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acef

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Posts posted by acef

  2. Posted · Edited by acef

    Agree with this post surely one of the 'test events' should have involved an actual speedway meeting.Belle Vue are taking a risk not testing the track before a sell out opening night

    Track was behind schedule. By the time it had been completed 3 days ago, had you put some kind of testing on, it would have cut the thing up right off the bat.

     

    At first I thought it was silly but they've done the right thing. It will have had a good 8 days to bed in and will have been tyre packed like you wouldn't believe. The weather is really helping, finally.

  3. Posted · Edited by acef

    Looking at those photos they have done a lot of work in a short space of time, but there still seems loads to do to finish the track. And what about all that unsightly pile of earth. Is that going to still be there when the stadium opens?

     

    Looks like they are a month or two behind schedule because theres no way they should be cutting it this fine.

     

    And I would say again that it is paramount that the track needs to be tested thoroughly before the meeting. Why take undue risks?

    Photos don't tell the whole story. I've been going physically on a daily basis, keeping an eye on developments, for the last 3 weeks. The mound of earth your talking about is literally all that is left. It's a days work, that will be gone by tomorrow.

     

    After that it's speedway related, nothing to do with the build. So the air fence will need installing, and there is a top surface of shale to be laid.

     

    The track apart from that is down. They will tyre pack for the next week, and there is no rain forecast for about 10 days.

     

    Why all the negativity, we have already moved the offices into their plush office in the main grandstand. The first certificate test was successfully completed last Thursday, and the final one today is the football match between old Manchester City players and cast members of TV soap stars. After that the certificate will be obtained and all systems go. The track will be fit for speedway, the racing lines will form when riders try different lines, this takes time but I'm sure that in a couple of months Belle Vue riders will know the best lines to take and other riders will learn. Like all tracks.

    It's always Poole fans. It genuinely is. I've tried sitting on the fence in my mind with it, to be reasonable, but the reality is that it's essentially those from the south coast with all the negativity.

     

    My apologies for calling it out, but I think it's jealousy. I really do.

    • Like 5

  4. Posted

    With a full maximum as well.

     

    I have a good feeling about Craig this year. Stepping out of the PL has given him the motivation to prove himself. He finished last season like a train, all he needs is to carry that on.

     

    I think is the year he will finally see his full potential.

    • Like 5

  5. Posted · Edited by acef

    Why? They are obviously very confident about the track or do they just want to give it the max time to bed in ..... no doubt they planned on longer .....

    The weather has seen to that I'm afraid. It's been the wettest winter for years.

     

    They've had to prioritise other parts of the build whilst it's been like it has. The track would have been the priority I'm sure, but it simply hasn't been possible.

     

    I think it's been an achievement getting it done at all with what they've had to face.

     

    The saving grace will be the shape of the track. It's an incredible shape. Great banking all the way round, it really is perfect for speedway. As long as it doesn't cut up, it will lend itself to top quality racing. The amount of thought has been brilliant. Even if the surface isn't perfect, I still think we will see good racing even whilst it beds down

  6. Posted

    They want it to bed down properly. I can see the logic. At first I thought it would have been a decent idea to have a few bikes round to weed out any problems but that could actually be counter productive.

     

    The tech in building tracks is different now. I just hope that the knowledge is there to make it right

  7. Posted

    There will be no practice. It's a slight concern for me I have to be honest.

     

    I'd say 75% of the track has been laid for a good 2-3 weeks. However bends 3 and 4 were the site entrance and that was still being laid this afternoon.

     

    From what I could see, the entire track shoukd be laid and finished tomorrow.

     

    However there are still bits of minor construction left, like installing the fence on bends 3-4, so if I'm being honest I can't see any bikes on there for a good few days. I'd say Tuesday at the very earliest. Even if it's only 2 days I'd have the lads down breaking it in.

  9. Posted · Edited by acef

    Read it also.

     

    Whilst I aknowledge that it may be slightly biased to support his opinion, I have to say that Lakeside haven't come out of this very nicely. Combined, if true, with what Tatum said then it sounds as though Lakeside have dumped him for not a lot of reason.

     

    I have a feeling they have gone into this squad thing very much like a bull in a china shop and simply had themselves too many riders.

  11. Posted

    The track covers are designed to reduce the chances of rain offs due to heavy rain prior to the actual day's racing.

     

    On race day track work will take place and heavy rain on the day could still create problems.

     

    The drainage and the covers will greatly reduce rain offs but is not a guarantee that they wil not happen.

    Covers will be on up until 6 give or take I think. There isn't reason to take them off any sooner. At the old place we had no access until 5:30. It's more than enough time.

     

    Any chance of a rain off has to be minimised with these covers

  12. Posted · Edited by acef

    Yep the amount of meetings lost at home last year due to rain in the day was a fair few. Loads the year before. Only one meeting last season, if I recall, was lost to rain occurring during the meeting/just before.

     

    The drainage and track covers will make a massive difference. Remember also that the track itself will be able to stand a lot more water than the old place could. That was down to the bricks and a short shower was enough. The new will probably take a few more heats

  13. Posted

    Looking forward to the season. Can Poole make it a record by winning another title?

     

    Fingers crossed we will.

     

    Also looking forward to visiting BV early this season for four points and doing a few gps.

    Poole will enjoy this new track. Of that I have no doubt. A lot of your team are big track riders.

     

    That will be BVs biggest challenge. It will take time to settle in either way but we have a team built to ride smaller tracks. Zagar and Nicholls will adapt faster but I think the rest are going to take a while.

     

    We will need to up our game on the road this year to compensate and given the strength of the league I don't think that will be an issue

  14. Posted

    Absolutely and that has to be answered.

     

    I don't think preparation has changed a great deal but the bikes certainly have. It literally has to be perfect of terms of prep and I don't think you can hold tracks entirely responsible.

     

    However, holes/ruts and tracks being down to the concrete base can't be excused. That is simply poor preparation/not caring

    • Like 1

  15. Posted

    Tbf the Poole track has been poor for a while. It's become common knowledge after the misconception that it was one of the best in the country.

     

    Equally, the old BV track was just as bad.

     

    Both tracks had the blue line and several holes. That's not stirring the pot, it's just a common fact.

  16. Posted

    I have to say, as a BV fan, my enthusiasm has been rekindled. You'll probably notice I barely post on here these days, but I've been on here a fair bit over the last few days. I've always been very much involved in speedway but this year, with a new national Stadium, and big meetings coming back to these shores, has certainly wet my appetite.

     

    I've around 50 odd meetings pencilled in this year. Can't wait for tapes up now and the beautiful smell of methanol

    • Like 3

  17. Posted

    In terms of drainage, remember the entire track is banked. Even the straights. The corners are at the maximum bank I think. The latest drainage system and covers also in place.

     

    All things combined, the only scenario that would force a rain off is it raining during the actual meeting.

  19. Posted

    Don't make me laugh. It won't change your drab weather and once the anti climax has passed you will go back to crowds the size of what we got for the Darcy function and all our other functions.

    Anyway, best of luck with your campaign this year. Runners up beckons... :rofl:

    That's just incredibly rude and sums you up perfectly.

    • Like 3

  20. Posted

    Make the most of it the sleeping giant has just started to wake up. :wink:

    There are periods over time where clubs are successful and then periods where it falls away. When I hear people talk about BV being 'speedway', basically the name everyone knows, the club that non speedway fans can relate to, I always think of Liverpool FC. I'm not taking anything away from a clubs history, but quite honestly it doesn't matter in the present, in the here and now. The reality is that BVs success was a long time ago now, we have been poorly promoted and poorly operated in the years since.

     

    It's ironic, that, in a time where speedway is probably at its lowest point, the club the led the sport during its prominence is going to be the one that rescues it. It is indeed the awakening of a sleeping giant.

     

    I've just got back from a visit to the stadium and it absolutely blows me away. Every time I've been. What has been achieved is a huge testament to the club and the people that operate it. We are now the professional example that some others should be looking at.

     

    If the training schools etc kick off, this stadium could be what saves British Speedway.

    • Like 2

  22. Posted

    Stadium now been awarded the British final. Not a great surprise. I guess this will be Craig's best ever chance, he'll have a heads up on the track.

     

    Wolves has been a great venue with some super racing, but it's a small track and hasn't helped the younger Brits develop. I think moving to a big fast track will have a big impact, and may open the field up as well

     

    Just wish it was a Saturday. Instead it's monday to suit sky and missing out on a big crowd

  23. Posted

    Poole

    Belle Vue

    Coventry

    Swindon

     

    Kings Lynn

     

    Lakeside

    Wolverhampton

    Leicester

     

    Have to disagree with lion king. BV will have more than enough. Even with a lack of home advantage early on, the league is so poor this year, I'd fully expect us to be taking decent points on the road.

    • Like 1

  24. Posted

    The only realistic alternative for fixed race days are Wednesdays and Thursdays. Fridays are no use as riders will be off to the SGP etc.. nearly half the time. Yes Poland might run the occasional Friday meeting, but they don't run as many rounds and don't use Fridays as a regular race day so can work around these issues.

     

    To run on just two race nights, teams would need to be split equally between them unless the plan is to just run a 14-round programme. Going to 28 or more meetings would mean teams riding twice some weeks and that won't work if there's more teams riding on one day than another.

     

    However, he question must be asked that even if the intention is to attract the so-called top boys back, how can they be afforded anyway and what they going to bring in terms of increased revenue?

     

    And as soon as their Polish team has a crucial match that they insist they're fit for, the sick notes will be produced and there will be no sanctions against either the rider or their Polish team.

     

    Spectator preferences and financial conditions are entirely different in Poland. Do Polish fans have to negotiate the M25 or other busy roads on a Friday evening? Similarly why has top-level speedway on Sunday never been that popular in Britain?

     

     

    British teams mostly have to share multi-purpose stadia, so there's no option to have just one race day. Moreover, the nature of the stadium leasing and cost structure of British speedway generally requires a more extensive programme of fixtures than in Poland and Sweden which simply can't be fitted into the season if there's just the one race night.

     

    This is aside from the fact that guesting would be impossible with a single race night, as all the other teams would be riding as well (why has nobody thought of that?). Some might say that's a good thing, but nobody's really come up with a viable alternative for short-term replacements at short notice.

     

    The simple fact is that even getting back 200 or 300 hundred existing fans a meeting is papering over the cracks. The speedway demographic is ageing and without attracting a young audience will be doomed in 10 years or so beyond a handful of amateur tracks.

     

    You only have to look at official attitudes to social media and viral marketing to see how badly the sport is being run by those in charge.

    Friday traffic is generally less than any other working day of the week. Remember most people finish at lunch time, and whilst you used other roads as an example, if I could just point out the part about the M25. Lakeside are the only EL team within this vicinity and they've ran Friday's without an issue for a number of years. Indeed, they tested the water on a Wednesday and the crowds dropped massively.

     

    The biggest issue with Friday is Poland may now want to use it.

     

    In respect of Sunday, this has long been Polands day. If it became regular on these shores for whatever reason, then it would take off once the idea had settled.

     

    Of course there are many permutations to any chosen day, finding common ground isn't going to be easy.

  25. Posted

    I wouldn't apply for something that wasn't viable. So for those PL teams that haven't, I'd argue it's not currently something that would work for their particular circumstances.

     

    However that argument isn't relevant, or won't be, if the EL gets its act together in respect of race night, no doubling up clashes etc etc. I could go on. If the product and stepping up becomes viable then you'd do it. The landscape next season will be completely different if what needs to be done, is done.

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