Cemetery Circuit Prize Giving

[denill]

god forbid no-one wants to see a repeat of what happened at Le Mans in the late fifties when a Mercedes race car went through a section of crowd like a broom.

That went through my head as I (nervously) stood behind the netting fence on the main straight. I must say I mostly watched the bikes (and specially the sidechairs) coming towards me, rather than going away.

It's just sheer bloody good luck........................

[suzuki21]

To be fair,Running a street circuit is a completely different animal than a closed circuit,There is so much more involved in running on the streets that anybody whos run a glorified club day on a closed circuit successfully would easily be out of their depth,Also I thought these same guys did an excellent job of the previous 2 rounds at Hampton Downs and Manfeild,In over 40 years of competing I have attended a number of meetings that seemed to go pearshaped from the outset and they werent always on street circuits and some of them were run by the most experienced people in the country,There were a number of variables that could have caused the numerous hold ups yesterday,Shit happens,Deal with it!!!I suppose we could all get behind these guys as Ivan has suggested and try and help them out and thank them for the things they got right and the fact they ran a 3 round series and nobody was killed!!!Or not,What was I thinking,This is Kiwibiker,Home of the Kiwi pessimist.

Oh and as for the original reason for the thread,Ive been to many a prizegiving where BB was loud and obnoxious and as your on his team Steve,Im assuming Dan was unable to thank his sponsors and thats what your unhappy about???Ever heard the saying "What goes around,Comes around"????

I wasnt worried about Dan he's a big boy, I was more pissed off that the young fullas couldnt be heard.

[Robert Taylor]

That went through my head as I (nervously) stood behind the netting fence on the main straight. I must say I mostly watched the bikes (and specially the sidechairs) coming towards me, rather than going away.

It's just sheer bloody good luck........................

Yes, if this act is not cleaned up it will take but one multi fatality for street racing to be closed down permanently in NZ. That is the big fear.

[Shaun]

Yes, if this act is not cleaned up it will take but one multi fatality for street racing to be closed down permanently in NZ. That is the big fear.

it is now the modern PC world, and street racing is just about finished

[Grumph]

it is now the modern PC world, and street racing is just about finished

Well, maybe shaun...you've seen how popular it still is in the south island. I agree though, one spectator fatality and it's all over...

IMO the small circuits like Methven are still viable but some of the older ones are getting pretty fast with modern big bikes.
This was all thrashed over pretty thoroughly last year on here so lets not repeat it.

again IMO it may be time to limit street circuits to a maximum of 600's....at least in the moderns.

[Ivan]

the thing is tho the 600's aint much slower than the thous around there so that aint going to matter, I think we all know the risks involved in street racing when we enter it but that aint going to help the nazi's shutting it down if something does go wrong,

I for one dont want to see it to end I think the organisers are doing a pretty decent job running what they have got going but there are some things they need to work on

[denill]

I for one dont want to see it to end I think the organisers are doing a pretty decent job running what they have got going but there are some things they need to work on

Yeah and Shaun was right when he said it's not a PC circuit. But after being at Bruno without binoculars in August Wanganui was refreshingly live motor racing.

[vinducati]

Political Correctness is not really the term to use.

Political correctness (adjectivally, politically correct; both forms commonly abbreviated to PC) is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, certain other religions, beliefs or ideologies, disability, and age-related contexts, and, as purported by the term, doing so to an excessive extent.

It's about liability in the event of injury or death.
Basically if a spectator is killed then someone will be held liable.
I am pretty sure that means whoever runs the meeting.
If I go, I accept the danger but i understand it.
But basically I find tight street circuits a bit dull.
The Isle of Man now that is different.
I am not saying ban it, I believe in freedom of choice when it comes to these things.

Cheers

[vinducati]

This could be the answer:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...et-racers.html

[cowpoos]

it is now the modern PC world, and street racing is just about finished

Nah....grids had plenty of riders....had a bad run this year...I doubt organisers won't learn from it. the biggest issuse is where are the spectators??? from what people are saying??

[bikaholic]

Travelled up to see wangas for another year, big lag between races, but well worth $30 for a full days entertainment (that's a fraction of the cost of actually being there).
No doubt a whole bunch of KB wingers will whine on whether they were there or not, that is up to them.
I will be there again next year.

[hotchef]

My first time back in 5 years - must say crowd numbers down, more pissed wanabes than i cared for, delays in racing were annoying but still saw what i went for - good entertainment, close racing and closer to the action than you get anywhere else.
Impressed with the riders - but also agree with alot of the negative comments.

[Robert Taylor]

My first time back in 5 years - must say crowd numbers down, more pissed wanabes than i cared for, delays in racing were annoying but still saw what i went for - good entertainment, close racing and closer to the action than you get anywhere else.
Impressed with the riders - but also agree with alot of the negative comments.

Numbers being down are for several reasons;

1) The economy. Affecting not only riders / teams but also spectators. Money from distributors is not flowing as freely as it was 3-4 years back, in some cases virtually nothing at all. The world economy is much to blame but also I blame others for having their snouts very firmly in the feeding trough sucking as much out as they could when money was flowing. Value recieved was in fact very poor relative to expenditure and theres a lesson there to be taken stock of, no grandiose teams with mutiple rider numbers.

2) Many top riders stayed away because of a bigger picture of being ''fighting fit'' for the NZ champs about to begin. Those that attended and were in a position to win championships likely didnt take it right to the edge, given that a mistake on a street circuit can be deadly, and costly for NZ championship aspirations. I can vouch for that from conversaton with Glen Skatchill, Dennis Charlett and Karen Stroud who hates her husband racing in such an environment.
Another top 600 rider in a position to win the Tri Series was offered free entry to race there but he used his head rather than his heart.

3) Other top riders are more and more opting not to race at the street meetings because the danger is that much greater than on a purpose built course with much better safeguards. For that you cannot blame them

4) ??????? etc

The spectacle is indeed awesome but as I stated earlier I really fear the day that a multiple specator fatality could occur because there is little protection other than stakes and flimsy chicken wire

[slowpoke]

Seems to be one of those so close and yet so far kind of events.

There was a good opportunity with Rennie Scaysbrook making the journey, and it will be interesting to hear/read his perspective in the Oz bike rag(s). I've never been a big fan of his writing but from his results I've got a new respect for his riding: great effort for a first timer journo I reckon.

Also seems to be a pity not to co-ordinate the NZSBK and Tri-Series events a lil' better as the clash was obvious as soon as the calendar was released. But to be fair Boxing Day isn't exactly transferable, and the NZSBK organisers are trying to do their best for scheduling that event as well so there is no real right or wrong....just awkwardness. Such is life.

It sounds like there was a bit of a changing of the guard with the organisers this year? Leighton's off playing in the mud pools with his lil' Briggs and Stratton powered tinny? Hopefully this baptism of fire stands the new crew in good stead for next year.

But after all the F1/BEAR's/S1000RR/HP2 palava where the fuck was Choppa? Jeeeesus, talk about cock-tease!

[Marknz]

from the perspective of someone whom entered but missed out on racing by a poomfteenth of a second...

A bloody good event ruined simply by:

a) a good meaning vollie who couldn't start their bike to take us newbies/virgins out on our sighting session... that held up the start by a good 15-20mins. Maybe next time he/she should have a push-button bike rather than than the Motard they were trying to kick-over and jump start unsuccessfully.

b) solos and side-chairs crashing. Whether it be the heat getting to everyone, or the red-mist, or lack of ability or what... there were just too many crashes during the day (qualifying & racing) and it made it very difficult for the organisors to keep to schedule.

In one capacity or another, I/we will be back for the 60th Anni meeting in 2012.

Cheers
Mark