Uk Speedway Series

[E I Addio 15,845]

. The events are being run by the Courtney Brothers

 

Ah, well, that explains a lot. I wish someone had said that on page 1 of the thread and it would have saved a lot of questions. Least said the better. No wonder the SCB don't want to touch it with a barge pole.

 

Really? I have never organised a Speedway meeting but have been around enough to see how things are run and even helped out a bit at times.

 

I have been involved in a large number of MX meetings with up to 300 riders taking part. That's 300 riders who need to have entry forms filled out and acceptances sent before the meeting, 300 bikes to scrutineer, a track to build within specific guidelines with posts, rope, start gates, signing on/lap scoring facilities all needing to be transported to the site. Insurance cover to be sorted, medical cover arranged, toilets put in place, lapscorers and anything up to 50 marshalls arranged. Then there are the results from 20 to 30 races to be sorted and posted before finally awarding the trophies (that somebody had to arrange before the meeting) and dismantling everything to be transported back to where it came from.

 

I doubt getting 14 riders into a purpose built stadium with a permanent track is infinitely more complicated.

 

That is not quite the point I was making. I have also been involved in running MX meetings. Everything you mention with the exception of scrutineering comes under the general heading of administration and in essence is no different to anything else run by clubs and enthusiastic amateurs, whether it be motocross, trials, gymkhana's or anything else that takes place in the open during the summer. Anyone prepared to do a bit of hard work can do it. It is the actual meeting officials whose jobs are more onerous at a speedway meeting IMO i.e referee. clerk of the course, pit marshal machine examiners etc and I don't see how you can get untrained, unqualified people to do those jobs at the drop of a hat.

Anyway its a bit of a moot point now as it has just been mentioned that the Courtney Brothers are organising it and that says all I need to know. Personally I don't want to waste my time discussing or even thinking about anything they are involved in. Somehow I don't quite see them as speedway's fairy godmothers.

Edited February 11, 2013 by E I Addio

[berwick31 4]

 

 

Ah, well, that explains a lot. I wish someone had said that on page 1 of the thread and it would have saved a lot of questions. Least said the better. No wonder the SCB don't want to touch it with a barge pole.

 

 

 

That is not quite the point I was making. I have also been involved in running MX meetings. Everything you mention with the exception of scrutineering comes under the general heading of administration and in essence is no different to anything else run by clubs and enthusiastic amateurs, whether it be motocross, trials, gymkhana's or anything else that takes place in the open during the summer. Anyone prepared to do a bit of hard work those jobs at the drop of a hat.

Anyway its a bit of a moot point now as it has just been mentioned that the Courtney Brothers are organising it and that says all I need to know. Personally I don't want to waste my time discussing or even thinking about anything they are involved in. Somehow I don't quite see them as speedway's fairy godmothers.

 

 

Meaning?

[E I Addio 15,845]

Meaning?

 

Draw your own conclusions. Not that I would wish to influence others but it says all I need to know.

[Whisperer 276]

I think some people are getting confused. These events are not being run by the MCF or Events 22 who run the Arena Cross and Red Bull events. The events are being run by the Courtney Brothers who have sidestepped the BSPA and got their insurance from the MCF. The MCF are just the governing body for MX & Enduro clubs.

 

With the very capable Jamie R obertson too

[berwick31 4]

 

 

With the very capable Jamie R obertson too

 

 

 

 

Not sure what you mean by that really... But I would like to say I DON'T have anything to do with the running of the UK Speedway Series!

[Long Eye 278]

They are credited with being in charge of motor sports, and speedway is controlled by the BSPA acting under the auspices of the ACU with the SCB. They are the organisation that is deemed to be running motor sports, and who the government for example would consult with regarding motor sport matters. They may have an involvement with the issue of work permits, but that may have changed now, I'm not sure.

 

For many decades the ACU were the only recognised governing body for motorcycle sports in this country. This is no longer the case. The MCF and AMCA are also recognised as official governing bodies. Monopolies are no longer allowed.

[Vince 9,458]

That is not quite the point I was making. I have also been involved in running MX meetings. Everything you mention with the exception of scrutineering comes under the general heading of administration and in essence is no different to anything else run by clubs and enthusiastic amateurs, whether it be motocross, trials, gymkhana's or anything else that takes place in the open during the summer. Anyone prepared to do a bit of hard work can do it. It is the actual meeting officials whose jobs are more onerous at a speedway meeting IMO i.e referee. clerk of the course, pit marshal machine examiners etc and I don't see how you can get untrained, unqualified people to do those jobs at the drop of a hat.

 

Strangely enough I had to go on courses to get certificated as a Clerk of the Course and another as a Scrutineer and yet another as an instructor for Motocross. I was given a machine examiners licence by the SCB because an amateur club asked for it, no testing or tuition of any sort.

 

I would say that both the clerk of the course and scrutineers jobs at MX are at least as difficult than their Speedway counterparts. Anybody who has been around Speedway a while could cope as a pit marshall quite easily so that leaves the ref. I would agree that good referee's wouldn't be easy to find but that seems to apply to all Speedway up to GP level. I could certainly find several experienced Speedway people who could do a decent job and none of whom would do what a qualified ref did at Weymouth a few years back when the announcer had to put the red light on because she hadn't noticed the rider laid in the middle of the track a few yards from the start line as the rest were coming round for their next lap.

 

All in I would say that it wouldn't be very hard for somebody like the Courtneys who have plenty of contacts within Speedway to assemble a crew as good as any.

[uk_martin 1,606]

This thread has been on the boil now for just over 2 weeks. In that time, we have moved 2 weeks closer to the first stated event date, however we are no closer to knowing any more about the riders who will be making up the rest of the field, nor where the remaining events will be taking place. The only developments have been the possible withdrawal (depending on who you believe) of Leicester as a founding father venue of the series, possibly as a reaction to the other main occurence, which was the famous SCB statement.

 

The "temporary" web site is still holding the fort, however no new news has broken out about who what when or where...etc...anyone else booking their holidays for this year yet? Anyone else likely to find it difficult to take time off work at short notice to travel to a track on a Tuesday night to help make a success of these meetings? Whoever these Chuckle Brothers are who are running this series, they aren't doing themselves any favours by slowing information down.

 

And another question for the organisers, bearing in mind that speedway teams generally lose money, for instance, Peterborough lost, it was said, £140,000 for running a 14-meeting season, so about £10,000 per meeting, what will the Chuckle brothers do for 2014 if they lose that kind of cash in 2013? Because even if the events take place, if they make it hard for the fans to support these events, then they will lose money, and then what?

 

Oh, and finally, looking at the Rye House and Leicester web sites, their fixture lists include the likes of British Youth Championship rounds, Flat Track meetings etc, but no mention of this UK Speedway Series...why not?

[iris123 20,992]

A slow release of info isn't a bad thing in itself.That is exactly the strategy that Sittingbourne are using to keep things on the boil.The thing here is, i suspect things have ground to a halt and we won't hear much else from this group/pair.I was thinking they can't be so naive to expect an easy ride and just come in and promote their own series,they must have one or two tricks up their sleeve to answer the shot across their bows from the SCB.Maybe though,they were that naive

[Deano 1,318]

A slow release of info isn't a bad thing in itself.That is exactly the strategy that Sittingbourne are using to keep things on the boil.The thing here is, i suspect things have ground to a halt and we won't hear much else from this group/pair.I was thinking they can't be so naive to expect an easy ride and just come in and promote their own series,they must have one or two tricks up their sleeve to answer the shot across their bows from the SCB.Maybe though,they were that naive

 

Although, the family has graced the sport for 30 years and more, also isn't Mark Courtney one of Harris's mechanics??? Perhaps that is the last we'll hear from it.

 

Back to speedway as we know it then.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Deano

[iris123 20,992]

It is hard(for me at least)to really work out just what has gone on or is going on.Rye House as a venue?Len Silver has been around since the days of the previous pirate league.Hardly anyone in the sport knows more than he does.I can't work out how he agreed to this if he knew it was a speedway meeting outside of SCB control.Maybe he didn't know all the details and maybe hadn't agreed to anything.At the moment it doesn't all add up

[Whisperer 276]

It is hard(for me at least)to really work out just what has gone on or is going on.Rye House as a venue?Len Silver has been around since the days of the previous pirate league.Hardly anyone in the sport knows more than he does.I can't work out how he agreed to this if he knew it was a speedway meeting outside of SCB control.Maybe he didn't know all the details and maybe hadn't agreed to anything.At the moment it doesn't all add up

 

Len can be very naive too (if it suits him)

[yoda 81]

From what i heard, Len silver agreed to "lease" the stadium to the Courtney bros for this event, but did state i don't think you will get permission to run the event, however, they went ahead and announced this without an agreement with the BSPA/ACU.

 

If you ask your girlfriend to marry you and she say's i'll give you an answer on wednesday do you change your facebook status to engaged on the friday before it ????

 

Jumping the gun comes to mind.

 

If speedway clubs are losing money each week, how does a couple of (ex superstar riders) ? think that a competition with basically second stringers and reserves going to attract loads of fans on a tuesday night is beyond me.

 

I think the BSPA/ACU have done them a favour.

[5thPlace 21]

Gone quiet! Is this dead in the water or are the brothers sorting out things to make them official?

[stevehone 3,429]

i thought this sort of idea was a waste of time last time it was tried in the 80s as the Grand Slam