Got Speedway?

[Truenorth]

It's pretty hard to get any info about Speedway over here in the frozen north. Any suggestions for learning about the sport on the internet? Is there a favourite team of 10-10ths posters?

[chunder]

Not really into spedway mate, you might find a few Aussies here who get into it becaise of crump, but even though I am in the UK not that keen on it!

[barnettracing]

Originally Posted by Truenorth

It's pretty hard to get any info about Speedway over here in the frozen north. Any suggestions for learning about the sport on the internet? Is there a favourite team of 10-10ths posters?

You could try the FIM's website? They will have all the details about the World Championship (and possible Euro Championship too).

I'm from the UK, so I doubt that the team I support (Poole Pirates) will mean much to you. It's a great sport though!

[Gamla Hairpin]

The official website for all things British Speedway is www.speedwaygb.co There are links to other Speedway websites and is a very useful source of information. The 2012 season starts in earnest this Thursday so after a very dry start to March, the start of the season usually heralds the start of rain....Speedway in the UK is still going strong with 27 different tracks operating this year in the 3 leagues.Newport was lost to the sport over the winter sadly, but there is always talk of new tracks opening in the future.Aside from the UK, Poland, Sweden & Denmark are the main hotbeds of the sport in Europe. As for Canadian Speedway, I'm guessing there can't be many tracks in Northern Alberta......

[ghinzani]

Originally Posted by barnettracing

You could try the FIM's website? They will have all the details about the World Championship (and possible Euro Championship too).

I'm from the UK, so I doubt that the team I support (Poole Pirates) will mean much to you. It's a great sport though!

I keep thinking I should go and watch, but never get down to Poole - when and how much is it? Whens the season?

[chunder]

Most speedway meetings are evenings in the week or a weekend.

I dont think Poole Pirates share their track with anyone therwise I would hvae probably ben there to watch stock cars.

But its a decent track by all accounts. Not bad for an evening, but have no idea how much it is

[barnettracing]

Originally Posted by ghinzani

I keep thinking I should go and watch, but never get down to Poole - when and how much is it? Whens the season?

Ghinzani, Wednesday nights are 'Home' nights for Poole during the season. Their first home meeting is 21st March against Wolves. Here is their fixture list: http://www.poolepirates.co/fixtures12

For an adult, entrance is £16 (it seems to go up a pound every year. When I first went it cost about £8-10). Anyway, it seems like a lot, but they are one of the top teams in the Elite League so I think it offers quite good value for money. It's a pretty fast track as well.

Chunder, Wimborne Road (Poole's stadium) isn't used for any other motorsport, but is does host the greyhounds on a Tuesday night.

[Clive Brown]

Originally Posted by barnettracing

Wimborne Road (Poole's stadium) isn't used for any other motorsport, but is does host the greyhounds on a Tuesday night.

Of course greyhound racing is motorsport. The hare has a little motorbike; thats why it always beats those six bloody stupid dogs....

[gttouring]

i know I love it, and HD theater now velocity, used to carry it, where is my speedway here in california? i love Speedway GP, great season last year.

[Truenorth]

Thanks for the good website, Hairpin. No, no Speedway here. There is AMA Flattrack style bikes and a little racing on ice (massive traction with studs) and tons and tons of Motocross, but no Speedway.

[chunder]

I seriuously cant believe Polle costs that much!

That is dearer than any stock car meeting! INsane really when it is also funded by SKY, very poor, I hope they get rubbish gates.

I would ove to watch some proper flat track, speedway is a little tame in comparison, ould love to get to a proper half mile track or summat out in the US.

Dont they do that half track speedway somewhere in the US, sort of 100 meter tracks, looks really odd!

[ss_collins]

My favourite team is the Glaziers. What do you mean I'm out of touch???

[Flyin Ryan]

can someone tell me other than the team aspect what's the difference between Speedway and flat track?

[chunder]

Speedway only has 4 riders and in most cases is a team event, so riders race for various home teams.

It's only in a few events and the GP series that they race as individuals on a points scoring basis.

But a rider who is good can race for various teams, like a team in teh UK, one on Poland (where speedway is perhaps the biggest sport), one in Sweden perhaps.

The top guys are pro's.

Flat track is basically a norla race on an oval, no teams.

[Stephen H]

Originally Posted by chunder

I seriuously cant believe Polle costs that much!

That is dearer than any stock car meeting! INsane really when it is also funded by SKY, very poor, I hope they get rubbish gates.

I would ove to watch some proper flat track, speedway is a little tame in comparison, ould love to get to a proper half mile track or summat out in the US.

Dont they do that half track speedway somewhere in the US, sort of 100 meter tracks, looks really odd!

Yep the cost keeps me away, at Eastbourne, it used to be about the same as stock cars, but car park and programme were free. But elite league events seem to be £16 plus programme, (guess they will be more this year) last years final was £18, and when they ran a double header, because an event was cancelled it was £24.

The rain off policy has also changed for the worse, no longer if an event is cancelled do you a complete refund.

Plus there no longer seems to be any racing after the heats.

With 15 heats of less than a minute each, it works out more than a pound a minute, to watch.

I realise riders have to be paid, but I think they are only allowed one mechanic into the stadium for free these days.

I really used to like speedway, but compared to other Motorsport, for the spectator it no longer offers the value for money it used too.

[chunder]

I didnt realise speedway had got so dear for the fans. You would surely think that with the SKY money they would be able to offer cheaper seats?

But I am guessing that because speedway fans are not stupid like football fans, they often just stay away and watch stuff on telly instead.

Some of the people who run these clubs really are dumb, if you made it cheaper than most family events around then you would get that group to come along, there is the holiday traffic too.

At Skegness, there are constantly buses going around with huge graphics of the stadium on, and they offer cheapish weeknight meetings with stunt shows etc.

Seems speedway peopel are not very enterprising eh! Laughable really

[Truenorth]

Aweseome! Flat track at 150 mph Sepang 12

http://www.ducati.com/media_gallery/..._2012/index.do

(see picture 10, shot of rear of Rossi's bike)

[Truenorth]

Flat Track racing 'round the rodeo grounds Thorhild, Alberta (not quite the Elite League)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRopRKib7k4


http://clubweb.interbaun.com/~swiftess/AVFTRA/

[Truenorth]

Hey man, I watched the Ice Speedway from Uppsala on Motors TV. Is there normally no passing? Am I uniformed or was that largely a parade with a few wheelies as features?