Lakeside 2017

[Loyal hammer 5]

Does anyone have any suggestions as to who may be under consideration for the final team place? The likes of Ben Basford, Connor Locke, Macauley Leek appear to be amongst the most promising options. I think our final signing will need to be scoring a consistent 3-4 points a meeting from the off, particularly at home.

[tocha 308]

Nothing wrong with being 40 or older. I was delighted when Peter Karlsson signed for Lakeside, for example. The problem with David Mason is not so much his age as the fact that he comes with the reputation of being a boring rider who is content to sit back in the minor placings if he doesn't gate. I understand that it could be useful to have an experienced rider on the track, experiencing track conditions who can perhaps help the younger ones with set ups better than Kelvin, who is not on the track, is perhaps able to. I get all that , but as a spectator I like to see riders who raise your expectation and pulse rate every time they come to the tapes and I can't see Mason ever doing that. As for being 40 it's not so much his age per se more the fact that his record suggests he has reached the point where he is in decline. His record last year was that he finished third in nearly half his races and to my mind that is a second strings told , not a third heatleader. I do like the look of the first four signings.

I don't disagree with anything you say but there may have been no other choice of rider.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to who may be under consideration for the final team place? The likes of Ben Basford, Connor Locke, Macauley Leek appear to be amongst the most promising options. I think our final signing will need to be scoring a consistent 3-4 points a meeting from the off, particularly at home.

Jon and Kelvin have a few riders in mind and will choose nearer the start of the season.

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

Nothing wrong with being 40 or older. I was delighted when Peter Karlsson signed for Lakeside, for example. The problem with David Mason is not so much his age as the fact that he comes with the reputation of being a boring rider who is content to sit back in the minor placings if he doesn't gate. I understand that it could be useful to have an experienced rider on the track, experiencing track conditions who can perhaps help the younger ones with set ups better than Kelvin, who is not on the track, is perhaps able to. I get all that , but as a spectator I like to see riders who raise your expectation and pulse rate every time they come to the tapes and I can't see Mason ever doing that. As for being 40 it's not so much his age per se more the fact that his record suggests he has reached the point where he is in decline. His record last year was that he finished third in nearly half his races and to my mind that is a second strings told , not a third heatleader. I do like the look of the first four signings.

 

I think we all do.

 

I think it also highlights the stark contrast between the reaction to Jon Armstrong (who is older) signing for Mildenhall and Mason signing for Lakeside.

I don't disagree with anything you say but there may have been no other choice of rider.

Jon and Kelvin have a few riders in mind and will choose nearer the start of the season.

 

That is just about the only justification that I (and, I suspect, others) would accept.

[teaboy279 1,038]

I have said it before and I will say it again, his scores last year sometimes did not do his performances justice.

I think he will suprise a few this year. People say his away form will be the issue, but he goes well at eastbourne kent buxton and stoke, the tracks he will suggest at are IOW and Lynn maybe BV.

The changes in tracks this year should suit him, add 2 small tracks at Arena and Plymouth and take away a big track at Coventry.

You have two youngsters with bags of potential to really develop, in ZW you have a potential grand prix star there. And that's without mentioning one of the best riders at this level in Ben Morley who as an added bonus is a track specialist. Fully expect Ben to pick up places in the higher leagues too in the first batch of inevitable magic roundabout of riders.

Plenty to be positive about I would say looking in from the outside.

[Islander15 1,065]

I have said it before and I will say it again, his scores last year sometimes did not do his performances justice.

I think he will suprise a few this year. People say his away form will be the issue, but he goes well at eastbourne kent buxton and stoke, the tracks he will suggest at are IOW and Lynn maybe BV.

The changes in tracks this year should suit him, add 2 small tracks at Arena and Plymouth and take away a big track at Coventry.

You have two youngsters with bags of potential to really develop, in ZW you have a potential grand prix star there. And that's without mentioning one of the best riders at this level in Ben Morley who as an added bonus is a track specialist. Fully expect Ben to pick up places in the higher leagues too in the first batch of inevitable magic roundabout of riders.

Plenty to be positive about I would say looking in from the outside.

You need more than just a formidable top 2 though. Look at Rye House last season

[Sings4Speedway 3,247]

Does anyone have any suggestions as to who may be under consideration for the final team place? The likes of Ben Basford, Connor Locke, Macauley Leek appear to be amongst the most promising options. I think our final signing will need to be scoring a consistent 3-4 points a meeting from the off, particularly at home.

I would be pretty worried if the 3 mentioned are the most promising options. All spend too much time off the bike or off the pace

[Clibb92 0]

I think the 3 mentioned would do a good job for lakeside at reserve. Macauley Leek would do a job round lakeside as I think the track suits him down to a tee,especially given the experience of a small track like Rye House. Connor Locke is still newish to speedway but give him his due he improved by a great amount towards the end of the season. Ben basford would be another good reserve but I think his travelling would effect him getting there for Friday nights.

[00000 1,279]

I would be pretty worried if the 3 mentioned are the most promising options. All spend too much time off the bike or off the pace

It will be interesting to see what influence Kelvin Tatum will have. One imagines, at this level, with willing pupils, it could be huge.

[Daytripper 1,123]

It will be interesting to see what influence Kelvin Tatum will have. One imagines, at this level, with willing pupils, it could be huge.

 

I don't think he can keep them on the bike if they have a propensity to fall off but where I think he will help is on racing lines and getting them to analyse why a race went well or why it went badly so they can understand how the track should be ridden. He seems to be looking forward too it.

[The Voice Of Reason 2,124]

Really?

 

As opposed to the time when Tatum rode for Lakeside; when, if the track didn't suit, he'd give up before his first ride?

 

Some of you guys are truly living in LaLa Land!

[waco 1,026]

I imagine there is not a National League team in the country that would ,not like Kelvin Tatum in the pits working with the young riders .We are lucky to have him at Lakeside..His enthusiasm and knowledge will be invaluable to all the riders young and old...

[marko 956]

Kelvin was a very good rider but in his latter days he wasnt the same rider, i recall only too well a lot of fans including myself being very frustrated at his lack of ability in riding our track, it was pretty much outside line all the time no matter what because he couldn't physically turn the bike hard because his joints were worn or replaced, its why he was able to do long track racing for so many years.

That fortunately wont affect his ability off track to give guidance, not so much in a riding capacity because everyone rides a bike a different style but his knowledge of setting the bike up should help a youngster who unlike an experienced rider probably wont likely have as much of an idea about gear ratio's etc

[E I Addio 15,845]

Kelvin was a very good rider but in his latter days he wasnt the same rider, i recall only too well a lot of fans including myself being very frustrated at his lack of ability in riding our track, it was pretty much outside line all the time no matter what because he couldn't physically turn the bike hard because his joints were worn or replaced, its why he was able to do long track racing for so many years.

That fortunately wont affect his ability off track to give guidance, not so much in a riding capacity because everyone rides a bike a different style but his knowledge of setting the bike up should help a youngster who unlike an experienced rider probably wont likely have as much of an idea about gear ratio's etc

 

That's a good point about his joints. When you consider what we now know about the severity of his hip injury that required a hip replacement at quite a young age it's not surprising that he struggled with the inside line at Lakeside. It's not surprising either that he wasn't too keen on adverse track conditions. Further damage to his re-built hip would have had devastating consequences. Still , you can't argue with his record : 7 world finals, British Champion, Commonwealth Champion,, Inter-Continental Chamion and World Long Track Champion.

[liam 376]

That's a good point about his joints. When you consider what we now know about the severity of his hip injury that required a hip replacement at quite a young age it's not surprising that he struggled with the inside line at Lakeside. It's not surprising either that he wasn't too keen on adverse track conditions. Further damage to his re-built hip would have had devastating consequences. Still , you can't argue with his record : 7 world finals, British Champion, Commonwealth Champion,, Inter-Continental Chamion and World Long Track Champion.

But still some will say he's not worth his wage

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

 

That fortunately wont affect his ability off track to give guidance, not so much in a riding capacity because everyone rides a bike a different style but his knowledge of setting the bike up should help a youngster who unlike an experienced rider probably wont likely have as much of an idea about gear ratio's etc

 

And that is what will count in 2017.

 

But its not just Tatum's ability on the mechanical side. I have no doubt he will be able to tutor the team about actual riding and I have an idea that he is an excellent motivator too, based upon the Lakeside v Poole meeting early last season.

 

Poole were winning easily when Tatum turned up, delayed by the traffic in the area. Lakeside then - especially Lewis Bridger - came out spectacularly fired up and won the meeting comfortably.

 

A very good man to have on your side of the pits indeed.

Edited January 30, 2017 by Halifaxtiger