Mark 1,497 Posted July 15, 2008 Just back from Coventry, what a masive disappointment. TRACK - seemed too slick, virtually no passing. It was poor racing most of the time, whoever gated won most of the heats. One good race between Rymel & Hans. PROGRAM - £5 rip off job. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to buy a £1 scorecard, particulary for those with kids. When you have paid £30+ to get in it's just a bit OTT TEAM - we were truly shocking on what was a home track for all the riders Nicholls - back from a seperated shoulder ( is that a dislocation?) so may have been feeling that but looked to miss just about every gate. No dirt for a known racer. Bomber - hardly make a gate & with no dirt he was off form. BIke looked to be oozing smoke on 4th ride, packed up the next Richardson - seem to lack speed Stead - oh dear, why was he there in the first place ? At this level you win ziltch by locking up on every corner Allen - did well in the main, battled hard GRUB - pretty darn good & good value START LINE GIRLS - my fav was wearing Blue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shalefan 12 Posted July 15, 2008 Just back from Coventry, what a masive disappointment. START LINE GIRLS - my fav was wearing Blue. I'll look out for her then when I watch this tomorrow (Tues) after me night shift. Sounds like the only thing worth watching. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
21st century heathen 220 Posted July 15, 2008 Wouldn't it be nice to be able to buy a £1 scorecard BIke looked to be oozing smoke on 4th ride, packed up the next Stead - oh dear, why was he there in the first place ? At this level you win ziltch by locking up on every corner Just print on off before you go. You can do your own or print one that is posted on here. Danish Webmaster always posts good score cards for SWC and SGP. Yeah, it'll do that when you've got no fuel flowing through it. He didn't. He always hangs off the bike, but that's not locking up. I think, off the top of my head, he did it once. He was sh!te though. Easily the worst I've ever seen him ride. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NOBBY 3 Posted July 15, 2008 (edited) I agree about the rip off programme....semi glossy paper that doesn't really lend itself for writing on with the scorecard, silly small space to write heat times, no separate boxes for cumulative scores, space available for writing any subs names in for heats 10 to 16 was tucked away in the middle binding of the 'overpaged programme' and was too small a space in the rest of the heats anyway, very poor design of the most important part of any speedway programme....by now you would have thought that they would have got it right, but no, the attitude is give them a mini glossy magazine full of crap and they will pay a silly amount for it...more luvvly lolly in the bank !!! Photo's ...good, but we've seen them all before...reading material...generally good, but we've read it all before !!! How about something new and innovative ? Presentation of the meeting was IMO very poor. All the faffing around positioning the managers on the bend so that the riders knew where to stop after the long winded and drawn out ride round the track .... all the waiting to get on with it...most near us on the back straight were getting agitated and wanted to "just get on with the bl00dy racing" as one fan shouted out !! The PA system was rubbish and you could hardly hear it on the back straight...We got lost because of this as to when Jokers were being played as it was only really clear to the TV audience and those on the bends and home straight as to when it was happening...it was not clear at all to those on the back straight. The track looked to me like it was as smooth as a baby's b**.....and I doubt it will be the same for the Craven Shield Final when Lakeside go there, it will be like the Brandon track that I have always witnessed on my visits, but last night it looked like a typical GP track surface. It didn't even look like the gates were ripped up like they were last time I went there for an EL meeting. Racing.........almost all processional and very boring. We actually left after heat 20 as we couldn't bare the pain of watching Team GB get such a humping and we couldn't take any more boring races. Food....passable, but thank God we went to the Pizza hut first !! Too many hangers on with their 'look at me' SWC jackets on, swanning around like a load of luvvies telling paying fans what they could do and what they couldn't, where they could or couldn't go and giving out the 'this area is just for us and you are not entitled to be there' attitude. I expect a little disruption when the TV camera's are in town, but for Christ sake give us our proper speedway back !!!! Now I dare say there will be many who will rip what I have just said to shreds, but it is my opinion and I accept you have yours, but if this sport is going to be taken into a successful future then basics like I have mentioned need to be looked at and improved greatly...and I haven't even mentioned how far behind we are with regards to rider standards for Team GB either. I think it's the first time that I have ever left so early and so disillusioned from a speedway meeting since I started going in 1965 !!! Edited July 15, 2008 by NOBBY Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SCB 0 Posted July 15, 2008 Positives, the company. Negatives, the rest. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacques 3,114 Posted July 15, 2008 Positives, the company. Negatives, the rest. Adrian Rymels ride in Heat 11 was a positive... The first time all night I rose to my feet, apart from going to the bar Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
21st century heathen 220 Posted July 15, 2008 I was queueing for a hot chocolate at the time (would've been quicker if she's just had another ice cream like any normal person ) sos didn't have the best view of the whole race. However, I did have a perfect view of the dive up the inside on the last bend. Cracking ride that rightly brought a cheer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacques 3,114 Posted July 15, 2008 I was queueing for a hot chocolate at the time (would've been quicker if she's just had another ice cream like any normal person ) sos didn't have the best view of the whole race. However, I did have a perfect view of the dive up the inside on the last bend. Cracking ride that rightly brought a cheer. If " she" is that very attractive young lady I saw you with outside the Stadium, then I reckon you made the right decision You can always watch it back on a recording Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YorkNomad 0 Posted July 15, 2008 Been watching speedway on the tv for a few years but last night was the first time i've ever seen it live as we've no team in York and sod supporting another town Anyway, I don't think I could have chosen a worse meeting to make my first! Either that or the t.v. makes it look better, because i'd be lying if I said I wasn't bored for most of the night. Very little to cheer about all night, and largely very dull races. Dunno if i'll be back to such an event but that's largely because of how far away it is, bit too much of a risk to be bored after spending a few £. Like any sport though, if you're losing it's awful, if you're winning it's usually great. The grid girls get the thumbs up though! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
21st century heathen 220 Posted July 15, 2008 If " she" is that very attractive young lady I saw you with outside the Stadium, then I reckon you made the right decision You can always watch it back on a recording Actually that was a different 'she'. 'She' is hot though, and hilariously funny. Shame she's not a bit older. The only reason I called her 'she' is because she's not a member and I don't want to use her real name here. Been watching speedway on the tv for a few years but last night was the first time i've ever seen it live... Always nice to know our beloved sport can attract newbies. Please don't be put off by one bad experience. All the latest fixtures are listed at the bottom of this page. Hopefully something will tickle your fancy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Turner 0 Posted July 15, 2008 Well I had an enjoyable night... Met up with some rarely-seen friends and made some new ones. Had some right good laughs and even enjoyed some of the racing along the way ! Admittedly, for me, it helped that I didn't care about the result nor care for the competition. It was embarrassing watching Nicholls and Harris (who can't even speak to each other ! How old are they ?!). Both of them deserve a poke in the eye...in fact two or three hard jabs would be good. Any volunteers ? Stead and Richardson were just SO slow !? Olly did little wrong and certainly worked hard, he's the only one who deserves no shame. Good luck to Tai on Thursday, hopefully he can relax and enjoy himself, ignoring the complete lack of team spirit that will be surrounding him in the pits - and who knows, he might even bang a few points in. The 'top 3' in the team should now realise they quite literally have absolutely nothing left to lose. Well done to the Danes, who made the most of a bad night for AJ to beat the Swedes pretty comfortably in the end... I was most impressed by Bjerre, who gave his best Brandon showing. Granted it was on a very suitable track. He NEVER seems to let his country down, fair play. Really hope he gets a GP place for next season. Wasn't impressed by the ref, nor the dodgy tapes. ...oh but I was well chuffed that Rymel took that race win Bet everyone's hoping the Final will be at Coventry next year ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pollyanna 1 Posted July 15, 2008 Racing.........almost all processional and very boring. We actually left after heat 20 as we couldn't bare the pain of watching Team GB get such a humping and we couldn't take any more boring races. You didn't see Bjarne Pedersen's racing then, Nobby, coming from 4th to 1st ? The passing, though, seemed to come from the other teams' riders! P.S. I've seen your picture Nobby, so I now know what you look like. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fireblade 0 Posted July 15, 2008 Just back from Coventry, what a masive disappointment. TRACK - seemed too slick, virtually no passing. It was poor racing most of the time, whoever gated won most of the heats. One good race between Rymel & Hans. PROGRAM - £5 rip off job. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to buy a £1 scorecard, particulary for those with kids. When you have paid £30+ to get in it's just a bit OTT TEAM - we were truly shocking on what was a home track for all the riders Nicholls - back from a seperated shoulder ( is that a dislocation?) so may have been feeling that but looked to miss just about every gate. No dirt for a known racer. Bomber - hardly make a gate & with no dirt he was off form. BIke looked to be oozing smoke on 4th ride, packed up the next Richardson - seem to lack speed Stead - oh dear, why was he there in the first place ? At this level you win ziltch by locking up on every corner Allen - did well in the main, battled hard GRUB - pretty darn good & good value Expensive admission. Program Rubbish difficult to write in some heats. Souvenir stall - Ditto, expensive and poor choice. Tack - slick, however everyone but GB appeared to get by riders. Team - Abysmal. Practice is it true that Team GB arrived at tea time and the others spent the afternoon practising. Presentation - Very poor. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NOBBY 3 Posted July 15, 2008 You didn't see Bjarne Pedersen's racing then, Nobby, coming from 4th to 1st ? The passing, though, seemed to come from the other teams' riders! P.S. I've seen your picture Nobby, so I now know what you look like. I take it that you saw it on Youtube then...we were all caught by surprise that night. Should I fear reprisals on my next visit to Wimpborne Road then !!!!! What heat did Bjarne go from 4th to 1st, I was probably watching the airplanes flying over or queueing for a cuppa, both of which were far more exhilliarating than what we originally went there to watch !!! Or was it after heat 19, as we left early because at that point the M6,M1,M25 journey home was beginning to sound quite exciting compared to heats 20 to 25 !! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacques 3,114 Posted July 15, 2008 I take it that you saw it on Youtube then...we were all caught by surprise that night. Should I fear reprisals on my next visit to Wimpborne Road then !!!!! What heat did Bjarne go from 4th to 1st, I was probably watching the airplanes flying over or queueing for a cuppa, both of which were far more exhilliarating than what we originally went there to watch !!! Or was it after heat 19, as we left early because at that point the M6,M1,M25 journey home was beginning to sound quite exciting compared to heats 20 to 25 !! What a shame , I saw one chap in an Edinburgh coat, bet he was even more chuffed about the drive home. Luckily I don't live far from the Stadium, otherwise I'd have been even more peed off than I was. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
