Gp Qualifier Berwick 16/6

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Magnificent effort by track staff! FIM people must have been ultra-impressed by the arrangements and size of the crowd. Three or four times the attendance at Lakeside's recent FIM meeting, I understand.

 

The weather? No-one's fault -- schedule a big meeting in mid-June and surely expect a better two days that Friday and Saturday turned out to be. Horrendous downpour at about 4pm for nearly an hour, yet the track still held up.

 

Covering tracks has been suggested for years and years. Berwick have now proved covers make the impossible possible. John Anderson, George Hepburn and Ian Rae, all step forward and take a bow.

 

Racing was poor at first, better as the night wore on. Lee Complin's appearance raised the roof, and despite losing his steel shoe on (I think) the first lap, he still came a solid second.

 

Facundo Albin rattled a few cages. Was it really only his thirteenth professional speedway meeting?

 

All in all, pleased to be able to say "I was there". It will surely not be the last big FIM night at Shielfield Park.

So good you told us three times :party:

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Decided not go in the end and my decision is proving to be correct; No racing and terrible track.

 

So you came all this way and stayed at Marshall Meadows,and never bothered with the speedway.

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I hope also that now the practice has gone,the collection for Lee Richardson will still go ahead with buckets just inside the turnstiles.

 

Sadly Im disappointed to say that this did not happen,we did have a collection last night but it was seen fit to do it for the Fence Fund,a good cause no doubt but theres already been a buy a brick scheme,and the first meeting of this season was devoted to this cause.

IMO once practice had been called off any collection shouldve gone to the Lee Richerdson Fund,I accept we can donate personally,and I accept wrist bands were on sale last night,but it was an excellent oppotunity giving the size of the crowd to donate money in one go,and I cant see a better cause than a rider who has paid the ultimate price,and a former GP rider to.

[Killer Cat from Mars 16]

I would like to personally thank Berwick Speedway for getting the meeting on last night in what appeared to be impossible conditions! We drove up from Manchester knowing what the forecast was, but determined that the weather wasn't going to dictate to us! Thankfully, the Berwick owners and track staff had the same grit and determination. We were pleased to see the meeting completed and with no injuries to the riders involved.

 

The set up at Berwick looks first rate, and I really want to come back to see racing there when the sun is out and the track is in ideal condition. The locals promised us that the racing is amazing when the track is right, and I want to see that now.

 

Congrats to all the guys that qualified, in particular Chris and Danny for keeping the flag flying!

[Khabiboulin 4]

We drove up from Kent so I too am grateful to the track staff. A nice venue, I enjoyed it.

 

Berwick have proved that covering tracks can work in this country. They had about the worst conditions possible and got the meeting on which suggests to me that at least half of current rain-offs could be saved.

[Dekker 239]

We drove up from Kent so I too am grateful to the track staff. A nice venue, I enjoyed it.

 

Berwick have proved that covering tracks can work in this country. They had about the worst conditions possible and got the meeting on which suggests to me that at least half of current rain-offs could be saved.

 

so you were happy with the standard or racing given the conditions? it was worth the entrance fee?

[Catch Me If You Can 260]

so you were happy with the standard or racing given the conditions? it was worth the entrance fee?

The quality of racing was not good early on but in fairness it was horrible rain late afternoon. Full credit for the efforts to get meeting on and yes it was not great but at least they gave it a go. Some you win! Edited June 17, 2012 by Catch Me If You Can

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We drove up from Kent so I too am grateful to the track staff. A nice venue, I enjoyed it.

 

Berwick have proved that covering tracks can work in this country. They had about the worst conditions possible and got the meeting on which suggests to me that at least half of current rain-offs could be saved.

 

You say last night proves that covers work,and your right as we got a meeting,which Im sure was very welcome for those,who like you some miles to get here,but racing was poor to say the least.

So are fans happy just to get a meeting or would fans rather have a meeting called off so at least we can see some proper racing in a re-scheduled meeting.

Just an open question,its not directed at the track staff last night as they worked miracles over the last couple of days,especially with the rain we`ve had.

[Arson fire 4,785]

Berwick got this meeting on against all odds and FairPlay to them.... But have they made a rod for their own backs? Spoiling any future alleged shenanigans when they are going to be understrength....

Was the same effort made a few weeks ago, when it was nowhere near as bad, with a call of early morning... Had ( Ippo I think it was) been missing a couple, it may have gone ahead...although I do confess I maybe being a tad cynical, just a thought.

 

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Berwick got this meeting on against all odds and FairPlay to them.... But have they made a rod for their own backs? Spoiling any future alleged shenanigans when they are going to be understrength....

Was the same effort made a few weeks ago, when it was nowhere near as bad, with a call of early morning... Had ( Ippo I think it was) been missing a couple, it may have gone ahead...although I do confess I maybe being a tad cynical, just a thought.

 

It was the Ipswich meeting indeed,as for being cynical,well having seen the magnificent efforts last night it does make you wonder if a little more effort shouldve been made for the previous meeting.I guess we will never know.

[Backless 538]

so you were happy with the standard or racing given the conditions? it was worth the entrance fee?

Probably very happy with the conditions, as opposed to a Kent / Northumberland / Kent drive out & not being able to make a restaging.

 

It the chance you're always going to take, I guess you'd prefer the promotion or, in this case the FIM, to take responsibility for the weather.

The fact is that the field would have been decimated by Monday & the crowd would have similarly been pocket-sized.

 

 

 

Berwick got this meeting on against all odds and FairPlay to them.... But have they made a rod for their own backs? Spoiling any future alleged shenanigans when they are going to be understrength.... Was the same effort made a few weeks ago, when it was nowhere near as bad, with a call of early morning... Had ( Ippo I think it was) been missing a couple, it may have gone ahead...although I do confess I maybe being a tad cynical, just a thought.

It was the Ipswich meeting indeed,as for being cynical,well having seen the magnificent efforts last night it does make you wonder if a little more effort shouldve been made for the previous meeting.I guess we will never know.

 

 

That'll be the weekend that Dakota North was riding in the same championship as David Bellego (& Alex Edberg).

So now you expect the same magnificent effort to be made for a PL meeting? Get Real.

There's simply no need for them to do so.

I don't have any problem with the Ipswich rain off: it's relatively easy to reschedule and on a date when both teams will hopefully be at full strength.

How man "money-grabbing" jibes would there have been if (assuming the track had indeed been saveable) they'd shoved through a rubbish meeting with riders missing on both sides?

Edited June 17, 2012 by Backless

[Richspeedway 327]

So you came all this way and stayed at Marshall Meadows,and never bothered with the speedway.

 

Well I made the trip up and was going to go to the meeting however the track was like. Making the trip back tomorrow after doing some of the obligatory sight seeing today Weather today seems to be like yesterday so if they had of put it back it would of been the same, maybe possibly not as wet on the track but still not bone dry.

 

Was a good night in the Black & Gold afterwards, nice stadium and facilites though cannot believe how near the houses are to the stadium! If you have not been to Berwick I would recommend going up here to catch a meeting, hopefully when the summer comes if it does!

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Well I made the trip up and was going to go to the meeting however the track was like. Making the trip back tomorrow after doing some of the obligatory sight seeing today Weather today seems to be like yesterday so if they had of put it back it would of been the same, maybe possibly not as wet on the track but still not bone dry.

 

Was a good night in the Black & Gold afterwards, nice stadium and facilites though cannot believe how near the houses are to the stadium! If you have not been to Berwick I would recommend going up here to catch a meeting, hopefully when the summer comes if it does!

 

Hope you will be back very soon,but next time bring better weather with you.

[Dekker 239]

It the chance you're always going to take, I guess you'd prefer the promotion or, in this case the FIM, to take responsibility for the weather.

The fact is that the field would have been decimated by Monday & the crowd would have similarly been pocket-sized.

 

My point was that the covers really didn't make a difference in the end as the entertainment value was nil, partial covering of the track really achieved nothing. the poster said covers would save a lot of matches, if all they do is mitigate the damage caused by the rain and turn a rain off into a non event people will know to stay away therefore the covers achieve nothing.

Edited June 17, 2012 by Dekker

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My point was that the covers really didn't make a difference in the end as the entertainment value was nil, partial covering of the track really achieved nothing. the poster said covers would save a lot of matches, if all they do is mitigate the damage caused by the rain and turn a rain off into a non event people will know to stay away therefore the covers achieve nothing.

 

Giving that Berwick only couldve run on monday as an alternative,so I think we can say that the covers saved an organisational nightmare,having to get riders from Berwick to Poland and elsewhere,then back,not to mention that the EL teams affected would need to book guests.Most importantly there wouldve been nowhere near the crowd for a re-arrangement than there was last night.