from The Courier Mail

[RaceTime]

- she has to catch me first

[Lyris]

[Crash Test]

Originally posted by GTRMagic
Marcos could probably get a handle on Chinese if he put his mind to it.... well enough words to find where the bathroom is and how to order a meal anyway

Number 5 with blackbean sauce thanks?

[PeterJ]

Tony Cochrane is copping a bit of adverse criticism on the conrod forum especially over dumping Phillip Island as well as his attitude generally. I also caught a rumor that a big news story about Cochrane is about to break. I wonder if it is an announcement that the Bathurst money is in place? Any takers?

[Gudgeon]

Peter J I have also noticed that a lot of subscribers dont seem to like him I have not heard any thing about the big news story But then T.C. is always on the verge of something big wonder why they cancelled the China Trip Will the Bathurst news you are talking about involve both Fedearal and State Governments and what about the local council

[PeterJ]

.

[TheMan]

Thanks for that Peterj, Just in case I missed it the first time I certainly got it the second time. Thanks mate.

P.S. Just taking the p**s.

[PeterJ]

Originally posted by TheMan
Thanks for that Peterj, Just in case I missed it the first time I certainly got it the second time. Thanks mate.

P.S. Just taking the p**s.

Sorry. The 10/10 server had reported to me that it was too busy and to try and post it again later. So I did not realising it was telling fibs...

[NicBedford]

Lets hope the Governments get behind Bathurst they seem to have no problem finding money for every other hard luck story the greenies bring up and when you think about the contribution Holden and Ford make to the ecomomy they should not hesitate to provide funds to showcase these brands

[RaceTime]

I know this won't be popular with some here - but why the hell should ANY government be putting money into the Mt Panorama circuit? Personally - any political party that does loses my vote..

Why?

Simple - Mt Panorama is used almost exclusively by the categories that can already afford to race and do whatever, wherever they want.

As discussed in a previous thread here, David Kidd attempted 2 years ago to put on a State Race Meeting at the Mountain. He gave up when the cost got to $100,000.

This was because things just kept balooning.

You want the control tower? OK (fictitious figure here btw) - $10,000

Oh you want to use race control as well - not just the ground floor - OK another $5,000.

Oh you want the timing room? OK another $5,000.

And so it went on and on and on - each door that had to be unlocked started costing extra.

This is when David realised that Mt Panorama would never be used for anything other than a major meeting.

So - in this case, why should taxpayers be funding improvements for the elite?????

[TheMan]

Because it is the elite that brings the economy to the town. No elite no Mt Panorama. At least thats the way I see it and it is one of Australia`s biggest events. Everyone I know watches Bathurst. It is in the same league as Grand finals. The government should get behind this race and help it stay the event that it truelly is and help make it bigger and better than ever.

[jetsetter]

I'm with RaceTime on this issue, i think it would be political suicide for a government at any level to spend tax payers money on a venue that is used only a couple of times a year. I think it would be of much greater benefit to motorsport in general if they were to spend money on improving permanant circuits that get used year round by everyone & not just a couple of times by the elite.

[RaceTime]

TheMan - so Mt Panorama should be supported by the governments at the expense of other tracks? Because that is what will happen. AVESCO will suck successive givernments dry for the 'elite' tracks - Bathurst, Indy, Adelaide - and when the grass roots tracks start folding because of lack of funds - what happens to motorsport then?

This is a very short sighted view.

[BFC]

BOB JANE t-marts 1000 at Bathurst....maybe AAA will run it cheaper....Bob being vice-pres of AAA.

[TheMan]

Racetime please don`t put words in my mouth. Nothing pi**es me off more. When did I ever make the statement " at the expense of other tracks" I was simply reffering to Bathurst. So rather than attack someone next time you probably should read what they write first.

On the other side I agree with you and disagree with you. Of course permanent race tracks should be supported and money definately need to be pumped into them from a Government perspective, but surely not at the expense of Bathurst. Bathurst is the single biggest race in Australia and is an Icon, all I say is it needs freshening up aswell and turned into a world class facility but I never said at the expense of other circuits.

I am also not short sighted as I am a petrol head like everyone else on here and love watching motorsport at all venues, and would be shattered if circuits started closing down.

[RaceTime]

Yes - Bathurst is one of the biggest races in the country (it's probably the 2nd or 3rd biggest actually after the AGP and Gold Coast) which is why it must NEVER be supported by any government.

It has more sponsorship poured into it than any other race - yet tracks like Lakeside, Mallala, Symmons Plains and even Calder are left to their own devices.

In the case of Lakeside - this reduces Queensland to one track.

Mallala is, in reality, a club track now - so South Australia misses out.

Symmons Plains has been neglected for over 4 years now - so Tasmania misses out.

Sandown has a finite life left in it, as does Oran Park. AVESCO want to wipe their hands of Phillip Island..what's left? Not much.

As for putting words in your mouth - one race does NOT support motor racing. Bathurst puts virtually NOTHING back into motor sport ingeneral

Supporting Bathurst? Of course - Bathurst is in it for themselves to make money to keep themselves going. They are going to cry poor as soon as their is any threat to the race. But I don;t see them going anywhere out of their way to help motorsport in general utilise the track - do you? Ask David Kidd what help he got from the Bathurst Council when he tried to get a NSW State meeting there - stuff all.

Like it or not - motor racing comes nowhere near the fanatacism or level of support of other football codes in Australia - Bathurst gets a huge audience. Why? Because it is a TV race these days - not a spectator race. Sure people go there - but how many peolle stay at home because 'they can see all of the race'.

[TheMan]

You are right, I have been a big supporter over the last couple of years for the Barbaggalo circuit in Perth. When I heard news of the Street circuit plan I instantly saw red. WA motorsport can`t survive without the V8 race over there to generate much needed funds for them to survive.

Same goes for Mallala and Symmonds and Lakeside etc. Part of the profit or money generated from Clipsal needs to go back to Motorsport in SA and likewise from Indy to Lakeside etc. As for Symmonds plains, Its a hard one. Another problem circuits face these days is population growth. When I first whent to Oran it was in the middle of nohere, now it is scary and the next on the list to go. Would be a huge shame.

[racer69]

For what it's worth in my view the NSW state government money going into Bathurst would be better spent, as has been stated by Racetime and jetsetter, on Oran Park, Wakefield Park and Eastern Creek.

Shouldn't all levels of motorsport benefit from this government injection of cash, not a circuit used twice a year only by elite categories.

[Crash Test]

What needs to be fixed at Mt Panorama? The pit lane buildings are some of the newest and best in the business, why the heck tear them down? If you need more room for corporate types, why not but up some temporary structures like all of the street circuits? The back of the pits too muddy? Pave it over, surely the BCC could divert a tar truck there for a couple of days to fill the gaps. The top of the hill? Why bother- that's the attraction of the place, it aint the Hilton. You're not going to be able to fit more yokels in there, just **** them off by putting in grandstands etc. Maybe a few more toilets (or tree as the case may be) could be helpful.

[jetsetter]

I can't believe that they complain about the facilities at Bathurst, after spending my childhood going to Lakeside the facilities at Bathurst are 1000 times better.

[mmciau]

I'd suggest the principals of AVESCO see Bathurst as a cash cow.
They'll ask and ask for government handouts so the facilities for the glitter-ati and the stiletto-ati are firstclass but we punters will not enjoy full facilities like sufficient and well placed toilets.

They will not use their own money!

Mike

[spook]

And why should they use their own money. AVESCO is in the entertainment business, they are not a sporting organisation. They cannot be compared to the ARU, AFL or NRL administrations. And I don't think CAMS can be compared to them either.

So where is the organisation that supports the grass-roots and on-going development of our sport?. In the football codes, the controlling body gets the TV money and a share of the gate takings to support the sport at all levels, and still manage to get Govt financial support for venues. You think the MCG re-development is being paid for by just the sports money.

Where does the TV money in motor sport go?

[jetsetter]

AVESCO is not promoting a rock concert here they are promoting a sport, i don't see what makes them different to the AFL, NRL or ARU. They are all sporting bodies trying to promote different sports.

[Crash Test]

I think the point spook was making is that AVESCO are in it for themselves. TC states that very clearly today in AA. Where the AFL, NRL and ARU look out for international, state, local and junior levels of their sport, AVESCO couldn't give a rats. Everyone else's problem is their own thing.

[smokinJ]

agree 100% crash
each year it is getting woosier and woosier up on the mount
my wife now comes with me
last night she asked if we could hire a mini bus and bring her family with her
just imagine bathurst with the inlaws eeeeewwwwwkkk!!!!!
i say make it dangerous again so they dont dare defile the magic of the mount