Second Half Meetings....

[Starman2006 2,356]

...just interested to know what extra races, Clubs are putting on for us fans at different tracks?

 

Is it something that you enjoy?

 

I mentioned it in another thread, that Somerset have another 6 heat meeting planned this Friday...Exeter v MDL select.

 

21 heats for £15....good value for money imo...and something I always look forward to.

 

 

 

Understand what you are saying but nowadays riders do not really want that, in the 70's it was the done thing as there was nothing else. But most clubs now get near to there curfew anyway.

Edited May 31, 2016 by Starman2006

[Red Flag 454]

I stop and watch second halves but I wish they were proper second halves as used to be run at Belle Vue (Hyde Road) all riders from the main meeting taking part. Prize money and a trophy donated by a local company. .

proper second halves as you call them were made up of 1, riders who had had a good meeting not bothered and mostly having "a bad ride and going home" 2, riders with something to prove trying in the qualifying heats and 3, riders in the final agreeing to split the prize money and no overtaking after the 2nd bend keep it for me

[steve roberts 9,247]

Personally I think that those tracks who had a 'sister' track operating in the old Second Division had more to offer in the way of a meaningful second half. Belle Vue, King's Lynn, Oxford (for reasons given above) and Ipswich (amongst others) had a thriving youth policy and it was good to see these riders develop against the main body of the team in the second half.

 

I for one enjoyed the old style second half but the emphasis on bringing on and developing ones own talent was lost years ago.

[martinmauger 584]

I almost always stay to watch anf mini matches or 2nd halves, you've already paid entry to watch speedway to why not. At Hull Craven Park, we had a 10pm curfew and unless there were any incedents the main match often ended at 9.25-9.35 and we got used to 2 and 3-rider races. The odd Hull team rider might test equipment, and possibly another laegue rider, but pretty much it was the same few juniors / 2nd halfers getting in as much track time as they could keep fuelling and prepping their bikes. Think it was only 2003 when a proper season long 2nd half competition took place of 4 'teams' representing Hull(!) or the odd challenge v the likes of Boston, Scunny, Redcar etc, featuring the likes of Rob Hollingworth, Adam Allot, Richard Hall, Josh Auty....

[Hawk127 1,360]

What I find difficult to understand from some of the comments I s that the riders have to start somewhere. All those fathers who stand on the touchline and watch the son play football in some meaningless game, what is the difference between that and watching new riders develop. The youngsters need encouragement and having a few genuine supporters watch them go through the paces has to be good for their morale. All the riders have to start somewhere and learn their track craft. It is not 'rose tinted nostalgia' The second half was often a continuation of the 'needle' factor amongst certain riders. When people refer back to how good it use to be, the riding may have been the same but at least you could support a team of riders who basically were your team year on year whereas today it is a lottery. It included those at 6 and 7 who were often less than capable but they developed because of the experience. Today it is essentially a bunch of individuals wearing 1 to 7 but team riding, working the fans and putting themselves out for the team simply does not happen and team riding is a lost skill amongst the gate and go merchants. Everyone who rides deserves support and staying on for effectively another 10 minutes or racing is not that much of an hardship. I guess it comes down to do you support and watch speedway or are you simply a team supporter and not a speedway supporter/enthusiast.

[Red Flag 454]

Today's second halves with young kids starting out and at novice level and learning and developing with their Dads watching is great and should be encouraged but old style second halves no thanks

[Gresham 928]

Understand what you are saying but nowadays riders do not really want that, in the 70's it was the done thing as there was nothing else. But most clubs now get near to there curfew anyway.

I wasn't actually saying anything fella...just asking a question as to what was going on and whether people enjoyed it etc. :-)

 

The thread has taken it's own passage it seems...which is good...it's nice to hear peoples thoughts :-)

 

I agree though...second halves like in the 70's are a thing of the past.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,967]

Understand what you are saying but nowadays riders do not really want that, in the 70's it was the done thing as there was nothing else. But most clubs now get near to there curfew anyway.

Is the sport being run for the benefit of the riders or the (few remaining) paying punters? And tracks being incapable to run 15 heats let alone 20 inside 2.5 hours is nothing short of pathetic. Of course it can be done if there's a will as it used to be done in the past - what's changed apart from the expectation that promoters will drag out fewer heats over a longer time?

 

Unless the show improves and offers substantially better value for money, then speedway is done.

[Starman2006 2,356]

Is the sport being run for the benefit of the riders or the (few remaining) paying punters? And tracks being incapable to run 15 heats let alone 20 inside 2.5 hours is nothing short of pathetic. Of course it can be done if there's a will as it used to be done in the past - what's changed apart from the expectation that promoters will drag out fewer heats over a longer time?

 

Unless the show improves and offers substantially better value for money, then speedway is done.

I agree, but how many EL meetings go on after 21.30, i would hazzard a guess quite a few. Then you have to keep your staff the st johns will want paying on top and the list goes on, not quite so easy nowadays. In the early 70's for example i was young enough not to know, but was there a curfew then ? Im not sure there was.

Edited May 31, 2016 by Starman2006

[topsoil 2,498]

I agree, but how many EL meetings go on after 21.30, i would hazzard a guess quite a few. Then you have to keep your staff the st johns will want paying on top and the list goes on, not quite so easy nowadays. In the early 70's for example i was young enough not to know, but was there a curfew then ? Im not sure there was.

Then make it more efficient. Cut out the unnecessary delays (obviously injuries are unavoidable) but there are a lot of meetings which become drawn out for no reason whatsoever. If there are no injury delays it should be perfectly possible to run 21 heats in time. It would probably attract more fans as well, a slicker run operation.

[steve roberts 9,247]

Then make it more efficient. Cut out the unnecessary delays (obviously injuries are unavoidable) but there are a lot of meetings which become drawn out for no reason whatsoever. If there are no injury delays it should be perfectly possible to run 21 heats in time. It would probably attract more fans as well, a slicker run operation.

When I first attended speedway Oxford would regularly run a meeting consisting of 20-21 heats with a start time of 7-45 and generally be over by 10. I remember this as I had to be in bed by 10-15 (I only lived around the corner) to get up for school in the morning!

As a matter of interest I always remember Barry Briggs commenting that he used to enjoy his trips to Poole because if you had a poor night in the main match you could make up for it during the second half. They used to run a full second half with qualifying heats, semi-finals and a grand final!

 

PS Sorry Tsunami I quickly amended my post and you may not have 'liked' my second paragraph which I added later?

Edited May 31, 2016 by steve roberts

[Humphrey Appleby 13,967]

In the early 70's for example i was young enough not to know, but was there a curfew then ? Im not sure there was.

As far as I know, curfews at tracks are often voluntary (although some are dictated by planning). However, I certainly remember meetings in the 1980s starting at 7.45 and regularly being done by 9.45 if not even earlier.

 

I could cycle back the 3 miles from the track and be in the pub by 10.

[PTDragons 22]

The Carmarthen Dragons are "on tour" throughout 2016 at a number of venues up and down the country in second half meetings and would appreciate your support.

For me, second half meetings give young riders the chance to ride on good tracks in front of a crowd, however small with more experienced riders in the team to lend a hand (as with Carmarthen).

I feel that these meetings are crucial in the development of riders up to NL level (as with Henry Atkins of Exeter, who ride extremely well against us recently).

From NL, back in the early 2000's, I've seen very talented riders, such as Danny King and Edward Kennett ride at Carmarthen for Peterborough and Rye House amongst others, who have then moved up to Elite League.

I also enjoy watching such development but each to their own...I can't see the problem though in having an extra 6 free heats of speedway after a main meeting.

[steve roberts 9,247]

Remember Chris Shears (promoter at Oxford in 1995) instigating a second half with the participation of the senior riders but was 'rapped over the knuckles' by the BSPA for doing so! Guilty of setting a precedence maybe?

 

I know that the fans present at that meeting appreciated the gesture.

Edited June 1, 2016 by steve roberts

[Tsunami 10,219]

When I first attended speedway Oxford would regularly run a meeting consisting of 20-21 heats with a start time of 7-45 and generally be over by 10. I remember this as I had to be in bed by 10-15 (I only lived around the corner) to get up for school in the morning!

As a matter of interest I always remember Barry Briggs commenting that he used to enjoy his trips to Poole because if you had a poor night in the main match you could make up for it during the second half. They used to run a full second half with qualifying heats, semi-finals and a grand final!

 

PS Sorry Tsunami I quickly amended my post and you may not have 'liked' my second paragraph which I added later?

Thanks for the info. Still 'like' what you have posted.

The Carmarthen Dragons are "on tour" throughout 2016 at a number of venues up and down the country in second half meetings and would appreciate your support.

For me, second half meetings give young riders the chance to ride on good tracks in front of a crowd, however small with more experienced riders in the team to lend a hand (as with Carmarthen).

I feel that these meetings are crucial in the development of riders up to NL level (as with Henry Atkins of Exeter, who ride extremely well against us recently).

From NL, back in the early 2000's, I've seen very talented riders, such as Danny King and Edward Kennett ride at Carmarthen for Peterborough and Rye House amongst others, who have then moved up to Elite League.

I also enjoy watching such development but each to their own...I can't see the problem though in having an extra 6 free heats of speedway after a main meeting.

Just like to support this post. We at Newcastle are one of the teams that is entertaining Carmarthen Dragons(August 14) in our second half. We also have 6 NJL meetings in progress and/or planned, and I organise a usual 6 secondhalf racecard each week, trying to give all juniors 2 rides each.

 

All very well HA being your usual high and mighty self, but there are many who do what I do, carried out within a reasonable time frame, and making it possible for young riders to get rides. Being in OZ, and not contributing anything, must make it easy to criticise and devalue others contributions. Incidently, I will shortly be starting up my usual weekly FREE training schools in the afternoons on match day, everything provided. What do you do ?