Great Central

Advice taken!!

I am probably wasting my time posting this but I don't think jim the whipper has any clue on the difficulties riders and mechanics have at Kent. Kent are operating under a strict curfew and push the meeting on as fast as they can which means riders are lined up to go out as soon as the previous race has finished. When I was there, 15 races were completed in about 70 minutes which is really motoring. Whether it needs to be as fast as that is another matter but who knows what might hapen in subsequent heats. The other issue is that the pits are quite divorced from the track being up and over a banking and set well back which means that communication between staff/managment in the pits and those directing events on the track is virtually impossible. I don't know the exact circumstances here but maybe an impromptu quick track grade would have given more time for Adam and his crew to complete the work that was required. That is good news about Michael's riding last night. He may well have lined up for Buxton this year but chose instead to concentrate on his college studies. Because there has been no pressure on him, he seems to have improved a lot, particularly with his riding for the BV Colts in the MDL, and other teams that have needed his services. I think that he is also joint leader in the U16 championship at the moment.

What from I remember, lime was added to the track but only down in the area from bend 3/4 to the start line where it was badly affected by the frost and snow, not all the way round. Long Eye will clarify this since he was one of those dispensing the lime. I thought the track was better early on in the meeting but strangely it still seemed to produce passing opportunities when it slickened off.

This is not good news about Kyles' engines since this was what did him last year. Thought that he had turned his career around after some good scores.

Very disappointing to read how it went last night. Regarding the travelling by the riders, Nathan Stoneman may be from Wales, Lee Geary lives in Hinckley, Adam Sheppard in Surrey and not sure about Aaron Mogridge but down near London I think. Not small distances to travel on top of time off work etc. Kent can run 15 heats in about 80 minutes or less. I am not advocating that sort of speed in an EL match but I do echo your sentiments about keeping it moving by use of the 2 minute warning button.

Mike, Lovely write up on a piece of history in the making. Their old stadium must have been quite small looking at the race times. Was Craig Featherby pushing his bike round in heat 12? Martin

Are you saying he is too fast perhaps for the Intermediate Class and should move up to the Open???

A small correction about Lee Geary. He is not a Coventry Junior. He has ridden for the Long Eaton Invaders in the MDL for the past 3 years but managed to get a place in the Stoke NL side at the end of last year putting in some good scores once he got up to speed with NL racing. He was overlooked by all teams this year but has been picking up a number of guest rides since he is still on a 3 point average.

Mike, A very comprehensive report on the proceedings so thanks for that. Looks like it was a good meeting with the Open Class field well supported albeit supplemented 3 Australian and 1 NZ rider. Some interesting events coming up in the STR Diary. Martin

Adam guested for a rider in the main body of the team under Rule 18.2.3 .c. Two abscences in the 2 - 5 can be covered by a R/R and a guest so clearly there are hard and fast rules. Not many I agree!!

Mike, I was feeling good about your post until I read your last few words. What is wrong with the KL speedway supporters? No EL meeting last week due to a rain off, no EL meeting this week so an opportunity to see a potential title winning side boosted by perhaps the most talented LOCAL BRITISH youngster arriving on the National League scene for many years. He is also supported by other talented LOCAL riders. Clearly apart from the diehards, it seems like it is EL speedway or nothing at KL but without NL speedway, Robert would not be gracing our tracks for another year, Come on KL spedway supporters get behind your team. From the updates last night it was clearly not dull and boring, or processional racing by "wobblers"!!!! Martin

Just a pity that more care isn't taken over the riders names in the press release. Waldren should be Waldron and Wooley should be Woolley. Hope that you get a good crowd down there for what looks like a big win for the Young Stars. The team looks really strong when all riders are present.

Yes it was exciting watching Workington get beaten by a better side on the night. Leicester had been without speedway for so long it is just good to have a winning team to support. I thought the track for the Ipswich match was brilliant but the Ipswich fans thought it was dangerous.No it had dirt on it. As for travelling to away tracks, I do go away and I have been to Derwent Park - now that was boring and the track preparation was appalling but that was only one visit so I won't judge it on one visit.

You can't say that - that phrase is wholly reserved for use by certain so called Leicester supporters.

If you weren't there don't comment. The meeting was exciting and Leicester beat a very strong Workington side. Oh and they beat Glasgow as well so stop knocking us. 28 years without speedway is a long time and what was on offer last night wasn't bad and above what is served up elsewhere. You must watch different meetings to me at Brandon - at the last EL meeting I attended, I was filling in my programme after lap 1!!! Really good racing that was. Well done to Magnus on regaining his form - a match winner two days running.

Not defending anyone here but the decision to drop Mason was very strange and for the new supporters at Sittingbourne is bad PR. As for Sam Woods, please look at his injuries over the last 3 years which have not given him a full season of racing. Adam Kirby hasn't had the chance to prove himself at NL level so again give him a chance. I know that is difficult when we all want to win but taking Richie Worrall as an example, he wasn't always at the level that he is now so fair play to the promoters that stuck with him during the tougher times.

Have just sent you a PM.

I also enjoyed what was a good nights racing and agree about the track. Downside was the time to run the meeting. Yes there were crashes and falls but it didn't have the slick presentation of the 1st meeting. Programme at £2 is not value for money though.

Jon at JHR Race Engineering will do them for you. Tel 01283 218373

Riders fall for various reasons and not all attributable to the track. Settting up a bike for what was a track with dirt on it is an art that seems to being lost these days. It is easier now just to grade it, take the dirt off and ride on a main road. The falls by the Ipswich riders in heat 2 were in my opinion because they were trying things that weren't possible so early on that sort of track.

Dangerous it certainly was not. It had dirt on it and therefore needed riding with a different technique. Not the rubbish or bust style shown by Ipswich in the first two heats. The track man is fine but just looked a bit peed off seeing all his good work go to waste.

Obviously a miserable night weatherwise so only the real diehards attended but it was a real pity that more didn't attend last night to see a cracking nights racing, spoilt only by Ipswich's insistence on riding on a slick track. Nearly 20 genuine passes, not including passes when riders fell, but it was heartbreaking to see all the dirt being graded off the track after heat 2/3. The knockers of "no passing at BP" seem to have gone into hibernation. I accept that one good meeting doesn't make a season but despite the rain, the track needed watering with 45 mins to the start so it wasn't a wet track catching the Ipswich riders out. The Leicester riders didn't seem to mind the dirt but I think it cost us a point grading as hard as it was done. What we did see though was an entertaining meeting and fair play to the riders and referee for getting a move on after the very slow 1st 4 heats.

Mike, On a positive note it looks like you had no problems with traffic or parking!!! I really don't know why it is but NL racing seems destined not to attract the attendances that it deserves down in north Norfolk. When it was Boston riding there, there was an excuse, but since that time the crowds have been very poor and racing has really only been made possible by the generosity of the Chapmans and the sponsors. As you pointed out there was no EL racing this week so why didn't the crowds come flocking to the NA last night? From the updates it seemed like it was all action and without this level of racing would the likes of Kerr, Knight, Jacobs etc be making the progress that they are doing. Of course not. Keep plugging away Mike since there are still some exciting teams to visit the Arena and you may yet see the 1000's that you expected last night. Martin PS Hope that James Cockle makes a speedy recovery - not what the Young Stars wanted at this stage of the season.

Mike, There two grandstands on the start straight either side of the refs box with plenty of seats. Hope you have a good first visit to Leicester. It looks like being a good meeting. Martin

I take your point but Buxton is not Ipswich or the IOW. He is a very talented rider but a maximum on his first visit is outstanding.