cityrebel

tomorrow evening weather permitting sees plymouth make a second attempt to visit the launch pad. we have had some overnight rain and the forecast for today and tomorrow is for heavy showers. if this fixture survives i'm going for a home win. the rockets look like an improving team to me.

i remember ellesmere port as a big fast track when i went there in the early 1980's. john jackson and the carr brothers used to really fly around there. will speedway ever return to thornton road, who knows. it would take a brave or foolish person to put money into speedway these days, when crowds are declining at most tracks.

meeting off according to BSPA website.

if this match survives an awful looking weather forecast for the south east tomorrow, i'm going for a home win. the more likely result will probably be an early call off.

i think it's an interesting read, a few more track records and average speeds from defunct tracks would be good.

dirt and dust are two different materials. three of my local tracks have a rock hard base with a little loose top dressing which dissapears after a few heats. this does not encourage good racing and will not help pull the punters in. it's pure fantasy to say that you cant put dirt down on a small track, you only have to visit monmore to see that. it's all about having the skill to prepare a decent track, if i wanted to watch speedway on concrete i'd move to japan!

most tracks in this country don't have enough dirt on to need grading every four heats!, two meetings i went to last week were raced on concrete, yet still the tractor came out grading invisible shale!.

after attending the ambulance marathon at rye house last monday, the starting gate fiasco at arena on friday followed by sun delays at rye last night, all in freezing conditions. long term i don't know how speedway can survive as a viable professional sport unless the promoters get their act together.

a mate of mine at rye house last night said, going to a speedway meeting was like watching a vintage pathe news film!. harsh but true.

a bit warmer!, it still felt bloody freezing to me tonight!

i was thinking the same thing. you would have thought it could be a money spinner for some tracks to run meetings on bank holidays.

tomorrow afternoon sees rye take on ipswich in the opening meeting of the season at the launch pad. it's gonna be cold, so wrap up warm!

tell me about it, i was there!. it seems like a lifetime ago. i seem to remember the track was a bit dusty that night sidney!

IOW was 10pm, but now the start time has been brought forward to 7pm i don't know if it has changed. the new track in kent will have an 8.30pm curfew.

looking at many of the threads on this forum, it does seem one of the biggest gripes with fans is how long it takes to run meetings. crashes aside, there does seem to be far too many delays that slow down the meeting like late and long drawn out parades, exstensive tractor breaks, riders returning to the pits for no apparent reason, too much gardening at the starting gate, long intervals and my biggest moan, referees with no urgency that lose control of the meeting. any thoughts.

i remember seeing him ride at hackney and wimbledon in 1985 when he was a youngster. even in his first season for boro he was a very stylish rider. enjoy your retirement.

i agree, i often record the GP's but never get round to watching them.

me to!. i'd love to knock down those poxy houses and rebuild archibald leitch's double decker grandstand and sit in those old wooden seats again!

all done

the car park at rye shads is based on the original version that uncle len used at rayleigh. i remember my old man blowing a gasket when his precious s type jag dissapeared down the numerous pot holes at the weir. there is nothing like nostalgia!

team racing was formed in this country in 1929 to stop the sport from declining in the eyes of the fans and the media. it has held the sport together for over 80 years. i used to enjoy the magic of a one off world final and an occasional big meeting like the internationale or the hyde road BLRC. but for me speedway has always been about league racing.

competitive, just like us gooners shads!

i can see myself doing at lot less meetings at the launch pad this coming season. the late start due to the loss of the raiders matches and a clash of fixtures with my regular visits down to eastbourne will certainly reduce my total. the shortfall will no doubt be taken up by the new track at kent, so uncle len will still get my money one way or another!

it was very nice to able to add all of those kent home fixtures to my diary. it will be great to have a new track to go to in the south east, one that is on the right side of london for me and is easy to get to.

david hamilton and ed stewart were the announcers/presenters when wembley reopened for league racing in the 1970's. they certainly added some entertainment in addition to the racing. 'diddy' hamilton was also on the mike at reading's old tilehurst track.