Carl H

ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL Another full day at Odsal yesterday and I would like thank Jordan, Sue & Russell Cooper for travelling all the way from Cambridgeshire, Sophie BSCDA and Jonathan Abbott putting together what should be an interesting Podcast with news and insight into development. thanks also to Teams Fairhurst, Jagger, Thackra and Critchley who had the honours of being the first drivers on the Bradford shale since October 1997 and, to Ian Higgins for his help in getting a sample set of friends of Odsal banners up to get the visual effect. We were also delighted to welcome Commander Crosby and Ben, IF you haven't got a ticket for the F1 opener on 31st May, then you should really get your skates on - Sophie revealed to me an astonishing number of F1's booked already for 31st, close on 70. So, don't miss out! By the way, thanks to Sam for managing the HSE protocols required and race teams for their co-operation with this and Covid 19 requirements All will be revealed tomorrow! #THE WORK CONTINUES Photos courtesy Ian Bannister

https://stockcarmagazine.myshopify.com/collections/2021-stockcar-magazines

The Vision starts to become 'real' As work goes on, the dream becomes a reality and very visible now! With the refurb re paint 75% complete, turns 3/4 now underway after shot blasting and paint being applied. In the background work started on installing the brand new gates we really pushed for rather than refurbish rust and liveried up, the project is now moving to support buildings. The grass has just been manicured and the vision #starts' to live and breathe! But, don't underestimate we are still only about 60% through this project with an enormous amount of detail to complete. A design of evacuation stairways to the track in case of fire or terrorism have been CAD designed and prototype produced and tested on site last Friday and due to be inspected hopefully for approval next Tuesday so these may be manufactured. Eventually the pain barrier, stress, anticipation and vision might make it's way into my book if I live long enough - it's a rollercoaster - the longest one in the World that still has an alarming number of loops yet to navigate! We cannot underestimate what still must be done in 48 days! Much more to do, just 24 hours left to help via GoFund me - you can see the impressive South Stand on two floors and imagine a ring of friends of Odsal sponsor banners adding more colour - CONTACT Billy@flysigns to be part of the historic re birth as these are being snapped up quite quickly now as work progresses. And for one last time, you have until midnight tomorrow 31st to get your name on the Board and help us out at Odsal and Live the dream! WE HAVE SO MUCH ON OUR WISH LIST ACHIEVE SO, ONCE WE CLOSE THE FUND DOWN midnight on the 31st we can plan what MORE we can achieve with our added investment, so one last push! If you have already donated you can still help by sharing this post on your social media. All donations are appreciated no matter how large all small, but to have your name on the board it is a minimum £15. Lets all have one final push. Let's make the Friends of Odsal Board HUGE! To donate go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/odsal-stadium-go-paint-it or make a payment to Paypal higgi29@aol.com Phots courtesy Sam Critchley.

WORK GOES ON ~ODSAL LIVE THE DREAM! Monday 29th, week 12! The team are 'on site' The back straight terracing, now fully painted and 'Purple Wellies' on site power washing - The boxes on the back will be demolished and new crowd barriers installed, this should have happened last week however, there were decommissioning issues power wise [ now resolved ] and an asbestos report pre demolition required [ now done ] so will be re arranged in the next couple of weeks. Karl's team are well into the Rooley end terracing, all shot blasted and started painting the upright's black, work due to start in around 2 weeks n the 'steps' What is most impressive and provides a great 'vision' of how it will look, is the fence painting - you really get the picture! AND - JUST 2 DAYS LEFT! WE HAVE SO MUCH ON OUR WISH LIST ACHIEVE SO, ONCE WE CLOSE THE FUND DOWN midnight on the 31st we can plan what MORE we can achieve with our added investment, so one last push! If you have already donated you can still help by sharing this post on your social media. All donations are appreciated no matter how large all small, but to have your name on the board it is a minimum £15. Lets all have one final push. Let's make the Friends of Odsal Board HUGE! To donate go to gf.me/u/zjg6i8 or make a payment to Paypal higgi29@aol.com

Re-done the Champions section and spread it out over multiple pages, as it was getting a bit unwieldy. Current championships (except The Chase, as it's not finished yet) available from the menu, plus there's now some new sections. Former Championships Regional Championships Overseas Championships Also added the Trophies menu of trophies awarded over the years. Big thanks to Barry Tempest, Paul Jenkins, Chris Whiting, and David Whiting for their input with these.

Results : Coventry, 18th August 1954 Photos of Steve Lewin, Billy Dignan, George Dignan, Derek Fairhurst, Marshall Winkley, Ian Ireland, Mel Bassey, Frank Handyside, John Rogers, Ken Dignan, Gerald Dignan, Barry Cousins, Ted Dignan, Wayne Handley, Andy Smith, Richard Mason, Geoff Turland, Rob Scriven, Pete Hamer, Pete Hodgson, Brian Dignan, Frank Dignan

For fans of Oval Racing, Rugby and Speedway to help offset the cost of re-painting the iconic Odsal Stadium Bradford, prior to its Grand Re-Opening in 2021. This fundraiser is to help with the cost of paint and other materials needed to help bring the Stadium back to life. We have the Volunteers, we now need the materials. Odsal is the North's most Iconic Stadium for Stockcar Racing, Rugby League and Speedway. With help from the fans and supporters of all sports it is our aim to make it the Wembley of the North. A massive investment has been made by Startrax Oval Motorsport Limited in installing a new fence and re-laying a shale track so racing can return. Unfortunatly the rest of the stadium is looking a little tired and we want it to sparkle when COVID restrictions are lifted and the stadium can return to hosting Stockcars and Rugby along with many other types of events. The re-opening of Odsal will be a massive boost to the local economy and community. Lets make the Old Girl shine once again and be made to feel proud that we have all contributed. https://uk.gofundme.com/f/odsal-stadium-go-paint-it/

On Saturday 19th March 1955, the third and final meeting took place at Fallowfield Stadium in Manchester. It opened in May 1892 as home to the Manchester Wheelers Cycling Club, and featured a 509 yard concrete velodrome with 30 degree banking, built around an athletics ground and a football/rugby pitch. The stadium was the venue for the 1893 FA Cup Final, and the 1899 and 1900 Rugby League Challenge Cup Finals, plus major cycling events in 1919 and 1934. For this meeting, the perimeter of the sports ground was used as the track, with the concrete velodrome used as a run-off area in place of a fence. It is not clear if this was the case for the 1954 meetings, or if the stock cars ran on the velodrome. This detail is of some historical significance, because if the stock car racing was on the concrete then it would make Fallowfield the first hard surfaced track. The first race was Stretford vs Manchester, with Norman Sutton taking the win for Manchester and Bob Schofield of Stretford the runner-up. Schofield was a prolific traveller and race winner in the inaugural 1954 season. He peaked in August, when he won finals at Wigan on Monday 2nd, Yarmouth on Tuesday 3rd, and Motherwell on Friday 6th. Sutton also won Heat 1. The result of the second heat isn't known. Ray Walster took the final, his only known main event win in his two year career, with Schofield runner up. Fallowfield Stadium - The remains of the concrete track can be seen around the pitch in this photo of a football match in 1985.

GETTING READY TO RUMBLE! ODSAL'S IS COMING! Hard work has gone in and considerable co-operation between BriSCA and BSCDA and within days the 2021 BriSCA F1 calendar should be announced, it's getting real! Startrax are also now finalising our plans for Sheffield and Odsal, it has obviously been a 'sit back and wait' for a number of months until we got a roadmap forward. 'The Boys are Back in Town' for the first time since 1997 - BriSCA F1 Stock Cars with 7 races including Dash for the Cash and 3 races planned for National Ministox - a great 10 race slick show to welcome the 'Thunder back' to Odsal on Monday 31st May. TICKETS ARE CURRENTLY SOLD OUT since 1st January - However, should we be able to release further, we will announce this next month and plan to be available online only from 5th April - more details to follow. It's getting VERY real!

This meeting has been postponed. New date TBA.

Updates since last week. Additional information on John Hayden, Ken Kirk, Bob Reeve, Allan Roe, Mike Garner, Sid Hipperson. Photos from 1981 of Allen Eccles, Brian Tuplin, Jimi Smith, Ian Smith, Gaz Bott, Mark Carrington, Pete Roberts, Terry Davies, Ken Longmore, Mark Pettit, Dave Hodgson, Andy Calladine, Mark Teale, Mike Sharman, Barrie Burton, Pete Morton. Photo of Dick Beaumont in the fence at Northampton in 1956. Photos of Ray Hamstead, Stan Cole, Dave Walker, Brian Linley, Terry Cooper, Mal Brown, Wayne Handley , Nigel Whorton, Ian Bott, Chris Brocksopp. Information added for Sid Hipperson, Fred Butterworth, Mike Garner, Bob Reeve, Jerzy Wojtowicz, Allan Roe, Ken Kirk, John Hayden, Jim Cushine.

Thursday Update Sorry not last night, but did not get back from Odsal until late! Steady progress is being made, indeed what ironically has been a frustration is that 'laying' the track has been going so well with odd breaks due to wet weather that we cannot get material delivered fast enough! In the plan, 4/5 wagons a day were felt 'optimum' but due to the efficiency of Andy, Nigel Land and the Newton family its going down as fast as it's tipped and then have to wait - in some respects a good problem and you cannot just 'plug' in extra haulage as you have tacho, driver hours etc and each round trip is about four hours however last load yesterday was around 6.pm and two / three loads have arrived this morning with more due so optimism is that we will be down to the 'players' tunnel by end of play tomorrow which will be 60% of the track, as we stand now around 50% is 'laid', our target currently is for this phase to be finished by 25th after which we will have a pause until we get a window of decent weather in the next few weeks to add 'top' material and then start routinely grading it. We had a productive meeting yesterday with the RFL and Bulls, with 43 days left before the planned opener and a real focus on what has to be done stadium wise. Our passion is to improve the stadium to the best of our ability and that has to be managed in conjunction with the landlords who are investing also. Our original definition for what we have to do and budgeted for [ and spent ] was to install a fence and a racetrack - that's done and budget [ and more spent ] . Together, we have for some weeks been working on how we can try and finance overall improvements - We have tried to assist where we can with support from our community going above our remit, in terms of 'friends' helping defray costs for the benefit of the stadium in many areas, we undertook helping the RFL in organising the necessary stress testing of the barriers, a requirement for the safety certificate and thanks to support from Graeme Robson a Civil Engineering firm has been in for the last three days undertaking that work. Pride and passion for getting the job right has seen us pushing with our colleagues / landlord to get more done and help, where we have no budget. We have agreed a contribution for example to replace with 6 brand new Emergency gates on Rooley Avenue - repair only sticky plasters them for a year or so, we want if we can, to do it right, so we are investing more there. Painting the place, technically not within our own remit, not either 'essential' but pride and passion from our side is pushing for the extra mile. The Bulls are engaged with the same vision. To go that extra mile in 'like too' projects means compromise and to get it done, chipping in - Shot blasting barriers to prepare for painting, quotes received thus far £12k and £9k and we have another quote coming in Monday - to get that done, we will have to contribute [ we could just sit back and leave these things, but WE want it right ] . Working with Ian, we are in discussions with various major paint suppliers for 'a deal' and hopefully, Monday /Tuesday we will be able to have commitment and cost there. Landscaping, we have managed to square that circle for the benefit of all with kind support from Goodison Landscapes - Richard Baldwin has been helping in support of things such as diesel and other things. Jack France and his boss have been a huge support with work/materials at cost - so, in short to get the job done and look right, we have gone or trying to, beyond our remit for everyones benefit. Our resource is almost exhausted but, by bulling together and the continued support in areas we can go further. Ian suggested the idea of GO PAINT donations, and almost £2k has been raised - we estimate - and it is an estimate, that shot blasting / repaint / materials will be iro £20k - we see it as an essential, reality a nice too, we have no budget for this and it's the right thing to do, and with your support we can get this done. The RFL investment is basics is significant, £50k alone for floodlight repparartions, various other essential repairs and renewals will be a six figure sum therefore we have got involved in trying to drive some of the non essentials [ but appearance and feel good we feel essential ] to speed up the process to open with some pride. The Bulls also have their own huge commitment in getting their team and facilities ready to return when crowds return so what we want to achieve is in all our interests. I had a length phone chat with Mr Nigel Wood this morning and comforted again that as both sports 'we are welded together' at the hip and in this for the long term. The 'new' Bulls are working hard on their own infrastructure to ensure long term viability and plans for which they have shared their vision that has encouraged me - and hopefully should encourage Bulls fans as time moves forward, they have a huge task in rebuilding Odsal as a viable RL enterprise with the baggage of previous franchise holders to manage - and they should get support setting out their own agenda for long term development and for the Bulls to thrive. One point I cannot over stress, how the scale and size of this project has unfolded, had we known it in October 2019, tumbleweed would still be blowing down the terraces! What was straightforward as in life, has not been and it's like unpeeling an onion, it has to be done - However, the motivation v risk has been driven by the support expressed for this to work, and where we can, we are trying - so we appreciate and value all who have supported us thus far and ALL contributions, will be going into the stadium by necessity. Thank you and we will continue to update ever £5 upwards buys some paint or contributes Steve & Jackie #ODSAL IS HAPPENING

Photos of Phil Hare, Michael Ives, Brian Henton, Barry Heath, Graham France, Dave Berresford, Pete Cox, Roger Green, Trevor Butterworth, Peter Falding, Paul Harrison, John Lawn, Bill Aldred, Wayne Handley, George Wilkins, Chris Bimmell, Mike James, Danny Clarke, Steve Bates, Mike Sherwood, Nigel Wilkinson. Photo sequence of Mick Noden losing his back axle at Oxford, September 1975.

Friday Update! Since the fence was completed and finished several days ago, the first time we have really been able to have a good look was this week as the snow has gone and boy, is it fantastic! With the track prepared, we could have run on it this week! Whilst we have had a 'break' in activity to prepare and plan - moving forward as the rebirth of Odsal gains pace moving into next month, there has been a huge raft of documentation to complete under CDM - Management of a construction site, designs,method statements, site management and considerably more as understandably we must work within the law - and be safe, particularly as more contractors become involved. A huge debt of thanks to Sam who has helped with the bulk being his expertise and skill area and Andy. We have continued apace with 2 full day progress meetings with the Bulls and RFL looking ahead to what needs doing - and there is a lot! We have already reached agreement with Paul Goodison of Goodison Landscapes re the extensive areas around the stadium, we are still negotiating with different paint suppliers and contractors trying to get a deal - my budget is already blown with extras, we have been having quotations for shot blasting steelwork to have a better finished product - and the range from £9500 - £12000 before we start painting! The dimensions and scale of this project is not for the feint hearted. The volume of paint required is considerable and it's just not quite so easy for this to be a volunteers job, we really could do with help from painting industry professionals - please e-mail me [ stevenrees01@btinternet.com] . We can do the minimum but our heart and passion says we want to make the old girl shiny, but to achieve it we will need some professional help. At this juncture, it would only be right to thank Frank, Karl and JJ for the excellent craftsmanship in the fence, Pete Falding advice wise in pre planning, Scott Newton [ whom I would highly recommend ] Graeme Robson, absolute genuine mentor, Frank & Danny and Guy Parker. Richard Baldwin has helped and been a mentor and aided in procurement and budding potential new F1 star Jack France and his boss for invaluable assistance and will be working with us ongoing on terracing and other work - Without the team of support, it would have been really uphill! Then there is Ollie Ives and Miles, our tractor man - and anyone else I have not mentioned including Ian Higgins who has imparted wisdom and knowledge and support. We are trying to raise as much as we can to try and fund 'extras' - THANK YOU to all those in 7 days indulged in the bonus ball, we may do another to help fund 'paint' etc, every penny is going back into making it brighter and better. But, over the next several weeks, professional help would be welcome as we will struggle volunteer wise with Covid 19 - and we want the place to reboot looking great. It has been non stop in the office, 12 hour days without visits to Odsal, we are trying to find 'sponsors' to defray the significant cost to just operate Odsal - we will be putting more energy into the signage - and thanks to those who have supported it thus far, lot of work to go and still quite a few left! Please, again contact us - it all helps. Our next phase, now planned, is laying the magical carpet of shale and here Andy Meredith, top track curator aided by Nigel Land [ thanks Nigel ] and, some plant due in from Scott Newton, weather permitting, the shale track will be laid hopefully in the next 21 days. We have to procure 'light's' around the track [ safety ] and are looking for hi vis LED, anyone like to help sponsor and install, again, please get in touch. #MAKE ODSAL HAPPEN - is now #ODSALREBORN and, progress with the Bulls return gathers pace. Lot's to do, but thought would provide a brief update as to where we are and what we still need support for. We aim to be ready for April 3rd and the more help we can get - the better we can make the stadium look. Thank You

Latest updates..... 1980s White Tops photos... Allan Sheppard, Tony Winfield, Tim Warwick, Alan Warriner, Dean Harper, Steve Williams. Photos of Brian Powles, Stuart Young, Graham Blundell, Andy Maynard, Steve Bateman, Peter Casanove, Ray Leigh, Andy Shaw, Paul Scothern, Lionel Shaw, Peter Falding, Stuart Dawson, Craig Howarth, Roger Hollingshead, Ian Bell, Ian Platts, Melvyn Chaplain.

Coventry, October 1966. From Keith's personal collection. Very sad news indeed. My thoughts are with all those that he leaves behind.

Photos of Graham Blundell, Nigel Dawson, Andy Webb, Gary Walker, Matt Bennett, Al Bateman, Richard Knight, Dave Mellor, Kev Smith, Mike James, Mark Wareham, Alan Gott, Len Wolfenden, Mark Holt, Newly discovered drivers in a 1954 Hanley programme - H4 Eric Ash, H6 M Keating, H7 J Whittred

Steve Botham photos from Sheffield 3rd August 1986 and Aycliffe 22nd March 1987. Photos of overseas drivers Wout Lentjens, Wiel Nieling, Frits Fluttert, Herman Hochstenbach, Wally Prescott, Phil Libby

Startrax Stock Car Racing Work never stops at Odsal, Jack France and the team were on site yesterday repairing one of the drains and preparing the track for the shale arriving next week. The commitment and professionalism from all our friends helping the big build is second to non. We are proud of what we have achieved so far and we hope you are enjoying the updates. Keep liking and sharing our posts, there are many people in the Odsal surrounding areas who haven’t been racing since 1997 at Odsal and are excited to return! Keep the buzz building.

ODSAL UPDATE Friday - Day 25 - reaching an end to this phase - Back welding and Frank and Danny affixing now the top ropes and then all plant is off hire and, no rest for the wicked, a new team starts tomorrow! I am sure FWJ and JJ will be glad to get back to Bensons' and FWS & Danny moving Caravans [ sij ] It's been a log but efficient haul and despite my pockets emptied by a significant five figure sum the end result of the infrastructure is very satisfying - even if Mrs Rees bemoans we could have bought a 'Place in The Sun' rather than a 'pile of scrap' - women! But without her support I could not have done this! Jack France is another 'hero' - the great part about 'bringing Odsal back' is the enthusiasm and names from the past, almost gone from the sport and returning! Huge driver interest both F1 and F2 from yesteryear and now. Tomorrow Jack is in and we start essential track repairs, concreting, elevating turn 3/4 on the outside to restore the camber and concreting the new pit gate post installed to complete that - next week will see this work completed, a drain that is not functioning properly to dig up and repair before shale laid, with the first of the red stuff due a week tomorrow. I have to thank lifelong friend Frank Senior and Danny, dependable and loyal and appreciated making this a family affair. Whilst the trackwork is the next phase, we turn our eyes next to the stadium refurb, cleaning, weeding, painting - we had someone in from a major company today to have a look at materials and will await feedback on that, plans are coming together for landscaping, the RFL have well in hand a complete refurb of the floodlights which will be spectacular, Pete who works for the RFL is an absolute 'diamond' and the RFL and ourselves are well advanced in working out a more modern system for lifting and laying the corners, more befitting 2021 than 1921 lol. A lot to do, but we have a fence, we have the original track unmasked an by the end of February, it will start to look the part from a racing perspective. The focus, and we have another major progress meeting this coming tuesday at Odsal, is the stadium refurb, who is doing what as we get into February and, as and when Covid 19 permits, we can welcome volunteers in to 'help' with the restoration, weeding, painting as it is our passion for the old girl to look like she has had a facelift to welcome people in after a sombre 20 years - More to follow!

LAST BRICK IN THE WALL - Odsal update Having witnessed the first piece of plate going in place, whilst at Odsal yesterday, the team affixed the final piece, 22 days from start of the project to virtual completion and the structure is now in place with a couple of days back welding behind the plate, putting into place the remaining 'top rope' to end this first phase within just one month. Yesterday pm was spent in a 'long meeting' with the RFL and the BULL as we move into February and March into rebooting the stadium itself and evolving the work plan, who does what and when and will now be the subject of weekly progress meetings to get tasks completed in readiness for April 21 - A lot of work to be planned and executed. Our next phase starts next week as we move on to preparing and making good the track for subsequently laying shale from 6th February - The next few days will be spent finalising all that and requirements and equipment required. Samples of the shale are on site and seems to meet with approval as to it's efficacy which is pleasing, a lot of time has been spent in ensuring as much as we can that the mix of the delivered product is correct. We are later this week moving forward into procuring paint and from whom, looking for as much support as we can get in this area and we are having discussions with a major Paint manufacturer on site at the end of the week to progress this and enable us to firm up how and when we will get onto this part of the project. So today, we have a fence in place, there is an oval with the corners 'lifted' which illustrates and puts to bed 'myths; against reality, the track is identical in size and shape to when it last run in 1997! The installation of the shale track, a difficult decision as to whether to be tarmac or shale, has been made, we firmly believe shale for our oval racing delivers a better driver and customer experience than a hard surface, but comes with ongoing greatly elevated maintenance cost particularly when comparing the costs of top coating tarmac to shale, there is very little difference in costs BUT huge savings to be made in maintenance. However we believe it will deliver as a loose surface, a better experience. It also leaves a door open for speedway if and when anyone expresses interest to discuss however as far as 2021 is concerned it will be exclusively 'stock car racing' and see what may or may not open up as the year progresses. We have completed a draft fixture programme for Odsal however it may be 14 days approximately before we are able to communicate our plans until we have visibility of Bulls fixtures which are delayed a short period due to the pandemic - Whilst 60% of dates we submitted originally look defined, others we may have to move a week either way when we know the final Bulls calendar working around when they are home / away - but not too long I do not feel before we can issue - and as it stands the draft list is shaping up to be attractive. With regards the next phase in terms of the track, whilst there will a degree of weather that will play it's part, we hope that we will have the track laid by early March going us then a few weeks to settle down and do more work on it in readiness for the 'planned' opening date which may - or may not be April 3rd and something we will not know fully until we gain more clarity later next month as to how the government propose to being easing restrictions. Our mantra has been 'to be ready' and hit our readiness to open as scheduled. The rest is beyond our control, but to ensure we are all safe, if it has to be delayed, then we cannot influence that and work with it, too early to even predict - however we have certainty IT will open with a crowd in 2021 and, we will be ready. Ian is keeping a build portfolio of photos and will be 'on the gate' as the first machinery and shale arrives on site and within weeks now from our perspective we will be able to demonstrate that the dream to 'return' has taken another step into reality once the infrastructure, fence and track is laid - All we need to go stock car racing and the remainder of the project in rebooting the stadium will evolve around us in an orderly manner. Keep the faith and keep safe

Photos of Keith Riley, Mick Cowell, , Nigel Fairclough, , Keith Riley, Rob Thorpe, Gerald Taylor, Pete Hodgson. Photos of Pete Doran, Malc Neachell, Pete Bashford, Jamie Davidson, Jim Sanders, Steve Stretton, Roy Page, Colin Hayward, Gordon Perrin, Mark Cooper, Dave Evans, Ken Wyatt, George Crabtree. Updated results from Northampton 16th September 1979

3 WEEKS COMPLETED SO FAR As we move into the second part of the weekend the race is on as the team enter the last bend of the project and on schedule for the ring of steel to be completed from start to finish in 21 days - despite intervening weather and sub zero temperatures - there remains quite a lot of 'finishing off and detail' and top rope to be affixed and follow up projects along the front straight / grandstand to be engineered in the coming weeks. However, the phase is almost complete. Whilst the job has moved on well, don't underestimate that the team, FWJ, JJ, Karl,Graeme, FWS,Danny ,Guy and Scott plus others who have contributed, Miles - gritting, Jack France and Ollie Ives [ lifting the corners ], Dave Massey plus Richard Baldwin who has been running around for us - there have had to be innovative solutions to solve problems as they arise and expected in such a project. But we are now in touching distance. Given that the original plan was to commence on 25th January, due to initially Scott being able to move forward, it enable the project to start on the 4th ahead of the plan. The team will leave site this week and we have a steady ten days to follow as we plan and execute the track repairs and preparations before the shale is laid. As an example, the outer edges of turn 3/4 have to be raised around 300mm to restore the camber as this was 'flattened' when the South stand was built - other areas where the team dug outs were installed and have seen the concrete 'dug out' and along with other uneven areas, these have to be repaired,restored and levelled before we lay the shale which samples on site show looks a very good quality. Then, the next phase of activity will be the laying of the track, planned to start in earnest after the preparatory work and with over 1500 tonnes of shale to be delivered to site, this has to be planned and work within weather windows. At some point over the next 10 days we will also be looking at servicing and cleaning the drainage system before track laying commences. This coming tuesday we have a joint detailed planning meeting as we draw together into a masterplan the huge amount of work around the stadium planned to get underway in earnest next month - this is considerable, if you like, thus far, we have progressed well with the 'build' bit however there now is a myriad of projects to resolve from floodlighting down to aesthetics to make the old girl fit to allow fans back in - and the action to return.

Startrax Stock Car Racing As promised, our regular update to at least let you see progress as,again, we cannot allow visitors on site with it being a construction site and of course Covid 19 restrictions - This way we can update you without trying to sneak in! Ian Bannister is keeping an archive for the future of how the project develops. There will be an end of week blog / review in the next 24 hours!