Tales from the Shale with Swindon’s Writer in Residence, Graham Cooke.
Heat two of Tales from the Shale is entitled “That was awesome, Crowley!”
Swindon Speedway’s “Writer in Residence” Graham Cooke accepted an invitation from the Robins’ press officer, Chris Seaward, and BBC Swindon reporter Richard Crowley, to accompany them on the away trip to Wolverhampton. This is the account of an eventful evening.
It’s 4.30pm as Richard Crowley, Chris Seaward and I depart from the car park at the BBC studios in Swindon bound for Wolverhampton in one of the station’s cars.
The SatNav has been programmed, largely because none of us can remember how to get to the stadium once we enter the environs of Wolverhampton. The chat on the way is exclusively speedway related – who has signed for who, why there are so many away wins, how the Robins will fare.
While Richard and Chris, ably assisted by Trevor Claridge, will commentate on proceedings, my task will be to record in words just what an away trip with the 2008 Robins is actually like.
By 5.45 we are off the motorway and following the instructions of the SatNav’s female presenter. Suddenly our ease of passage is broken when Richard interprets an instruction to turn right too literally. In a breathtaking manoeuvre, similar to the one that Leigh Adams will pull on Freddie Lindgren in the opening heat, Richard spots an opening and, eschewing all the road signs, pulls back onto our intended route.
My eyes are shut but Chris has witnessed the manoeuvre. “That was awesome, Crowley. Absolutely brilliant.” A young lady in the car on our left looks as if she has been stunned by the sudden materialisation of our vehicle.
I wonder whether I should duck down out of sight or smile confidently at her whilst assuring her that since it’s the BBC she’s sure to be safe. My musings are broken when we accelerate away leaving the traumatised one to ponder her fortune.
Our next problem is traffic related – it’s heavy and Richard has to get to the stadium to deliver a pre match broadcast at 6.30pm. Our next SatNav instruction is to take the next right but since signs suggest that this leads only to the local “Waste Reception Site”. We drive on.
Much has been made of the deleterious effect that Sky broadcasts have upon a home crowd, although this hasn’t been borne out with obvious effect at Swindon where crowds appear universally healthy. The sight of a very sparsely occupied car park at Monmore suggests, even at this early stage, that the crowd will be down – a combination of ominous clouds and poor home form not helping matters.
While Richard and Chris disappear off into the large stand that dominates the Monmore raceway, I make my way out onto the terraces and spot the Robins team on their track walk. There is much prodding of the shale and pointing out of lines; there is also a relaxed bon homme – they are a very close knit unit. Some doubts were expressed pre season about the use of a sports psychologist and the “team bonding” trip to Dublin, but on this evidence, the experiment appears to have worked.
The Monmore pits are over on turns 1 and 2 (although it’s such a tight corner that it’s pushing it a little far to refer to it as if it’s made of two corners). One fact that I had not appreciated before is how relatively small the pits are, closer in size to the away pits at Swindon than those occupied by the Robins.
Metal constructions, they allow each rider just one bike’s width under cover, spare bikes being parked outside on a concrete platform. Since both sets of pits face outwards towards the track, there is a large viewing space for riders, mechanics, members of the press and people like me, unlike at Blunsdon, where the world and his mechanic are poured into a very tight space at the throat of the pit complex.
All of the usual suspects are there : Karen (Flo) Pantry, our sports therapist; Terry and Wayne Russell; Gary Patchett; Rosco; and Trevor Claridge.
In addition there are all the Sky personnel and the new, hydraulic Sky speedway studio. Kelvin Tatum wanders over. “Your bloke (Rune Holta) did well in the last GP, didn’t he!” I’m surprised that he remembers the conversation that we had at Blunsdon before the last Sky match there.
Terry is worried about the weather – well, we all are. The clouds look very threatening. Wayne rings up a weather service and finds that they think we might get away with only the odd shower but that serious rain is expected between 9.30pm and 10. Steve Brandon, who directs activities in the pit area for Sky, confers with the Meeting Official (a qualified referee whose job it is to see that proceedings go as smoothly as possible) and then announces that there will be no interval and that he wants the riders for heat 1 out on track by 7.35pm.
In the pits the riders and their mechanics work away efficiently and without fuss until there is a flurry of activity. One of Seb’s bikes is not firing and Troy’s second bike appears to have a faulty “magic box”. In the same way that the riders appear to get on well, so do the mechanics. It’s all hands on deck as Seb’s bike is stripped down and a new magic box (used to provide power to spark the spark plug) is mounted on Troy’s.
Calmness descends. Leigh walks purposely over to the new Sky Studio and talks with Nigel Pearson, press officer with the BSPA and this evening’s co-presenter alongside Kelvin. Eager to find out how sturdy the hydraulic mechanism is, Leigh grabs hold of one of the handrails and rocks the studio back and forth. Kevin and Nigel cling on for dear life while the little man, whose job it is to press the button to raise or lower the edifice, is shocked out of his chair and drops the book he was reading.
The opening and closing sequences for Sky broadcasts are made up of a combination of track and pits action. The latter is extremely intrusive, cameramen poking cameras right into the faces of riders and promoters alike. That they accept this level of interference at such a tense time speaks volumes for the way that speedway has adapted to the demands of the modern media.
As the riders make their way out onto the track for the parade I get a chance to assess the crowd – as I suspected, it is smaller than I can remember from past visits but it is good to see a healthy bunch of red and white clad Robins supporters including Dave Whiting and Steve Bradford, two of the stalwarts who oversee the track on turns 1 and 2 at Blunsdon.
Karen and I watch the riders as they come back to the pits. The smiles have gone, replaced by steely expressions and fierce concentration. Leigh and Seb depart for the track, using a track that runs behind the pits and makes its way round to an opening onto the track at the exit of turn 2. Everyone vacates the pits to stand by the concrete fence on turn 1, separated from the track by a grassed area, the dog track, a concrete walkway and the low safety fence and air fence. Most of the team stay for the duration of the first race, won by Dryml but largely notable for the interesting and unusual lines taken by Lindgren as he attempts to keep Adams at bay.
The venom of Leigh’s move on the inside of turn 4 on the last lap suggests that he’s not entirely in harmony with Freddie’s tactics. “That was hard racing,” says Travis as we walk back to the pits. In true “Mr Smooth” fashion, Leigh is completely composed by the time that he removes his helmet – just as well because a Sky cameraman is on hand to capture every nuance of his expression and reaction. In a subsequent interview Leigh comments on Freddie’s tendency to turn left mid straight but makes light of it – ever the professional.
In heat two Hefenbrock gates and he and Chris Neath box in the hard charging James Wright for two laps until James breaks free and chases Hefenbrock to the line. “What’s the track like, James?” I ask. “Dunno – got boxed in and didn’t get a chance to race.” James is under pressure tonight.
Dropping down to reserve should afford him more points scoring opportunities and rides, but the British team manager, Jim Lynch is here to watch and James is in with a real chance of being included in the Team GB World Cup Squad, especially after his marvellous performance in the British final last week. His main sponsor is also in the pits helping to “spanner” for him with regular mechanic Paul.
Wolves guest, Edward Kennett (in for the injured Iversen) wins from a hard charging Mads Korneliussen. Back in the pits the riders crowd round as Mads indicates how deep some parts of the Monmore track are. Apparently care free and happy go lucky in interviews, Mads is now a very focussed rider and is keen to discuss the state of the track with Leigh and the others.
Troy takes his first ride in heat 4 and misses most of the action. Behind him Chris Neath sheds a chain exiting turn 2 and then James Wight slows dramatically as he picks up a puncture on turn 3 of the first lap. With Batch hurtling off into the distance and David Howe looking around wondering where the other two riders are, James tries desperately to keep the flat back tyre on the rim as he makes his careful way round for a point. Behind me I can hear the excitable Nigel Pearson making comments about “how important that point might be come the end of the meeting.”
Troy’s not impressed with the track. His monosyllabic response to the question, “What’s it like out there?” cannot be repeated in polite circles.
Leigh blasts from the gate in heat 5. Kelvin, commentating, says, “He’s revelling in the diff …” Here he deftly avoids using the term “difficult”, replacing it with “heavy conditions.” As he completes his celebratory lap a loud cheer erupts from the terraces. Someone behind me mutters something about a “new track record.” Sam Ermolenko, standing next to me, and someone who should know a thing or two about the Monmore Green track, states confidently, “Nah, that wasn’t fast enough for a lap record.” Play it again Sam!
In the spirit of encouraging his troops, Leigh takes off his helmet and proclaims, “Come on boys, it’s just like riding Mildura.” Seb looks confused. “I’ve never been there.” Someone else calls out, “Oh f…. , is it that bumpy!”
Each time the riders approach the tapes we move forward to the small concrete wall. As they rev their engines a Sky cameraman climbs said wall and places his camera lens less than three feet from Rosco’s face. Karen is of the opinion that if said cameraman were to do the same to him she’d give him “what for!”
Before his next heat, someone shouts out, “Come on Sebbie, make the start; it’s easier that way.” Seb’s mood is lightened when he swoops by Hefenbrock on turns 1 and 2 in heat 8 but Theo is a forlorn character, sitting with his small team at the end of the pits, disconsolately gazing at his two bikes.
There is tension in the air as Batch and Kennett depart the track at the end of a hectic heat 9. Cameramen and Sky producers scurry round to the back of the pits to see if there is to be any “drama” but the situation is diffused quickly.
Behind the Sky studio the little man with the hydraulic controls has returned to his book and is clearly engrossed, so much so that he barely takes any cognisance of what is going on all around him.
Never more than 4 points behind, the Robins turn up the pressure in heats 11 to 13 before taking the lead in heat 14 care of a 4 – 2 from James and Trav. With Leigh and Batch out in the final a victory, and three precious points, are there for the taking.
Rosco and Wolves team manager Peter Adams are gathered up for the coin toss with the fragrant Sarra Elgan. While we all wait for the Sky feed to come back on after the obligatory advertisement break, Leigh and Troy discuss tactics, Gary Patchett fills in his programme and Richard and Chris are in earnest conversation on air about the Robins’ chances.
When Lindgren falls and the chasing Kennett lays down his bike the two Robins riders are already someway ahead and the referee awards the race to Swindon. It’s been a dramatic night of racing. Even the little man with the controls bestirs himself and stands to see what all the fuss is about.
While the two Robins prepare for a post match interview with Sarra, a delighted Terry Russell is interviewed live on air by Richard Crowley. As the parade truck takes the victorious Robins out on their lap of honour, Jim Lynch climbs up to the Sky studio to discuss the British Final and reveal his “picks” for the Team GB squad. And then the rain starts to fall.
The stadium empties quickly, the studio lights are switched off, the little man lowers the studio and the riders and mechanics quickly pack away. Steve Brandon is delighted and lets everyone know it. No delays and everything finished on time, and it’s been a good meeting.
I join up with Richard and Chris. As the rain gets heavier Chris plants a pair of headphones on my head and Richard informs me that the feed is available until 10pm and that they’ve got some time to fill. Part of that filling is an interview with me conducted partly in the open and then in the Wolves pit when the rain becomes too heavy. After I’ve blathered my way through some rambling answers we pack up and collect the ISDN equipment from a small office immediately above the referee’s box.
As we dash to the car, a young man thrusts a soggy leaflet into my hand extolling the relative virtues of a local fish and chip shop.
It is safe to say that our drive out of Wolverhampton is less dramatic than our arrival. On a stretch of dual carriageway we draw up alongside Wolves Promoter Chris Van Stratten’s car. He glances neither right nor left – clearly his journey home is going to much less enjoyable than ours.
Sitting in the front seat, Chris already has his lap top out and is preparing the match report for the web site and local news outlets. His touch typing skills are fully tested when the line of motorway lights cease. Richard is pleased – he’s got all of the interviews that he wanted. Job done!
Back in Swindon at 11.30pm we’ve had a great evening out. For the riders, their journey is only partially over – Tuesday is Swedish League and many will soon be back on the road heading for Stanstead airport and an early morning flight to Gothenburg.
It’s been a fascinating glimpse into the life of the Robins on the Road – thanks to Richard Crowley, Chris Seaward, Rosco and all of the riders for being so accommodating and helpful.
