Gemini

Forum or Facebook - there's more moaning about Leicester and Coventry promoters than any other track. Makes entertaining reading sometimes though.

Are you joking? There is as much moaning and whingeing about the Coventry promoter by their fans as there is about Leicester.

For gawd's sake don't set SCB off again. One rant is enough.

Adam Lowe?

Pleased they've signed Robert Branford as he looked very impressive last Friday.

Going back to the pits after a false start was on many fans hate list but I think - at Coventry E.L. matches anyway - the promoters and referees have taken note and this no longer happens. About time too!

Same here Rich. Really enjoyed everything tonight even though Storm lost in the end and I'm glad I made the effort to go. Almost didn't because there was an almighty hail storm in Leicester about 5.30pm and I thought it was bound to be heading Coventry's way next. Must say congratulations to Chris on his debut appearance on the mike, which went very well and just shows how things could be if we weren't stuck in a 1970's time warp. Not forgetting Martin in the announcer's box who was efficient as always and I'm sure he and Chris could build up a good rapport in Elite League matches as Chris gives him chance to speak and doesn't talk all over him.....unlike someone else I won't mention.

If having guests in the studio is going to happen when 'they get their act together' then hopefully they won't.

Just glad I've only ever been interested in watching riders on the track and never met any or have any wish to otherwise I'm sure my illusions would be shattered. Incidentally how refreshing to read young Joe Haines comments in this weeks Speedway Star about only having "a beer or two in the Winter when not racing." I hope he goes far in his chosen sport.

Some people like statistics.

To be fair this was a new style parade for the opening meeting and I don't think things went exactly to plan, hence the delay. For the second meeting against Belle Vue everything was running very smoothly and as soon as the race results were announced the 2 minutes was put on for the next race. That was until Adam's unfortunate accident. To look on the bright side at least Peter York no longer commentates on the last 2 laps, which is what 99% of Coventry fans continually criticized so we can put up with his other chatter.

It's not much more than that now as teams only meet certain other teams once already. I agree with a lot of Sir Jasper's post. Seems to me that riders themselves could cut costs as there is often a wholesale clearout at the end of each season and all new stuff brought in. Not meaning to pick on Chris Harris but to use him as an example, Martin Smolinski is apparently using one of his 2012 engines and it's going like a rocket so why get rid?

Unfortunately I think Leicester's track/terracing was in a restricted area because of all the other things that were going to be built around it - none of which have happened yet - so the surrounding area is a bit of a dump.

Good question. By all accounts the promoter but was it his design alone?

Can't say I've ever seen him do that because he's either not there (riding for his P.L. team) or never wins a race. (Okay I've risen to the bait.)

What I don't understand (although I realize I'm probably being really thick as usual) is exactly why the track needs to be graded after every 4 heats - if we're lucky as it could be much more at some tracks? The dirt moves out producing more outside racing lines but then gets dragged back again. Is it REALLY necessary or just one more thing to lengthen the time the meeting takes to run so we're not leaving after an hour?

Anyone in the Coventry area would be laughing - we've got four of them in the team. Take your pick.

But he likes dogs, signs autographs, smiles for photos, chats to fans......so it's not all bad.

I like him because he stroked my puppy 3 years ago.

Colin Pratt used to often be at the gate at Coventry but I don't think it really worked very well as a welcoming gesture because he always looked so scary.

Beaumont Park undergoes a new identity It was officially announced today that Leicester’s Beaumont Park Speedway Stadium is to be renamed and will now be known as the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium. “The partnership between the two companies brings a high profile and respected name to the sport. Leicester Speedway is no different to any new business as it is forever evolving and we see the rebranding of the stadium as a significant milestone in the life of the club as the venue will take on a new identity” stated the Lions Promoter David Hemsley. The company was founded by Barry Jordan in 1995 and since then Jordan Road Surfacing Limited has grown into one of the largest and independent surfacing and planning contractors in the Midlands with Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s amongst its clients. The company has worked with and alongside Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire Councils and in conjunction with the Highways Agency on major trunk roads nationwide. “It is a great honour for Jordan Road Surfacing to be associated with Leicester Speedway and we are proud to become part of the club and having the stadium named after the company. We are a local company with a working presence in Leicestershire and with seventy-five per cent of our workforce living in the county there is already an affinity with the area and so we are pleased to add our support to the Leicester Lions team” commented company owner, Barry Jordan. Leicester will race their first meeting of the new season at the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium on Saturday 16th March when the Lions meet their near neighbours the Coventry Bees in the East Midlands Bowl.

LEICESTER SPEEDWAY..................with apologies for the white on black writing because I know it sometimes sends eyes 'funny' but that's how it copied/pasted. Work commenced over the weekend to alter Leicester’s speedway track at Beaumont Park when a group of volunteers assisted in the reshaping of the entry into the first bend and exit leading off the pits turn. “We first floated the idea of changing the track shape with the team during last summer but decided to defer the project until the winter months” commented the Lions co-promoter Alan Jones. “After an indifferent start in the League Cup competition when we lost at home to Ipswich and Somerset, results improved and the question was posed at a time when the team was on a winning sequence in the Premier League. The riders did not want to lose their home track knowledge and were concerned that results could slip so they asked us to leave the shape just as it was until the end of the season so that’s what we did” added Jones. The Lions remained unbeaten at Beaumont Park in the Premier League which created a club record as they became the first team in thirty-five seasons of league racing when a Leicester side went through the whole season without losing a single league fixture at home. Weather permitting the plan is to commence similar changes to bends three and four this weekend which will allow sufficient time for the new inner lines to settle before the Lions pre-season opening night which is the East Midlands Bowl challenge against their near neighbours the Coventry Bees on Saturday 16th March.

Perhaps there's more work to be done? From the photos it looks like they were moving the inside line in on the bends to make them wider.

Training day on Sunday so if they're digging some of the the track up it should make the racing interesting. Now I've seen at the photos it looks like it's all been done, graded and ready for tomorrow so that was quick. Tell Glyn he can have another couple of weeks in Australia.

I think Coventry have plans for some pre meeting entertainment this season with live bands etc.