Panthers v Witches 5th September

[Arch Stanton 2,255]

5 minutes ago, noaksey said:

Good meeting some excellent racing in the later heats especially and the Souper Heat was great.

And not a tyre problem in sight.

We'll miss the EOES when it's gone 

Absolutely. Wasn’t the best we’ve seen last night, but when it’s good there, it’s very very good. Will be an incredibly sad loss. 

[TheScotsman 2,483]

Is the track lighting at the Showground that much worse than at the NSS?

Looked pretty dim espec bend 4.

[bigcatdiary 3,165]

33 minutes ago, noaksey said:

Good meeting some excellent racing in the later heats especially and the Souper Heat was great.

And not a tyre problem in sight.

We'll miss the EOES when it's gone 

Basso had a puncture in heat 16 I was told

[2ndbendbeerhut 1,781]

On 9/4/2022 at 1:55 PM, iainb said:

"Peterborough Speedway would like to thank supporters for their patience whilst the discussions were ongoing prior to the abandonment.

The meeting is declared as a result with ten races having been completed, with Sheffield 32-28 winners, and as a club we will do all we can to help supporters who attended the meeting."

... Still waiting 

Well done to the Peterborough promotion for giving something back to the supporters. Nice of them to engineer the result so to give that extra heat. 

And what a superheat it was... pity no one told Ipswich riders to not win it 

Up the Witches 

[tellboy 3,662]

14 hours ago, Arch Stanton said:

Totally disagree. The superheat at Foxhall earlier in the season generated the best atmosphere I’ve experienced for many many years and is my lasting memory of this entire season. Random people were high fiving complete strangers. You didn’t get that kind of emotion when securing a draw do you? Plenty have liked your post so maybe I’m in the minority but there’s a lot of traditionalists out there that just don’t like change. 

I like change if i think it is for the better.They changed the points awarded to teams when gaining a draw or losing by 6 or less,or winning away gaining more points if you win by more than 6.I think the points system is probably one of the best things they have introduced for years,then they spoil it this year with the draw superheat imo.

[Badge 5,125]

More for your money, surely that's good 

[topaz325 1,859]

Well done Simon Lambert.

[Gr8scot 589]

IMO,  When 2 teams deserve a draw, like last night, then a draw it should be

Only top heavy teams, their fans and casuals will enjoy superheats. I would’ve felt cheated if I was a Panthers fan last night

[Bald Bloke 3,287]

14 hours ago, Flappy said:

Actually enjoyed that.  

Basso first name on next season's sheet if we can get him. The issue in signing Harris and MPT wouldn't enable a proper 1 to be signed 

Basso who on 5.91 will be in demand if he rides here next year. I think we will have the same problem trying to keep Picko 7.05 at the moment. Harris would be a no from me. He's joint 2nd in the averages at the mo on 8.41. Bomber is nearly 40 and a big risk on a No1's average. 

[SpeedwayTShirts 307]

13 hours ago, szkocjasid said:

I've never understood that comment, Harris has a high ave because he's a good rider! Plus one of the most exciting riders in British Speedway

Bomber is class. And with the Panthers season over a good time to look after next years average  

 

Edited September 6, 2022 by SpeedwayTShirts

[Noelinho 922]

I'm still confused. I go to speedway for high octane, exciting racing.

I can't think of any reason I wouldn't want to see extra excitement for free unless either 1) it's the world's most boring track, 2) I'm a miserable old fart, or 3) I'm afraid my ticker's on the blink.

Imagine if you were afflicted by all three 

 

[Roger Jacobs 554]

3 hours ago, Arch Stanton said:

It’s as if you and others didn’t watch the superheat. It’s nothing like a drawn match in the way it creates the drama. The after heat euphoria as Phil rightly says, was as if they’ve just won the title. Louis puffing out his cheeks just before the tapes went up in the superheat you could see the nervousness and tension in him, just like every fan whether that be Ipswich or Peterborough. I’ve NEVER witnessed scenes like we saw at Foxhall for the superheat earlier this season, for any drawn match in the past, never. 
 

You’re over complicating things here by saying why not an extra heat if you’re a couple of points behind to try and get a draw.  If you’re a couple of points behind there’s no need for an extra heat because you’ve lost the meeting, pure and simple. The rule is very clear and nobody can claim to be disadvantaged, a draw isn’t good enough. if you want to gain 3 points, either win the meeting or if you can’t do that, get a second bite of the cherry and win the superheat. We came out on the right side this time, but if this rule stays, I guarantee will come out on the wrong side at some point, and I’ll still claim it’s a great addition. I’m sorry but nobody will convince me that it doesn’t create huge drama and excitement and I find comments like “pointless and adds nothing” baffling to be honest. We had this debate after the Foxhall superheat and at the end of the day, neither of us are going to change our minds on the matter. 

But why isn't a draw good enough? Why is it different from any other result in a 15 heat League match? I've been at matches in the past where the last heat has been very tense and/or exciting either resulting in a win or a draw - that's the whole point of last heat deciders. Inventing a rule that one particular outcome is different makes no sense.

The change in result can have a bearing on League positions, but not every team will be involved in a drawn match - and some might be in more than one - so the rule creates an imbalance, the same way that the tactical joker used to. Ipswich now have 3 more League points than they would have in previous seasons (using the 1pt home, 2pts away format), and those 3 points could be significant in determining the Play-Off line-ups, because they could keep the Witches ahead of Belle Vue, who haven't as yet, been involved in a drawn match, or even Sheffield, who are 1 point down on what they could have previously scored

They've already got Golden Heats for knock-out matches - they don't need random, imbalanced gimmicks for League matches.

PS: I did watch the Stupid Heat last night, and it was a very good race - but that's just a coincidence. The Witches had already salvaged a draw in a tense last heat, which was fine by me. I'm sure you could see the tension and nervousness in Chris Louis, and he was probably puffing out his cheeks, before the tapes went up in Heat 15.

Edited September 6, 2022 by Roger Jacobs

[Noelinho 922]

6 minutes ago, Roger Jacobs said:

But why isn't a draw good enough?

It can be, but it adds to the fun (or not, if your team loses), excitement and emotion. Gives the crowd something to get them really excited about and to talk about on the way home.

I'll bet kids particularly love it. They don't fill in the winning times and moan about the tractor going past just as Hugh Brown goes past the speakers, but they love a next goal/race/whatever wins (as long as they/their team wins, of course).

And it teaches them sometimes life is unfair, just like when the kids' race is cancelled because the adults couldn't stay on their bikes enough and the track staff want to get home 

[Roger Jacobs 554]

3 hours ago, wealdstone said:

If Harris had been in his usual imperious form   this would have been an easy win for Panthers.

If, if, if ...

[Roger Jacobs 554]

26 minutes ago, Noelinho said:

I'm still confused. I go to speedway for high octane, exciting racing.

I can't think of any reason I wouldn't want to see extra excitement for free unless either 1) it's the world's most boring track, 2) I'm a miserable old fart, or 3) I'm afraid my ticker's on the blink.

Imagine if you were afflicted by all three 

There's absolutely no guarantee it will be extra excitement. Tension maybe, but that's what a last heat decider is all about, and Heat 15 was a last heat decider!  That has never changed (13, 15 or 16 heat formats), and there's no need for it to, just because of one particular outcome.