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Does anybody know why track grading has evolved to it current format.? In the past it was pretty seamless after every race whilst bikes being got ready for the next heat.

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1 minute ago, wealdstone said:

Does anybody know why track grading has evolved to it current format.? In the past it was pretty seamless after every race whilst bikes being got ready for the next heat.

I suspect that Health and Safety has a part in this. It used to be commonplace for tractors and bikes to be on the track at the same time prior to a race, now that’s not the case grading is a longer process.

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Presume it was dictated by Sky Sports so advert breaks could take place after heats four, seven etc. Now with gardening at the starts we have an advert break between every heat. What happened to track rakers?

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56 minutes ago, Lefty said:

 What happened to track rakers?

Loads at Sheffield on Sunday; as usual. One guy on the apex of the 3rd and 4th bends, who looks  like he has a penchant towards home made meat and potato pies (yum) went the full length f the centre green  to assist in repairing the air fence on bend 2 after Rasmus Jensen hit it.  Once sorted the riders were put on 2 minutes for the rerum as he was tidying up, but he still legged it back across one of the biggest centre greens in British speedway to be in position before tapes up.  And was raking as soon as the riders had left the track after that and each heat. 

Well done that man. Excellent commitment to the cause.

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On 8/20/2019 at 6:30 PM, Lefty said:

Presume it was dictated by Sky Sports so advert breaks could take place after heats four, seven etc. Now with gardening at the starts we have an advert break between every heat. What happened to track rakers?

Disappeared with shale on the race track.

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We used to have all sorts of weird and wonderful equipment at Brandon to "put the shale back on the racing line". Funny thing was that none of them really worked. There has never been a proper substitute for men (or ladies) with rakes on the bends or at the start line. At the larger breaks, circular grading with the tractor, grader down on the inward run, grader up on the way out, is also very effective. These are not new ideas and there is a reason they were widely adopted.                                                                                                                                    

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3 minutes ago, Triple.H. said:

i noticed at the IOW that they do it continental style ie tractors go clockwise.

They usually go anti clockwise on the island. Due to the track being a bit bumpy last tuesday, they did a few laps in the opposite direction after the first tractor grade.

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There used to be 4 rakers on each bend, 4 at the starting line (beside the Starting Marshall,) 2 pushers-off for each helmet colour (after having collected bikes from the pits to the pit gate and on to the track,) : that's 20 guys that had to be paid !
So we know why they went, . . . .but as with volunteers on other functions today, I doubt there'd no shortage of supporters offering to get closer to the action.

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7 hours ago, cityrebel said:

They usually go anti clockwise on the island. Due to the track being a bit bumpy last tuesday, they did a few laps in the opposite direction after the first tractor grade.

I'll admit that when I was there for the Oxford match that I only watched one session of grading as I use those moments to pop to the loo/bar dependent on if I'm filling or emptying the tank. So I based my post on what I'd seen.

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Heat 10 has just finished here at Scunthorpe and the tractor has just made the first appearance of the night and there are no track rakers... The track has been fine!

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36 minutes ago, iainb said:

Heat 10 has just finished here at Scunthorpe and the tractor has just made the first appearance of the night and there are no track rakers... The track has been fine!

Actually sounds like a cracking meeting

Edited by False dawn

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