oldswindonsupporter

Just when you thought he couldn't trump that he went from 3rd to 1st, outside the very impressive Ash Birks and steamed under Nicolai Klindt taking him right to the fence. Not in ht 15 he didn't, on the inside gate, trapped and when straight out towards the fence, NK then tried to come under him but couldn't quite make it going down the back straight and that was that, NK close but never close enough.

Going to be a windy one down the OTA tonight, judging by the wind coming up / off the Bristol Channel! Hoping to see a cracking meeting between these two, no allegiance to either, hope the racing is good that will do me fine!

Yes it was an honest apology and sure is welcome but the rub here is that this should have been said last night - see was available, she was involved in the decision making process, they have a roving microphone, had she done so, that gesture would have been far better received instead of waiting for it to appear on the internet. Missed opportunity last night I feel and time to move on.

What you believe from afar i.e. not being there apparently is probably better answered by the riders concerned.

Not to try and sort it out earlier and before any racing was in my book, totally inept, is there any reason why that wasn't done? The only announcement I heard was that they were valid for the Newcastle meeting which by then there was a fair few walking out of the stadium!

In fairness, Nick Morris was interviewed and wasn't overly up for it, I believe he said it needed work! Bit of an understatement!

No one was seen on the track apart from the tractor and blade - called off whilst the blading was still going on - the lack of bikes being warmed up probably was the biggest clue as we approached the half eight mark.

Ok, arrived at 7.20 and couldn't believe how wet the track was, puddles on the start / home straight and lots of surface water going into bend three. During the practice it was clear just how much water there was on the track , however, we got underway with heat 1 and after a re-start after Kyle N had a flier or exceptional reactions it was obviously going to be a visibility problem for the riders unless you were in front. Onto heat 2 and the crash between Stefan and Ashley - was the track to blame well I don't now but all riders interviewed stated it was a problem, Rich Lawson went a bit further saying it was very slippery , a fact confirmed by Stefan after he amazingly re-appeared after a ambulance ride on the spinal board! So, what to do, eventually out came the blade and the amount of dirt taken off was quite surprising however, as time went on, no sound of bikes being warmed up and called off at half eight. Whether they should have tried to ride it I don't know but the curfew obviously had a hand to play, at the time of call off the bends looked better, the straights not. Probably was never going to be on after the heat 2 crash. Now, what I do not understand is why didn't someone try the track out before the first race / parade? Surely the promotion could see the problem and yet failed to do anything about it until far too late, why? Why didn't the referee intervien earlier or did he and was persuaded to see how it rode? A PR disaster this for Somerset in my view regardless of any debate on whether it was rideable, there is a difference between rideable and raceable of course, after the blading. And as mentioned in a previous post, nothing from the management which is unexcuseable. Sure we have readmission tickets for a future meeting although the only meeting they mentioned they were valid for was the Newcastle one on Friday week

Then the sport's governing body (whatever or whoever that might be really needs to grasp the nettle and sort out quite how to make the sport affordable - it is no good chasing a dream if you can not afford it! Be interesting to see what would happen if the TV contract which ends this year is not renewed quite how drastic the trimming of the product might have to undergo, fixed costs or not. Currently there isn't the money to spend on ferrying riders here there and everywhere, forget the riders deserve everything comment, they do, but, not at a price whereby there is ultimately no product.

And that may be is the real problem, no good sticking your head in the sand, if the market will only pay / support £10 then the cost of the product needs to be trimmed, that is basic business logic! If speedway wants to survive, it has to cut costs as there isn't the appetite to pay for it at current prices. I went to Somerset last Tuesday purely and simply as it was an attractive meeting at an affordable price, £20 for two. The normal £30 is something that I'd think twice at especially when you also have to factor in the other costs as well, parking, fuel, programme, eats, drinks.

Tonight's meeting has been postponed.

Again for the record, I have not been to the Abbey for several years now, hence the "old" in the name! Agree both locations are cold unless you are sheltered from the wind, even in the height of summer! However, I'm not comparing like for like, just stating my view, regardless of the origins of the place and what they have done in that time period. I've certainly seen crap racing at both locations during my time. Hopefully that will not be the case tonight!

It was a tongue in cheek posting however, the reasons citied in jest may also be just reasons that need to be overcome in order for the sport to move forward and attract new support! In my opinion viewing at the OTA is poor compared to some tracks unless you brave the elements off the Bristol Channel and stand on the banking on the back straight / 3rd and 4th bends, otherwise too flat! For the record, I'm actually planning to be at the meeting subject to a favourable weather report later!

Now let me see, save myself £20 admission, no fuel costs, no food or drink costs, stay in the warm and potentially dry, no chances with the track after the rain, a far better view of the racing! How's that for starters!

Just bought tickets - from the speedwaygp.com site, just click through or try this http://speedwaygp.seetickets.com/event/2014-british-fim-speedway-grand-prix/millennium-stadium/713930

That's as may be, but if Swindon do not own him, it can't be considered a done deal as they no right to loan him out. He is still a Glasgow asset until should time money changes hands or any other agreement is made.

Not really, currently he is a Glasgow asset as no money has changed hands. Now, if another club wants to buy him and pay the fee, that club may decide to loan him elsewhere or even might want him to ride for them, so if P'boro were to buy him, that might mean a no to a loan to Somerset, or any other club. Of course Somerset could always buy him!

The remarks are not out of order at all, at this time of the year or indeed at the time of the original meeting, you might have thought that the promotion would realise that pre meeting entertainment in temperatures around the 5 degree mark or less is not going to be well received or indeed wanted! Perhaps if it was a daytime meeting, but in the evening, it has to be on with the racing and no dragging the proceedings out. About time we had meetings start on time and run quickly, sometimes the paying public ought to be considered. Of course that is my view and I have also voiced my opinion by not going, that decision is based on how cold it is and would never have been influenced by the pre meeting entertainment that was proposed i.e it is of no interest to me.

Given the temperature, I for one will be giving this a miss even though we are only 40 minutes or so away, it is cold enough at Somerset in the summer with the wind blowing in from the coast, £32 for two of us to stand around in the freezing cold, no thanks, even if LB is on an upright! Hope he does better than when he rode it in the last Newport version of this meeting! Quite why the promtion think it is a good idea to have pre meeting activity, commendable it may be but not at this time of the year! Did they think that through?

Weather forecast doesn't look promising at all.Currently doubtful that I'll be going based on it that's for sure...http://www.metoffice...bridge#?tab=map. Of course things may change but if the car parks etc are flooded that might well be the deciding factor regardless of how the track is!

It sure is useless!

Joe Screen according to twitter!

Nick has been signed by Swindon - http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/speedway/10068534.Robins_swoop_for_Morris_on_permanent_deal/

George and I ventured down the M5 for our second visit in two weeks, first impressions, far bigger crowd than for the Glasgow match, the attractiveness of the opposition or recent events or last match scenario, take your pcik! Entertaining meeting, some hard and close racing, Newcastle always seemed to have the upper hand, Plymouth let down by the reserves, paid 8 for Plymouth, paid 21 for Newcastle, and to some extent CG but not for the want of trying, a normal score from him and it might well have been a different result. Bizzare heat 2, Claes Nedermark wide bend 4 last lap whilst Holder on inside, Holder crosses track tot the outside and nearly lost it crossing the line, Claus up the inside for the win. Anderson off 15m, closed the gap on Starke but couldn't find a way through! Heat 9, Lindgren ef whilst leading, pushed home for the point. Strange decision in Ht 12, Anderson down, Lemon just after, think they must have clashed slightly but Anderson was behind at the time, this on bend 2 not 1 as per the updates, all 4 back for the re-run! Possible mistake made by dropping Ben Reade in Ht 9, that meant he had to have his third ride in Ht14 when the Devils needed not to concede a heat advantage or at worst a 2 - 4 but with Holder and Reade in it, cue the expected 1 - 5, match won! Robson and Fisher close race in Ht 13 resulting in Robson up the inside on the home straight, didn't leave Fisher any room, rightly excluded. Very close Ht 15, Barker covering Fisher against Robson who very nearly got past off the last bend, blanket over all three time for the four laps. Once again, good quality racing, very enjoyable evening. Lets hope the new consortium get the necessary permissions, would be a shame for this venue to disappear.

Those were the days, when throttle control and the ability to ride a bike rather than go full pelt and hang on was the way to ride speedway!