Mad Potter 2 109 Posted September 24, 2017 I seem to remember a tarmac laying machine being used in either 60s or 70s to dry out a world final track. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Al 708 Posted September 24, 2017 Weetabix always soak up about the milk well 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Triple.H. 1,986 Posted September 24, 2017 Straw/hay sprinkled with methanol. Ignite it Let it burn out Cool down Spike the track Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,984 Posted September 24, 2017 (edited) Straw/hay sprinkled with methanol. Ignite it Let it burn out Cool down Spike the track Wouldn't sprinkling the track with methanol and setting that on fire do the trick?Doubt if either would be allowed by environmentalists anyway.Give speedway a bad name with the local council setting a 300 m track alight.Would need to call out the Fire Brigade to have that under control for sure and that might cost a packet.Certainly not something you could do with spectators in the stadium,if you could do it at all......but like the idea Edited September 24, 2017 by iris123 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wiseguy 214 Posted September 24, 2017 as an ex roofer nothing was more effective for drying u than these https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=993nkdFshQU https://www.aboutroofing.com/multi-head-gas-torch-kit-4-x-heads-600mm-neck-5-mtr-hose-regulator.html?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2Yniz6C-1gIV773tCh0dvAxzEAQYBSABEgJGTPD_BwE and these to remove puddles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0Mhguy3wYM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6epaGp8igI0 I know for a fact if I was given a wet track with 1 hour to go , and it was not raining and 10 volunteers I could get a track dry, raceable would depend on how much water the track had absorbed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SCB 0 Posted September 24, 2017 Didn't Colin Meredith have some kind of jet engine? or was that an April fool?It was parked up at Coventry a few years ago on one of the hangers there. No idea if it ever actually saw any action. Best way is banked track son the rain/water runs off it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gresham 928 Posted September 25, 2017 Why allow the track to get wet in the first place? I've never understood why covers haven't been used more often. Surely sections could be sold as advertising? On the outside of the fence and air fence, you could have sections ( say 10m each section ) of plastic sheeting that's in a roller. Printed with sponsors name or advert. The roll on a roller, being at the bottom. Pulled up say 4 foot and hooked on to show advertising when not in use. But when needed, the whole roll pulled out and over the fence, across the track and hooked onto the centre green. Released before the meeting or before track management. Not rocket science. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,984 Posted September 25, 2017 Why allow the track to get wet in the first place? I've never understood why covers haven't been used more often. Surely sections could be sold as advertising? On the outside of the fence and air fence, you could have sections ( say 10m each section ) of plastic sheeting that's in a roller. Printed with sponsors name or advert. The roll on a roller, being at the bottom. Pulled up say 4 foot and hooked on to show advertising when not in use. But when needed, the whole roll pulled out and over the fence, across the track and hooked onto the centre green. Released before the meeting or before track management. Not rocket science. As a track owner posted on another thread.... A detail that has struck me in the face during an EXTREMELY wet summer regarding our track: drainage! Covers or no covers, good track or not, if the drainage is not up to the job, covers dont matter. Extreme example is Munkebo in Denmark, which I believe to be close to sea level. I read that somewhere, during a season when their track was deemed crap all summer. What can you do if the ground water is looming only 0,5 meters under??? Even the best possible drainage on-site dont matter either, if the pipes are crashed 50 meters away... That example is from real life as well... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gresham 928 Posted September 25, 2017 As a track owner posted on another thread.... Do the majority of tracks have poor drainage? Tbh...I'm at a loss as to why we have got to 2017, and this sport still hasn't found a way of running a meeting with some rain or a wet track. Especially in Britain where it rains just as much as not. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tsunami 10,219 Posted September 25, 2017 (edited) Do the majority of tracks have poor drainage? Tbh...I'm at a loss as to why we have got to 2017, and this sport still hasn't found a way of running a meeting with some rain or a wet track. Especially in Britain where it rains just as much as not. It it rains at the wrong time say just before or during the meeting, covers will count for nothing.As well as a stop away crowd you have a sodden unraceable track or have riders with vision problems unable to see(last years Playoffs at BV and Kyle Newman). Covers are a big undertaking in not just capital but the additional workers to lay them at short notice, and the same extra workers to remove them in time for the track curator with sufficent time and decent conditions to try and put water into the track evenly and still raceable. Most tracks could not get those extra sheeters, as you normally have difficulties to recruit and replace the ones you have for dog track sheeting, airforce, pits gate, red flaggers. It is hard and getting harder. For them to work you need more workers, access to the track, and predictable rain patterns. No way covers on rollers can work given the dirt around and, if a dog stadium, probably not get permission to have the rollers which would then be in the gap between the wire fence and the inside dog rail. Edited September 26, 2017 by Tsunami Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gresham 928 Posted September 25, 2017 It it rains at the wrong time say just before or during the meeting, covers will count for nothing.As well as a stop away crowd you have a sodden untraceable track or have riders with vision problems unable to see(last years Playoffs at BV and Kyle Newman). Covers are a big undertaking in not just capital but the additional workers to lay them at short notice, and the same extra workers to remove them in time for the track curator with sufficent time and decent conditions to try and put water into the track evenly and still raceable. Most tracks could not get those extra sheeters, as you normally have difficulties to recruit and replace the ones you have for dog track sheeting, airforce, pits gate, red flaggers. It is hard and getting harder. For them to work you need more workers, access to the track, and predictable rain patterns. No way covers on rollers can work given the dirt around and, if a dog stadium, probably not get permission to have the rollers which would then be in the gap between the wire fence and the inside dog rail. I'm sure I've read on here this season, that one of the Championship sides oop norf, has been using covers successfully this season, and it's saved a lot of meetings. Redcar maybe? If they can do it....why not others? You do have to ask yourself, how a sport has developed over the years, that's open to the elements, hasn't found a surface or covering arrangement, that would lead to less meetings being cancelled. Imo....it's one of the reasons why crowds are less and less. No one wants to risk going if their is a chance of rain. Once you've travelled a few times and got caught out....enough's enough....you don't bother. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The White Knight 9,039 Posted September 25, 2017 I'm sure I've read on here this season, that one of the Championship sides oop norf, has been using covers successfully this season, and it's saved a lot of meetings. Redcar maybe? If they can do it....why not others? You do have to ask yourself, how a sport has developed over the years, that's open to the elements, hasn't found a surface or covering arrangement, that would lead to less meetings being cancelled. Imo....it's one of the reasons why crowds are less and less. No one wants to risk going if their is a chance of rain. Once you've travelled a few times and got caught out....enough's enough....you don't bother. One of the absolute major barriers to covers, apart from those raised by Tsunami, is Cost. There is not a lot of money in Speedway, there used to be, but not now. I would have imagined that the SKY money might have been spent on finding an answer for all Tracks to weather problems - instead it was spent on huge wages for Riders we really couldn't afford. Then again, I suppose it could be that there isn't an answer. It rains a fair bit in this Country. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tsunami 10,219 Posted September 25, 2017 (edited) I'm sure I've read on here this season, that one of the Championship sides oop norf, has been using covers successfully this season, and it's saved a lot of meetings. Redcar maybe? If they can do it....why not others? You do have to ask yourself, how a sport has developed over the years, that's open to the elements, hasn't found a surface or covering arrangement, that would lead to less meetings being cancelled. Imo....it's one of the reasons why crowds are less and less. No one wants to risk going if their is a chance of rain. Once you've travelled a few times and got caught out....enough's enough....you don't bother. It's Berwick and they say that using the covers has saved a vast number of home meetings and rescued and stopped a loss in revenue. Of course Berwick has no dog track sheeters or an inflatable airfence to erect so they don't have to have the same workforce, so they are in a better situation to get others to do the covers occasionally. It was also mentioned that one advantage to have is a banked track as the water runs down to the drains, which is true in Berwick case. I also think your last highlighted passage is a highly relevant fact, and could be why a lot of money and effort is not expended on rescuing a sodden track. Why once again blow your brains out spending vast investments, when the racing could be crap and played out in front of a greatly reduced crowd. Edited September 25, 2017 by Tsunami 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ruffdiamond 6,115 Posted September 25, 2017 I'm sure Ronnie Russell had a track drying machine but I can't ever remember it being used maybe it didn't actually work, but sounded good. Would need to call out the Fire Brigade to have that under control for sure and that might cost a packet......but like the idea and inevitably make it wet again Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
False dawn 2,298 Posted September 26, 2017 Perhaps if the BSPA stop pissing in the wind, we wouldn't have so many wet tracks to dry out. Alright, I'll get my coat. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites