IainB Posted May 1 Report Share Posted May 1 (edited) I'm at the British semi-final qualifier at Leicester, it's 24 degrees, probably one of the best nights weather wise we'll have this season, with some of Britain's brightest young speedway talent on show, battling it out for a place in the British Final... but the crowd is about half what it would be for a league match, WHY? What makes people turn out to watch team racing, often contrived, in favour of what I'd suggest is a more pure form of the sport? There's even 10 riders in the field that have connections to Leicester present or past yet it's been given a major thumbs down by the punters 👎🏻 For those that didn't attend the British semi they missed a night of proper Speedway! Edited May 1 by IainB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemini Posted May 7 Report Share Posted May 7 (edited) Edited May 7 by Gemini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therefused Posted May 7 Report Share Posted May 7 where has Iain B's other thread gone about the moderators? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainB Posted May 7 Author Report Share Posted May 7 1 hour ago, therefused said: where has Iain B's other thread gone about the moderators? 🤔 Big brother has been at work 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R87 Posted May 12 Report Share Posted May 12 On 5/1/2025 at 8:07 PM, IainB said: I'm at the British semi-final qualifier at Leicester, it's 24 degrees, probably one of the best nights weather wise we'll have this season, with some of Britain's brightest young speedway talent on show, battling it out for a place in the British Final... but the crowd is about half what it would be for a league match, WHY? What makes people turn out to watch team racing, often contrived, in favour of what I'd suggest is a more pure form of the sport? There's even 10 riders in the field that have connections to Leicester present or past yet it's been given a major thumbs down by the punters 👎🏻 For those that didn't attend the British semi they missed a night of proper Speedway! It is at Belle Vue. All of the other tracks in the UK is wouldn't bother with even if I got a free ticket 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharpenRake Posted May 12 Report Share Posted May 12 7 hours ago, R87 said: It is at Belle Vue. All of the other tracks in the UK is wouldn't bother with even if I got a free ticket You've clearly not watched speedway at Glasgow. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R87 Posted Monday at 09:21 PM Report Share Posted Monday at 09:21 PM 5 hours ago, SharpenRake said: You've clearly not watched speedway at Glasgow. Watch the last race of the British Final. Boring Glasgow (or any other track in the UK) couldn't put on anything like that if it tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted Tuesday at 06:51 PM Report Share Posted Tuesday at 06:51 PM 21 hours ago, R87 said: Watch the last race of the British Final. Boring Glasgow (or any other track in the UK) couldn't put on anything like that if it tried. I’m afraid you’re getting carried away about one meeting.Racing at Glasgow is first class I’m sure if the same riders that rode last turned up at Glasgow you would get a very entertaining meeting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdave Posted Wednesday at 01:10 PM Report Share Posted Wednesday at 01:10 PM On 5/12/2025 at 10:21 PM, R87 said: Watch the last race of the British Final. Boring Glasgow (or any other track in the UK) couldn't put on anything like that if it tried. You're wrong. There was a race at Workington v Scunthorpe recently where 3 Riders crossed the finish line within two hundredths of a second of each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youhave2minutes Posted Wednesday at 01:17 PM Report Share Posted Wednesday at 01:17 PM 6 minutes ago, bigdave said: You're wrong. There was a race at Workington v Scunthorpe recently where 3 Riders crossed the finish line within two hundredths of a second of each other. That distance is described as a knats cock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R87 Posted Wednesday at 04:48 PM Report Share Posted Wednesday at 04:48 PM 3 hours ago, bigdave said: You're wrong. There was a race at Workington v Scunthorpe recently where 3 Riders crossed the finish line within two hundredths of a second of each other. Yet most fans i talk to that have been to Workington say the track is rubbish. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marko Posted Friday at 10:06 AM Report Share Posted Friday at 10:06 AM Most races are drawn out from the gate, same at most tracks, some tracks are a little more setup to allow races like we saw with the British Final. Some tracks you can race on but essentially your only just following the rider in front hoping they make a mistake because there is only one line which is either on the curb or right out by the fence, stray from that and you go backwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted 13 hours ago Report Share Posted 13 hours ago (edited) On 5/16/2025 at 11:06 AM, marko said: Most races are drawn out from the gate, same at most tracks, some tracks are a little more setup to allow races like we saw with the British Final. Some tracks you can race on but essentially your only just following the rider in front hoping they make a mistake because there is only one line which is either on the curb or right out by the fence, stray from that and you go backwards. To be fair, that has been the same since I started watching the sport at Hyde Rd in the late sixties... Even at such a great, iconic race track, the likes of Ivan and PC would win races regularly by half the length of a straight, with the rider in fourth sometimes still not even half way around the final bend when they crossed the line... The big difference to today? You had huge crowds to share your enthusiasm with, often including at least a couple of coaches from the opposition's "official supporter's club", thus giving the meeting some atmosphere, resonance and a bit of tribalism.... Average racing doesn't appear so average when you are at "an event".. Sadly, not too many "events" exist in UK Speedway anymore... Hence the play offs get the crowds "the qualifiers" don't... Edited 13 hours ago by mikebv 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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