Leicester V Sheffield 30th March

[robert72 845]

I'll give you a sensible answer. There is a train of thought that think DH should sell up and do one. Some people wont rest till that happens. It's not really the track it's the promoter

 

Not with me either, I dont care who the promotor is as long as the riders have a track capable of producing racing past the first turn.

 

You say it was very slick ! That 50 ton of dirt I put on must have been fairy dust.

Simon Stead came up to me and said he had done 7 meetings so far this season and the track last night was the best he had ridden on so far.

Safe, Good grip and consistant . Starts were a awesome.

 

So the distance he was out in front it would be safe, I saw that steady struggled to pass in one race and he tried and tried but couldnt which shows its still a one line track as that guy can pass anywhere if possible.

 

Starts looked ok but the races were over by the first turn,its a shame the dirt was by the fence,maybe time for rakers to return, it looked very dusty on the fourth turn towards the end, that must of been the fairy dust

[Leicester Lion 274]

You say it was very slick ! That 50 ton of dirt I put on must have been fairy dust.

Simon Stead came up to me and said he had done 7 meetings so far this season and the track last night was the best he had ridden on so far.

Safe, Good grip and consistant . Starts were a awesome.

So the riders have a nice easy ride but the quality of the racing for the paying spectator clearly doesn't matter. It was the same old strung out follow-the-leader stuff as always.

 

Astonishing to read that so much dirt was applied to the track, as none flew over the fence where I was standing, just like the slick days of last season.

[Long Eye 278]

So the riders have a nice easy ride but the quality of the racing for the paying spectator clearly doesn't matter. It was the same old strung out follow-the-leader stuff as always.

 

Astonishing to read that so much dirt was applied to the track, as none flew over the fence where I was standing, just like the slick days of last season.

 

I think you need to go to SpecSavers if you think there was no loose dirt flying around.

[flagrag 707]

There was definitely dirt flying but hopefully when the weather improves it will allow Glyn and his team to make the outside more grippy so can get passing round the outside

[Leicester Lion 274]

I think you need to go to SpecSavers if you think there was no loose dirt flying around.

What a witty response. I repeat, none flew over the fence where I was standing. With all the dirt supposedly spread liberally on the track, I would have expected to be showered with the stuff. I wasn't.

 

Any observations on the first part of my post?

Edited March 31, 2013 by Leicester Lion

[Long Eye 278]

What a witty response. I repeat, none flew over the fence where I was standing. With all the dirt supposedly spread liberally on the track, I would have expected to be showered with the stuff. I wasn't.

 

Any observations on the first part of my post?

 

Were you standing down the straight? certainly plenty of dirt on the bikes.

[justathought 374]

You say it was very slick ! That 50 ton of dirt I put on must have been fairy dust.

Simon Stead came up to me and said he had done 7 meetings so far this season and the track last night was the best he had ridden on so far.

Safe, Good grip and consistant . Starts were a awesome.

 

Mr Stead obviously knows a lot more about riding a Speedway bike than I do.

All I can say is that the fairy dust aint working very well, or something else is wrong. Because it didn't produce exciting close racing thats for sure.

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

I do think there needs to be a sense of realism here. Even on the best tracks it is likely that the majority of heats are won from the gate and the number of very good races are few.

 

I also think there is some cause for optimism and that to judge the new shape on the basis of one meeting is unreasonable.

 

My only fear at Leicester is that the surface will be prepared for the benefit of the riders not the spectators and that is simply not on. I base that fear upon two consecutive matches last season (against Scunthorpe and against Plymouth) when the track went from being the best I have ever seen it (and proof that BP can be as good as many and better than some) to an appalling gaters paradise, apparently at the behest of the home team.

 

Tracks (and this does not only apply to Leicester) must be prepared with one person and only one in mind: the paying fan.

Edited April 1, 2013 by Halifaxtiger

[Leicester Lion 274]

Were you standing down the straight? certainly plenty of dirt on the bikes.

No, the third turn, and, as I said before, I wasn't showered with dirt.

 

The disappointing thing is that Stead's comments will be used as justification that the track is fine and that the cosmetic changes have cured all the problems. It might provide the riders with an easy ride, but almost invariably the racing is dull, predictable, strung out, follow-the-leader, all the things that reduce the entertainment for those who pay to watch.

[TMW 533]

 

 

Were you standing down the straight? certainly plenty of dirt on the bikes.

 

I stood on the backstraight and the dirt was flying, I had shale in my glass how rude

[Great Central 226]

No, the third turn, and, as I said before, I wasn't showered with dirt.

 

The disappointing thing is that Stead's comments will be used as justification that the track is fine and that the cosmetic changes have cured all the problems. It might provide the riders with an easy ride, but almost invariably the racing is dull, predictable, strung out, follow-the-leader, all the things that reduce the entertainment for those who pay to watch.

I did think on Saturday that there were a couple of occasions where the "new" shape had shown passing opportunities that the old track wouldn't have done but I do think that it is unfair to judge the track on one meeting alone. Tracks do not show themselves up in their true light when the temperature is just above zero but unfortunately the expectations of the paying public will have been high. It should be judged after more meetings when the track curators have been able to work without worrying about the ultra low temperatures.

[wandersome 281]

I did think on Saturday that there were a couple of occasions where the "new" shape had shown passing opportunities that the old track wouldn't have done but I do think that it is unfair to judge the track on one meeting alone. Tracks do not show themselves up in their true light when the temperature is just above zero but unfortunately the expectations of the paying public will have been high. It should be judged after more meetings when the track curators have been able to work without worrying about the ultra low temperatures.

 

I guess you mean on bend 3 and 4 because 1 and 2 appeared to be as useless as it's ever been. I did see a couple of riders desperately decide to use the extra couple of foot on the entrance to bend 3 to try and spook the rider in front out of the way by heading into the apex at breakneck speed but having to pull it up at the apex when the rider in front didn't get out the way. I guess It may work with a few riders deciding to get out the way but i'm not sure it's an entertainment that should have anyone marvelling at the skill of it all.

 

Mick.

[jackson2 17]

The outside line on 3 and 4 showed promise hall and Doolen had a go and hall did well a few times on the outside most riders kept trying the same lines instead of having a look at new lines

[Great Central 226]

I guess you mean on bend 3 and 4 because 1 and 2 appeared to be as useless as it's ever been. I did see a couple of riders desperately decide to use the extra couple of foot on the entrance to bend 3 to try and spook the rider in front out of the way by heading into the apex at breakneck speed but having to pull it up at the apex when the rider in front didn't get out the way. I guess It may work with a few riders deciding to get out the way but i'm not sure it's an entertainment that should have anyone marvelling at the skill of it all.

 

Mick.

Mick,

No I saw it on bend 2 as well. Had the track been moved in further, it may have worked even better but I am not going to judge the track on one meeting alone. The shape is what it is and it is down to the curators to do their job.

I have seen some dire tracks at the beginning of every season and this didn't fall into that category so my view is that we should focus on the good performances by the team so far and move on.

Martin

[wandersome 281]

I also think there is some cause for optimism and that to judge the new shape on the basis of one meeting is unreasonable.

 

 

You may be right, Halifaxtiger. However it's not unreasonable. If the promoters track record didn't involve not making any changes to the track the previous winter whilst making assurances in writing to sponsors that they had been made in order to get the money. Then this year the track changes clearly aern't the ones that were going to be made and look for all the world like a cheap face saving option. For the second successive season people have spent large amounts of money on season tickets and sponsorship in the belief that meaningful changes were being made. That's unreasonable. Until proven differently they deserve no benefit of the doubt from me.

 

Mick.

 

Mick,

No I saw it on bend 2 as well. Had the track been moved in further, it may have worked even better but I am not going to judge the track on one meeting alone. The shape is what it is and it is down to the curators to do their job.

I have seen some dire tracks at the beginning of every season and this didn't fall into that category so my view is that we should focus on the good performances by the team so far and move on.

Martin

 

fair enough comment, Martin. I didn't see that at all though. Like you say, had the track been moved in further we'd probably have been 3 pages shorter on this thread and everyone, me included, would be giving the track the benefit of the doubt you and others think they should.

Edited April 1, 2013 by volty