Demise of the Great Race

[Trev Campbell]

I figured I'd put this out there to see if others are in agreement.

A couple of friends and I have been going to the Great Race for the last 20 years. although 1 of us may have missed a year or 2 due to uni exams, child births etc, There has always been at least 2 of us that have made the trek to Bathurst, usually all 3.

However this year it looks like I'll be going alone, The reason the other guys have pulled out is 'It's boring now and you know the result before you get there'

I'm probably looking through roe colored glasses but thinking about it and I can't fault the statement, and has me wondering if I'll make the trip. The racing first. In the last 10 year the race has been won by realisticly only 2 teams, HRT and 888. With V8Supercars/CAMS trigger happy use of the Safety Car, The race always comes down to a sprint that is won by the guys with the most money / fastest car from the sprint rounds. Gone are the days when we'd go to the race not knowing what would happen. No longer can an underdog get up with great fuel strategy/consuption ala Perking 1993 or a great alternate strategy ala SBR in 1998. Unless it rains the race has become stale. The race is virtually won before the start.

As for entertainment, I don't condone the hoon behaviour that happend on top of the mountain, but I used to come back to work and regale my workmates with tales of what had happened on top of the hill. Even though I admit it did get out of control toward the end of the 90's and something had to be done. The uniqueness of the Bathurst event has been destroyed in order to make it conform to the corporate image V8Supercars desire.

To say this is just the way of the world now is rubbish, My boss went to Le Mans in 2010 and said the Le mans campgrounds were choca's with punters having fun, there were guys with pools, and bars with kegs set up. Punters could take as much beer as they liked into the event in BOTTLES !!!!! So the restrictions we seem to be faced with are just imposed by V8Supercars

However with the crackdown by the fun police. V8Supercars have done NOTHING to fill the void of entertainment for the punters at Bathurst. With the big push with their Rock and Race themes, surely the BIGGEST race of the year deserves concerts on Friday and Saturday night. Anyone who tried to do anything entertaining on top of the hill is removed from the event. I return to work now and when people ask what happend at Bathurst all I can say is NOTHING.

I've tried to get a couple of other guys to make the trip and have struggled to get any takers, because the answer to one of their questions is what do you do when the racings not on. The answer is NOT MUCH.

V8Supercars Give the punters something.

[bluesport]

I couldn't agree more. The supercars are too predictable and no one has the balls to liven it up........not worth watching.

[Downoz]

Paul Morris has he right idea let em loose, both on and off the track.

[formerf1champ]

Originally Posted by Trev Campbell

V8Supercars Give the punters something.

Give you/punters something? You should feel privileged that you forked out cash to be in the outer presence of the V8Supercar community!

If the race reverted back to the pre-Cockrane days, most people would talk about how boring the race is and there's nothing happening for five hours, even though races/strategies are developing and don't become obvious til the end.

[formerf1champ]

Originally Posted by Downoz

Paul Morris has he right idea let em loose, both on and off the track.

Off the track? How many drivers would then attempt to thump Morris then realise he isn't as tough as the mongrel appears?

[dsg]

Originally Posted by Trev Campbell

To say this is just the way of the world now is rubbish, My boss went to Le Mans in 2010 and said the Le mans campgrounds were choca's with punters having fun, there were guys with pools, and bars with kegs set up. Punters could take as much beer as they liked into the event in BOTTLES !!!!! So the restrictions we seem to be faced with are just imposed by V8Supercars.

I think that says a lot more about the crowd going to LeMans compared to the crowd Bathurst attracts.

Whilst I agree we are a nanny state a morsel of respect shown to each other by the patrons in past years would have allowed much more freedom for the fans of today.

In regards to the racing, haven’t the biggest teams usually won?

[Trev Campbell]

He's a big lad, he may try to eat the other driver. 'Mmmmmm V8Supercar driver, the other white meat !!!!'

[dsg]

Originally Posted by formerf1champ

Off the track? How many drivers would then attempt to thump Morris then realise he isn't as tough as the mongrel appears?

After his comments on the weekend I think the marshals/officials (weekend warriors as he puts it) would be first in line.

[one five five]

I thought it was funny Cochrane talking about how this year is the "49th running of the event" and that there will be some big announcements made for next years "50th running"..... What is he smoking?

This year will be the 51st 500-mile/1000km 'Great Race' run since 1963.

And the race that V8Supercars run in, a race that is totally seperate to any 'Great Race' held on the October long weekend, is only running for the 15th time this year.....

Please Explain?

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Trev Campbell

I figured I'd put this out there to see if others are in agreement.

A couple of friends and I have been going to the Great Race for the last 20 years. although 1 of us may have missed a year or 2 due to uni exams, child births etc, There has always been at least 2 of us that have made the trek to Bathurst, usually all 3.

However this year it looks like I'll be going alone, The reason the other guys have pulled out is 'It's boring now and you know the result before you get there'

It's a human trait and has some basis in hormonal and brain chemistry that usually when you fall "in love" with something, that after the initial phase of something new and interesting wears off, it will never be the same again.

Probably it really doesn't have much to do with V8SC, just that people have been there and done that and people change and develop new interests with time. There were people complaining in the 1990's that it wasn't the same as the 1970's. And so on and so forth.

[gtcapri]

Originally Posted by one five five

I thought it was funny Cochrane talking about how this year is the "49th running of the event" and that there will be some big announcements made for next years "50th running"..... What is he smoking?

This year will be the 51st 500-mile/1000km 'Great Race' run since 1963.

And the race that V8Supercars run in, a race that is totally seperate to any 'Great Race' held on the October long weekend, is only running for the 15th time this year.....

Please Explain?

It's a pity that what the black wiggle says will be taken as gospel by those too lazy or ignorant to understand the races origins and intentions.

[woodduck97]

There is not much "great" about the Bathurst 1000 anymore. It is just other round of the V8 circus that just happens to be at Bathurst. Can anyone tell me what happened at Phillip Island ? I fell asleep.

[mtpanorama]

Originally Posted by woodduck97

There is not much "great" about the Bathurst 1000 anymore. It is just other round of the V8 circus that just happens to be at Bathurst. Can anyone tell me what happened at Phillip Island ? I fell asleep.

Sorry, can't help you there. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day so I went outside and did some gardening.

[Airhead]

Originally Posted by mtpanorama

Sorry, can't help you there. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day so I went outside and did some gardening.

Your both right, I only lasted 20 laps myself, say, how are you going Mt?

[mtpanorama]

Originally Posted by AMoffat

Your both right, I only lasted 20 laps myself, say, how are you going Mt?

Good thanks mate, it's been a looooong time

[Airhead]

Too true, I'll pm ya.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by Trev Campbell

I figured I'd put this out there to see if others are in agreement.

A couple of friends and I have been going to the Great Race for the last 20 years. although 1 of us may have missed a year or 2 due to uni exams, child births etc, There has always been at least 2 of us that have made the trek to Bathurst, usually all 3.

However this year it looks like I'll be going alone, The reason the other guys have pulled out is 'It's boring now and you know the result before you get there'

I'm probably looking through roe colored glasses but thinking about it and I can't fault the statement, and has me wondering if I'll make the trip. The racing first. In the last 10 year the race has been won by realisticly only 2 teams, HRT and 888. With V8Supercars/CAMS trigger happy use of the Safety Car, The race always comes down to a sprint that is won by the guys with the most money / fastest car from the sprint rounds. Gone are the days when we'd go to the race not knowing what would happen. No longer can an underdog get up with great fuel strategy/consuption ala Perking 1993 or a great alternate strategy ala SBR in 1998. Unless it rains the race has become stale. The race is virtually won before the start.

As for entertainment, I don't condone the hoon behaviour that happend on top of the mountain, but I used to come back to work and regale my workmates with tales of what had happened on top of the hill. Even though I admit it did get out of control toward the end of the 90's and something had to be done. The uniqueness of the Bathurst event has been destroyed in order to make it conform to the corporate image V8Supercars desire.

To say this is just the way of the world now is rubbish, My boss went to Le Mans in 2010 and said the Le mans campgrounds were choca's with punters having fun, there were guys with pools, and bars with kegs set up. Punters could take as much beer as they liked into the event in BOTTLES !!!!! So the restrictions we seem to be faced with are just imposed by V8Supercars

However with the crackdown by the fun police. V8Supercars have done NOTHING to fill the void of entertainment for the punters at Bathurst. With the big push with their Rock and Race themes, surely the BIGGEST race of the year deserves concerts on Friday and Saturday night. Anyone who tried to do anything entertaining on top of the hill is removed from the event. I return to work now and when people ask what happend at Bathurst all I can say is NOTHING.

I've tried to get a couple of other guys to make the trip and have struggled to get any takers, because the answer to one of their questions is what do you do when the racings not on. The answer is NOT MUCH.

V8Supercars Give the punters something.

Shame to hear the Funcist Empire has taken over Bathurst if what you are saying is true, a lot of North American and European circuits have sadly fallen victim to them as well. Daytona is a perfect example of this as well as many F1 races, after 11 straight years of attending at least 1 grand prix a year, after 2008 I simply stopped because I felt like I was treated like baggage instead of a racing fan by the series/circuits.

If you do feel disappointed about the atmosphere and race, I would recommend saving up for Le Mans, it can be expensive, but the atmosphere is simply unmatched (except perhaps the 24h nurburgring). You can do so much that you cannot do at other circuits as long as you stay away from the main grandstand areas. Went in 1999, 2003, 2004, 2007 and loved it more than every other race Ive been to combined. 2014 is the year to go with Porsche, Nissan and possibly Toyota coming back to LMP1. Hopefully though, both Bathurst race and V8 Supercar series organizers come through though and improve the quality of the racing and fan experience

[fomoco]

I have to agree the racing is clinacal:

call the Doctor and go back in time:

In the seventies, Drivers would go up to the Mount and have some beers

In the eighties some did, some didn't

in the nineties, the ferals took over. Burnts outs in the camp gounds, burning cars on the mount, burning power poles , every second punk full of f it, screaming show us your %8^&@ to every woman, wife girfriend, etc. Drunken behaviour, I have a video of the 1999 race, wich includes scenes from the mount. Not proud of what we call the great race.

When we walked around, people where slouched in chairs, drunk , sleeping at 11.00 in the morning, on friday, saturday and sunday. WOW real motosport fans. Tent site, $50.00, $1000.00 worth of beer, watching the race, ****ed and missed it.

To all the proffesors out there, Go to Daytona, go to Le Mans, go to a few other pinicle races , do the fans do that, as we allowed at the mount.

Remember it was the top teams back in the eighties that called for all the other cars to get of the track, Larry Perkins was a lead vocalist, get rid of these sunday drivers, that is those who came once a year to have a crack at the mount.

I would like to see the more cars on the grid, considering a number of Fujisu cars are actually last years level cars, why not.

AS for the fun Police, get a grip. Drunken bumbs, no interest in motorsport trowling around Bathurst causing trouble, if that is what you want, head west, further than Bathurts, have every shade of red flannel shirt, have beckie-sue, and billy-bob-joe , where "All in the family show" is actually real, and build your own dirt track, and get your sisters and brothers kids to supply the local home brew and ye hah.

I honestly thouht that we had passed this decade and where progressing towards a family friendly enviroment.

IF you want racing to go back, then pester V8's to include more than a couple of wild cards. If you want the old Mount, go to the Gold Coast and get on the turps at the hairpin.
I have been a marshall at this point a couple of times, and it is scary of what goes on behind you.

Sorry, I don't believe our counter parts overseas would allow the bad old days of the mount to creep into their prestiges races.

[racer69]

Originally Posted by fomoco

To all the proffesors out there, Go to Daytona, go to Le Mans, go to a few other pinicle races , do the fans do that, as we allowed at the mount.

The Indy 500 is pretty fair game, the grandstands were full of coolers packed with alcohol (they had chain gangs going to lift them up the stands), nothing like the 'top of the mountain' though.

The Snake Pit has been brought back to Indy though, its pretty tame these days up at turn 3 with a keen eye lept on it, but in its heyday down at Turn 1, it made the Bathurst Mountain in the 90s look like a family picnic.

[Micklegend]

It all depends on your perspective...its still a special race and im sure regardless of the year, the cars or the race, there has never been 100% entertainment all day.

the best races are when its been wet and dry, some of the front runners cars have expired and the last 40 or so laps have been a lottery. the cars and professionalism of the teams means that reliability is putting 10 or so cars in contention late in the race, and safety car or no safety car, we cant have the old days with trucks on the track with cars going at full noise.

camping? well, depends who you go with, and id suggest if you were only heading up with 2 mates then you probably need to find more like minded souls to hang out with...no disrespect intended. We have camped at the same place and met the same guys each year, so its been good in that respect.

the main drama is the reduction in areas where you can drink grog and view the cars, now you can still do it, but have to buy the XXXX they sell, not take your own. this is a pain, but what are you there for, to get drunk or watch racing?

[Stram_man]

I have also been watching it since the 70's however I must say I am not sure I will be watching it this year. |We can pretty much say who the winner is.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by Stram_man

I have also been watching it since the 70's however I must say I am not sure I will be watching it this year. |We can pretty much say who the winner is.

so i assume you switched off in the late 70's early 80's then, I mean Brock won 6 out of 7, we pretty much knew who was going to win

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by bluesport

I couldn't agree more. The supercars are too predictable and no one has the balls to liven it up........not worth watching.

everytime TC makes an attempt to liven it, the moaning taht occurs on this forum (and others) is unbelievable

Remmber when he brought in reverse grids, the howls of indignation,

What about a chase at the end of the season, well check out the thread and see the support

Too many people who dont like change and then what happens those same people complain that things are boring and predictable

No wonder TC is taking the racing OS, it gets it away from the moaners

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by Trev Campbell

I figured I'd put this out there to see if others are in agreement.

A couple of friends and I have been going to the Great Race for the last 20 years. although 1 of us may have missed a year or 2 due to uni exams, child births etc, There has always been at least 2 of us that have made the trek to Bathurst, usually all 3.

However this year it looks like I'll be going alone, The reason the other guys have pulled out is 'It's boring now and you know the result before you get there'

I'm probably looking through roe colored glasses but thinking about it and I can't fault the statement, and has me wondering if I'll make the trip. The racing first. In the last 10 year the race has been won by realisticly only 2 teams, HRT and 888. With V8Supercars/CAMS trigger happy use of the Safety Car, The race always comes down to a sprint that is won by the guys with the most money / fastest car from the sprint rounds. Gone are the days when we'd go to the race not knowing what would happen. No longer can an underdog get up with great fuel strategy/consuption ala Perking 1993 or a great alternate strategy ala SBR in 1998. Unless it rains the race has become stale. The race is virtually won before the start.

As for entertainment, I don't condone the hoon behaviour that happend on top of the mountain, but I used to come back to work and regale my workmates with tales of what had happened on top of the hill. Even though I admit it did get out of control toward the end of the 90's and something had to be done. The uniqueness of the Bathurst event has been destroyed in order to make it conform to the corporate image V8Supercars desire.

To say this is just the way of the world now is rubbish, My boss went to Le Mans in 2010 and said the Le mans campgrounds were choca's with punters having fun, there were guys with pools, and bars with kegs set up. Punters could take as much beer as they liked into the event in BOTTLES !!!!! So the restrictions we seem to be faced with are just imposed by V8Supercars

However with the crackdown by the fun police. V8Supercars have done NOTHING to fill the void of entertainment for the punters at Bathurst. With the big push with their Rock and Race themes, surely the BIGGEST race of the year deserves concerts on Friday and Saturday night. Anyone who tried to do anything entertaining on top of the hill is removed from the event. I return to work now and when people ask what happend at Bathurst all I can say is NOTHING.

I've tried to get a couple of other guys to make the trip and have struggled to get any takers, because the answer to one of their questions is what do you do when the racings not on. The answer is NOT MUCH.

V8Supercars Give the punters something.

Trev, I dont fully agree with you, but i dont fully disagree with you.

Ive ben going to the race for 25 years, we dont stay at the track though and to be honest, i cant wait i am really looking forward to it, but i will also add, that the arce has alwys been an excuse to get away with the boys and have a good time. That may have been different for you and your mates

this years i will be going with ten mates, half who i have meet at bathust and only see at bathurst, none who came 25 years ago, although there is one who comes from back then, but not this year.

I used to go up the mountain on sat afternoons just for the entertainment, because there was very little on the track on saturdays, at least now they have some racing on saturday afternoons and the shoot out. (i will go up there this year, because we have somm rookies with us and they will want to go up there)

The winner has usually been predictable in that time, often you had to hope that the favorites would fall over so you could get a win, but generally one of the favourites won. same as now

I believe your comment regarding the trigger happy use of the SC was true 10 years ago, but i dont believe it happens anymore, unfortunately though in the interest of Safety we have to have a safety car, everyone wishes we didnt, on the positive, there tend to be less off them now with more professional fields and with the primary driver in each car (as we saw yesterday at PI) the flip side of the SC is that it does tend to make the last hour quite enthralling and i believe in the last few year we have seen some of the best Bathurst finishes we have ever had

the top of the mountain did go to hell though, when i first started going it was safe but jovial at the top of the mountain, it lost that feel by the late 90's too many drunks and something had to be done. so it was sanitised.

Now as you pointed out its time to get a replacement activity at the track, they did have concerts at the bottom about 6 or 7 years ago, but they were poorly attended, so they only lasted the one year

[Belly13]

This will be the 1st 1000 that I miss since 1997. Have attended all the races since. I have to admit that the racing has become a little predictable. It's not often I can remember finding F1 more exciting than V8 Supercars.
I hope to see a surprise winner this year, but I ain't holding my breath.