Reading Tonite

[-DelBoyRodders- 0]

Well, if you get this weather were having in the midlands right now then it will have no chance of being on.

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Well we did get the rain you had plus a load more.

 

BUT THE MEETING STILL WENT AHEAD NO PROBLEM. PLUS THEY HAD TO WATER THE TRACK DURING THE MEETING.

 

The Smallmead track is quite unique. Maybe now people will stop coming on here after a few spots of rain on Monday and then going into a blind panic about whether it will go ahead or not.

 

We've had two rainoffs this year, but both could and should have gone ahead with a little more thinking.

 

Reading is the best track in the country for getting wet meetings on, but sadly when it's hot and dry we know what happens.

[RacerDon 5]

At least Reading is teh best at something.

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Looking at the league table, that'll be two things then

[Gaz W 6]

none of the Brits can gate so why prepare a track which plays into the hands of the opposition the Swedes and Danes only race on slick and Crump and Adams both ride slick tracks week in week out 

Home track disadvantage 

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Are you saying then Crump,Pedersen,Jonsson can't ride on tracks with dirt on and if Crump and Adams ride on slick tracks week in week out don't Stead and Richardson

[BluePusher 0]

As for lack of staff at Reading last night, three of them were more interested in wiping dirt off the sponsors banners than they were in track prep.

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What??

 

Those Staff were the 'Air Fence Staff' who were cleaning the sponsors so that

1. Riders can clearly see the fence, avoiding accidents!! (MOST INPORTANT)

2. The Air fence is not dragged down by the weight!

3. People can see the bloody things, Companies do actually PAY to have their company advertised you know, Would you like to pay for your bussiness to shown to millions of viewers across the world, only to have it covered up in crap!!!!!!!!!!

 

Some people..................

 

[J_D 10]

I thought the track tonight held up well to 25 heats of speedway, super smooth and considering all the rain a very raceable surface. Well done the track staff.

[BluePusher 0]

Thanks on behalf of all the trackstaff. Shame Mr T is not as thoughtful.

 

[21st century heathen 220]

I'm not going to post anything other than my honest views/opinions.

 

I have no previous experience of the Reading track other than what I've seen on tv this year, and what I saw for myself yesterday.

 

It seems to me that the reason they can get meetings on after heavey rain is that water runs off tarmac quite nicely. Every match I've seen from there I've seen tyres smoking away, and Charlie even managed to get his tyre to burn away nicely along the straight in one race!!!

 

There was a slick line after two heats, and the blue groove made an appearance after about 7/8 heats. There was even a blue groove along the straight, which is something I've never seen before.

 

There was very little dirt on the outside, and what was there was so dry and dusty that it provided very little grip. So many riders were caught at the back and despite trying every line they simply couldn't do anything. Look at how hard Jason had to go to try to make a pass, and he was pretty fast.

 

There also seemed to be what could only be described as gravel-like grey stones on the surface. I can't remember having ever seen that before. Certainly stones are not going to bind together, and give the riders any grip.

 

The little bit of dirt that was there was graded back to the inside regularly which meant it was spread so thin it was no good to anybody. It should have been left on the outside and well watered. It was about heat 15 before we first the water truck. It did a lap on the slick inside, and a lap on the outside. That was it!!!

 

I'm used to what I consider far superior track prep at both Wolves and Coventry, and I feel that a decent meeting would have been nothing short of sensational at either one of those two tracks. The riders on show are brilliant motorcyclists, and mostly fantastic racers. This week they weren't given a race track to show off their talent, and that is a real shame.

 

And I won't even comment on the state of the stadium facilities for a World Cup final.

[Racer X 0]

Hmmm.

 

I didn't see a blue groove on telly after 7/8 heats.

However in the play off meeting where there was blue groove after 7/8 heats the GB side rode considerably better.

(There seems to be a lot of personal agendas on these threads and if this passes as honesty these days I give up!)

 

I certainly wouldn't take any criticisms from somebody who uses the example of a rider struggling to pass in the 25th race of the night against someone who was probably the top rider in the event!!!

 

Sheesh.

Some people.

 

All this is "honest" too

[G the Bee 639]

The post by 21CH is spot on. It's got to be said that over the two meetings held at Smallmead over the World Cup week, neither provided a great advertisement for Reading Speedway. The final was ok but the racing was not as good as it could have been and the less said about the track for the race-off the better. I'm sure the track staff did their best, but the track for both meetings fell short of standards which should be expected for a World Championship event.

Blue groove. Way too slick. Only one genuine line (though I conceed that there were a few outside passes).

I appreciate that people are saying it held up to 25 heats of speedway without rutting up and still being nice and smooth, but a permanent track should! At Coventry we regularly have a full second half after the main meeting and by the end of the second half the track is still as smooth as a billiard ball.

I also appreciate that it was hot on both days and that on Thursday the riders had to practice in the morning, but Rybnik had to deal with similar circumstances on Sunday and look at the fantastic meeting we got from there.

It has been said that Reading was the back-up choice for these meetings as BSI really wanted them at Coventry but they couldn't be fitted in around the stadium's prior commitments. What a shame because if it had been at Coventry, and Gareth and Terry were allowed to prepare a track without outside interference, the Bees management would have provided these meetings with the setting and track their status deserves.

[spook 28]

I was personally very disappointed with the track prep over the two events at Reading..............on Saturday they were honoured enough to hold possibly the biggest event on the speedway calendar and also one which has seen some immense racing over the years.

 

For the race off there wasn't much of an attempt to get the track ship shape ......the watering only began an hour before the start which was far too late to expect it to hold any kind of moisture .............I wouldn't have said that it had a respectable amount of dirt befitting a competition like this but then guys like Tomasz and Bomber made it look easy at times

 

For the final there was no choice over when the track was going to be watered as the rain took a hand in proceedings...........there was less dirt than Thursday if that was possible but there was the hope that the rain will have helped deliver some good racing.....the track IMHO delivered less than Thursday with riders not able to gain any of the little grip they sometimes found in the race off

 

The SWC is always an event worth experiencing but I can't help feeling that something went extremely awry this year............whether it is machinery, opinion of the RD, or materials available

[21st century heathen 220]

Hmmm.

 

I didn't see a blue groove on telly after 7/8 heats.

However in the play off meeting where there was blue groove after 7/8 heats the GB side rode considerably better.

(There seems to be a lot of personal agendas on these threads and if this passes as honesty these days I give up!)

 

I certainly wouldn't take any criticisms from somebody who uses the example of a rider struggling to pass in the 25th race of the night against someone who was probably the top rider in the event!!!

 

Sheesh.

Some people.

 

All this is "honest" too 

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What possible 'agenda' do you think I have? I have named my two greatest rival clubs as having far superior track prep than a club I have never been bothered about one way or the other. Coming from a Cradley fan that's being very fair and honest, when all my natural instincts tell me to slate them at evey opportunity.

 

The reason I didn't name other examples of riders trying to pass is that I would be here all day. I don't have a score card in front of me, but how many riders had a win and a last or third? Quite a few I would suggest. Harris recorded 3 last places, made a gate and led 'til the last turn. Made the gate in the re-run and won it. There were many examples of riders simply not able to make ground due to the track.

 

The reason it didn't rut up is because there was no dirt on it to rut up. It was down to the hard base of the track. You'd need a JBC to rut that up, not a speedway bike.

 

If others are happy watching racing on that kind of surface then that's fine by me. I will accept and respect their opinion.

 

All I ask in return is that you do the same of my opinion. It's not speedway as I know it, and I was disappointed that a potentially sensational meeting was only decent.

[shalefan 12]

As I have said before on here, maybe not this thread but others. The Reading track this season overall (note overall) has been pretty good. Prior to last Thursday the track staff seemed to have at last got to grips with it and some very good racing has been witnessed in the EL. However in passing my opinion above I have no alternative but to say that Thursday and Saturday's track (albeit Saturdays track was a lot better imo) were not of the standard that has been seen at Reading this season. Thursday's track was probably the worst I have seen it with regards to preperation and performance. I did note however that during Sky's commentary on Thursday the studio guests were saying and I quote them not me that with the heat as it was it was very difficult to prepare, coupled with the fact that practice had been during the day as well. I know people will say this track done it and that one has done it but the comments were from two riders, surely there view should be respected. I was disappointed on arrival on Saturday not to see more dirt on the track which leads me to wonder if a certain Mr Olsen had any influence on track preperation over the two meetings, I mean we all know his liking for a slick track.

[fairy 0]

Mr Oleson was the race director, he walked the track and he made the choices. So make from that what you will.

[Ron Butler 0]

I wonder if it's just coincidence that when there is a major meeting, and often in the case of league meetings etc, there are people on this forum who take delight in denigrating the labours of the track curators and their workers.

 

Maybe it's sometimes because the meeting was so good that these Grumbleweeds have to find someone - anyone will suffice - to target with their scorn. We British have long had an international reputation for being a nation of complainers; now it seems to be becoming increasingly popular in major speedway contests.

 

It's quite a few years since I've been to an international type meeting but I remember them as thrilling, exciting and joyous occasions. Do they hand out grumblesheets with the programmes now?

[loyal royal 3]

well for whats it worth, most of those that express opinions have no idea. Myself and many others worked at the track continuosly from Wednesday morning onward, UNPAID to get the practice and meetngs on. We were working to orders not from the Bulldogs management or BSi, so why dont the jealous knockers just lay off ! the event happened, yes it could have been better, but not through any fault of BSi or the track staff. And so what if BSi had a say in where it was held, they have every right to try and re-coup some of the money they have undoubtedly lost this year pumping money into speedway, good luck to them. I`m sick to death of the anti BSi brigade, just shut up for one minute and think about the good they have done for our sport !!!!!

You didnt have to come and watch, nobody forced you.