the blade was used and not a grader on the tractor all afternoon as the bottom bends seemed quite deep.

Perks then had another 2 minute exclusion much to his disgust as I think some confusion might have been had over the IRR regs. He was back out again in the next one, for 1 corner anyway, after being on the wrong end of a first bend clash between JD, Rich Lawson and himself. Glad neither rider was hurt as it was a nasty one that deflated an airbag on bend one and ended with only Lawson's right boot and his steel shoe being visible as he disappeared under the fence face first and had to wait to get the air bag lifted before he could get up! Perks didn't re-appear in the re-run which by my reckoning made it seven rides for him. I had actually written Wajtknecht in as the original RR before they announced Perks thinking he would have run out of rides. I had him down as starting in heats 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 and 11 (although didn't appear for the re-run but I thought they announced it still counted as a ride?) but then he re-appeared in heat 14 too!! Which one didn't count please???

Nico and Doyley had a good race in the re- run of the re-run of the re-run of heat 11 after  Klindt's tape exclusion and Zach's fall which if the track was as dangerous as JD states then fair play to him for making that move on Nico! 

Strange start to heat 13 with JD getting it spot on from the replay I have seen although it looked a flier and Batch making a decent start from 4 but the tapes detached themselves from the post and dangled the whole race over gate 4 position. If ever a race was likely to be called back then that was it but no we had four laps and no reds!

By then the dust was getting bad but that was due to the length of time the meeting had taken at that point. It wasn't too bad in the earlier races to be fair. The track had also developed a blue groove but also a couple of whiter areas on bends one and two which my 11yr old daughter asked me was it the base? It could have been I guess but couldn't tell from the grandstand, whatever it was it didn't look right being on a speedway track.

Overall the entertainment served up didn't give value for money I feel. The racing was poor but I guess daytime meetings are not always the best anyway. I am pleased to see the hole on bend one has been sorted out as that was awful when I was there last August for the Rebels fixture. One thing I thought was poor was the presentation of the meeting. Results and race information couldn't be faulted on the whole but other than the toss of the coin and the rider of the meeting no other interviews were done with any riders etc. The announcer didn't really get any connection with the crowd at all and with the meeting taking around 2 1/2 hours to complete (it wasn't the 3 hours stated elsewhere on here) some more entertainment/interaction might have been nice. I know some people on here feel the presentation at Somerset could be improved but it is already far better IMO than that I experienced yesterday morning. The whole visit to Poole was built around the speedway fixture to be fair but I might think again unless the track improves. I read later in the programme notes that Matt Ford doesn't understand why numbers are dropping through his turnstiles but if that is what is served up each week in Dorset I have a good idea why as like I said I didn't feel it represented value for money yesterday.

 

excellent post spot on and unbiased 2hrs 30m was right not 3hrs as some people are quoting on here