Malcolm 0 Posted December 24, 2005 I have found and posted video from several tracks in Japan here on the Flattrack Forum. Some of the races are pretty good, stadiums just begging for dirt and a GP of Japan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Shovlar 10,449 Posted December 30, 2005 Well if BSI ever think about holding a GP in Japan, we had better start saving right now. The place is EXTREMELY expensive to visit, and a few days there will set you back a lot of money. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
badge wearer 0 Posted December 30, 2005 sgp isnt goin to break out of europe for years yet look how long aussie gp lasted!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,364 Posted December 30, 2005 (edited) Loose dirt tracks were actually banned in Japan in the 60s for being too dangerous! Amazing when you watch some of their game shows. I've been to a couple of meetings in Japan. The Stadium in Kawaguchii would be brilliant for a GP, but the tracks are pretty long and very wide. I think, if they could get to host a GP there, it would be a massive success. The Japanese love everything Western. All they'd need is get a few riders on the telly and the Japanese girls would be screaming their heads off at them when they arrived at the airport! You can read my own little account of my Autorace vistis HERE. Edited December 30, 2005 by Grachan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DutchGrasstrack 804 Posted December 31, 2005 I have found and posted video from several tracks in Japan here on the Flattrack Forum. Some of the races are pretty good, stadiums just begging for dirt and a GP of Japan. The url is dead.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Malcolm 0 Posted January 1, 2006 There are links from my site now. xtremesport.org The url is dead.. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Greg 123 Posted January 2, 2006 can u pm me the clip link please Malcolm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HenryW 1,178 Posted January 2, 2006 You can see the full race programs for each of the tracks at the following locations : Funabashi Hamamatsu Iizuka Isesaki Kawaguchi Sanyou The meetings are streamed live, and you can bet online, then the races are kept for subsequent viewing for a few weeks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cometsfan2k4 0 Posted January 4, 2006 anyone understand them sites lol cos i wouldnt mind watchin the odd race like, i think it looks awsome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,364 Posted January 4, 2006 Just click on a race number to watch it - eg 1R is race one, 2R is race two and so on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HenryW 1,178 Posted January 4, 2006 (edited) As Grachan says, just click on the race number. Be sure that the race you are selecting has been held. The sites have upcoming events listed as well, but obviously the videos for those aren't available yet. The dates are shown on the left hand side in American format. The top row of race numbers just shows the last lap or two. The lower row shows the whole race. Anyone wanting to watch some live early morning "speedway" action can watch the meetings from Kawaguchi, Iizuka and Hamamatsu tomorrow morning. The event will be running from 10:10 to 16:50 Japanese time at the various tracks, which I think makes it 01:10 to 07:50 in the UK. To access the live transmissions, just go to the track links provided earlier and select the left hand tab at the very top of the page... Edit : forgot to mention, once you are in the "live" page for a track, there are buttons to take you to the other track's live pages so you can easily switch between venues if multiple are running on the same day. The schedule for the next few days is : 5th Jan : Kawaguchi, Iizuka, Hamamatsu 6th Jan : Funabashi 7th Jan - 9th Jan : Funabashi, Sanyou 10th Jan : Sanyou 11th Jan - 13th Jan : Kawaguchi 14th Jan - 18th Jan : Isesaki Edited January 4, 2006 by HenryW Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 21,090 Posted January 5, 2006 Seen a few short clips and can't really see that it is speedway(do they have breaks?).It's motorbikes going round a track.Looks about as related as Formula 1 and Rallythingymy.Maybe seen the wrong clips but looks about as interesting as the Superbike stuff,which interests me not one iota. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cometsfan2k4 0 Posted January 5, 2006 it doesnt seem related to british speedway at all, thats proably why it isnt actually called speedway, but i think it is quite good. I have watched alot of the clips and think it is exciting, fast, and looks great for betting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grachan 7,364 Posted January 5, 2006 They are 650cc bikes and have no brakes. Also, the track is oval, similar to our racing. It is, effectively, their version of Speedway. They used to have conventional speedway but this is the way it has evolved. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Sir Lunchalot Posted July 21, 2008 I can now say I have swelled the numbers of forum members who have been to a Japanese auto race to two. I'm in Tokyo for work and yesterday I went to Kawaguchi to see the second day of a five day meeting. It's like speedway in some ways but very different in others. The format is more like horse racing as we know it, about twelve races spread out over the whole day with the first race around 11am and the last race at around 4:30 pm. The betting side of it is massive and the races are some 30 minutes apart to allow for the punters to put their hard earned on the pilot of their choosing in the next. Some random thoughts - Sensational stadium. Holds 44,000 in comfort and would be a brilliant venue for a GP if only they could get rid of the bitumen and put some dirt down. - Races way too far apart for my liking, 30 minutes between races for races that only last two or three minutes is a snorefest if you don't bet. The good part was when the gates opened at 9:30 am there was free practice that lasted an hour or so, then some practice starts for those that wanted it. - Great viewing, you could stand at the fence and see the riders without any dog track in the way. Having said that there is a "slow down" area between the track proper and the fence so the racing is still a good few yards away. I moved around and the seats in the grandstands gave superb viewing too. - Zero rider interaction with the public. As soon as one race is over the riders for the next race come out, do four practice laps and then disappear into a building in the middle of the track where they stay for 30 minutes until the race is due to start. After each race is over there is no victory lap, no waving to the public, no wheelies, no celebration of any kind, it's one slow down lap then off down the tunnel to the pits quick smart. - The Japanese public don't yell encouragement, barrack, scream, clap or cheer, it's just about silent during a race from the stands. Not that cheering would do much good, the bikes are loud enough to compensate. I clapped when the backmarker in one early race got home with a nice move up the inside on the last bend and people looked at me as if I was strange. - Cheap day out. Train fare from Tokyo central each way 290 yen (a bit over a quid), free bus to the track, entry fee 100 yen (say 40p), snacks between 120 yen and 300 yen (so say 1.20 tops) and a beer 500 Yen (say 2 quid). I had a ball for next to no money. The betting losses must keep everything at the track cheap !! - Easy to tell the riders apart. As well as helmet colours the riders wear coloured tops and have coloured backgrounds to the numbers on their bikes. The colours from backmarker (best rider / biggest handicap) to front marker (slowest rider / lowest handicap) are white, black, red, blue, yellow, green, orange, pink. - No commentator !!! Ashie and Subedei should move here as there is no Pearson-san in sight (or sound). - Overall the presentation was slick, professional, and bang on time. It seems to be a Japanese trait and it is a joy to behold. Can't say I'd be a regular if I lived here but it certainly was an enjoyable day out and one I am glad I took the effort to do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
