VMCC - Rnd 6 change to Manfeild short track

[lukemillar]

Just read this on the VMCC website in case anyone is interested:

http://www.vicclub.co.nz/tiki-view_articles.php?type=Article


Due to safety concerns with the long track we are changing Round 6 to a short track meeting.

Sorry to those that like the long track.

[wharfy]

Just read this on the VMCC website in case anyone is interested:

http://www.vicclub.co.nz/tiki-view_articles.php?type=Article

I personally LIKE the long track but it has turned out to be more trouble than it is worth.

[Matt Bleck]

Stink!! :angry:

[cowboyz]

bummer! i wanted a crack at the long track in the dry! which it has to be for the next 2 rounds!

[lukemillar]

bummer! i wanted a crack at the long track in the dry! which it has to be for the next 2 rounds!

It is so gonna be wet now!

At the moment, PMCC are running round 1 of the Summer Series on the Long Track (see if they change it as well if safety is an issue) plus they have a practice on the day before, also the long track.

It's a meh from me. I was going skip round 6 anyway as I get married a week later and if I did anything to myself, my (soon to be) wife would kill me!

[cowboyz]

tsk. im up for the summer series me thinks but not sure if i can make it taupo

[discodan]

Excellent, my one and only lap record is safe!

It's a bit of a shame if it can't be used any more though, the short track is not very diverse...

But I have to say good on you Vic Club for making a decision. Too often these days, action is only taken after a serious incident has already happened

[Ivan]

it is trouble waiting to happen and is a good decision water does not flow off the circuit out there either that second corner was saturated in water and my 600 was aqua planing over it while I was trying to tip in and theres no room if you fall off your carrying so much speed out onto the first 2 bends.

Plus returning from the long to short track is very dodgy the air fence was there thanks to Shaun etc for pushing for it but even still the track safety drops big time!

Also if you want to be a future racer in New Zealand and compete at National level you have to realise that the Short track is the only circuit you need to know there Nats dont run on the long circuit

[CHOPPA]

Well that has cocked up my plans hahaha I wasnt gonna do the last round if it was on the long track so i made other plans hmmm

[Str8 Jacket]

Buggar, I like the long track.... But, I guess if there are safety issues then they had no other choice. Hoping like hell PMCC still race the long track!!!

[Kickaha]

Also if you want to be a future racer in New Zealand and compete at National level you have to realise that the Short track is the only circuit you need to know there Nats dont run on the long circuit

Most riders don't do the Nats so that reasoning isn't really relevant

Personally I always welcome a chance to try a track layout that isn't used very often

As the long circuit isn't used that often what are the chances of the safety issues being addressed so it can be used?

[Shaun]

Fantastic call be the Vic Club i think, and Manfield them selves should NEVER be allowed to hire it out in such an extremell yunsafe design as it is.

The Vic club spent a fortune on the 2 Aifr fense bags that were there for last long track round, but in hind sight, the 2 that were there, really were only mutton dressed up as sheep, there was a minumim of 4 required to even make it close to safe, not sure who it was that decided that 2 was enough, but they should go back to the drawing board on that one.

Again, thanks to the people that at least put in a Major effert form the Vic club to try and keep people safe.

Concrete walls belong on ROAD race tracks, Not closed tracks, take a look at the Air fences used in the USA for tracks like this.

[Shaun]

Most riders don't do the Nats so that reasoning isn't really relevant

Personally I always welcome a chance to try a track layout that isn't used very often

As the long circuit isn't used that often what are the chances of the safety issues being addressed so it can be used?


Have OSH ask Manfeild Promotions direct mate

[Marknz]

I understand the safety concerns, but :sick:! That was my fave part of the circuit.

[wharfy]

It is so gonna be wet now!

At the moment, PMCC are running round 1 of the Summer Series on the Long Track (see if they change it as well if safety is an issue) plus they have a practice on the day before, also the long track.

It's a meh from me. I was going skip round 6 anyway as I get married a week later and if I did anything to myself, my (soon to be) wife would kill me!

Good move - some things ARE more important than bike racing

[Shaun]

Good move - some things ARE more important than bike racing


-uck off they are, but SMASHED bones and destroyed 15+K bikes, are not fun nor neede d to have fun on race track

[coffeejunkie]

Like the saying goes.....You can please some of the people some of the time, Most of the people most of the time but never all of the people all of the time.....

Yes PMCC will most likley run long track but it's a SUMMER series & it's dryer......

VMCC run a WINTER series which means it's wet....

Big ups to VMCC for putting the safety of the racers first

[Skunk]

I'm hoping a cost effective solution can be found. The airfence wasn't really big enough and no other solution we came up with was acceptable. The cost to get enough of the wall covered would run to about (guessimate) $6000 and we don't even know if there is enough in the country we can use!

We are still working on it. There are so many racers that want to use the long track before it is separated permanently it's worth looking into. This decision was not taken lightly.

[Mental Trousers]

It's a meh from me. I was going skip round 6 anyway as I get married a week later and if I did anything to myself, my (soon to be) wife would kill me!
Good move - some things ARE more important than bike racing-uck off they are, but SMASHED bones and destroyed 15+K bikes, are not fun nor neede d to have fun on race track

Shaun you drop kick, he's talking about being healthy for the wedding.

[Shaun]

Shaun you drop kick, he's talking about being healthy for the wedding.

Haha, as I said mate:gob:

He know,s me well enough to know my style dude

I wish them well:yes:

[flame]

I think that's an excellent decision by VMCC. I know there were some concerns by riders at the last meeting. Thanks to all those involved for considering safety first. Now im looking forward to round 6 even more :)

[Deano]

I'm hoping a cost effective solution can be found. The airfence wasn't really big enough and no other solution we came up with was acceptable. The cost to get enough of the wall covered would run to about (guessimate) $6000 and we don't even know if there is enough in the country we can use!


How about the plastic bottles in bales that are used at Paeroa ? (And suitably tied down as well). Has advice been sought from OSH about it ?

I do enjoy the long track and would be disappointed if it was off the schedule for the foreseeable future.

[Shaun]

How about the plastic bottles in bales that are used at Paeroa ? (And suitably tied down as well). Has advice been sought from OSH about it ?

I do enjoy the long track and would be disappointed if it was off the schedule for the foreseeable future.


I personally would still say NOT safe enough

[steveyb]

How about the plastic bottles in bales that are used at Paeroa ? (And suitably tied down as well). Has advice been sought from OSH about it ?

I do enjoy the long track and would be disappointed if it was off the schedule for the foreseeable future.

They work really well in conjunction with straw bales behind them, but they suffer real problems:
1) Storage
2) Transport from storage to site and back
3) Person power to set out and you still need some strawbales which are also problematic
4) and the real kicker - Making them. I was in the original group that made the first ones at AMCC (yes, yes, my zimmer frame is polished and in good use). It is smelly, dirty (and a bit unsafe I guess), labour intensive work and takes hours and hours to get enough bales to make a difference.
They are an awesome, cost effective, kiwi ingenuity idea, but like all ideas, they have their own special problems.
They do work. I should know. I went straight in on the main street of Paeroa at 160-180 km/h in the first year of Paeroa after having my front wheel taken out by Yuki Mimbo. Some bruising to my back and that was all. And that only happened cos the organisers discussed putting straw bales behind the bottles in that place then decided it would not be necessary.
The bottle explosion looked excellent on the video.

[scracha]

I'm hoping a cost effective solution can be found. The airfence wasn't really big enough and no other solution we came up with was acceptable. The cost to get enough of the wall covered would run to about (guessimate) $6000 and we don't even know if there is enough in the country we can use!

We are still working on it. There are so many racers that want to use the long track before it is separated permanently it's worth looking into. This decision was not taken lightly.

How about 20 traffic cones and all the air fencing put at the end of ken smith straight? Leave gaps in cones in-case anyone overshoots, forgets (or gets squeezed out) and give a 20s penalty if this happens.
218320

Also, are there gonna be combined F1/F2 races for rounds 5 and 6 (to give em more races).

[wharfy]

How about 20 traffic cones and all the air fencing put at the end of ken smith straight? Leave gaps in cones in-case anyone overshoots, forgets (or gets squeezed out) and give a 20s penalty if this happens.
218320

Also, are there gonna be combined F1/F2 races for rounds 5 and 6 (to give em more races).

Hmmm..... I like that traffic cone idea