Some more ideas on growing the Nationals

[Two Smoker]

[QUOTE=White trash;1129217384]

Ask JAred Love, Pete McDonald, Lance Lowe how safe they think street racing is.

Answer. Not very.

Add in Jason Hulme and Nick Cole to that list...

Also agree with Andrews post re combining the classes. The difference in times arent that huge between 600's and superbikes. 2-4 seconds a lap? Most of that made up on the straights?

I dont believe there really needs to be cost reduction. Racing in NZ is very cheap compared to other countries. The things that need to be increased is publicity. I remember racing at Wanganui in 2005 there was a HUGE crowd. Why? Because there was a Jimmy Barnes concert on after the racing.

I think there needs to be more than just racing to attract the crowds. For instance at the D1NZ, they get good crowds because they have other things going on other than just drifting. They have bikini competitions (im not saying we should do this for the Superbike Nationals), stunt riding, FMX etc...

Maybe another possible avenue?

[Tony.OK]

come on guys, i thought we are trying to get serious on cost reduction. I agree with kickaha, & we shouldnt be allowed on the track for the whole precceding week, &then its the same for everyone. It may be ok for all of us who race at national level now, but we are trying to attract more to the series.

Cost reduction yes............same for everyone no.

So I'm wanting to have a go this year, are you saying I have to turn up at a track I've never seen before and try and learn it then qualify in the same day?
That straight away puts a new comer at a serious disadvantage, to me it'd hardly be worth the bother if I know I'd have a shit show of competing with an experienced campaigner.
Wouldn't it be better to maybe have someone organise bulk discounts on ferry and accomodation or something similar, learning a track would be more important than saving a couple of hundred bucks in the grand scheme of things. It is the Nats for bike racing after all, it will cost $$ regardless.

[codgyoleracer]

And there lies the problem, as far as I can see.
To me, banning Friday testing is simply a waste of time - it could well put the average "privateer" rider at an even bigger disadvantage, which would be exactly the opposite to whet any ban would be trying to achieve.
It costa a lot more to make a trip to Timaru from Auckland simply to test than it does to tag a Friday on at the beginning.

Agree with that, overall Yes it would reduce cost , but it is likely to disadvantage those that need the track time the most......
The cost of being away for 3 weekends in a row is far more substantial than burning a bit of gas & wearing out some already worn tyres getting to learn (or re-learn) a track for a day (as many privateers that race use the test day for)
Taking away a test day from these guys also reduces track time further and may make entering national rounds even less appealing for the guys that are taking a " racing holiday" and expect lots of time on their bikes.

Running three rounds in the north & two in the south, & vice-vera the fowlling year adds some flavour for the " home track" specialists as well.
Glen

[cowpoos]

I dont believe that friday practice should be banned. They are great for set up. For instance, I need a friday practice on the SI track, because it is very rare for me to ride on them except for the nationals. Its a choice thing anyway. You dont HAVE to practice on the friday.

same goes for the south Island boys re the north...makes it fair doesn't it?

[Quasievil]

Havin a event every few weeks in the back block hick towns in NZ aint going to get what you want I say Do the whole nationals race event over one long bloody weekend in one spot ie Hampton Downs, why does it need to be a prolonged series anyway
One event over three days with support races, entertainment at night the whole show chuck in the NZ bike show get a camp ground going on as well chuck everything at it in one big bang.

I guarantee you absolutely the following

1/ bigger crowds (fucking massive)
2/bigger and better sponsorship (they will all want to be involved)
3/ Better TV Coverage
4/ Lower costs for all competitors (bigger and full fields)
5/ More international riders

Complete satisfaction from all sectors (argue me wrong)

Fuck imagine it be bloody awesome !!!

Thats my answer for what its worth

[codgyoleracer]

Incorrect, if you had a very rigid and very hard compound tyre for Turn 1 at Teretonga it would have poor grip elsewhere to the point of being dangerous. You can get away with it with Dunlops quite often because of the firm carcass construction, but not so with Pirellis. And that frankly is a band aid solution, rather than a proper enginerring solution. In this case a more firmly calibrated valving stack allied with firmer springing, but not excessively firmer springing.
Unless I am mistaken road racing is also about engineering and to allow spring changes only ( when in many cases valving is a better solution ) is one step too far.

Did you say motorcycle racing is / could be dangerous Rob ?, god forbid i better give up now............
Personally - i like the superstock " class within class" idea. (for 600's) Results / points should count for both ss & s/stock classes as it gives the underdog on the stock bike incentive to beat some of the ss bikes. All good stuff and with different coloured number boards the public at the track (& on the telly) + the commentators would be quick to applaud and pick out the privateer battler.
The only problem i see with it is the policing of the rules for superstock spec machines.
Those that say its dangerous to race a stock bike with only spring changes & very restricted other mods for 10-15 laps on our short track courses or say that the speed differentials will be too great have other agendas in my opinion.
Glen Williams


P.S Before some bright spark points it out , YES protwin bikes could also take points in F3 IMO, (some of them are ridden a darn site better than some of our F3 machines & they deserve all the cudos they get for kicking an F3 spec bikes arse)

[Robert Taylor]

Did you say motorcycle racing is / could be dangerous Rob ?, god forbid i better give up now............
Personally - i like the superstock " class within class" idea. (for 600's) Results / points should count for both ss & s/stock classes as it gives the underdog on the stock bike incentive to beat some of the ss bikes. All good stuff and with different coloured number boards the public at the track (& on the telly) + the commentators would be quick to applaud and pick out the privateer battler.
The only problem i see with it is the policing of the rules for superstock spec machines.
Those that say its dangerous to race a stock bike with only spring changes & very restricted other mods for 10-15 laps on our short track courses or say that the speed differentials will be too great have other agendas in my opinion.
Glen

P.S Before some bright spark points it out , YES protwin bikes could also take points in F3 IMO, (some of them are ridden a darn site better than some of our F3 machines & they deserve all the cudos they get for kicking an F3 spec bikes arse)

Please then spell out those agendas. Im curious.

[CHOPPA]

Havin a event every few weeks in the back block hick towns in NZ aint going to get what you want I say Do the whole nationals race event over one long bloody weekend in one spot ie Hampton Downs, why does it need to be a prolonged series anyway
One event over three days with support races, entertainment at night the whole show chuck in the NZ bike show get a camp ground going on as well chuck everything at it in one big bang.

I guarantee you absolutely the following

1/ bigger crowds (fucking massive)
2/bigger and better sponsorship (they will all want to be involved)
3/ Better TV Coverage
4/ Lower costs for all competitors (bigger and full fields)
5/ More international riders

Complete satisfaction from all sectors (argue me wrong)

Fuck imagine it be bloody awesome !!!

Thats my answer for what its worth

Even an event like that called the North Island Champs.

The Quasimoto Hampton Downs North Island Championship Of The World!

[Quasievil]

Even an event like that called the North Island Champs.

The Quasimoto Hampton Downs North Island Championship Of The World!

lol dunno about that bro, but I reckon I have the answer

[Drew]

No cheaper than the cheap shot that inspired my reply.

You started it...No, YOU started it...Harden the fuck up.

[The Chow]

lol dunno about that bro, but I reckon I have the answer

Absolutely agree , the biggest expense is the travelling ,fuel and tyres(all absolute costs) at least the bike still retains some value. The idea of of one long three day meeting say for the champs is fantastic and has been discussed before. Something along the lines of the old Shell two wheeler run in early 1980's at Manfeild.

example: The NZ Kart Champs were run over one weekend recently and there was 9 championships awarded.

Great to see someone with real ideas.

[wharfy]

Ask JAred Love, Pete McDonald, Lance Lowe how safe they think street racing is.

Answer. Not very.

All would be valid opinions, but I would still like to know the ACTUAL statistics - I have even gone as far as having "quick" look on the web.

I picked Puke and Wanga's as they are both current and have been running for a long time.

I have personally seen two deaths at street races one racer at Porirua and one spectator (child) at Hamilton, as you can probably tell both were a longgggg time ago.

It is not the sort of statistic that event/track promoters make widely available (or MNZ either), but somebody must keep a record.

[Kickaha]

Absolutely agree , the biggest expense is the travelling ,fuel and tyres(all absolute costs) at least the bike still retains some value. The idea of of one long three day meeting say for the champs is fantastic and has been discussed before. Something along the lines of the old Shell two wheeler run in early 1980's at Manfeild.

example: The NZ Kart Champs were run over one weekend recently and there was 9 championships awarded.

I raced Karts and always thought their idea of one meeting deciding the National Championship sucked, if Bikes went that way I doubt I would bother doing it

The main attraction for me doing the NZ champs is the variety of tracks we get to race on a one day meeting at one track to decide a NZ title just doesn't have the same appeal

If we had a one day meeting at say Hampton Downs it would still cost us down here just as much, we'd have to travel there at least a couple of times during the year to race at it to make sure weren't to disadvataged by the locals getting so much more track time, that's if they even ran our class at club days

[SWERVE]

I agree Wharfy the statistics may look ok on paper for the streets verses the track.............. however make those street meetings part of a national champs and the speed/commitment from riders would dramatically increase....so would accidents. Its a shame that street meetings cant be incorperated but as previously stated its the reasom the IOM was removed from F1 champs, although many top riders contracts stated that they were not allowed to race at the IOM for a few years leading up to its demise.

Good point Andrew why cant the prize-giving from previous round be at lunchtime at next round........ then at least all of the riders and whatever spectators are there get a chance to see it too. makes sense to me

[codgyoleracer]

Havin a event every few weeks in the back block hick towns in NZ aint going to get what you want I say Do the whole nationals race event over one long bloody weekend in one spot ie Hampton Downs, why does it need to be a prolonged series anyway
One event over three days with support races, entertainment at night the whole show chuck in the NZ bike show get a camp ground going on as well chuck everything at it in one big bang.

I guarantee you absolutely the following

1/ bigger crowds (fucking massive)
2/bigger and better sponsorship (they will all want to be involved)
3/ Better TV Coverage
4/ Lower costs for all competitors (bigger and full fields)
5/ More international riders

Complete satisfaction from all sectors (argue me wrong)

Fuck imagine it be bloody awesome !!!

Thats my answer for what its worth

Even if this concept was " back to back" at the same venue over two weekends. Held one year up north - one year down south ?
If all held over one weekend - are we saying that the championship is decided over three races ?, - might be a bit tuff if you are unlucky enough to have a problem with your machine or be affected by severe weather etc.
With a double weekend - one of the races could be an mini-endurance ?, 1 hour race (with one compulsry fuel stop)
Glen