PROMOTER Matt Ford insists Pirates are doing everything in their power to address riders’ concerns over the Wimborne Road track.

Riders from both Poole and King’s Lynn were understood to have issues with certain areas of the track during Monday’s Elite League meeting at the venue.

The condition of the start line is known to be a bug-bear with some Pirates riders, while an area on the first bend has also come under scrutiny.

With the clash against the Stars televised live on Sky Sports, some speedway supporters also took to the Internet to criticise the surface.

Ford told the Daily Echo: “We made an immense number of changes at the start of the season by taking a lot of product off the track because the riders were finding it hard to race as it was too grippy.

“We had a meeting to mark Chris Holder’s return as world champion in October and, when Chris Harris came out and tried to turn the wheel, he couldn’t. That was down to the fact the track was too grippy and there was too much clay in it.

“Out of season, we made huge changes to adjust that and to make it more raceable. Unfortunately, certain parts of the track are fairly low.

“The riders are more concerned about the start line and said it was too slushy for them on Monday. They said there wasn’t enough bite so we are making sure we put that right before our next meeting on June 12.”

Poole chief Ford, who watched new-look Pirates claim a hard-fought victory over rivals King’s Lynn Stars, added: “Over the winter, we made a five-figure investment in the track to try to put things right.

“The real problem stems from when the track was first laid. That is what is causing this constant issue with a problem on bend one where, whatever we seem to do, we always seem to have a bump.

“It is down to the camber of the track, how it was laid and the base.

“It is a continual problem. The rest of it, we feel we can put right. We will have two men working on it before the next meeting so it will be put right.

“Riders’ safety is always the most important thing but I don’t think the track was causing them problems in that way on Monday and they weren’t saying the track was unsafe.

“The Poole riders would prefer the start line to be prepared in a different way so we are trying to adjust that.

“We have a number of different riders this year and every rider wants something prepared a little differently.

“We are making adjustments to the track.

“As a footnote, Swindon boss Alun Rossiter came into my office after the meeting and said his riders had asked for their track to be prepared exactly as ours is prepared. That is the crazy thing.”