An Open Letter To The Riders At The Elrc

[iris123 21,009]

WEHAYYY !! Some common sense at last. Trawling through post after post no one picked up on the 1830 Tractor Derby scene we saw. And its the same all over Britain. 

A good post Subedei.

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Must say that it does seem investment in proper kit seems a problem at lots of tracks around Europe.Here it seems the same as at lots of British tracks.Ask local farmers to come with tractors.It does the job most of the time.The recent Ice Final in Berlin was a case in point as well.They had 2 tractors to take the top layer of broken ice off.One was great,the other skidded all over the place as soon as it had half a shovel full of ice in front of it.

[SpeedieGonzalez 0]

I too was very disappointed & was only watching on tv, but I had rearranged my whole day to be able to watch it between 5 & 8pm (stupid time).

 

All I'll say about the riders is that I bet they would not have stopped racing IF IT HAD BEEN A GP.

 

Why not ditch the GP riders for the next time the competition is run? Let every club be represented by it's non-GP stars. We'd see the likes of Charlie Gjedde, Simon Stead, Mark Loram, Hans Andersen & Seba Ullamek. I think they'd try much harder to win it & be more entertaining than a load of guys who only really care about the GPs.

[Grachan 7,364]

I think those who are blaming the riders are wrong, and this is why. Two clips from last night's meeting.

 

First one. I'm guessing this is the Clerk of the Course on the phone to the ref. It sounds to me as though he is basically of the opinion the meeting should be off.

 

 

 

This is the ref with the riders on the centre green. It's difficult to hear properly, but listen closely to what Chris Louis is saying. It sounds to me like he's telling the ref that if he tells them to get on with it then they'll ride and if he says it's off then they'll go home. Ref says get on with it. Riders return to the pits. No complaints whatsoever.

 

 

 

The ref then called it off of his own accord when a further shower started, just as he said he would.

 

(Edit - Clips now removed. Head being banged against brick wall instead.)

Edited April 17, 2006 by Grachan

[stevehone 3,430]

I can't believe any Poole official said the track was not fit to ride.

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think you better watch Grachan's clip then

[Subedei 0]

Must say, I thought Louis was suggesting a show of hands - those in favour of continuing and those against.

[Grachan 7,364]

Must say, I thought Louis was suggesting a show of hands - those in favour of continuing and those against.

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Yeah, he says that too after the ref asks him for an opinion. Listen closely to the first 8 seconds.

[Subedei 0]

Yeah, he says that too after the ref asks him for an opinion. Listen closely to the first 8 seconds.

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I would, if I could, but my speakers have packed up and I've no audio. I'm having to go on my increasingly unreliable memory.

[Boardrider 0]

The BSPA could soften the blow by offering fans their admission money back. As for sky throwing out of the deal - haven't they got 5 years to do?

 

As for the GP riders getting the meeting abandoned ; well difficult to say, at the end of the day they're the ones taking the risks and such they probably know best if they 'feel' the track is safe to ride or not rather than some odd joe stood on the terrace. Counter side of this is they should have called it off earlier - ie before race 6 if there was a doubt so not to rob the paying public ; now who's responsibility is that.

 

At the end of the day, such a high profile meeting shouldn't be held on the Easter Bank Holiday weekend ; the weather is always poor.

[dirtflap45 0]

Ban them for six months - that would do the trick - and I'm serious for once.

Look out of your windows folks and witness the blue moon - for once I agree with  :Shovlar, and in fact would take it a stage further........ as I posted above I would ban them and also fine them......... no rider is bigger than the sport...... especially The Ginger Whinger!!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree that this meeting could of gone on but one rider can not call off a meeting.

All you people belive that one man can are dreamer's ,if JC did not have the balls to risk it & all the other's had bigger balls why not tell jason to grow a pair or go home,We will stay & put a show on.What ur telling everybody is everyone that was there are a pack of sheep- including the strewards the promotion .

Edited April 17, 2006 by dirtflap45

[21st century heathen 220]

If it rains in F1 the drivers slow down from the top speeds of around 200mph to more like 160mph (depending on the track). Sure they would all like to go at full racing speed, but it's not safe to do so. Visibility in the rain during an F1 race is virtualy zero, as 80 hi-tech tyres throw thousands of gallons of water into the air quite apart from the rain falling. The speeds are frightening with almost no vision.

 

If the track (speedway) is not safe to ride at 70-80mph because of rain, then the riders have to adapt to that like riders have done in the past. Turn the throttle the other way and ride at 60-70mph.

 

Simple as really, but they seem increasing less prepared to even try. The meeting could have gone ahead with those prepared to give it a go, and the others could just bu££er off.

[rabbit 1]

The BSPA could soften the blow by offering fans their admission money back.

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They have.

 

At the end of the day, such a high profile meeting shouldn't be held on the Easter Bank Holiday weekend ; the weather is always poor.

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Rubbish. You're just as likely to get wet weather in September/October as you are in April. In fact, it's usally pretty dry down here during April onwards. We're just unlucky this year with it being a wetter month.

 

Having watched the TV coverage I've the following points to make.

 

1. Several riders said that the track was perfect prior to the start of the meeting including PK and Hans Andersen to name but two. Only Crump was whinging about it being watered.

 

2. The Clerk of the Course never said it was unraceable or unrideable as has been quoted on here, only that he thought they were wasting their time, and that the riders had been in agreement. In what context that is I don't know - wasting their time in that they had done all they could? Wasting their time in that the riders weren't going to ride anyway?

 

3. Greg Hancock, around heat 7 said that after the track work, the track looked rideable - yet he was one of those who gave up on heat 7 without even going out on track.

 

I still maintain that one rider could have done a test on the track to suss it out. Or that they could have waited. The damn satellite picture was clear for god's sake and Matt knew this but the riders just didn't want to wait. Sure conditions weren't ideal but we've all seen meetings in worse conditions. And after watching the U21 Final from Weiner Neustadt and how wet it was there with riders still giving it a go, I can't believe how keen KK was yesterday to jack it in! Bet if the U21 title had rested on it yesterday he'd not have been so willing to back down after a bit of drizzle.

 

I'm still gutted at yesterdays events, and I'm afraid the opposing views from people watching on TV aren't going to make me change my mind, especially as I've now had chance to watch the coverage also. If anything, it's hardened the views I had yesterday.

Edited April 17, 2006 by rabbit

[Subedei 0]

If it rains in F1 the drivers slow down from the top speeds of around 200mph to more like 160mph (depending on the track).  Sure they would all like to go at full racing speed, but it's not safe to do so.  Visibility in the rain during an F1 race is virtualy zero, as 80 hi-tech tyres throw thousands of gallons of water into the air quite apart from the rain falling.  The speeds are frightening with almost no vision. 

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But, in a "wet" race in F1 they usually change the tyres to either intermediates or wets. If they stay on "slicks" they're usually spinning off, even Schumacher, after a couple of turns.

[Catalan 717]

[the ref said the riders refused to race in heat 7 when it started raining again.

[preacherman 0]

I agree with everything that has been said. These riders would not have a job were it not for the thousands of travelling fans who go the length and breadth of the country to see them.

 

The rider of the 50's and 60's would most certainly have ridden, Peter Craven, Malcolm Simmons, Ove Fundin etc They were genuine hard riding riders who cared about there fans. It appears that the modern GP riders don't!!

 

preacherman

[Star Lady 5,400]

2. The Clerk of the Course never said it was unraceable or unrideable as has been quoted on here, only that he thought they were wasting their time, and that the riders had been in agreement. In what context that is I don't know - wasting their time in that they had done all they could? Wasting their time in that the riders weren't going to ride anyway?

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That was my interpretation at the time Rabs but as no one else picked up on it I thought I was dreaming. Without apportioning any blame, if there had been no Polish matches today, if there was no GP next weekend, if Sky were not in attendance would the meeting have gone ahead? My view for what it's worth is yes it would, maybe with an hour or so delay but it would have been run.