Scracha - W(h)anganui whine

[scracha]

I'll no doubt get bollocks loads of abuse for this so bite me.

W(h)anganui
Upon arriving there on Christmas day, I was gobsmacked that there wasn't a single signpost to the pits.

Upon arriving there on Boxing day, I was gobsmacked that there wasn't a single signpost to tell us how to get back into the bloody track as they'd closed most of the circuit. Navman no good when they close roads. Much swearing like a trooper and driving over kerb hilarity ensued.

Practise and race-wise, I was totally pants and target fixating on trees, lamp-posts, bumps and kerbs. Didn't crash or come last (just) but I'm man enough to admit that I was totally useless. Didn't enjoy W(h)angas at all.

My pants riding can (maybe ) be fixed by I was more pissed off about there being:-

• No signage.
• No water.
• No electricity.
• No rubbish bins.
• No indication where to pit, park or get fuel (for some reason the BP about 50m from the pit area was closed...stupid stupid stupid).
• No pit passes meant riders and support had trouble getting back into pits after going out to get food/fuel.
• A pit area just too small for 250 riders.
• A scrutineers shed up a slope (why the hell couldn't the scruts come to us instead of pushing bike, paperwork and gear up the slope?).
• Inconsistent rider call outs (sometimes 5m, sometimes 15, PA system squalking "park in the shade and be ready to go".....err yeah mate...I'm gonna ride a street circuit on cold slicks).
• No race program.
• Massive amounts of previous entrants in the "virgin" practise.
• Massive gaps between classes.
• That I wasn't allowed to practise with F1 but top F1 guys were able to burgle the 600 practise (I guess it's who you know).
• That superpole took a huge amount of time even though things were running massively late.
• That each class had 2 x 4 lap practise sessions for some reason which wasted more time.
• There were basically just far too many classes for the allocated time.

By lunchtime the crowd were restless and considering the history/hype/media I thought it embarrassingly amateur. The >100 volunteers (who's efforts were appreciated despite my whining) who put in a lot of hard work were let down by the organisers.

Majority of bikes were scrutineered and pits setup on Christmas day & everyone had to be at track before 7am boxing day yet somehow the 1st 600 race wasn't until about 2.45pm and it was reduced to 6 laps. By the time I got out, I was too angry to focus properly and had basically forgotten the track layout (it had been hours since the short 600 practise). Regardless, I kinda enjoyed the scary as fuck crowded start and dicing with Chris Fry for the whole race as he'd obviously also forgotten the track layout.

Worst run event I've been to since I started racing 3 years ago. Put it this way, I'm a tight Scotsman and I left before the second 600 race.

Waste of time and money. Pissed off as I'd so been looking forward to this event for weeks and weeks.

[Mumbles]

Harden up man! you didnt crash

[gatch]

SOme fair points in there..

From a spectator POV though I had a great day, not worried at all that the program went over time, just that the program was messed around, and that some names were missed out in the booklet..

[boman]

I agree, from a spectators point of view, there were no where near enough rubbish bins. Things were dragged out later and later, and the races got shorter. Last years racing seemed to be better organised and better to watch. Hopefully next year will be better.

[BIG DOUG]

will I"ve been going to wanganui for 40 years in a row,the number of crashes seems to go up every year and this slows things down but believe me it has got better over those years, and when I raced sidecars there the furtherest thing from my mind was looking at the trees and lamp-posts,kerbs yes but the rest no as for water couldn't you take some and a rubbish bag as well ?

[scracha]

The crashes weren't the reason for the majority of the delays. Yes, the rubbish bins and water is being picky but fuck, it's in the middle of a reasonably large town. I wasn't talking about drinking water either. I expected more.

[Clivoris]

RESPECT for giving it a lunge mate. I wondered whqat happened to you in the second race. I've been going as a spectator for a couple years now and they definitely seemed to waste/lose a bit of time this year. Heres hoping the Superpole experiment is never repeated.

[Kickaha]

I've been the last 5-6 years, from a competitors point of view this year was the worst ever for delays, we weren't on the track for our first race until nearly 2pm

Make sure you email the organisers with what you've said

[sunhuntin]

dad went down to watch and he was home by about 3pm cos he got pissed off with the delays. a waste of $30 was the first thing he said, considering taupo is only $10.
i went down last year and enjoyed it, but i agree on the lack of bins. the opening of the gates every few laps doesnt help with keeping the program on time either. with the overpass they put in, the gates should be kept closed.

on boxing day, the bp is closed for fuel, but not for food or fluids. i dont know why they dont allow racers to get fuel and i never actually thought about it before.

[tri boy]

Bring back Barb

[Kickaha]

Oh yeah I forgot, fuck superpole it's nothing but time wasting bullshit and from the people I spoke to adds nothing to the event

[nz_rider]

Good write up mate. After reading that I am pleased that I didn't head down for the racing. Sounds like a bit of a mess of a day.
Hopefully the organisers take heed of the feedback that they recieve and work on making it better for years to come.

[limbimtimwim]

I wondered whqat happened to you in the second race.

He was actually in the dunny having a having a nervous number 2 and missed it.

[Clivoris]

He was actually in the dunny having a having a nervous number 2 and missed it.

Mr Chappell wont be impressed that he was using the Step Up WC.

[davebullet]

I've only been to one other - the 2006 and I agree with your comments. Things were slow to start, chopping laps later to claw it back I'm sure didn't do the riders any favours. Ok if you are on pole.... but is 6 laps really enough to make progress through a field?

I thought the pits in 2006 was better setup for riders / crew.

I do appreciate how the spectators can walk through the pits. It's great to get up close and personal with the racers, thumbs up and wish them luck.

I thought the programme was a good price ($5). Food is usually a bit of a ripoff at these things but at least you can bring your own food and water.

All in all, I'd go again. I enjoyed it.

Superpole was interesting. It's nice to just focus on one fast machine at a time and see how quick the guys can cane it without worrying about traffic. It was amazing seeing rubber being laid down right around the track - Mr. Shiriffs in particular. I saw him come off too. Glad he got back on and the Stroud / Shiriffs Robert Holden feature race duel was great racing. (Thanks guys!)

I was surprised Dave H rode without a helmet. But it was good to see him in the flesh on plastic fantastic.

The best part was the local Triumph / Ulysses (?) crew with their $10 park-up. Very well organised and made it a very enjoyableday not having to cart your shit around.

The only downer was getting soggy on the way home from Fielding yesterday (leathers and summer gloves - oooops!)