UK Speedway in Turmoil?

[Piotr Pyszny 206]

On 7/11/2023 at 5:52 PM, steve roberts said:

I remember being all excited during my first year of speedway knowing that the reigning World Champion Ole Olsen would be riding that evening at Cowley. I recall getting off the bus from a day at school and couldn't get round to the stadium quickly enough. I obviously got to hear/read of his appearance beforehand.

Had a similar experience whilst in the lower sixth - in October 1981 (just dug out, from the loft, the meeting programme!).

In what was a seriously big deal in the area - the pre-meeting build-up in the local evening paper cranked up, night after night - Kenny Carter met (and beat, 2-1) new world champion Bruce Penhall in the Motor Cycle News Golden Helmet. Followed by Halifax 42 Swindon 35 then Halifax 41 Cradley 37. What an evening at the Shay!

You simply don't get them like that any more.

Edited July 12, 2023 by Piotr Pyszny

[steve roberts 9,246]

6 minutes ago, Piotr Pyszny said:

Had a similar experience whilst in the lower sixth - in October 1981 (just dug out, from the loft, the meeting programme!).

In what was a seriously big deal in the area - the pre-meeting build-up in the local evening paper cranked up, night after night - Kenny Carter met (and beat, 2-1) new world champion Bruce Penhall in the Motor Cycle News Golden Helmet. Followed by Halifax 42 Swindon 35 then Halifax 41 Cradley 37. What an evening at the Shay!

You simply don't get them like that any more.

I wish that I had witnessed speedway at the Shay. Visited a few years back but there was no trace of the track despite attempting to use my imagination but the ends had been squared off. I have spoken to Ian Cartwright a number of times in Kilburn and he gave a fascinating insight.

Edited July 12, 2023 by steve roberts

[Piotr Pyszny 206]

5 minutes ago, steve roberts said:

I wish that I had witnessed speedway at the Shay. Visited a few years back but there was no trace of the track despite attempting to use my imagination but the ends had been squared off.

For a while, after the Dukes left in 1985, the two straights survived. But, eventually, the football/rugby league pitch was moved towards the Skircoat Stand (swallowing up the home straight) to make room for a larger, new east stand, some of which sits on what was the back straight. Now, you'd never imagine speedway had taken place at the Shay (similarly, the modern version of Holker Street, Barrow!).

Edited July 12, 2023 by Piotr Pyszny

[Humphrey Appleby 13,958]

On 7/9/2023 at 10:18 PM, steve roberts said:

Fascinating stuff...just goes to demonstrate what's involved today and questions whether it's sustainable under the current climate?

It's a good documentary, but I think you'd have to put similar effort into maintaining any sort of racing engine. I'd guess where you could save costs is insisting on stock parts rather than the custom-made bits (e.g. cam shaft) which I assume are expensive to make, but these are never made equal and you'd end-up buying multiple parts to select the best ones anyway. 

I'd guess you could also try make the engines run longer before needing maintenance which would save a bit on the 5-8 hours manpower each time, but realistically unless you can make an engine last a full season, you're probably only going to be saving GBP 2-3k on the actual labour over a season, which is probably relatively insignificant for a professional rider. 

[truthsayer 234]

38 minutes ago, Humphrey Appleby said:

It's a good documentary, but I think you'd have to put similar effort into maintaining any sort of racing engine. I'd guess where you could save costs is insisting on stock parts rather than the custom-made bits (e.g. cam shaft) which I assume are expensive to make, but these are never made equal and you'd end-up buying multiple parts to select the best ones anyway. 

I'd guess you could also try make the engines run longer before needing maintenance which would save a bit on the 5-8 hours manpower each time, but realistically unless you can make an engine last a full season, you're probably only going to be saving GBP 2-3k on the actual labour over a season, which is probably relatively insignificant for a professional rider. 

Not really. Making an engine with more longevity would be relatively easy. The high maintenance is largely because they are tuned to rev to high rpm to make maximum power. Capping rpm would cause less wear and should create a more tractable engine.

Making a sealed engine to a lower spec would do away with a lot of the more expensive parts and would increase service life. I'd suggest an engine could last half a season easily, against six meetings at present. I'd suggest your £3k saving is quite a way out. I'm not too up on prices these days, but I'd suggest the saving in buying the engine and maintaining it would be much more - probably like £10k a season.

[mikebv 10,282]

Weren't rev limiters proposed and supposedly going to be implemented? 

[Sings4Speedway 3,247]

36 minutes ago, mikebv said:

Weren't rev limiters proposed and supposedly going to be implemented? 

Yup clever idea (rev limiters integrated into the coil system) however they never considered the amount required so non were available before the season started and rather than postpone it just got dropped/forgotten about

[ch958 2,395]

23 hours ago, steve roberts said:

I wish that I had witnessed speedway at the Shay. Visited a few years back but there was no trace of the track despite attempting to use my imagination but the ends had been squared off. I have spoken to Ian Cartwright a number of times in Kilburn and he gave a fascinating insight.

to be honest, despite the spectacular action due to the banking I'm not sure I saw one overtake in 4/5 visits

[steve roberts 9,246]

1 minute ago, ch958 said:

to be honest, despite the spectacular action due to the banking I'm not sure I saw one overtake in 4/5 visits

I guess part of the thrill was being able to stand right up close to the fence (as was Exeter)?

[Fromafar 10,363]

Seem some tremendous racing at The Shay on my visits,great race track.I will always remember  Vaclav Verner for Exeter,the number of times he bounced of the 3rd/4th fence and took of down the straight as though it was normal way to ride it,incredible stuff.

[iainb 5,017]

3 hours ago, mikebv said:

Weren't rev limiters proposed and supposedly going to be implemented? 

They mentioned during commentary during one of the GP's this season that they're used in the GP's don't know about elsewhere though

[phillwhitewasmad 1,487]

9 hours ago, iainb said:

They mentioned during commentary during one of the GP's this season that they're used in the GP's don't know about elsewhere though

Limiters are enforced abroad but not in the uk . They are set at 13500 revs so can't go above that personally not sure they help as bikes are only at that level momentarily on the start 

[Ben91 1,743]

One thing I’ve noticed since I stuck my head back in here recently is that in the main it’s similar names with the same points they had years ago, harking back to the 80s and before. Not criticism, observation. 

Things often look better in hindsight but the good old days haven’t become the 2000s or 2010s. That says a lot about the state of the sport then, and how it is now. Why aren’t people harking back to the glory days of the Premier League reserves being given grades instead of averages for one season, what about the momentous decision to throw third tier riders into the top division as “fast track” reserves? Or when the Elite and Premier Leagues were rebranded the Premiership and Championship? 

In reality things are even worse now. The sport is dying out with its fans. The slide needed arresting two decades ago, it’s even more imperative now. But while self interest rules the day it’s a case of squeezing every last penny out of an old nag before taking it to the glue factory. 

[Toady 231]

5 hours ago, Ben91 said:

One thing I’ve noticed since I stuck my head back in here recently is that in the main it’s similar names with the same points they had years ago, harking back to the 80s and before. Not criticism, observation. 

Things often look better in hindsight but the good old days haven’t become the 2000s or 2010s. That says a lot about the state of the sport then, and how it is now. Why aren’t people harking back to the glory days of the Premier League reserves being given grades instead of averages for one season, what about the momentous decision to throw third tier riders into the top division as “fast track” reserves? Or when the Elite and Premier Leagues were rebranded the Premiership and Championship? 

In reality things are even worse now. The sport is dying out with its fans. The slide needed arresting two decades ago, it’s even more imperative now. But while self interest rules the day it’s a case of squeezing every last penny out of an old nag before taking it to the glue factory. 

There has been plenty of good stuff served up in those 20 years but I guess a lot of the posters on here see the previous years as their heyday just like with music always better when they were young.

[mikebv 10,282]

31 minutes ago, Toady said:

There has been plenty of good stuff served up in those 20 years but I guess a lot of the posters on here see the previous years as their heyday just like with music always better when they were young.

The racing is, I would say, better than ever..

The amount of TV coverage has never been so high, both domestically and globally..

Both, combined, delivering huge opportunities for growth in the UK..

Sadly, opportunities that are never taken up, or maybe even noticed?, it appears..