Elite League Best Pairs

[Blackbird 54]

Don't know the sp on the weather on saturday but thought it was worth pointing out the following (from the Amateur racing section):

 

I would just like to say well done to all those who ran and participated in the Southern Track Riders meeting at Kings Lynn [on Sunday morning immediately after the called off ELP].

 

Lots of credit to the riders, including the youngsters, who rode the same wet and heavy track that scared the Elite League riders last night.

[Blazeaway 1,501]

Don't know the sp on the weather on saturday but thought it was worth pointing out the following (from the Amateur racing section):

 

 

With all due respect, there is a world of difference between the STR and some of the Worlds best riders racing around a track. Wet or otherwise, how many people paid £20.00 to get in and watch the STR? I hate this kind of reverse snobbery.

Edited April 7, 2008 by Blazeaway

[LaKazza 0]

Speedways already dangerouse as it is - theres no need to make it even more dangerouse.

 

Bjarne and Leigh are entitled to be concered for their saftey and the saftey of their fellow riders..

 

JC just seems like an idiot now

[Guest chris26]

I know it's annoying that meetings get called off, especially if you've travelled - I've been victim to this many a time, including at Kings Lynn! - but, well for me anyway, the riders' safety is the most important thing.

 

agreed, rider safety is very important and they should not risk themselves unnecessarily.

 

I think people wouldn't be so disappointed with postponements/abandonments (if the weather is the winner and a meeting is rained off) IF all speedway trackstaff across the country actually made an effort to at least try and get a surface that is suitable for racing.

 

As an Ipswich fan, we are very lucky to have Bob as our trackman and he does a fantastic job - take the peterborough meeting on March 27th. It had been raining steadily a lot of the day til abot late afternoon/early evening, yet our trackman at Foxhall put in a sterling effort to produce a track, which was at least raceable and safe for riders to race on.

 

Shame that not all trackstaff are like Ipswich's trackman, who we are very lucky to have prepare our racetracks

Edited April 7, 2008 by chris26

[Tamtig 5]

Maybe in future when meetings are called off, the riders should be made to stand at the exits and say sorry to the fans that there is no racing.

 

Why should they? It was clear on Saturday night that even if the meeting had gone ahead it wouldn't have been in the slightest bit entertaining. I'm sure the riders are a better judge of track conditions that anyone from the other side of the fence.

 

If they had have ridden, this thread would just have been people moaning about the lack of racing and riders not trying due to the conditions. Seems they just can't win either way

[BobC 664]

I didnt go.Glad I didnt,the way things have turned out.

 

When it comes down to safety,track conditions,etc,I wouldnt hesitate to listen to the riders.

 

If riders say its not worth the risk,I would accept it.Its their lives on the line.

 

Shame the Chapmans cant accept that the riders DO know best.

 

Oh,and by the way,the ONLY person who can call off a meeting is the referee,not the riders.

 

I must admit to not having a lot of time for the Chapmans.Even less now.

[NOBBY 3]

I went Saturday, and as I said earlier wasted about 9 hours of the day, had some crap food and froze my n*** off as well .... on the night I was really chuffed off .... I wasn't angry with Jonathon or Buster Chapman (they did their level best), not with the riders (they have their safety and their families to think about) and not with the track staff ( they tried their hardest as well ). In fact after a cup of decent tea and chance to think SENSIBLY about it I thought that I would rather it was cancelled than have either of my teams riders, Adam Shields and Jonas Davidsson, injured and missing from important Elite League action...Jesus we already have AJ out and Leigh Lanham still quite sore after a dodgy bit of track caused their accident up at Belle Vue.

Everyone rants on the day and I dare say that JC is still smarting under the pressure of trying to get the meeting on and also the added pressure in being the Director of super7even operations and the one everyone will bitch at when refunds are required etc etc. It will all calm down soon and may I politely suggest that everyone on here should as well, as keeping on argueing is just fuelling the fire.

If everyone actually must have to find someone to blame, then maybe we should all take a good look at ourselves and our predecessors, as it is the stupid and worrying climate changes that are causing these sort of problems, and it is us that have and still are stuffing up our planet !!

[LaKazza 0]

Only if you belive we cause climate change

[suzuki star 882 0]

With all due respect, there is a world of difference between the STR and some of the Worlds best riders racing around a track. Wet or otherwise, how many people paid £20.00 to get in and watch the STR? I hate this kind of reverse snobbery.

 

You are right there is a world of difference between the worlds best and the amateurs, which is the whole point. The amateurs raced the same wet and heavy track the next day without hesitation. The point being that some of the "worlds best" should have been professional enough to respect the supporters, believe in their own ability and been prepared to try and race.

 

[lisa-colette 6,073]

i think JC should have handled the situation better, to publicly slag off the riders is not the way to go and makes the situation worse.

[LaKazza 0]

But what if they had risked and there had been some serouis accidents ...

[NathanB 4]

Im reading these comments in despair at what has come of a sport i treasue dearly. I'm a big fan of Kings Lynn speedway but this would seem to be a BSPA issue. At no point would JC have called this meeting off himself and after his comments regarding Pedersen and Adams I would have to agree. I use to admire the enigma that was once Leigh Adams but I would have to say I lost admiration after what I saw as money coming first. Sure he has a family to support but what has come of people keeping their word. As they say, a verbal agreement isn't worth the paper its written on. I have recently had the pleasue of a couple of conversations with JC and have found him to be very polite and interested in what the average fan thinks. He may be outspoken but that is how you get places these days, by speaking your mind. Kings Lynn speedway has become a great place since he has come in, not just trophy wise but improvements which have been made to the stadium and surroundings. Keep up the work JC and Buster i truly admire the two of you.

[suzuki star 882 0]

I didnt go.Glad I didnt,the way things have turned out.

 

When it comes down to safety,track conditions,etc,I wouldnt hesitate to listen to the riders.

 

If riders say its not worth the risk,I would accept it.Its their lives on the line.

 

Shame the Chapmans cant accept that the riders DO know best.

 

Oh,and by the way,the ONLY person who can call off a meeting is the referee,not the riders.

 

I must admit to not having a lot of time for the Chapmans.Even less now.

 

 

Most of the riders were prepared to ride, there were about four who managed to get it called off. Although technically it is the referee's decision we all know how easily some referees can be swayed by a minority of riders. The referee had agreed only minutes before that the meeting would go ahead.

 

[lisa-colette 6,073]

maybe they should have got a ref who isn't easily swayed then. would have thought the ref would have listened to both sides of the argument and then made his decision and then stick to it if the conditions hadn't changed.

[WIE-JA 72]

You are right there is a world of difference between the worlds best and the amateurs, which is the whole point. The amateurs raced the same wet and heavy track the next day without hesitation. The point being that some of the "worlds best" should have been professional enough to respect the supporters, believe in their own ability and been prepared to try and race.

I rode in the Southern Track Riders meeting and could understand why the Elite guys didn't ride.The track was very heavy, rough and patchy for most of the meeting and thats after it had had 17 hours to dry out.The difference is I ride for fun and iff I do get an injury I've still got an income from a job.Iff someone such as Bjarne Pedersen or Freddie Lindgren pick up an injury, they lose a lot of league meetings and GPs which would affect next year as well.At the end of the day all riders want to do is go and race, but conditions have to be suitable.As for that guy describing them as pussies-bet he wasn't riding Sunday!