The track was groomed far too much shutting down passing lanes which had just developed by the 4 races before. This brought it back to a one lane procession led by gate one. The joke on the terraces was filling in the programs with the rider results before the race had started, 9/10 times we were right especially just after the grooming of the track had just taken place. The track was exactly the same the year before, over groomed, this frustrated the people who know better and makes the people who dont know better think this is the norm and bad mouth speedway for being processional.I feel that the public was robbed of good racing by the big guns who given a chance would take advantage of a developing track with dirt and grip building up on the outside. No doubt this will fall on deaf ears and and I will be trying to defend my beloved sport after next years GP saying it's not like that normally and explaining why there is such little passing due to over grooming. Had the track been banked a bit more going into turn one and the dirt allowed to build up for extra grip it would have become a more even start even possibly favoring gate 4 eventually. Please don't think I am just trying to be smart, I am genuinely concerned as my bike mad friends that I convinced to come along to their first speedway meeting last year weren't interested in coming this year saying that it was boring, no passing and to be fair I'm glad they didn't as they were right. Happy to put my money where my mouth is, I have a team of current and ex speedway riders with about 200 years combined, pulling their hair out in the stands ready to take over grooming duties, just say the word. One more thing, when the GP finished, that's when it should have started. the track would have held it's moisture and produced better racing along with a better atmosphere under lights and fans wouldn't be roasting in the hot sun. Also racing in and out of shadows is not the best, notice how the shaded part of the track was gripper and produced some passing.
Western Springs Stadium @
- Auckland @
- Sat 23 Mar 2013 @
Favourite moment: DARCY WARDS 2ND LAST HEAT RACE - had some grip outside before it all got dragged back and rolled down to a one line track AGAIN @