Stoke Potter

You're nailing it! There's not many on here who actually understand...

Touched a nerve have I? Very good. It's quite obvious you know Ipswich is sub standard in the same that S-Brum knows that Wolves is sub standard. (He posted elsewhere on this thread.) Reality check time for you, Brum and anyone else on here that agrees with you: Saturday night Speedway on the tele, amazing opportunity, can't recall the last time we had British "League" Speedway on TV on Saturday night and what do we get? For the most part, 30 yard races and top class (for this country) riders who can't get around it! An utter joke. Wake up and see the reality people. I hope Ipswich go on to win the final, it will show even more what a joke the sport is in this country.

I'll do well to be more boring than this pathetic excuse for speedway racing... I'll try harder!

You should be a promoter with an attitude like that. Exactly the way to kill the sport even faster. Open your eyes and see what's really happening. I've just got to heat 8, something actually resembling a proper race.

Practically dead you mean..? Largely down to tracks like this.

Holder couldn't even broadside it! Too deep for circuit of that size. Poole's rough but this is a worse racing circuit.

The weather doesn't affect the size and shape. Decent riders can't get around it, only time there's passing is when someone makes a mistake. #wolves-esque

Dire track Foxhall Heath. And people wonder why the sport's in the state it is..!

Decent meeting that for the neutral. Close racing, some team riding, fair amount of passing. Better than you tend to get at most tracks in this country (NSS apart) and certainly better than that rubbish last Monday.

The World Champ states he'd struggle to get around it..! #priceless

How many of those passes down to the rider in front making a mistake/being caught out? #tricktrack

It was the same tricktrack when Sky were there. The only bias is yours, I won't defend Stoke when it's bad, you're too blinkered to see Wolves for what it is.

Ditto: Sorry Brum but LOOMER Road is a better track than Monmore. It’s had its issues granted, but at the moment it’s the best it’s been for a long time and far better racing than watching riders wobble around Monmore.

I'd have a bit more respect if you didn't continually defend an horrendously shaped trick-track, trying to make out it's a decent racing circuit, where passing usually occurs because someone got caught out.

British Champ slides off first bend but there's nowt wrong with the track............ #tricktrack

Shows how bad Wolves actually is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's like watching juniors at times, what a dire track this place is!!

Yet another poor track, very little proper racing.

Actually most of them need fixing one way or another. It's the biggest problem the sport faces in this country.

Be interesting to know what has changed in that time.

The point is they didn't return. You could conclude they didn't particularly like what they saw...

Was it Arena Essex that last let people in for free and got 4000 or something? The following week the crowd was back to it's usual level if I recall correctly..? That tells you something, the question is what? The NSS is a jewel in the sport's crown already, however there are precious few other gems about for the sport in the UK. Speedway has an image problem and that cannot be changed by the NSS on it's own.

Marketing the sport more isn't the answer at this time, essentially all you'll do is inform people how poor the product is at most UK tracks. Using the NSS to show how great the sport is would backfire when people went along to, for example Ipswich, and witness that dirge that was served up on TV a couple of weeks back. It's generally a different spectacle at the NSS compared to anywhere else. The answer is staring everyone in the face - more tracks like the NSS. Then market it and see what happens... Apologies for the late contribution, been away for a bit...

There's a lot said about the shale these days. It's the wrong type, you can't get the same stuff as the good old days, or because there's no oil in it from the bikes, etc. But putting on perfect shale won't turn Ipswich in to Belle Vue, still too small, narrow, wrong shape, etc. What didn't help on Monday was the slick patch entering the bends about 1/3 away from the kerb, caused 2 falls if I remember right and no doubt caused problems for others.

I've acknowledged this issues at Stoke many times, however an "averagely" prepared Loomer Rd would easily match what was served up at Ipswich the other night. Secondly, I've commented many times on different threads about various tracks, there is always someone who wants to make a comparison with Stoke, well done you get the prize this time! Stoke, Ipswich and countless others are a long way from being the best tracks in the country, that is Belle Vue, by far.