Welcome to the latest installment of Asked & Answered, addressing a selection of your questions about all things speedway.
Julie Hepburn, from Coatbridge, asks:
Hi Asked & Answered. Loving this feature. My question is who is the better of the two Worrall brothers – Newcastle’s Steve or Glasgow’s Richie?
A number of former motocross riders have successfully made the switch to speedway in recent years including both Richie and Steve along with the likes of Glasgow’s Richard Lawson and Craig Cook of Belle Vue.
The Worralls both enjoyed their first competitive season in 2010 with Scunthorpe’s National League side and made rapid progress. Steve finished runner-up in the 2011 British under 21 championship to current World champion Tai Woffinden while the following year Richie became the first GB rider to qualify for the World under 21 championship in three years. However, a crash at Workington resulted in a double break to his leg and Richie’s season was over.
Despite this setback, Richie remains one of the most exciting riders in the Premier League and at only 24 has plenty of time on his side. Numerous Premier League teams were chasing his signature during the winter and his current sub-seven point average makes him look like something of a steal. Tigers team manager Stewart Dickson has made no secret of how delighted he was to fend off the attentions of other clubs.
Steve was also the victim of a broken leg in 2012 and this affected his confidence during the 2013 season. After starting the year with Newcastle he dropped back down to the National League with King’s Lynn Young Stars in an attempt to regain form. 2014, however, was a completely different story! He rode for Swindon Robins in the Elite League and was voted rider of the year by the local newspaper. In addition, he played a major part in helping Edinburgh win the treble, showing that gating is undoubtedly one of his strong suits.
So who is the better rider? We’re going to sit on the fence and call it a draw on this occasion but one thing is for sure – both are extremely talented motorcyclists who have the ability to hit even greater heights in the years ahead.
Brian Ferguson, from Maryhill, asks:
Is there such a thing as a standard size for a speedway track in the UK?
In short, no!
The UK probably has the most diverse range of tracks in the speedway world, thanks to the fact that so many of our clubs are based in multi-use venues – sharing with other sports – as opposed to many of the purpose built facilities you see in the likes of Poland or Sweden. It’s not uncommon, for example, to have a speedway track inside a greyhound circuit, which obviously limits its length.
Numerous ‘foreign’ riders have commented on how they enjoy the variety that racing in Britain offers, which gives them a great opportunity to develop their skills even further as they have to be able to adapt themselves to different situations.
Some riders will have the knack for short tracks, others thrive on a longer circuit. The best, of course, will strive to master them all.
For example one night a rider could find himself racing at Plymouth’s tiny St Boniface Arena, which measures up at only 216 metres. The following meeting could see a trip to Workington’s Derwent Park, which is almost 70% longer, at 364 metres.
Closer to home, Edinburgh’s track at Armadale is famously tight, with a track length of just 260 meters, whereas Glasgow comes in at 315.
Add to this different angles of banking and different styles of track preparation and it’s clear that, when it comes to British speedway, no two tracks are the same. This, of course, is just another of the reasons why we love the sport!
Thanks for these thought-provoking questions – keep them coming speedway fans!