Birmingham CEO Nigel Tolley praised the attitude of speedway’s next generation following the abandonment of Wednesday’s British Under-19 Final.
A new date for the event is now being discussed after only four races were possible at Perry Barr, with rain moving in just before start-time and becoming progressively heavier.
Tolley said: “Fair play to the riders, with them all there and ready to go they were keen and eager to get out on track and crack on with the racing.
“Their attitude was spot on and there was a good percentage of them who were actually disappointed when the decision had been made to call it off.
“But it was definitely the correct decision because visibility wasn’t the best for the riders, it was pretty much gate and go because of the conditions meaning it wasn’t the spectacle it would’ve been for the supporters, and we also didn’t want to see any other riders get hurt from a meeting that was pushed along when it was visibly clear to everyone that a decision needed to be made.
“The rain got heavier and continued for a good couple of hours so we made the right call at the right time and everyone went home safely, and rider safety will always be paramount in my eyes.”
All 16 riders had one ride and in heat three Workington’s Luke Harrison led in Sam McGurk and Elliot Kelly. Ace Pijper fell in heat two but after just making the re-run with his second bike suffered mechanical problems and had to retire.
