Elfield Park Memories

[chunky 6,094]

I know we touched briefly on the subject some years ago (based largely on a SpeedwayPlus article), but does anyone have any memories - good or bad - of Elfield Park?

Of course, the place was reminiscent of a post-war Flanders battlefield, but I loved the place. The track could be a little iffy at times, but I thought the racing was okay. Being set down in a bowl, the first time I started a Dons war cry there, the whole effect sent shivers down my spine!

Unfortunately, all the problems they had there, particularly with the vandalism and arson, meant that it was never destined to become a truly established venue. I felt bad for Terry Cheney and all the efforts he and his crew made to make it a success, but they were always fighting a losing battle.

Even though it wasn't around for long, I went there quite a few times, and always enjoyed my visits.

[steve roberts 9,246]

Went on a couple of occasions and the view was good but personally I thought that the racing was better at the previous stadium in Milton Keynes (Groveway)

Edited June 16, 2022 by steve roberts

[chunky 6,094]

22 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Went on a couple of occasions and the view was good but personally I thought that the racing was better at the previous stadium in Milton Keynes (Groveway)

I always enjoyed my visits to the Groveway, but I thought that the track was usually a little bumpy. I went up there for a junior meeting, to watch Nathan Simpson - and Steve Hone!

[steve roberts 9,246]

8 hours ago, chunky said:

I always enjoyed my visits to the Groveway, but I thought that the track was usually a little bumpy. I went up there for a junior meeting, to watch Nathan Simpson - and Steve Hone!

I attended the very first meeting which was won by Mike Sampson. Very wet and in hindsight I guess the promotion should have cancelled it but were in a "no win" situation. Lots of memories when Oxford visited especially David Shields scoring a maxaimum on his very first appearance in the UK. Recall the steep ramp to the pits and riders starting their bikes by rolling down to the track!

[chunky 6,094]

4 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

Recall the steep ramp to the pits and riders starting their bikes by rolling down to the track!

Yeah, scared the hell out of me!

[steve roberts 9,246]

8 minutes ago, chunky said:

Yeah, scared the hell out of me!

I have no real specific memories of Elsfield Park except having recently taken up photography it gave me a good opportunity to take photos from the raised bank which gave a clear view of the track without the fence getting in the way. The Birmingham "Wheels Project" gave the same view. Now that was a perculiar venue!

Edited June 17, 2022 by steve roberts

[stevehone 3,429]

7 hours ago, chunky said:

Yeah, scared the hell out of me!

and me!!

i went faster down the ramp at Groveway than i did on track.

and Steve, i'm guessing the meeting was the National Junior League Riders Final

Edited June 17, 2022 by stevehone

[iainb 5,017]

3 memories of Elfield Park:

1) The Dust

2) The land fill poking through the surface of the car park

3) The racing was quite entertaining

[chunky 6,094]

26 minutes ago, stevehone said:

and Steve, i'm guessing the meeting was the National Junior League Riders Final

Yeah; home favourite John Bostin won the meeting. He beat Nathan in their first ride, but after that, Nathan was by far the best rider on show. Had they met anytime other than their first ride, Nathan would have gone through the card.

[Grumpyloser 2]

Went regularly when it opened, could walk from home.

Racing could be pretty good on occasions, but track was never as good as possibly could of been. Although Pete Seaton tried his best.

Went one weekend to help out giving the place a spruce up, as well as going after work one night to help out with track preparation. back ached after picking out so many stones!!

As already said, vandalism didn't help, but nor did the nimbyism of one or two local estates. Always happy to put up with the noise for 2-3 days, of a concert. As well as the disruption of road closures and thousands of milling souls. But not Speedway for 2 hours every week. Admittedly it was a school night.

Even when Terry turned to the  Speedway family(!!??), for help, he wanted to move race night to Saturdays, to try and encourage a few more through the turnstiles, to hopefully at least break even. Elfield was such major venue and draw(mmmmmm), that obviously feeling threatened by the move, Coventry vetoed it!!

And  so it died a death. 

And look where British Speedway is now!!!

 

[stevehone 3,429]

used to go to Elfield Park when it was a training track, and also rode it in a league meeting (or cup, can't remember) for Exeter, and i could never understand the problem with noise at the time as it was at Bleak Hall and i always thought it suited the name, was in the middle of nowhere

[Technik 491]

Bob Humphreys training track is a vivid memory the old house used as a changing room (use at your own risk).

I remember one weekend getting stuck in there as there was a concert on at the bowl & the police wouldn't let us out so we were allowed backstage to watch U2

[Bruiser 120]

I went once for MK v Bradford inter league cup

I can’t remember much about the racing so I don’t think that was memorable but I did really like the set up, incredibly basic , even more basic than Berrington Lough Berwick , but liked it and thought the view looking down onto the track was great

[Fromafar 10,363]

On 8/11/2022 at 7:32 PM, Bruiser said:

I went once for MK v Bradford inter league cup

I can’t remember much about the racing so I don’t think that was memorable but I did really like the set up, incredibly basic , even more basic than Berrington Lough Berwick , but liked it and thought the view looking down onto the track was great

Don’t think Berrington Lough was basic.It was in the middle of nowhere,but had a good track,big car park,Clubroom and Bar and Food outlet.

[steve roberts 9,246]

24 minutes ago, Fromafar said:

Don’t think Berrington Lough was basic.It was in the middle of nowhere,but had a good track,big car park,Clubroom and Bar and Food outlet.

I called in once when holidaying in the area and, yes, it was definatley in the midle of nowhere!