Sidecar racing shit talk thread

[ashracer]

Still awaiting a decent reply from Jim Tuckerman as he's dodging around the issue rather than addressing it and still using the Timaru truck meeting as an excuse[/QUOTE]
Hi Warwick, Ash here. (Chris and Richies mechanic.) As a non competitor i have been watching these threads from a distance, with 2000 views i think a lot of people are. I have been drawn into it now as Jim Tuckerman is blaming the Timaru Truck race meet for the low turn out at the nationals. (I think RC30 also said "its you guys fucked the nationals by going to the truck racing".
Well i was one of the guys who went and rode a sidecar that weekend, (Darrell Dowmans) also Burt was on the girls bike, richie lawrance having his 2nd ride,(Chris injured) Brian reid, Scrivvy & Bob, and about 5 of you south island guys. I hope you agree Warwic that meeting was done with nothing but the best of intentions to showcase sidecars to a new audience. How anyone can think otherwise i cant understand. It was the generosity of Leighton Minnell, Darrell Dowman and many others that allowed that event to happen. I was phoned on the thursday afternoon to see if i could ride a bike as two were being sent down with no riders after (I believe) Steve Bron pulled out of the event. I then booked a flight at a cost of $500 to fly to ChCh the next day and raced a sidecar that i had never sat on before, and I had NOT raced since 1996.I did this as my contribution to help the sport of sidecar racing. I cant see how this, or spyda travelling down to commentate, or Rat driving for about 4 days to get bikes down there has any influence on the nationals, and i find it offensive to have blame directed at me for damaging a sport that i have been directly & constantly involved in since 1986, both in NZ & UK.
We have to remember that at any one time there is only a few people in NZ wanting to race a sidecar. Yes there a lot more people capable of racing, those who have one in the shed for the last few years, or people like me, spike, spyda who are capable but choose not too. (For the safety of everyone else in my case!) So the 50 or so people out of 4 million Kiwis who want to race a sidecar next year really have to stick together for the best chance of the sport.

[sidecar bob]

Not man enough more likely



The South still has a reasonably active club scene with anything up to 7-9 meetings available for us to compete at, but if we get 6 outfits on the gird it's considered a good field although all going well that will change this year as there seems to be renewed interest down here

The North in moderns hasn't had a club scene for some time now and I think unless someone takes on the job of organising it is unlikely to



1987 is 23 years ago and ancient history
Interestingly, looking at mylaps, we can still kick your arse when we can be bothered after all that time too.
Like all classes it has changed, not everyone is happy with the change but that doesn't mean it is wrong, it just means it is different than what it used to be and it is unlikely to ever go back
Absolutely, thats why we got a classic, although its only 12 years older than our "modern"


I'm not so sure of the "huge scope" for F2 and sooner or later someone will bring in new LCR or DMR F2 bikes and the bitching about chequebook racers will start all over

Yup, some people cant stand losing

Possibly, but we crash less than you do
Training wheels will do that


The numbers really are there, a lot of them sitting unused in peoples shed, I rang a guy yesterday to see if he'd be interested in selling as the outfit hasn't been used for the last 5-6 years only got an answer phone and he hasn't returned the call so I guess it will sit there a while longer
Yep, whats with that?

Fixed that for you
It was actually a fine Aussie chap named Bill that i swung for in '92 that raised that comment, Munter is far to kind a term


The current organiser and especially the MNZ President seem less than interested in what the NZSRA (an affiliated club) and it's membership have to say, I think the NZSRA membership should be letting them know in no uncertain terms what they think and that we should lobby the NZSRA membership to Vote JT out at the next election, hopefully someone who will once again listen to what the membership want will stand against him
I wish we could fix that with him

Prize money was never an attraction for me and the money paid was lucky if it'd pay for your gas so unless it increased substantially I doubt it would be much of a carrot
Some people get their jollies over it & if you go ok it ticks up over a season
So you really mean you have no idea
I had no intention of making up a huge sweeping & un researched lie


Most of which seem to sit in peoples sheds for most of the year and come out for 1-2 meetings



20 sidecars but only 19 crews, don't forget two of them belonged to the Pirate, ask Rat how much exercise he got that season

If we'd needed to make up the numbers to get a start im sure Choppa wudda ridden it, & poor old rat, for the next two seasons i only recognised him when he was pushing a short bike. I was quite surprised how tall he was when i finally saw im stand up at the end of the season.

All but one may still exist but how many have been actively raced in the last year? probably 1/2

Also wasn't it that year entry fees were subsidised? and travel money was paid

In Chch area we have 8 either racing or in various states of disrepair/rebuild, in the North I would expect 2-3 times that number so I see no reason we couldn't have fields of 20+ if everyone was sufficiently motivated enough to attend, how we supply that motivation I have no idea

I think getting on the phone & giving these people some verbal encouragment may work better than an e mail that they read for two seconds

[Kickaha]

The very reason why I feel I should never convert over to a long bike. In all seriousness, I feel that all the short bike owners would cut the friggin things up for never again being competitive enough for the nationals. Maybe......... we should run a short bike cup in conjunction with the F1?????

Not a bad idea, not much different from the Tier 1/2 that was run a few years ago that seemed to work OK

Interestingly, looking at mylaps, we can still kick your arse when we can be bothered after all that time too.

Unless you're on the same track on the same day laptimes don't really count for that much

And THIS is without a doubt, the single best possible solution I've yet read in response to the issues thus far. The only issue would be someone would still import an LCR F2 to win a championship. If the rules could be written, that the existing "short chair" technology is legal without the big dollars being spent, and a seperate championship in the same series, I'm confident numbers would once again be boosted and more new blood introduced.

I'm not so sure it would increase the numbers and I still believe a decent short chair with a good crew would clean up most if not all of the long chairs, I don't see the long chairs as being that much better and I don't believe anyone in the country can ride a long chair as hard as they do in Europe

You only have to compare how quick Stacey was here against the locals to how he went in Superside and Abbots campaign in the land of OZ to see what I mean

Hi Warwick, Ash here. (Chris and Richies mechanic.) As a non competitor i have been watching these threads from a distance, with 2000 views i think a lot of people are. I have been drawn into it now as Jim Tuckerman is blaming the Timaru Truck race meet for the low turn out at the nationals. (I think RC30 also said "its you guys fucked the nationals by going to the truck racing".

That is the excuse Tuckerman is using below is a direct quote from his email

3) For several years the sidecar Championship was run over four rounds as a strong case was put forward regarding costs. Unfortunately this case was completely blown out of the water by the twelve teams, who were happy to incurred extra costs, returning to the South Island for a car/bike meeting.

This was despite being given a rundown on what teams attended and how it was financed

I was phoned on the thursday afternoon to see if i could ride a bike as two were being sent down with no riders after (I believe) Steve Bron pulled out of the event. I then booked a flight at a cost of $500 to fly to ChCh the next day and raced a sidecar that i had never sat on before, and I had NOT raced since 1996.I did this as my contribution to help the sport of sidecar racing. I cant see how this, or spyda travelling down to commentate, or Rat driving for about 4 days to get bikes down there has any influence on the nationals, and i find it offensive to have blame directed at me for damaging a sport that i have been directly & constantly involved in since 1986, both in NZ & UK.

And I for one are grateful you came to make up the numbers

Yes Steve pulled out after a Motorcycle crash a few weeks before the event which meant he was going into surgery on the Monday morning

I also can't see how that meeting can be blamed but he's doing it, his contact email is on the MNZ website and I would suggest anyone who can email him to indicate their displeasure with his argument that it has

[sidecar bob]

***********

Not a bad idea, not much different from the Tier 1/2 that was run a few years ago that seemed to work OK



Unless you're on the same track on the same day laptimes don't really count for that much
Still makes me feel better to know that we can though.


I'm not so sure it would increase the numbers and I still believe a decent short chair with a good crew would clean up most if not all of the long chairs, I don't see the long chairs as being that much better and I don't believe anyone in the country can ride a long chair as hard as they do in Europe
Wise words Kick, well done, youre not just a fat pie muncher after all
You only have to compare how quick Stacey was here against the locals to how he went in Superside and Abbots campaign in the land of OZ to see what I mean



That is the excuse Tuckerman is using below is a direct quote from his email

3) For several years the sidecar Championship was run over four rounds as a strong case was put forward regarding costs. Unfortunately this case was completely blown out of the water by the twelve teams, who were happy to incurred extra costs, returning to the South Island for a car/bike meeting.

This was despite being given a rundown on what teams attended and how it was financed

I believe this is the only excuse that can be used to explain away the failure of the current series which completely absolves MNZ of any fault & squarely lays the blame with NZSRA members & Motorsport NZ. It is merely political manoveuring, rightly or wrongly.

And I for one are grateful you came to make up the numbers

Yes Steve pulled out after a Motorcycle crash a few weeks before the event which meant he was going into surgery on the Monday morning

I also can't see how that meeting can be blamed but he's doing it, his contact email is on the MNZ website and I would suggest anyone who can email him to indicate their displeasure with his argument that it has

[scrivy]

Ummmm, Divvo never stayed at your place obviously mate. We're reluctant to have him back at best....... er... he has.... just don't tell anyone.....

And THIS is without a doubt, the single best possible solution I've yet read in response to the issues thus far. The only issue would be someone would still import an LCR F2 to win a championship. If the rules could be written, that the existing "short chair" technology is legal without the big dollars being spent, and a seperate championship in the same series, I'm confident numbers would once again be boosted and more new blood introduced.
What about no professionally built chairs??

Personal experience, Drew and I have looked at a couple of rigs. We want to have fun BUT, we're Mairs. We want to be at least a little bit competitive. No way can we come up with 50 G in our current circumstance but if someone said, "Here's a class you can run against similar machines for 10" we'd be in. NZ's far different to other countries. We don't have the income or sponsorship available to run an F1 F2 series, but short and long? Makes perfect sense.

Ya reckon you've got 10 inches???????? You sick sick mother.........

[White trash]

Ya reckon you've got 10 inches???????? You sick sick mother.........

I meant between us.......... 'know, five each.

[scrivy]

I meant between us.......... 'know, five each.

um..... ok, so is that soft or hard??????

[scrivy]

for 10" we'd be in.

But divided by two, you'd only just be in.....

[Tony.OK]

But divided by two, you'd only just be in.....

Whether its all the way or only just...........both the same result!

At least your participating Any less and your only playin by yourself

[White trash]

But divided by two, you'd only just be in.....

Ahh the "Angry Spaghetti" worms its way in there and does the damage mate, irrespective of size.

[scrivy]

Personal experience, Drew and I have looked at a couple of rigs. We want to have fun BUT, we're Mairs. We want to be at least a little bit competitive. No way can we come up with 50 G in our current circumstance but if someone said, "Here's a class you can run against similar machines for 10" we'd be in. NZ's far different to other countries. We don't have the income or sponsorship available to run an F1 F2 series, but short and long? Makes perfect sense.

Thought about classic sidechairs?? They are friggin truckloads more fun than the moderns (believe me!!) and they have a budget of about 1/10th or less than $2000 a season!! You need to passenger for me in a practice sometime!! If you don't get off looking like Sidecar Bob, then you ain't doing it right!!
Oh hang on, back to that 5 inches again.......... you won't look like Sidecar Bob!! er... maybe soft.....

[Kickaha]

What about no professionally built chairs??.

Define professionally built?

Personal experience, Drew and I have looked at a couple of rigs. We want to have fun BUT, we're Mairs. We want to be at least a little bit competitive. No way can we come up with 50 G in our current circumstance but if someone said, "Here's a class you can run against similar machines for 10" we'd be in. NZ's far different to other countries. We don't have the income or sponsorship available to run an F1 F2 series, but short and long? Makes perfect sense.

I reckon if you had a budget of around 15K for an outfit then if you and Drew got your head around how to ride it, getting up into the top 5-6 wouldn't be out of the question, getting any further than that might require a larger investment

Although I've generally run up in the top 5 in any of the classes I've raced some of the best races I've had have been for positions much further back, for me it's not about winning it's about racing

[scrivy]

Define professionally built?

You two bit munter funker sidecar passenger!! Are you stoopid??? Some phucker that gets paid to do it as their main job........


I reckon if you had a budget of around 15K for an outfit then if you and Drew got your head around how to ride it, getting up into the top 5-6 wouldn't be out of the question, getting any further than that might require a larger investment +1

Although I've generally run up in the top 5 in any of the classes I've raced some of the best races I've had have been for positions much further back, for me it's not about winning it's about racing

WTF??? Racing???? What you doing on the back of Divvos thing then???

[Kickaha]

WTF??? Racing???? What you doing on the back of Divvos thing then???

Sleeping mostly

So would you consider the Anderson outfits professionally built you muppet? might not be their main job but look how they come out

[Squiggles]

Giving it a go this weekend at the classics on #128 , we'll see where this takes me