Well, Owlerton completed it's final weekend of the 2009 calendar and finished on a high note - certainly as a stock car fan I have not seen better racing anywhere - fast,brutal and competitive!

We welcome and actively encourage feedback and I add my own critique internally and have read the various forums which are ecnouraging - and you acknowledge the points that are put forward in a constructive manner.

Sunday - we felt doomed! Having attended Scunthorpe the evening prior within an hour driving home I had received two text cancellations and one phone call and dreaded that Sheffield would bring more gloom but, far from it a healthy 36 F1's eventually arrived.

It does seem that circumstance conspires against Sheffield - this time citywide grid locked caused by `helpful' roadworks on both main arterial roads into the city which forced us, in the interest of drivers and fans to delay start time by 30 minutes.

However, the racing was excellent but to answer a few points.

Firstly, we had to at the last minute amend the BriSCA Supreme to the Meeting Final rather than Heat 1 for technical reasons to do with the Shoot Out - for that we apologise. We did not have our normal staff in the box so perhaps it could have been conveyed better.
Secondly, we had programmed a five race programme for F2's - which is what we did actually run. However we had 41 cars in the pits and 30 gridded for the WoS which sort of decimated ideas for two heats and made a 2/3rds format unworkable so we went with the WoS as first race followed by a 2/3rds format and figured that the best format - still 5 races and good grids of cars - rather than a 12 car GN as the drivers would have been well serviced. Well done Mr Turricki on a superb Final drive.

I have read comments re the fence, some points are fair - more are fabrication to be blunt.

The meeting suffered a lot of yellow flags - Having myself gone to hospital - twice - after shunts on turn 1, Sheffield is probably the fastest track in the calendar and most challenging width wise. Virtually every stoppage was valid, cars across the track - only one was because a driver requested assistance and then drove off - no naming and shaming however.
The pace was very fast - safety has to be paramount.
Whilst the fence crew were busying themselves, 90% was between races keepng it tensioned etc - We had a SERIOUS one on turn one where the impacy had demolished the post half,buckled the steel sleeve and the post would not go back in - It took 45 minutes to repair and had to be replaced for Monday evening - Credit should have been given to the fence team for their hard work.
Up until that point my calculations were there more fence repairs Saturday evebing - with 17,18 and 17 car heats than 19,24,18 and 25 car heats plus a 30 car F2 opener. Without this delay the meeting would have finished at around 5.45.pm rather than 6.20 ish. What time did the meeting several days earlier finish which also started at 1.30.pm and has an armco fence ?
Martin Ford is one of our sports best assetts, he cares and is professional and takes a pride. 2/3rds of the fence has been rebuilt - with just turn 1 and two to complete. How many fence problems were there on the other 2/3rds ? When 484 hit the front straight fence HARD - did it falter ?
Gull cfredit to Martin and the work is having the desired effect of bouncing cars off and this will be completed and enhanced for next year which will give drivers more confidence. More cars, more people! The cars have changed in 30 years, the style of racing has changed in 30 years, attitudes and expense has changed over 30 years however the track layout has not and cannot because of Speedway.
On days like Sunday, it is Sheffield at it's best!
We have a 5 year plan for the venue which as long as overall activities such as Banger racing can support it, we will not be beaten - it is one of the sports finest venues.
Sunday's crowd was just under 1600, next best to MayDay and very good although in a BIG stadium like Sheffield capable of holding 10,000 plus and licensed for around 8000, does not have the intamacy of for example Scunthorpe. It is also chalenged by running in daylight - and I personally hate afternoon meetings, it comes alive under lights which affects atmosphere.
Monday night's event was a success with just under 800 attending - whilst light on Bangers, not helped by the additional Belle Vue the night after - it produced a slickly run 13 race programme in under two and a half hours and good value for money for a crowd of whom probably 80% were locals - They have no preconceptions of the entertainment, seasoned fans have seen too much sometimes so are therefore not the right judge as to what is appropriate of new visitors. 14/15 Bangers spinning and crashing, Reliant Robins rolling etc is entertainment but doubtless much as a 13 car F1 race on a tuesday summer meeting at Skegness would be voted 4/10, the biggest amount of audience would love the noise and horsepower in the same way as our several modifieds have been received suring the Summer on the Esat Coast.
More key, it was profitable due to much of the costs being borne Sunday and for the future of F1 if that is the main love to all fans and drivers that has to be the key in keeping the sport alive at that venue.

A few have made comments about the previous banger event and the fracas at the end - let me tell you significant and ridiculous damage was done in the Ladies toilets in the Panorama Room Sunday by F1 followers which far exceeded two broken chairs in the previous fracas - attended by close on 6000 people!

We have a lot to learn when threads on stock car forums bemona stadiums and aspire to be in biger,better stadiums and crave for the `ideal' conditions that will bring new fans in - A pointless exercise when mindless F1 fans destroy that investment - why would a stadium owner want to allow the very sort in ? Food fof thought!

Belle Vue completed the rolling trio with a phenominal night of close on 50 grassers [ awesome ] nearly 40 Bangers and several Robins including Mickey Brennan. The huge crowd enjoyed the driver getting out of his upturned car - pushing it back over - strapping himself back in - and carrying on! ENTERTAINMENT!

To all race teams, all formulae and more importantly our own hard working staff a big thank you and we look forward to this Sundays big one - listen out for something of interest for fans regarding he 15/11