Cemetary circuit 2007: Farce

**TonyB** · 30th December 2007, 12:55

You have indeed been shat on Mr Trashy. So let me get this straight- they used the 'combined' times from Practice and Qualifying to determine the race order, but the 'factory' teams didn't actually take part in Qualifying? Is that correct?

If it is correct, what kind of system did they use for combining the times?? If you don't compete in a round of qualifying, surely you get given the SLOWEST time- back of the grid. Therefore even if a rider had a shit hot time in Practice, the fact that they didn't take part in Qualifying should see them heavily penalised! The only way I could see this working out, is if the slowest rider in Practice still had a pretty reasonable time (not too far off the front row of those that took part), so when that time and the practice time were combined, they ended up still being at the front of the grid.

Something tells me though, that it was either totally rigged, or the morons went: Mr Trashy 59 seconds plus 1 minute 15 = 2min 14. Mr Stroud 55 seconds plus 0 seconds = 55 seconds

Some time ago, a prominent racer said that he was worried about the state of road racing in NZ- he and a few others had been at the top since Adam was a cowboy, and they were still there. Exactly how does this sort of bullshit help fix the problem?

**White trash** · 30th December 2007, 13:53

Yheu just took the fastest time from either session. After saying that the first session didn't have any bearing on the grid order.

**Mastaphata** · 30th December 2007, 14:22

Just a thought on this shambles.Having been involved in many forms of motorsport i feel that holding the organisers to blame could be taking the blame off those people it should lie with.Excuse me if im wrong but is it not the responsibility of the Clerk of Course or Steward to make sure that the rules are enforced,ok if the organisers did propose this combining of practice and qualifying then surely it is up to the C.O.C or steward to overule it and stick to the rules.
I personally would like to see M N Z questioned as to the ability of those concerned

**GSVR** · 30th December 2007, 14:32

Hey Jimmy have you rung Brian Bernard yet?
http://www.bernardracing.co.nz/

If you do ring him ask about the 600 incident last year. Craig was so upset he never turned up to the prizegiving (Well thats the way I saw it).

And be nice as Brian is doing alot for promoting the sport.

Look at the big picture and the future of the sport.

Put New Zealand on the map as a motorcycling capital of the world.

Don't f**k it up and have these riders the last overseas ones we ever see again.

I reacon Craig Shirriffs should have started of the back but he still would have won and probably gone under 50.
(Edit: He was in the 49's in two races)

**Racey Rider** · 30th December 2007, 15:45

Originally Posted by Fatjim

Trashy, were are your balls mate. No point bitching and crying like a 5 year old now. You should have have your hissy fit and thrown your toys out the pram on the starting grid like a real man!

Sounds to me like a lot of the racers were 'ambushed'. Given 'No Time' to think about the change made, and an appropriate response. Sure in hind-sight, parking the bike on the grid till this madness was sorted would have been an 'interesting' way of proceeding. But to ask Trashy to be the first to do that under the conditions is a big ask, (his first time there remember). Would have been nice to see a 'more Senior' racer initiate that form of protest perhaps. (WT- it means 'start' or 'take first step' )

I only race 150's, and I hate it when things don't go smoothly right before the green flag drops. I can only imagine the concentration needed in the big boys class, barreling into the first corner,, the last thing you want on your mind is 'What The #*@^ just happened on the Grid!!!'

As to other comments suggesting 'The fast bikes should be at the front for Safety Reasons'. Just cause you have more horses under you does Not give you the Right to exit the first corner First!

Racey

**slowpoke** · 30th December 2007, 20:45

Originally Posted by Garry H

And be nice as Brian is doing alot for promoting the sport.

Look at the big picture and the future of the sport.

Put New Zealand on the map as a motorcycling capital of the world.

Don't f**k it up and have these riders the last overseas ones we ever see again.

You're joking right? If Brian Bernard is doing so much for the sport then why is it at such a low ebb? At the last North island Nationals round I went to, on a fine day, there were only about a dozen competitors in the Superbike class, 2 of which were from Oz, and 2 guys were on seriously outclassed machinery making up the numbers so to speak (no disrespect meant) leaving a grand total of 8 reasonably serious competitiors from throughout NZ.

Brian is fostering overseas riders not NZ riders.

We have no riders competing in WSBK or MotoGP or any realistic prospects.

We have no live TV coverage and delayed coverage is heavily edited/condensed.

Our premier championship was won by an Australian privateer.

Can things seriously get any worse???!!!

**Deano** · 31st December 2007, 06:26

Originally Posted by Garry H

Look at the big picture and the future of the sport.

Garry, do you think the incident that occurred is good for the future of the sport, or detrimental to it ?

**jellywrestler** · 31st December 2007, 08:03

Originally Posted by Sketchy_Racer

I completly disagree with your words jellywrestler.

If the "fast" guys are in fact "fast" then they can get their sorry arses out into qualifying just like everyone else and EARN their place on the grid.

as a multiple winner in sidecars at wanganui i know that practice is short and bloody hard work and often used to set up suspension gearing etc.. the way it is now means the second session is a race, even if you're not worried about your grid positions others around you are taking risks to acheive this.
i have also been a witness in a coroners court on a road race fatality and know full well that this set up would be interesting if it ended up in front of them

as for bron getting hit from behind maybe he should buy the sidecar if its fast enough to catch up with his!

**GSVR** · 31st December 2007, 09:12

Originally Posted by Deano

Garry, do you think the incident that occurred is good for the future of the sport, or detrimental to it ?

Its a shocker. I talked about it with What? at Taupo. We joked a bit as its so rediculous. This street race is promoted as the Southern Hemisphere IOM.

Its been running for 50 years and they still change the rules every year.

Another rule change this year I didn't know about was the Grid for the second race in each class was based on Qualifying not your finish in the first race. So if you qualified bad and get up through the field for a good result in race 1 you have to do it all again in race 2.

There were positives this year but next year is anyones guess.

For anyone thats reading I've only raced there once (last year). Would like to hear more from the experienced riders but I think they know better.

**GSVR** · 31st December 2007, 09:21

As for ringing Brian Bernard or the organisers its probably a bit like asking Bernie Ecclestone for some changes in F1.

Its a great event but I bet running its a thankless task so nowdays you have to pay someone who may or maynot be passionate about it..

**GSVR** · 31st December 2007, 12:28

Originally Posted by slowpoke

You're joking right? If Brian Bernard is doing so much for the sport then why is it at such a low ebb? At the last North island Nationals round I went to, on a fine day, there were only about a dozen competitors in the Superbike class, 2 of which were from Oz, and 2 guys were on seriously outclassed machinery making up the numbers so to speak (no disrespect meant) leaving a grand total of 8 reasonably serious competitiors from throughout NZ.

Brian is fostering overseas riders not NZ riders.
Brian isn't fostering anyone they pay to race

We have no riders competing in WSBK or MotoGP or any realistic prospects.
Sam Smith or Jay Lawrence seem realistic prospects.

We have no live TV coverage and delayed coverage is heavily edited/condensed.
Maybe thay should put all races on the TAB but someones saying they are rigged

Our premier championship was won by an Australian privateer.
And New Zealand Privateers have done well in Australia. Robby Bugden is a great competitor and had to work hard for that title and Shawn Giles the year before its not their fault they are Ozzies

Can things seriously get any worse???!!!
Move to Fiji and race there. Things are great 2 new racetracks. Lots of upgrade work at manfield I'm rapt

Only a small group of people read KB posts. We don't actually represent the wider biking community. If this thread wasn't posted what difference would it have made?

**sunhuntin** · 31st December 2007, 15:01

for those interested, i took a look at the honda dealer, and dowmans name is still on it... whether he still has an active part in its ownership/management, i dont know. either way, it is still branded as dowman keowen honda.

**Grub** · 31st December 2007, 15:13

Originally Posted by Garry H

Only a small group of people read KB posts. We don't actually represent the wider biking community.

Actually ... they do.

Last year one of the racers polled all of the websites asking for MNZ Licence holders to put their name and licence # in the list. He did this to find the largest number of racers in one place.

Appparently KB was by far the largest. I can't find the thread so I don't know how many but the result was pretty clear-cut, KB does represent the views of the majority of racers.

**Shaun** · 31st December 2007, 15:17

Originally Posted by Grub

Actually ... they do.

Last year one of the racers polled all of the websites asking for MNZ Licence holders to put their name and licence # in the list. He did this to find the largest number of racers in one place.

Appparently KB was by far the largest. I can't find the thread so I don't know how many but the result was pretty clear-cut, KB does represent the views of the majority of racers.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=47538

There it all is GRUB, top of this forum