Ray Stadia

As Gustix appears to have gone 'awol', does anybody else have any latest news on Wimbledon Stadium please?

Well said TWK! Without Gustix's contribution on this thread, the situation of Wimbledon Stadium has gone cold. Gustix is so knowledgeable on Wimbledon Stadium affairs, as he has had many years involvement with Wimbledon Speedway, along with Parsloes too and others. Gustix, where are you? we need your input!

I disagree, which is my prerogative. However, as for your contributions on BSF? No comment.

I notice that Gustix has gone very quiet. Perhaps he is on holiday? It is a shame, he has made some great and well informed contributions and in particular to this thread. Gustix, where are you?

Would make a great National Speedway Stadium. Ready made!

Thanks for pointing this out Gustix and for pointing out that any voting should be fair and proper, so as not cause any accusations of vote rigging or manipulation. If Tai does win, it MUST BE fair and square, as you allude to. Good call!

No mention of bangers and certainly no mention of speedway. Seems like 'speedway' will have to watch from the side-lines and see what transpires. It's a pity the mayor wasn't a bit stronger with his support for greyhound racing. And there were plenty of letters claiming greyhound racing is cruel, which will help the football cause. Although I would have thought a number of locals would be anti a new football stadium. Interesting.

Maybe, subject to Stock Exchange approval, IOW Speedway PLC could merge with Slough Speedway PLC? Just a thought!

I am confused too at what Clive Feltham said. I thought similar to you salty!

That there are lies, damn lies and statistics?

Stadium was tatty at the end, but Rayleigh, as I recall, was a good race track. I did like Hackney and Wimbledon. Hackney was banked, but had some good racing. Wimbledon had good racing too, although only saw top flight there.

If TWK says it will happen, that is good enough for me!

A French GP could possibly work. They do have Grass Track, which looks very similar to speedway, as it appears to be run on sand or shale. C'est possible?

I found this on Youtube, which is a bit more 'home grown' than the OP video, but does show a similarity to speedway, in both style and track. If they have a blue-ribbon event for this sport, perhaps speedway could be included? www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEalUxWxJGY

If a company is insolvent to the tune of over £113k, isn't the company bust? Sorry Bryn, not trying to rub salt in the wounds, unless I am misunderstanding the terminology?

(A broke Accountant)...........it does happen!

Really TWK? I must have blinked and missed the post(s)!

I have only just rubbed the Xmas sleep from my eyes and seen this thread! Would there not be a lot of rain offs/bad weather offs? In my opinion, could be ok, if regionalised, so if called off, people wouldn't have travelled too far. But basic idea, sounds good, to me! There may be others who have a contra view! (surely not!).

I imagine companies sponsor things for different reasons, such as:- sympathy towards the cause/sport, tax relief, name awareness/name exposure. I would have thought shareholders would have a say, especially major shareholders, such as pension funds and investment companies.

Sorry to be right, but right is not spelt rite, in this country! But do agree with most of your points.

I am nearing the end of reading Len Silver's book and what a good read it is, in my opinion, but he says he had to get out of Hackney because he was losing money with crowds of 1,800, when he gave up his promotion. Now that was in 1983, which to my mind was still a fairly 'golden era'. I was surprised, but in fairness, he does say that the owners of the stadium then, Brent Walker, were screwing him on rent etc.

I understand why they wouldn't want Speedway now, but may have had a different view all those years ago, when both had good crowds. Agree it has no chance now.

It is a pity that when Speedway had it's heyday and when Football and Speedway were the popular sports, the 2 sports didn't work together and use the same stadium. I know a few did, have and still do, but most joined up with Greyhound tracks, which I can understand why, due to the shape of the stadium, but Speedway jumped into bed with, perhaps, the wrong bedfellow. All too late now though.

I take it you mean you wanted to get home due to poor racing and badly prepared track, not the stadium facilities Sidney?

To be honest Rob, although some forum members suggest Speedway has moved on from the past, the truth is, it hasn't. The most spectacular changes to Speedway is the engine is laid down, the riders now wear Kevlar suits and not leather suits and the suits are team co-ordinated. Air fences, oh and the helmet covers don't ping off anymore. Speedway's biggest problem is not enough people are watching it and too many tracks are wobbly and their future is on a knife edge. At the end of the day and has been mentioned by many, what we want to see is 4 guys, doing 4 laps, racing each other on a machine that resembles and sounds like a Speedway bike. And leaves a nice smell in the air! The problem with the 'Speedway Industry' is the cost is too high for the promoters, the riders and I think the fans too. I still believe you can see 4 blokes going round a track, providing entertainment and enjoying their racing, at a reduced cost. How? Strictly regulate pay. Promoters, so I have been told, on this forum, insist riders have at least 2 machines, well that should be outlawed and a rider should be allowed to run one good machine. If he wants more in his workshop, up to him, but he turns up with one only. The track, ideally, has a track spare for breakdowns or if not possible, team members lend their bikes on breakdowns, crashes etc. And a sensible reserve back-up. Additionally, try and encourage team members to travel together to reduce the travel cost.