Round 5 of NZ Superbikes may be canned?

[sidecar bob]

My view is that if you have entered the meeting got cancelled don't take umbrage at the poor guys who stuck it on the line to make the event happen and then had to make a hard decision. Go talk to the riders who could have but didn't enter.

So could i have some answers to my earlier post as to why they didnt.
Clearly, going off the Wanganui & TRRS entries there is the competitor base sufficent to over subscribe most classes.
So what is it that drives them away.
This needs to be seriously researched before we have tumbleweed blowing up the pit lane at the nationals.

[Toast]

I entered last night.

You can still put in an entry until Wednesday next week...so get going people

[Shaun]

How can it be entirely MNZs fault when no riders enter their National series,Is it promotion? I dont think so. All the riders knew the meetings were on but nobody entered,Paul Stewart was there and so were all the people who give up their time voluntarily too help organise and run the meetings on the day.Why would people want too sponsor people who dont support them in anyway,For example how many of the 200 plus riders that compete in the Actrix superbike series actually use Actrix as an internet provider???.I email a number of these competitors regularly and the only one other than myself that I have encountered is Phil Snowdon and he works there!!How can it be MNZs fault when they organise a meeting in the biggest population base in the country there are only 63 confirmed entries 2 weeks out?And I bet a large number of those are from the south island.How many spectators do reckon would turn up at the Wellington rugby sevens if there were only two teams playing or a rugby test if only 7 Allblacks were going too turn up.I read on this site after the 1st round at Teretonga,That MNZ had destroyed the F3 class cause there were only 8 entries.In 2005 there were only 11 entries at the same meeting the riders absent since then are Derek Hill(deceased),Andy Bolwell(retired)and Neil Smith(moved to protwins).SOoo how is that MNZs fault??Wake up and stop blaming the organisers,If you continue too do what you are (which appears too be nothing)Then youll always have what youve got.Which also appears too be nothing

Very very well said Billy

[sinfull]

Spent some time talking to Club Prez Costello later last night. The meeting IS going ahead.

Believe it or not, 4 and 5 have been done. Remembering that 4 is primarily ainmed at # 1 and is paid for my #5 who have chipped in a lot of cash for TV and radio etc.

#3 has been working hard to make it happen

# 1 will be found out on the day and I hear last year was the biggest gate in a long time.

#2 is the only problem - too few entries. The support class I hear is about 1/3 of the total entries which is just pathetic given that this date and entry forms have been available for months. Hands up who haven't entered and tell why? If it's lack of cash / worried about your job, fair call. But at times the riders get what they support. Don't support the nationals, don't get a national Championship meeting or series.

My view is that if you have entered the meeting got cancelled don't take umbrage at the poor guys who stuck it on the line to make the event happen and then had to make a hard decision. Go talk to the riders who could have but didn't enter.

Costello also said that given the circumstances, entries are still being taken but there is a cut off for the programme so don't dawdle and there is a finite point sometime next week where they do really have to cut them off.

If you have entered and you know people who could but haven't, get on to them.

Hell i'll stick my hand up and race somewhere, shit i'll cross enter as many classes as ppl would lend me a bike for
But alas my sad ol bears bike is only allowed in F1 is it not ?
Nah i aint gonna be the one that goes down in history, as the guy that took out the top 4 as they all tried to squeeze past me at the same time !
May be the case with alot of riders perhaps ????

Cant even ride in the support class ???

[Tony.OK]

So could i have some answers to my earlier post as to why they didnt.
Clearly, going off the Wanganui & TRRS entries there is the competitor base sufficent to over subscribe most classes.
So what is it that drives them away.
This needs to be seriously researched before we have tumbleweed blowing up the pit lane at the nationals.

For me its simply the cost factor. Which is why I didn't/couldn't do the TRRS after Wanganui. I chose to do Paeroa rather than other meetings and have maxxed myself out just to do that. A one day event is way cheaper than a 2 dayer.......esp on a SBK.
During the winter I was using overtime at work to pay for each round, now with the export market stuffed we are down to 4 day weeks and am using leave to keep wages topped up.
Thats my reason..............................I'd love to have done some Nats events but short of a mortgagee sale its not possible for me.

[WarrenW]

I personally think cost has a great deal to do with it.

The organising clubs get increased charges for things like track hire, catering etc when you run a National rated event. These costs have to be handed down to the competitors as we do not seem to be attracting enough of a crowd to the meeting to allow for gate taking to cover costs.

It's a 2 edge sword, if they reduced the price of entry we would see a huge increase in the numbers entering because it would be more affordable, this would then hopefully attract more spectators to see large feilds racing.

In saying that, the Vic Club runs a large meeting with free entry for spectators, which results in very low spectator numbers. Possibly due to a lack of advertising and media coverage.

Just my two cents worth, but by dropping prices you will get more entries and a better class of racing and generate more interest in the sport from sponsors and spectators benefiting motorcycling as a whole.

[kittytamer]

I would like to enter to support the event, but having only done 1 clubman race I think I would get in the way of the F2 boys. But I will come and spectate to support the series!

[Skunk]

#2 is the only problem - too few entries. The support class I hear is about 1/3 of the total entries which is just pathetic given that this date and entry forms have been available for months. Hands up who haven't entered and tell why? If it's lack of cash / worried about your job, fair call. But at times the riders get what they support. Don't support the nationals, don't get a national Championship meeting or series.

I personally think cost has a great deal to do with it.

The lack of riders entering means clubs put the cost up the following year. This means less riders enter.

Which clubs have the funds to not only take the losses they have on these meetings and also drop the price to a lower level in the hope that some extra riders will enter?

Generally all we hear are excuses as to why they won't enter. Nothing about why they will.

Sidecar Bob: I enter the TRRS because you run F5/F4. If you didn't I wouldn't show up.

[Billy]

Sidecar Bob: I enter the TRRS because you run F5/F4. If you didn't I wouldn't show up.

And there lies 1 of the biggest contributing factors too the National series being in the state it is,Too many options!Back through the 70s/80s and early nineties there were only F1,F2,Bears,Senior production,600 production,250 production, 125gp and sidecars that had a national championship and they all ran at the same championship rounds.Now theres Classic senior and junior,Pre 72 post classic senior and Junior,Pre 82 post classic senior and junior,Pre 89 post classic senior,Junior,classic sidecars,Post classic sidecars,Superbike,600 sports production,F3,Protwins,125gp,Bears and sidecars.Thats 10 more championship classes now than there was back then and only 6 of those classes run at our National rounds.Imagine if some of those other classes were brought in.How many riders would there be at the Nationals then ???Without doing any research Id be confident too wager there are atleast the same amount of people if not more roadracing in NZ now than there were then.

[t3mp0r4ry nzr]

And there lies 1 of the biggest contributing factors too the National series being in the state it is,Too many options!Back through the 70s/80s and early nineties there were only F1,F2,Bears,Senior production,600 production,250 production, 125gp and sidecars that had a national championship and they all ran at the same championship rounds.Now theres Classic senior and junior,Pre 72 post classic senior and Junior,Pre 82 post classic senior and junior,Pre 89 post classic senior,Junior,classic sidecars,Post classic sidecars,Superbike,600 sports production,F3,Protwins,125gp,Bears and sidecars.Thats 10 more championship classes now than there was back then and only 6 of those classes run at our National rounds.Imagine if some of those other classes were brought in.How many riders would there be at the Nationals then ???Without doing any research Id be confident too wager there are atleast the same amount of people if not more roadracing in NZ now than there were then.

isnt it funny, Billy, common sense just aint common!!

[steveyb]

Again!
Have a really good read and think about what Billy is saying regarding using sponsors products/services and dilution of numbers through too many class structures.
I use Actrix myself (via a hotmail email address). Have a good look and think about their broadband offering. Beats the shit out of Smellycom.

Enjoy.

[Skunk]

And there lies 1 of the biggest contributing factors too the National series being in the state it is,Too many options!Back through the 70s/80s and early nineties there were only F1,F2,Bears,Senior production,600 production,250 production, 125gp and sidecars that had a national championship and they all ran at the same championship rounds.Now theres Classic senior and junior,Pre 72 post classic senior and Junior,Pre 82 post classic senior and junior,Pre 89 post classic senior,Junior,classic sidecars,Post classic sidecars,Superbike,600 sports production,F3,Protwins,125gp,Bears and sidecars.Thats 10 more championship classes now than there was back then and only 6 of those classes run at our National rounds.Imagine if some of those other classes were brought in.How many riders would there be at the Nationals then ???Without doing any research Id be confident too wager there are atleast the same amount of people if not more roadracing in NZ now than there were then.

These are the classes VMCC ran this year at Nationals:
F3 and 650 Pro Twin
600cc Sports Production
Sidecars
125 GP
NZ Superbike
Open Twins 2 & 4 Stroke (the Support class)

I don't see that as too many - it's only 7. You're saying 8 was right and we have too many now?

The TRRS is not a round of the Nationals. I think you're beefing up the classes for the sake of your argument. Not that you don't have a point - but not in regard to THE Nationals.

I think there are many who are able to run in a National class but choose NOT too. WHY they choose not to is the REAL issue - not the reasons they give on forums etc.

[Str8 Jacket]

Well I know that myself and a few others would have supported the North Island Nationals this year but we dont have a f*cken class to enter!!!!

For the next couple of years we will only be supporting the Nationals 'down South too, I mean I know that S/Stock aint that exciting to watch but it would've got a few more entries at Manfeild and Puke!!

[steveyb]

The point being made is that all of the classes that have mushroomed up in the past years have drawn riders away from the championship classes.
Back in the day when NZSBK was really strong, there was not the plethora of other classes that people would buy bikes for and then want to race in that class and not in another class, least of all in a championship class.

The attitude being "I wanna buy a wodden tennis racquet motorbike, just cos I wanna, and I wanna race it, but there is no class that I can win on it, so I will moan and moan and get a few other wooden tennis racquet riders to moan too, and we will start our own class"

The corollary being that maybe a few of those riders who might have gotten modern championship class bikes, don't.

Don't get me wrong, we all have the choice to do what we want to do, but in the end of that arguement you end up where we are now. Like I said, be careful for what you wish as you might just get it.

The point made above about Streetstock though, is a very valid one.
One that needs to be looked at very carefully by organisers in the NI for next year.

[Billy]

These are the classes VMCC ran this year at Nationals:
F3 and 650 Pro Twin
600cc Sports Production
Sidecars
125 GP
NZ Superbike
Open Twins 2 & 4 Stroke (the Support class)

I don't see that as too many - it's only 7. You're saying 8 was right and we have too many now?

Jeez Andrew,Read the post properly before replying.If you bother to count them there are now 18 NZ championships as opposed to the 8 we had when the feilds were full.Nobody was suggesting that the Vic club ran too many classes,Rather maybe the answer would be to run 1 or more of the other championship classes with the current structure,IE Post classic or Classic or both,You know,Like they do at the street meetings where the feilds are huge