Guess what, Another new race series !!!!!!

mtpanorama · 7 Sep 2010, 12:20 (Ref:2755656)

At Willowbank on the weekend at the Rotax Cart nationals they had a Suzuki Swift on display with the promotion of a series for 2011.
The cars will be apparently the same as the NZ cars and the organisers will be looking at racing between the Aussie and NZ cars.
$45k+gst to buy a car or $75k to lease for the year +damages.

Now this is exactly what Australian motorsport needs, another bloody one make series. Why can't these people look at some existing catagories and try and boost them instead of trying to steel competitors away from them.

You would have to think that the target competitor base for these cars would be Mini Challenge, go cart, Aussie race car competitors. So all it will do is reduce there numbers. I can't see 30 people rushing out to buy a Swift.

I have no idea what meetings they propose to run at, hopefully no one want's them and it all falls over.

BlueBlood · 7 Sep 2010, 20:32 (Ref:2755913)

The swift series has caused the demise of the more expensive mini series over here. That is why the few remaining minis trundle around with a production class.
In particular a couple of black minis run by a larger than life character with links back to a finacially troubled V8 supercar team.

marcus · 7 Sep 2010, 21:38 (Ref:2755945)

allthough i did enjoy the swift series when it ran probably 14 years or so ago now...but agree we do not need another class imo

rich07 · 7 Sep 2010, 22:17 (Ref:2755962)

Just what we need-another one make series. I for one am excited!

The little Swift is fun to drive though.

nomad_n · 7 Sep 2010, 22:21 (Ref:2755963)

They run this series in NZ and as someone has said they did target mini drivers.... and it was a very boring series.

PVDA · 7 Sep 2010, 22:47 (Ref:2755975)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtpanorama

At Willowbank on the weekend at the Rotax Cart nationals they had a Suzuki Swift on display with the promotion of a series for 2011.

I spotted said Swift on the Thursday prior to the ASBK round at QR a few weeks ago when many of the Ute teams were doing a ride day.

It didn't have any info about a new series anywhere near it though.

alfacors · 7 Sep 2010, 23:22 (Ref:2755988)

Who will they run with? V8s? Shannons Nationals? iRace? MRA? I remember reading about the series in AA a while back, and some hint that they might look to expand to Australia, but realistically, if we haven't exactly shown great interest in the Minis, why would we be interested in these slower FWD hatches?

Quintin03 · 8 Sep 2010, 04:25 (Ref:2756030)

Are these swifts the same we run on the other side of the word in the Netherlands? They've been a huge succes.

BlueBlood · 8 Sep 2010, 05:29 (Ref:2756040)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quintin03

Are these swifts the same we run on the other side of the word in the Netherlands? They've been a huge succes.

Here are the specs for the NZ series cars.

http://www.swiftcup.co.nz/launch2.0/thevehicles.php

Not sure if the aussie series will be the same.

kiwi20 · 8 Sep 2010, 06:29 (Ref:2756047)

Under 25 Drivers only allowed to enter.

The money seems too high. You can buy a NZ one for around 25kNZD. Why not just do that ans spend the other 25k Plus in change to run for the year?

mtpanorama · 8 Sep 2010, 09:06 (Ref:2756088)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwi20

Under 25 Drivers only allowed to enter.

The money seems too high. You can buy a NZ one for around 25kNZD. Why not just do that ans spend the other 25k Plus in change to run for the year?

Ours are very expensive then, considering your dollar is worth nothing compared to ours.

Apparently they will be the same spec as the NZ cars, so they car try and organise a race between both series.

I have also been told that they will be broadcasting the races live on the internet with in car cameras.

kiwi20 · 8 Sep 2010, 11:56 (Ref:2756133)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtpanorama

Ours are very expensive then, considering your dollar is worth nothing compared to ours.

Apparently they will be the same spec as the NZ cars, so they car try and organise a race between both series.

I have also been told that they will be broadcasting the races live on the internet with in car cameras.

Exactly. Buy a NZ one and ship it over. Save a few thousand.

But im guessing you have to buy it off the organizers and buy a franchise or something.

Just Do It! · 8 Sep 2010, 22:24 (Ref:2756455)

Swifts are awesome little race cars. The coverage has shown good, close racing, and they make a nice introduction sedan class for kart racers.

Compared to a season of karting in Australia at national level, running a Swift would be filthy cheap.

The only real concern is that trans-Tasman events in the past haven't really worked - just look at the utes at the ITM 400 this year.

kiwi20 · 9 Sep 2010, 06:24 (Ref:2756563)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just Do It!

Compared to a season of karting in Australia at national level, running a Swift would be filthy cheap.

Th.

Karting you wont spend 75k like you will on this series. And for what 10 rounds max?

marcus · 9 Sep 2010, 23:48 (Ref:2757053)

You would be surprised what some kart drivers spend on their racing , I think some teams and I mean top teams would spend $75 grand quite easilly.

there is a rumor of a driver in my local area who had a budget of anywhere from $35,000 and $50,000 last year and he is not yet one of the top karters in the country..

Of course you could just about run every weekend as well

but anywho back to the Swifts.......

mountainstar · 10 Sep 2010, 02:56 (Ref:2757087)

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcus

You would be surprised what some kart drivers spend on their racing , I think some teams and I mean top teams would spend $75 grand quite easilly.

there is a rumor of a driver in my local area who had a budget of anywhere from $35,000 and $50,000 last year and he is not yet one of the top karters in the country..

Of course you could just about run every weekend as well

but anywho back to the Swifts.......

I wouldn't doubt that at all with what some spend on karting. There are some in the USA with Nascar sized tractor trailer rigs and spend well into the hundreds of thousands on all sorts of karting bling. I've had some good laughs seeing some of these guys turn up and disgorge a tiny go kart out of the back of these huge rigs and then to have six mechanics working over it furiously like it's some F1 car.

Gimme a break.

In my mind, it's all a bit stupid and defeats the purpose of what karting is all about.

The Swift series I think has worked in NZ due to being on the main card with NZV8's and without that I don't think it would have made it.

I think with what I have seen by now these one make series may be close in terms of some of the racing, but I don't think they do much to develop a drivers skills and add depth to his abilities. I think you develop strength out of adversity and these one make series take away all those variables.

Mixer · 10 Sep 2010, 03:12 (Ref:2757090)

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcus

You would be surprised what some kart drivers spend on their racing , I think some teams and I mean top teams would spend $75 grand quite easilly.

I wasn't "serious" about running karts but it was cheaper for me to run a HQ Holden than a kart just because of tyre costs and motor rebuilds!

Casper · 10 Sep 2010, 11:35 (Ref:2757228)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwi20

Karting you wont spend 75k like you will on this series. And for what 10 rounds max?

Easily done. Some people are spending 5K to buy a single cylinder Yamaha because it won a championship. Then they buy a couple more in case they need a spare. Reality is not strong in kart ranks.

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