Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Brown
Going on from there the loss of GT3, Mini Challenge, Suzuki and NZ V8 utes all compounded the problem. So the summer series moved from being a series with mainly unique classes that only ran in that series to a cobbled up series with a lot of classes that can be seen elsewhere free or very cheap.
The package NZV8, TRS, GT3, Formula Ford, Mini Challenge, Suzuki and NZV8 utes all unique to the summer series was very marketable and probably the most successful series ever run in this country.
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Sadly, although those classes may have been unique to the tier 1 meetings, apart from GT3 and Formula Ford, they are all effectively '1/2 make' series and I'd suggest that is the real root of the problem. Even in their heyday, neither Minis nor Suzuki Swifts had large numbers and neither are or were a drawcard.
Whether a series can be seen elsewhere or not is irrelevant. If it is good racing (however you want to assess 'good') the paying spectators are happy enough.
In my 30 years in NZ, I would say that the short series of Benson & Hedges and Nissan Mobil type races, with whatever support races they ran, were far more successful than anything in recent times.