Phil Morris CEO of British Speedway.

[Technik 491]

1 hour ago, rearingtogo said:

Can you then explain why 3 teams that run on the same night and Lynn is always the last to finish I’ve seen this on the updates website. Always slow after each heat has run. There is different refs so why is this a regular occurrence.watched the Sheffield v Kings Lynn meeting the other night and each heat was run very quickly like the gp’s. No delays and the meeting was finished about 9.15. At Lynn it’s more often than not 9.30- 9.45pm. 

I have been at Kings Lynn many times & dispite advertising a 19:30 start time the parade is not until 19:45 then first race just before 20:00. time is wiped away with extended track work then an interval of over 20 minutes mean the result from Kings Lynn will be just before 22:00. So just short of 150 minutes to race 15 heats.

[rearingtogo 119]

20 minutes ago, Technik said:

I have been at Kings Lynn many times & dispite advertising a 19:30 start time the parade is not until 19:45 then first race just before 20:00. time is wiped away with extended track work then an interval of over 20 minutes mean the result from Kings Lynn will be just before 22:00. So just short of 150 minutes to race 15 heats.

And not forgetting the long delays in between heats which is the real issue.The only time they get a move on is when the meeting is being televised live and know doubt the broadcasters have a say to fit it into there time schedule. So it can be done always.

Edited April 9, 2023 by rearingtogo

[steve roberts 9,246]

I always treated speedway as a night out meeting frineds/colleagues on the terraces "chewing the fat". During the "Good Old Days" of second halves it was tapes up at Cowley at 7-45pm (with a parade) and the racing would finish by 10pm. Fine by me!

[1 valve 558]

It was announced last evening at Leicester that the new CEO of British Speedway had issued the ruling that all team meeting intervals must be taken after heat 11

Well, he as to start somewhere! 

[iainb 5,022]

27 minutes ago, 1 valve said:

It was announced last evening at Leicester that the new CEO of British Speedway had issued the ruling that all team meeting intervals must be taken after heat 11

Well, he as to start somewhere! 

Just watch the crowds come flocking next week 

Like you say, you've got to start somewhere. I wonder why heat 11? Heat 10 is the cut off for a result isn't it? So surely that's the logical point. 

What happens when we have our sun delay at Leicester during the summer? Has somebody got to ring Phil up for permission to have an early interval. 

Personally if we have to have "half times" I prefer them to be nearer the half way mark than 2 thirds of the way through, so why not heat 10?

[1 valve 558]

11 minutes ago, iainb said:

Just watch the crowds come flocking next week 

Like you say, you've got to start somewhere. I wonder why heat 11? Heat 10 is the cut off for a result isn't it? So surely that's the logical point. 

What happens when we have our sun delay at Leicester during the summer? Has somebody got to ring Phil up for permission to have an early interval. 

Personally if we have to have "half times" I prefer them to be nearer the half way mark than 2 thirds of the way through, so why not heat 10?

Maybe heat 11 because that means all riders have had at least three of their programmed rides - the away no.1 being the last.  (I think)

You raise a good point re sun breaks which is a problem not unique to Leicester depending on month and time of day the meeting starts. Maybe a few 7pm starts will be introduce, although may not be as workable in midweek than weekends?

[iainb 5,022]

Just now, 1 valve said:

Maybe heat 11 because that means all riders have had at least three of their programmed rides - the away no.1 being the last.  (I think)

You raise a good point re sun breaks which is a problem not unique to Leicester depending on month and time of day the meeting starts. Maybe a few 7pm starts will be introduce, although may not be as workable in midweek than weekends?

I'd rather see an 8pm start and a hurry along to get the 15 mins racing in personally

[secsy1 213]

1 hour ago, 1 valve said:

It was announced last evening at Leicester that the new CEO of British Speedway had issued the ruling that all team meeting intervals must be taken after heat 11

Well, he as to start somewhere! 

I personally think this is bonkers, most tracks operate an interval after every race hence the time to finish 15 minutes of racing over 2 and a half hours.

Who needs an interval?

Pure nonsense, who benefits from the interval, OH yes the riders need a break.

This crap has killed the sport.

[Fortythirtyeight 841]

1 minute ago, secsy1 said:

I personally think this is bonkers, most tracks operate an interval after every race hence the time to finish 15 minutes of racing over 2 and a half hours.

Who needs an interval?

Pure nonsense, who benefits from the interval, OH yes the riders need a break.

This crap has killed the sport.

Breaks are sometimes taken to allow the centre green staff to use the toilet or even grab a cuppa , just remember they are volunteers !

[Daniel Smith 5,666]

16 minutes ago, Fortythirtyeight said:

Breaks are sometimes taken to allow the centre green staff to use the toilet or even grab a cuppa , just remember they are volunteers !

If you can't go without a pee, food or drink for a couple of hours seek medical advice from a doctor, should be the message. 

King's Lynn's track grades are purely for concession sales. Some track grades take as long as the interval itself. 

It's been this way ever since Buster took over. Remember occasions when he & Huggy used to stop the tractors on track pretending there was an issue. Another trick, even though they had 2 tractors, they'd use up time in between races by unhitching one grader for another. 

No idea if they're still doing these tricks over last 6 years though. 

A whole meeting (without incident) should easily be completed within 80min's

[tonyd 165]

1 hour ago, 1 valve said:

It was announced last evening at Leicester that the new CEO of British Speedway had issued the ruling that all team meeting intervals must be taken after heat 11

Well, he as to start somewhere! 

I heard that announcement last night as well and it gave the grandson and I a good laugh, with everything in speedway that could be looked at they get together and make a rule that an interval MUST be taken after heat 11 not before and not after and a brand new CEO to ensure all tracks stick to the rules.  

At Sheffield the other week the weather had been bad and it was announced that they were not going to have a parade but push on with the racing as the forecast was bad . The meeting started bang on 19:30 and fifteen heats of (good) racing was completed in around an hour and 15 minuets. If they had stopped for an interval we could have lost the last few heats due to the rain so common sense prevailed here. Is there space in this new rule for common sense?

  

Edited April 14, 2023 by tonyd

[Bagpuss 10,784]

5 minutes ago, Daniel Smith said:

If you can't go without a pee, food or drink for a couple of hours seek medical advice from a doctor, should be the message. 

King's Lynn's track grades are purely for concession sales. Some track grades take as long as the interval itself. 

It's been this way ever since Buster took over. Remember occasions when he & Huggy used to stop the tractors on track pretending there was an issue. Another trick, even though they had 2 tractors, they'd use up time in between races by unhitching one grader for another. 

No idea if they're still doing these tricks over last 6 years though. 

A whole meeting (without incident) should easily be completed within 80min's

Funny this should be posted today, we were back at the car by 9pm last night so 75 minutes after heat one. Perfect. 

I assume this was in part down to the slicker track and therefore less grading required. I expect in the summer when it's much gripper grading will take longer. So meetings drag on and the racing is worse. Answer = keep it on the slicker side please Buster. 

[Daniel Smith 5,666]

Did you leave after heat 10 though 

Like I said, no idea what happens in recent seasons whether it's 'improved', some folk like meetings dragging on over 2 hours though for their weekly catch-ups. 

[Fortythirtyeight 841]

52 minutes ago, Daniel Smith said:

If you can't go without a pee, food or drink for a couple of hours seek medical advice from a doctor, should be the message. 

King's Lynn's track grades are purely for concession sales. Some track grades take as long as the interval itself. 

It's been this way ever since Buster took over. Remember occasions when he & Huggy used to stop the tractors on track pretending there was an issue. Another trick, even though they had 2 tractors, they'd use up time in between races by unhitching one grader for another. 

No idea if they're still doing these tricks over last 6 years though. 

A whole meeting (without incident) should easily be completed within 80min's

So you have’nt been for 6 years but are fully qualified to comment on what’s going on at the stadium ?

Most ‘track staff’ are over 50 and if they need a ‘ break ‘, they need a ‘ break ‘ , but you can get all meetings over with in 80 mins when you take over from Phil Morris, can’t you ?

[Petecc 352]

3 hours ago, iainb said:

Just watch the crowds come flocking next week 

Like you say, you've got to start somewhere. I wonder why heat 11? Heat 10 is the cut off for a result isn't it? So surely that's the logical point. 

What happens when we have our sun delay at Leicester during the summer? Has somebody got to ring Phil up for permission to have an early interval. 

Personally if we have to have "half times" I prefer them to be nearer the half way mark than 2 thirds of the way through, so why not heat 10?

If you run 6 second half junior races that's 21 heats. Heat 11   ,just over half way through.