Cardiff 2022

[iainb 4,989]

21 hours ago, customhouseregular said:

19,000 was extremely disappointing, 30,000 isn’t exactly wonderful. I accept Cardiff has the contract but can’t help thinking a London stadium would attract a far bigger crowd. 

Where though? The options are Tottenham, Wembley, Olympic Stadium or the O2... Tottenham and Wembley are hardly in accessible areas, O2 is probably too small, Olympic Stadium maybe

21 hours ago, False dawn said:

Is there no one out there that could improve the Cardiff track so that the racing is up to scatch? A change of material, a bit more banking, a change of shape (there is scope for this, I was looking on Saturday).

 

5 minutes ago, Grachan said:

I agree. I wonder if the heat was anything to do with it this time. Or having a practice on it the day before.

I tend to go every 3 or 4 years, but might go a bit more regularly now as I don't have a team to support.

I think the track has steadily improved over the years but took a massive step backwards this year, I think there were a number contributing factors... it's always borderline anyway, then apparently the shale had got mixed up with some gravel and it also hadn't been used for 3 years and of course the heat

[topaz325 1,855]

20 minutes ago, Grachan said:

I agree. I wonder if the heat was anything to do with it this time. Or having a practice on it the day before.

I tend to go every 3 or 4 years, but might go a bit more regularly now as I don't have a team to support.

In the Speedway Star today, it said the shale used was what had been used in 2019 and had been stored since, "lessons need to be learned" and an inquiry is being made into the state of the track.

Edited August 18, 2022 by topaz325

[Grand Central 2,654]

1 hour ago, OveFundinFan said:

Nothing wrong in holding SGP and SGP2 at the same track. Need the right tracks to do it.

MotoGP/2/3 are together at every round. 

and I think when there is a F1 race there is at least one other formula the same weekend, just not shown as F1 race is so long.
 

 

Hilariously inappropriate comparisons.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,947]

1 hour ago, topaz325 said:

In the Speedway Star today, it said the shale used was what had been used in 2019 and had been stored since, "lessons need to be learned" and an inquiry is being made into the state of the track.

I thought we heard in the past that the shale was being stored in scientific pyramid shapes. I thought lessons would have already been learned by now, considering it's pretty the same promoter. 

[Humphrey Appleby 13,947]

1 hour ago, OveFundinFan said:

Nothing wrong in holding SGP and SGP2 at the same track. Need the right tracks to do it.

MotoGP/2/3 are together at every round. 

and I think when there is a F1 race there is at least one other formula the same weekend, just not shown as F1 race is so long.

The obvious issue is that F1 and MotoGP are held on tarmac circuits that don't require much preparation, don't change much from race-to-race and are also largely driveable/rideable when it rains. 

With the best will in the world, a speedway track takes much more preparation and can only take so much pounding before it needs significant reconstitution work. I daresay different events could be held on different days, or even with enough time in-between, but it all adds to the costs and is it really going to pull significantly more fans to justify this? 

[Humphrey Appleby 13,947]

23 hours ago, cinderfella said:

If London cannot support a league team as things stand (I know neither does Cardiff) surely the significant difference in accommodation costs etc would put doubt in holding a GP there?

Since when has Cardiff supported a league team?

I suspect a London GP would get the crowds, possibly more than Cardiff (although wouldn't be difficult if only 19,000 turned up this year), but the staging costs and lack of subsidy from the Welsh authorities (although Visit Wales no longer seems to be listed as a sponsor) probably wouldn't justify it. The Olympic Stadium is probably the only realistic option and that doesn't have a roof, so you're running the gauntlet of high staging costs with the possibility of cancellation. 

If you're having to spend a fortune to adapt a venue and build a track, then you need the certainty that the event is actually going to happen. 

[iris123 20,958]

7 hours ago, iainb said:

Where though? The options are Tottenham, Wembley, Olympic Stadium or the O2... Tottenham and Wembley are hardly in accessible areas, 

Oh come on. I mean nearly 80,000 women managed to find Wembley for the recent football game, and if they can get there with their famous bad sense of navigation then anyone can !!!!

I’ll get me coat, again 

Edited August 18, 2022 by iris123

[OveFundinFan 4,139]

2 hours ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

The obvious issue is that F1 and MotoGP are held on tarmac circuits that don't require much preparation, don't change much from race-to-race and are also largely driveable/rideable when it rains. 

With the best will in the world, a speedway track takes much more preparation and can only take so much pounding before it needs significant reconstitution work. I daresay different events could be held on different days, or even with enough time in-between, but it all adds to the costs and is it really going to pull significantly more fans to justify this? 

I did not mention holding SGP and SGP2 on the same day, and my eyes are still clear enough to realise MoroGP and F1 are raced on tarmac. However, there was a series of meetings night after night at Vojens and the track held up, so surely two meetings over two days, on well prepared tracks can cope. That’s proven. Also proven is you cannot do that on a poorly prepared track.

[SPEEDY69 1,253]

52 minutes ago, iris123 said:

Oh come on. I mean nearly 80,000 women managed to find Wembley for the recent football game, and if they can get their with their famous bad sense of navigation then anyone can !!!!

I’ll get me coat, again 

To get 80k there must have been some serious promotion - but again Wembley is not in the best of areas, a bit like the NSS.  Now Tottenham stadium I was impressed with when I went there to see GnR. 

[longmeadow 24]

Having reflected on the whole cardiff 2022 experience im amazed at some of the comments on this forum. No we are not going to tottenham or the o2 as they are premier league clubs who do not want there ground digging up for a one off motorcycle event. I attended wembley three times and yes 1981 was iconic but the track in 75 and 78 was awful. Built around the football pitch where riders didnt know whether to turn left or right and was an absolute dust bowl. Yes there maybe of only been 19000 on saturday but please explain how that amount of fans get into the nss. There is no infrastructer at belle vue. Its miles from the city centre and very little to do before the meeting to make a day of the premier event in british speedway. Lots of things played a part in this years low attendance, fuel costs, train strikes etc but as a british speedway fan im proud to say i was there for my seventeenth gp to watch dan bewley produce a bit of magic. Also i dont remember bomber moaning about the track rutting up in 2007. Costs buy a cheap ticket mine was 22.50 and had a perfect view. Hotels forget it student accomadation en suite 30 pound a night. Food and drink there are seven spoons in cardiff . Doom bar 2.49. I work in a four star hotel. We charge 4.90. Shop around . Cardiff is here to stay and thank god because it is the best weekend of sport if people would only stop knocking it. One down side . Why could we only find one british reserve on sunday. Poor effort.

 

[auntie doris 2,339]

There was a great pass near the end when the water tractor overtook the grading tractor. In the Star today" expecting riders to perform to the best of their abilities on that track was like asking the Bake Off finalists to produce a cake without any flour or sugar."A large number of big stones were found on the surface.

[customhouseregular 1,651]

5 hours ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

Since when has Cardiff supported a league team?

I suspect a London GP would get the crowds, possibly more than Cardiff (although wouldn't be difficult if only 19,000 turned up this year), but the staging costs and lack of subsidy from the Welsh authorities (although Visit Wales no longer seems to be listed as a sponsor) probably wouldn't justify it. The Olympic Stadium is probably the only realistic option and that doesn't have a roof, so you're running the gauntlet of high staging costs with the possibility of cancellation. 

If you're having to spend a fortune to adapt a venue and build a track, then you need the certainty that the event is actually going to happen. 

How many GP venues used since 1995 have a roof?. How many WF venues had a roof?. How many World Championship events over the decades were staged in stadia with a roof? Too much emphasis is placed on having a stadium with a roof. Just my opinion of course.

 

[Humphrey Appleby 13,947]

2 minutes ago, customhouseregular said:

How many GP venues used since 1995 have a roof?. How many WF venues had a roof?. How many World Championship events over the decades were staged in stadia with a roof? Too much emphasis is placed on having a stadium with a roof. Just my opinion of course.

 

If they have permanent tracks then their overheads will be substantial lower so it'll be easier to take the financial hit on any postponement/cancellation. Whether it's staged by a third party promoter will also have a bearing as they'll take the hit. 

[Humphrey Appleby 13,947]

2 hours ago, SPEEDY69 said:

To get 80k there must have been some serious promotion - but again Wembley is not in the best of areas, a bit like the NSS.

Neither is the London Olympic Stadium in the best of areas, but there's not a chance it'll be held at Wembley. Quite aside from the cost of renting a stadium (reputedly 500-750k per day + 10% of gate receipts + costs) that would never be filled, it would be a squeeze to get a track in without substantial and expensive modifications. 

It's also why there's never been an athletics event held there. 

Edited August 18, 2022 by Humphrey Appleby

[Humphrey Appleby 13,947]

3 hours ago, OveFundinFan said:

However, there was a series of meetings night after night at Vojens and the track held up

Yes, but Vojens is a permanent track so has a better chance. I don't think any of it is insurmountable with sufficient effort, but it undoubtedly comes down to cost at the end of the day.