Ray Stadia

The point was a topical point Sh, I mean Ch. The Severn Bridge is now toll free, so, my question was, as it is a forum, if there had been no toll during the days of Newport Speedway, could the track have survived, attracting more people from the other side of the river, without the additional cost to the fan of the toll charge.

I agree, one heck of a shame and one hell of an amazing achievement by Tim. You could probably make a short play/drama about one man's dream and what he achieved, when you consider the challenges and adversity. Remember the film 'Field of Dreams'?

I take your point, but I have just put in several variations on AA Auto-route and there is quite a bit of difference in some cases, i.e. Newport being nearer. Add to that, fans are used to going to Wales once a year for the Grand Prix. It certainly would have helped their cause, in my opinion.

On the news, they said it was £5.60, which I think was a one way payment only.

With the announcement that the Severn Bridge toll is being abolished, would this have saved Newport Speedway had it been in place before they folded? I personally think it would have helped Newport as it would have been more attractive for fans living in Bristol and starved for many years of their own team. The toll must have been a barrier (no pun intended), I am sure.

Does that mean that it is more of a myth that riders are owed money or that riders have a big enough 'war chest' to fund themselves going forward, when not being paid?

We are all 'internet warriors' mate, that's what a forum is. Exchanging views, opinions, counter opinions, suggestions, personal anecdotes, testimonies etc etc!

Probably for the London area of Essex, but maybe if a promoter is prepared to look more at the rural area of Essex, it may have a chance. After all, Essex used to be a real hot bed for grass track, not so many years ago. All around Maldon, Chelmsford, Braintree, Colchester. The Marks Tey showground regularly hosts pre 1965 moto cross and right next to the A12, around there could be possible?

Perhaps Lakeside did. The point I was saying, is if you are looking for locals to support, say a new stadium application, due to the general public not really knowing what speedway is, the chances are they will just think it is noisy smelly motorbikes, that is about to appear on their doorstep. One of the problems for that, I feel, is speedway has such a low profile and most people haven't a clue what it is.

Some of that fault is speedway's and the people who run it. Speedway is such low profile, the average man in the street just thinks oily motorbikes making a noise. The sport i.e. the 'promoters' don't bother to try and raise it's profile to the locals or try and raise speedway's general profile.

There is a lot of land around the A13 area, around Rainham and towards London. I think some of that land is not good to build on as it is marsh, but could be ok for a track? Maybe? As for Basildon, I doubt it, all land around there is grabbed for housing. Mind you, there is Watt Tyler Park? Lot of land there!

That's a bit odd. If VAT is due, Mildenhall would have had to pay the VAT, it's not an option. And Deane would then pay the VAT to HMRC, less the VAT the stock car business has paid within the business. And Mildenhall would then reduce their VAT bill to HMRC, less the VAT they have paid within the business. All VAT is, is a mechanism to collect tax for HMRC.

Maybe that's the answer to ensuring you have a full stadium, week in week out. You announce at each meeting, the next one will be the last!

Well a 28 day ban would have saved him equipment and travelling costs. Maybe there is more to it. Maybe the riders are paid part of what they are owed each meeting, to at least cover some of their costs. Someone mentioned cash flow, but stadiums receive cash at the turnstiles, so it should be money in from the fans, out to the riders virtually immediately. Now, if we are saying the money taken at the gate is not enough to pay the riders their money, where does the money come from? From the owners/promoters pocket, sponsorship?

So what is going on? All very odd.

I wonder why he allowed what he was owed to run as long as 9 meetings? I think I would have smelt a rat!

I am a bit confused what the bond is for? Is it to protect the riders? The stadium owners? Tuners who haven't been paid? Or does it protect the remaining promoters?

I don't know what the bond is, but presume you either place a certain amount of money into a speedway trust or you pledge/guarantee a certain amount of money?

No, it was in Essex CR. Actually, it was described as 'Speedway on Grass'.

Surely, the ACU could be approached for them to consider another sub-regulator, with all the usual safety aspects and insurance in place, but call the sport by another name and perhaps alter the traditional speedway set-up. E.G. race over 6 laps, 350 cc engines or 600 cc engines. Handicap races. Just a thought! As for a name, how about MotoRaceway?

I remember an annual Grass Track that called the racing Speedway!

All joking aside, I don't understand why the Rye House supporters would not support a homeless team from Lakeside, using their track. If you were happy to go to the stadium to watch Rye House speedway, but were forced to liquidate, surely you would return to the stadium to watch another team? After all, most teams, as we know, are different year on year and during the season. Whatever you call yourself, is virtually irrelevant. I would love to see both teams line up in 2019, but at the moment, it is possibly neither.

In many respects, holding onto the name 'Hammers' is pointless now, as it was originally adopted to try and recreate and cash-in on the heady days of the West Ham speedway team at Customs House. Well, that ship has well and truly left Tilbury Docks!

From the radio interview, although he used Swindon as an example of speedway working with developers, the situation for Lakeside is different. They have lost their 'cash cow' and their home. An interesting part of the interview was he mentioned it could be some time before the developers start to build houses. I wonder if one or two more seasons couldn't still be raced at the track? In other words, if the track/stadium are going to sit idle, someone surely, could arrange a deal. And if Jon Cook truly has the backing of the developers and local council to find a new location, it will give the club time to sort something and provide continuity. I also feel, if the team moves to Rye House in 2019, it will be 'new' Rye House and Lakeside/Arena Essex will just be a defunct club.

South of the county, but I do wonder whether a track near Clacton/Colchester may work? I know Ipswich is sort of up the road, but there is a psychological barrier for Essex/Suffolk folk to cross the border! Many people who live in Clacton are ex London, who may have watched speedway at the London tracks. I accept a number of those will be getting on a bit now. Clacton doesn't have a lot to offer in the way of entertainment, apart from being a seaside town. There is a lot of rural land between Colchester and Clacton. I always thought Arena Essex would be 'safe' when it opened in 1984. I wonder what Chick would say?