speedybee

Yes, we believe that all with be attending with the possible exception of Jeremy Heaver.

Here is our agenda for tomorrow's meeting. We hope to see as many of you as possible there, for what should be a very interesting evening indeed. This meeting isn't a protest - it is a constructive forum for keeping the fans in touch with what is planned for the future at Brandon and for speedway and stock car racing, and to discuss ways of working together. Save Brandon Stadium 8 to 10pm Thursday 23 July 2015 Binley Woods Village Hall Please note: the hall will be in use until 7.30pm and time will be needed to rearrange the room so please don't expect to gain entry until c7.45pm. Agenda 1. Welcome and introductions 2. Background to the meeting 3. Current position on the housing proposals 4.. Contributions and updates invited from Mick Horton (representing Coventry Speedway), Jeremy Heaver (Stadium Manager), Rugby Borough Council and Binley Woods and Brandon & Bretford Parish Councils 5. Future organisation 6. Other potential courses of action 7. Open discussion 8. Summary of key actions

A quick heads up for those who may be interested.... The 'Save Coventry Speedway' campaign was started in September 2014 after the announcement that plans were being prepared for the building of housing at Coventry Stadium in Brandon, which has staged speedway since 1928. It was also announced that motor sports at the stadium, one of the country’s finest and best loved motor sport venues, would cease at the end of the 2016 season. Supporters were assured that a new stadium would be built in the a Coventry area before the existing one was 'levelled' but we have had no news of any developments in regard to locating land for a new stadium, nor any progression of housing plans on the exiting site, or any announcement of a change of plan at Brandon. This meeting is called to put the future of both speedway and stock car racing firmly back on the agenda with urgency and the 'Save Coventry Speedway' campaign will be inviting key representatives from the stadium, the council and the promoters of both motor sports to speak at this meeting to enlighten concerned fans. It is also hoped that a fund will be set up to ensure that the interests of the racing community with its long and rich heritage can be properly represented. We are all aiming for the same thing - the preservation and prosperity of our beloved sports. So it’s time we came together with common purpose. 8-10pm Binley Woods Village Hall. Thursday July 23rd. Local residents, speedway and stock car fans all welcome! Please state if you will be coming with numbers. The hall has limited capacity.

Havvy is right, in the online match review comments..., it was nothing short of a sensational performance for the fighting Bees. I always love my trips to Monmore for the close racing, plenty of overtaking and decent view - and this was one of the best, and the atmosphere was pretty spot on for Bees fans but must have been extremely muted for the Wolves faithful. I've always thought that a good, close away win is the holy grail for this supporter, and so was again last night. Hats off once again to Captain Fantastic who thoroughly deserved the manager's glowing praise in this report. Harris is so aware at the moment, whether of the best lines to take, of his partners' and oppositions moves or of his team mates in the pits. A joy to watch And a vintage season to be a Bees fan, indeed.

What a cracking meeting. Best for a long, long time at Brandon with a big crowd, lots of overtaking, tense scoreline, plenty of drama and a great atmosphere. Serve that up regularly and the crowds will come flocking back. Proper speedway returns to Brandon. A top night's entertainment.

Very sad..and (if I understand it correctly) all over a Facebook post! Ridiculous...

Lucky I didn't notice this! There might just have been fisticuffs...

Silence is golden! When we're lucky. For me, a trip to the speedway is about the whole package, and maybe it's because I have spent a good chunk of the last twenty years putting on events that I am perhaps more aware of the plusses and shortcomings of the presentation side. And at Brandon, the only bright spot is David Hammond's voice and assured, relaxed style. But he's just the announcer ... The crowd was very poor last night. And that didn't help the atmosphere either.

York is a complete joke. Last year it looked like he was on the way out and many many of us rejoiced at that. The man made no mention during last night's meeting as to how many heats we needed to complete for the result to stand (the main topic of conversation amongst the people I was with), just as in previous meetings he has done nothing to inform the crowd how league points will be divided when it's a close finish. In short, the presentation is absolutely dire at Brandon. Now we've lost Chris Simpson and his well prepared jingles and rider themes, there's zilch atmosphere created. All we get is that bloody 5-4-3-2-1 Manfred Mann jingle every time there s a 5-1. And whoever the 'DJ' has no sense of mood...he/she even decided to play 'Tonight is going to be a good night' during the Poole fixture when it clearly wasn't! Awful, awful, awful!

Just back from Lakeside..that was a meeting I'd written off by Heat 10, saying to my friend that I thought we'd be lucky to come away with anything. All the more delighted to nick the win at the death then, with a superb first lap from King and Harris in the final race. Another good all round team performance though alarm bells were ringing after another two pointless opening rides from our No1. I'm sure he'll come good soon though... Kennett was by far the fastest rider on show, but choked again in Heat 15. Much more entertaining than Wednesday's drab affair in Norfolk.

Mad dash up from London after meetings and I made it just in time for the sun delay .... Bad luck again for Bees who really should have come away with a point. I agree with those who say that the track is over rated, and certainly compared to Monday's thriller at Monmore Green this was dull follow-the-leader speedway, with just a couple of decent races and precious few overtakes. Hopefully Lakeside will offer better speedway on Friday.

Great racing, as ever at Monmore and not a lot wrong with the track IMO other than everyone going for the Karlsson corridor at the same time. First bend did get a bit slick from several heats in which caused several riders to overslide but I still rate the circuit as amongst the abound for close racing with much overtaking. For Bees, Robson and Kylmakorpi excelled but Harris was clearly suffering from the effects of what looked like a painful first bend spill. Add to that Robson's engine fail while placed third in Heat One, Danny King's third turn bail out while in a scoring position and Jason Garrity going awol in his third and fourth outings and we should have been there or thereabouts . Porky (I think) went on about Coventry gambling on running the last heat in the rain and coming away with nothing, which confused me as Bees clearly came away with the point!

Really looking forward to this one.. I'd better get my skates on, finish my work, and jump in the car! Could be a close one..

That was a cracker. Great atmosphere, packed stadium, decent race track with several passes, plenty of close racing, a great view from the first bend and a totally motivated Bees team. Kylmakorpi was sensational. Happy Bee here!

and over 1000 members have joined the Facebook group since it was started on Friday Twitter group is here First objective is for fans to turn out in force this Saturday morning at Binley Woods Village Hall 10.15-1pm where the planning is being unveiled E mail your memories, favourite stories from Brandon at savecoventrystadium@hotmail.com and / or post on the Facebook wall #savecoventryspeedway

Or Marmite, given how divided people are whether they love or hate him:)

Ok, it rained, the track was a mess, the grading a shambles, and all the above is valid. That can be quickly sorted and dealt with (can it?) But the thing that needs looking at most for me was the presentation and communication. Still having to endure Peter York is bad enough, even in his Cradley coloured jacket, but just who was that announcer, Gordon Camwell, who mumbled his way through an awful night's non-presentation, including getting riders' names wrong and long silences. I can't see him ever stepping up to the plate, based on this performance. The tight music selection of previous years was non existent (unless you like hearing 'If I had a hammer' over and over, start to finish) Communication needs to be slick, informative, charismatic and dynamic. Last night it was almost totally lacking in all those equalities. A very disappointing start. ∆ this. To be fair, I did see Horton in the main bar just before tapes up, but you're totally right - it's all about the customer experience and engendering goodwill. Losing trust is the worst thing for a business. I had a fourteen year experience of building a music and arts festival from 600 people to 30, 000 and in hindsight, learned a lot about the importance gaining the trust and loyalty of your core supporters, and was musing on this last night as everyone around me was wondering where the excitement and energy was, and trying to figure out what was going on...

I've not been thrilled with it at all since I re subscribed on iPad. Agree about the cluttered front cover. Surely one single iconic action shot would do the trick.. what was that full cover Alun Rossiter pic all about?! And a re design would be welcome, it's looking very old fashioned, and many long features only of marginal interest.

Re-subscribed today. Looking good on the iPad.

What a great meeting! Had me on the edge of my seat or pacing the room most of the night. Hats off to Tatum and Pearson - "love their breathless giddy commentary" as one recent enthusiastic "convert" to speedway texted me at the climax

yes, it seemed odd that both reserves couldn't be arsed to turn up. Risager, meanwhile, came close to beating Holder. agree with you Chris about the tired presentation at Brandon, although I think 'Bart' Simpson and cohorts' music selection does add a lot and keep boredom at bay in the long breaks (and we sure had a few tonight with seemingly half the field having heavy falls)

went along at the last minute (the GPs don't generally float my boat) and was amazed to find thirty or forrty cars parked up on the grass verges and programmes totally sold out by 7.40pm. racing wasn't great, but hats off to Zorro - after twice suffering very heavy falls in the same race and being horizontal on the track both times for well over five minutes on each occasion, he deserved everything he got and more.

This is so much more exciting than the GP! Perhaps Buster should be utilised for track prep at GP level

indeed. great rider. I probably missed him at his peak as I started going in 1968 and he was out injured for a long time - came back tentatively in 2nd half races early 1970 and soon broke into the team again at reserve. He never made heat leader status again but probably peaked in his later career in the very successful 1971 team alongside the likes of Boocock, Simensen, Owen, Cottrell, Hill, Harrhy and Lomas. Two meetings I remember well - away at Cradley when he made his comeback and recorded a dead heat for 1st with a certain Mr Colin Pratt in one ride! Then there was an away match at Oxford (must have been 71) in mid summer. He was riding at 7 and returned a 0 in his first ride, then proceeded to reel off three wins in a row, using his favoured outside line, to win Coventry the meeting, 37-41 if I remember correctly. Vintage stuff... In 72 he was a pale shadow of the rider from 71 and quit after the Cradley away match if I remember correctly.

What yawnfest. Really really dull racing. Apart from the Russian Emil of course How old was he again?