Swindon 46 v Poole Comets 43 v Horspath 36
Cycle Speedway – South and South Wales League – Round 8
This season the Cycle Speedway leagues have been re-jigged, and the format changed so that meetings are three way play-offs, not just normal matches. This has meant that /Swindon only have two home meetings this season, this being the last.
Track in Swindon is shoe-horned into the corner of the Oasis leisure complex, surrounded on two sides by pathways with the highest mugging rate in the town.
The rather understated entrance.
A panoramic view of the track.
Poole have this season have split into two teams, the first team in the Elite league and this being the second team, who turned up a rider short, which meant some heats had only three riders.
Horspath are from Oxford, and are a force in the Elite league. This was, like Poole, their second team, which meant they didn’t have any riders between 15 and 55, and led to some odd looking starting line ups.
Tracks have proper starting tapes…
….and they’re off!
Races seem to consist of the rider on the inside going into the lead…
….whilst the remaining riders battle it out for second place.
Unlike normal speedway, there is a significant amount of blocking. This can often be the second place rider slowing down the third place…
…so the fourth place can make a passing attempt.
Despite the close action, the teenagers on the adjacent BMX park, didn’t take any interest.
I left at half time to go and watch the Reading game, with Swindon leading easily.
Rather than a fleet of tractors raking the track, instead one of the riders walks round with a brush.
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