Aces/Lions

[iainb 5,099]

8 minutes ago, TheWellBehavedWorrall said:

On the subject of the quality of racing and rider safety, it’s a tough one. I’ve never sat on a speedway bike, so I’m hardly qualified to comment.

Having said that, I do feel the appetite for racing has decreased. I don’t think I’d be incorrect to suggest several riders chucked in the towel last night.

I remember the City of Glasgow International, the night after the 1995 British GP at Hackney. Glasgow managed to persuade several GP riders - Hans Nielsen, for example - to remain in the UK for one more night at Shawfield. I’m sure it was October, but I’m absolutely certain the weather was worse than it was last night. Yet, every rider gave their all. If my memory serves me right, Ronnie Correy won the meeting.

Rory Schlein would have been having kittens if he was on commentary that night.

We all know that if you ask the riders for their opinions on a track on any given night you'll get 14 different opinions. Some leave their brains in the toolbox and will just go for it and others will, understandably, have concerns, especially if they've had big injuries in the past. On tricky tracks some will have career best performances, I remember Lol Hare going through the card at Cov many years ago scoring an 18 point maximum on a well dodgy track, I don't think he ever scored as well again!

 

Edited April 9 by iainb

[1 valve 558]

26 minutes ago, iainb said:

Belle Vue is one of the safest tracks in the world, there wasn't a single fall last night and nobody really looked like they were getting into much trouble, yes visibilty was an issue and the track was pretty much shot by heat 14. If we're going to wait for perfect conditions, especially in Manchester, we may as well shut up shop now.

A perfect track is not required to produce the type of excellent, entertaining racing regularly seen at BV.
But realistically, last night, all things considered the shop should have stayed closed on this occasion. 

Edited April 9 by 1 valve

[iainb 5,099]

Just now, 1 valve said:

But realistically, last night, all things considered the shop should have stayed closed on this occasion. 

I couldn't disagree more, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the track last night, a bit heavy? Yes. The Belle Vue lads seemed to be revelling in it! Leicester were poor out of the start and then poor for the rest of the race, it's not the first time Leicester have fallen to pieces at the NSS and probably won't be the last!

On what basis would you have abandoned/postponed the meeting before heat 1?

[1 valve 558]

10 minutes ago, iainb said:

I couldn't disagree more, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the track last night, a bit heavy? Yes. The Belle Vue lads seemed to be revelling in it! Leicester were poor out of the start and then poor for the rest of the race, it's not the first time Leicester have fallen to pieces at the NSS and probably won't be the last!

On what basis would you have abandoned/postponed the meeting before heat 1?

Poor weather forecast, Fans unlikely to see 15 heats, A track  not conducive to racing on (via riders from each team).
But I would agree to run it to get a fixture out of the way given I was already too late to avoid paying riders travel, stadium & other operating costs.  

[TheWellBehavedWorrall 305]

I’ve just read on the British Speedway website that Connor Bailey said ”it was a fantastic meeting until the weather came in”.

Can we get the same test Complin had at Berwick for Bailey please? I think, no, I’m certain he’s under the influence of drugs.

[DazS 455]

4 hours ago, 1 valve said:

So most probably a good thing not many folk there to watch it! 

i thought the crowd wasn't much different from some of last seasons meetings. its not like snooker where the surface is exactly the same every time, thats why its not as boring. also surfaces like that are a big learning curve for the younger riders. like i said before its better watching live your eyes can look where you want not where the camera goes.. i enjoyed a few of races so i feel i got my moneys worth. good god people want to live in a perfect world, clue it doesn't exist. get over it.

[speedway102285 13]

10 hours ago, iainb said:

We all know that if you ask the riders for their opinions on a track on any given night you'll get 14 different opinions. Some leave their brains in the toolbox and will just go for it and others will, understandably, have concerns, especially if they've had big injuries in the past. On tricky tracks some will have career best performances, I remember Lol Hare going through the card at Cov many years ago scoring an 18 point maximum on a well dodgy track, I don't think he ever scored as well again!

 

That was some performance !  1999 Lol actually scored 15, only really backed up by Todd Wiltshire,  For the Bees Greg Hancock also scored 15  in the 34-54 Oxford win   Good times !!

[iainb 5,099]

5 minutes ago, speedway102285 said:

That was some performance !  1999 Lol actually scored 15, only really backed up by Todd Wiltshire,  For the Bees Greg Hancock also scored 15  in the 34-54 Oxford win   Good times !!

Was it 15, it was some performance! I seem to remember that they bladed the track and there was a huge berm round the outside that Lol kept putting his back wheel in... good times indeed!

[speedway102285 13]

1 minute ago, iainb said:

Was it 15, it was some performance! I seem to remember that they bladed the track and there was a huge berm round the outside that Lol kept putting his back wheel in... good times indeed!

Dead right      Wasnt afraid to attack it !!   Remember it was bloody cold as well ........

[Aces51 2,778]

After all the rain the track was bound to be grippy and that does produce processional racing.  However, the Met Office forecast was for no further rain until 10pm so therfore,  no good reason to call it off. 

As I have witnessed on many occasions, the drainage at the NSS is exceptional and if the forecast had been correct the track would have been fine after the first few races.