Great Central
-
Content count
709 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
1
Posts posted by Great Central
-
-
Ha ha ha ha have you ever thought about a career in stand up comedy? Your jumping to conclusions again as to who people are. The other week you thought i was Adam and now you think i'm his mechanic.
If not being able to sort out a puncture by changing the wheel and gearing, as it had a different sprocket on so either the chain had to be altered or sprocket changed, comes under incompetence to you then yes i guess his mechanic was at fault. Lets hang him for it.
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.
Just to give you guys down in Kent a heads up, Just seen a very much improved Michael Neale ride as a guest for Mildenhall at Dudley, he must be one if not the best unattached rider around at the moment, 2 good 2nd places, in his other race he was lying in a comfortable 3rd, when he lost it on the 2nd bend 3rd lap, he would undoutably improve your bottom end, and he is only 16 or 17..Appologies for posting this twice, but I wanted someone from Kent to read it.
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.
-
Track shape may not end up being the issue after all, however as i saw it the preparation last night appeared to be of the very slick nature. Kind of goes against the grain of those who say more dirt solves everything and makes the dirt equation a difficult one.
Interesting that you put 'weather conditions excepted' though, as the commonality within the good meetings at BP doesn't appear to be whether the track is running slick or with some dirt at all but does have a strong relationship to to weather conditions. The other track theory i've heard put forward, and the one that appears to currently hold more water so to speak than even the track shape one is this one. It's been said that before the grand opening, and in the race against time to get the base hard enough, and supposedly against almost everyones better judgement, someone insisted that huge amounts of quicklime were added to the base so it would firm up in time as we were having a problem with the track and the opening night had to happen. This unfortunately leaves the base hardening up like concrete on anything bar overcast, damp and wet days stopping anything gripping into it. Interestingly the meetings the track has worked fit this theory perfectly and make me wonder how things may have worked out with a bit more diplomacy from our dear leader (well, actually, a lot more diplomacy, well, any diplomacy at all would be a start!). Something like that anyway, i'm clearly no track building expert!... Anyone's thoughts on this?
Mick.
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.
-
An interesting post on FB by Kyle Hughes re last night backs up a lot of the comments -
Riding good again tonight and bang 2nd blowup this week, looks like im on the sidelines again ****** off with the robbing ****** in the sport how can us brits move forward like this!
Also may explain his up and down form
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
-
Got to say that Andy Harrison was faster than ever
Are you saying he is too fast perhaps for the Intermediate Class and should move up to the Open???
-
1
-
-
As I understand it (?) Baldock stays in the side for the visits to Coventry and Mildenhall while Laurence makes way for Lee Geary (isn't he a Coventry junior?) at Coventry and presumably also at Mildenhall?
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
-
Hmm, yes i suppose it is - though our own Adam was able to be drafted in by KL when they were short at Dudley so clearly not a hard and fast rule..?
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!!
-
Darcy Ward Mk2 but the biggest difference being hwe is British!
Terrific debut by anyones standards, and assuming he continues in this vein, his stay in the National League will be very short.
Very entertaining meeting too, with some good pressure applied in particular from Messrs Wright, McKinna and Williamson.
Roll-on the next one against Stoke in a couple of weeks.
Only down side to last night, apart from the cold yet again, was another abysmal crowd.
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
-
So tonight see's Buxton visit the NA... Teams c/o KL press release:
King's Lynn Young Stars
1. Steve Worrall, 2. Shane Waldren, 3. Darren Mallett, 4. Shane Hazelden, 5. Lewis Kerr, 6.Lewis Rose, 7. Robert Lambert
Buxton Hitmen
1. Charles Wright, 2. Tyler Govier, 3. Ryan Blacklock R/R, 4. Adam McKinna, 5. Tony Atkin, 6. Tom Wooley, 7. Matt Williamson
Press Release: http://www.kingslynn...-make-his-debut
Anyone venturing over?
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.
-
I was there , EXCITING
:rofl: , was like watching bloody paint dry !!! I was filling in my programme on Saturday after heat 1, there was no good racing on Saturday, if you made the gate that was it end of, and before you start bleating on about sour grapes, I had already congratulated Leicester on their win. Going by this thread and most other Leicester ones everyone can't be wrong about the track even your own fans apart from ones like yourself who watch it through red/yellow glasses . If you think that was exciting on Saturday you really need to get ya self travelling to away tracks , jesus you be wetting ya pants 
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.
-
As for the match, apart from that sensational first race from big Joe, it was actually back to boring processions,
You can't say that - that phrase is wholly reserved for use by certain so called Leicester supporters.
-
1
-
-
If you bothered to read my post you'll see that I mention that I don't need to go more than once. Speedway updates and comments on here tell me that the meeting I saw was perfectly typical for BP so there's no need to waste £15 plus petrol money to watch garbage. I will however pay the same (and more) to go to Wolves or Brandon. I'm glad you get your kicks from processional speedway (hope you watched last nights GP - you'd think it was incredible) as long as Leicester are involved but don't expect others to.
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.
-
2
-
-
Yeah I don't want to be harsh but if a riders been riding adult speedway races (amatuer/junior league 2nd halfs and in the case of Woods riding abroad as well) ) for 3+ years and is still not NL reserve standard then its obvious that they will probably not get any better
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.
-
Hi does anyone have a selecta ignition and coil for a jawa. Thanks
Have just sent you a PM.
-
Track looked very wet at the beginning and some riders seemed to be having a problem getting round the 4th bend.
Racing not as good as the first Storm meeting and due to several crashes it was a bit drawn out and didn't finish until 10.10pm. Still enjoyed it though and as the 4th bend was deserted apart from one person I decided to have a walk round with Lucy and watch from different places.
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.
-
Does anyone know of there's a low profile push bar for a round back end
Or will a straight back end type fit with making modifications
Jon at JHR Race Engineering will do them for you. Tel 01283 218373
-
The amount of falls in the opening heats suggests the work wasn't what you'd call "good"
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.
-
1
-
-
Obviously the Leicester fans will complain about the track being graded so much, when the Witches came back at them to take a point that never looked possible on a dangerous track. Paramount to everything is the riders safety and it was not safe early on so therefore the extra grading, shame it had not been done before the meeting started, perhaps their track man heeds to take some hints off our Bob Ellis here at Ipswich
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.
-
Blooming eck Tina. Surely we can want both excitement AND a decent team. Foremost i think we're speedway fans, we like being entertained by speedway racing. Not even been close to happening so far at BP but it did last night.
If there is a myth it's the one that you've tried to perpetrate that a successful promotion of Speedway needs only a winning team and a good craic with friends. A crowd of less than 1000 last night might tell a different story.
I also thoroughly enjoyed last night as well. First time in 2 1/2 years!
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.
-
I personally thought this meeting was a terrific advert not just for National League speedway, but British Speedway in general, and at the conclusion of Heat 14, there was never at any time more than four points between the two teams.
I'd have to admit on one hand that we probably did throw the meeting away, if that can be a fair way of describing the falls of both Lewis Rose and Jake Knight, But for goodness sake, they were racing their hearts out to win their side points, and yes, made mistakes, but that happens in life, at least they were trying.
Without to much doubt, the injury in Heat 3 to James Cockle cost us the match too, and there's little you can do about that.
But despite all that, lets not disrespect the efforts of Coventry, because they played an equal part in what was as good a meeting as any I've seen at the Norfolk Arena this year, with Jacobs, Branford and Sarjeant all looking class acts. Brendan Johnson had a good steady night, and for someone who is so new to this level of racing, who could fault Tommy Fenwick.
Yes, I'm a 'Young Stars' fan through and through, and think on a level playing field, we would have won last night, but we didn't, and congratulations to Coventry for seizing their opportunity. Beaten but far from disgraced, and I just can't wait for the next meeting in 2-weeks time against the Isle of Wight.
As for the attendance last night, well it was better than the 136 of the previous meeting where as Bagpuss quite rightly pointed out at the time, that people probably can't afford two meetings in a week, to which I agreed with his way of thinking. But what can be the reason for last nights still not good enough attendance, people hadn't been asked tro pay for two meetings this week!!
I can't and never will understand why the public won't turn out to give the side a viewing. There's obviously a lot of 'Stars' fans that have NEVER been to a 'Young Stars' match, as for whatever reason, they seem to have this misguided conception that it's second best............WRONG!!!
If only, if only, if only...............................Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
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.
-
Good looking line-up wizzer, and very much looking forward to making my first visit to Leicester for this meeting.
Is there seating in the stadium, or is it just terracing where you need your own chair?
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
-
the ipswich promotion and anyone that has seen him ride
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.
Kent Kings V Isle Of Wight Koc 24th June
in National League Speedway
Posted
Advice taken!!