CAMS Cancels National Formula Ford Series!!!

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by one five five

Remember that the "Australian Formula Ford Championship" was only established in 1993, its 'only' a 20 year old Championship.

Before then until the end of 1992, we had the "Formula Ford Driver To Europe Series", ironically of which Mr McConville was the last champion.

Perhaps a return to this in 2014?

Maybe the key in there is that Formula Ford should never have dropped the Kent engine!

A Driver to Europe series, 2 festivals or a consolidated series might work better.

The kent engine is old, expensive and constantly has to be rebuilt. These days you can get a reliable 140hp out of the Honda Fit engine and even other engines by other manufacturers should they choose to adapt them.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by twinwebbers

<old man rant>
Everyone these days wants everything now. When we buy a first house we want 4 bedrooms 3 bathrooms; when we buy a TV its got to be a 50" led flat screen;

No one want's to run around mid field having a blast, they want the latest gear with the best tyres and engineers, but there are very few people who can afford it.
</old man rant>

So in short, its all about looking good not about having fun.

I hear that... Doesnt keep the racing exciting though

[wnut]

Originally Posted by twinwebbers

<old man rant>
Everyone these days wants everything now. When we buy a first house we want 4 bedrooms 3 bathrooms; when we buy a TV its got to be a 50" led flat screen;

No one want's to run around mid field having a blast, they want the latest gear with the best tyres and engineers, but there are very few people who can afford it.
</old man rant>

So in short, its all about looking good not about having fun.

This is just complete rubbish.
Any house in the inner suburbs is so overpriced for what it is, it is just ridiculous!
“It’s the land value, you know.”

When you move out many of the local authorities stipulate the size of the house that has to be built on a block. This regulation forces the youngsters to buy really expensive large houses, pay massive improvement fees to local authorites, boost the profits of property developers, and take on huge debts that have to be serviced to the banks.
The land supply is also kept to a minimum to make sure that no cheap land is available to build on.

All these problems are further magnified in Australia where negative gearing allows investors to write off all losses on residential property, off against any income they derive. (Grossly bad and dishonest tax policy that greatly disadvantages anyone trying to enter the property market!)

So please feel free to stick this theory …

Now FF.

Vested interests again have an interest to see that the maximum possible revenue falls into their clutches.
The more complex Formula Ford becomes and the more susceptible they are to tweaking with the aid of data logging, engines built after thousands of hours on a dynamometer and bodywork tested in wind tunnels and manufactured from carbon fibre, the more a competitor has to spend to be competitive.
Hard work and intelligence simply won’t make you competitive.

Release the plans that a chassis must be built to, stipulate the materials and the welding brazing process, specify all components on price, introduce a number of different engines and run them under claimer engines; any spec engine can be bought from another competitor for a set price immediately after a race.
Ballast the cars for driver weight.
Allow free bodywork with same claimer rules.
Specify the number of tyres per meeting / season.

What you need is a cheap accessible car / chassis that anyone can build with cheap accessible components and competition for their supply.
What the series has to avoid is the suppliers and constructors conspiring to increase the complexity and drive up the prices and barriers to entry for their mutual benefit.
This should be a driver series.

Rants over!

[wnut]

Originally Posted by mha

Perhaps it's worth acknowledging that Ford supported national Aust FF for more than 40 years? A record in Australian motorsport sponsorship?

Ford came up with a brilliant idea for an international feeder formula, and have had a free ride on naming rights to the category and massive marketing exposure in return for chump change sponsorship!

Has to be one of the biggest returns for sponsorship dollars invested in any sport anywhere.

[Umai Naa]

Meanwhile, Honda pulls the pin on the ARC, effect 2014.

http://www.speedcafe.com/2013/08/29/...-championship/

Making room in the budget for a re-branded FF1600 national series, a la the USA?

[Casper]

Originally Posted by Trevor

Why are the costs that high, is it because CAMS fees are so high?

Real racing costs real money. I knew a bloke whose son wanted to run FV, said bloke was what would be called a millionaire. Three races into the first season he realised that if they kept racing he was not going to be a millionaire for long if they kept going and the car was sold. If you have to ask the question then you have never raced. Running a kart seriously at national level will easily cost over 50K a year and that's only got one cylinder and no suspension.

[ForumNick]

To make a small fortune from racing.......

Start with a large fortune !!!!!!!

[Casper]

Originally Posted by wnut

This is just complete rubbish.
Any house in the inner suburbs is so overpriced for what it is, it is just ridiculous!
“It’s the land value, you know.”

When you move out many of the local authorities stipulate the size of the house that has to be built on a block. This regulation forces the youngsters to buy really expensive large houses, pay massive improvement fees to local authorites, boost the profits of property developers, and take on huge debts that have to be serviced to the banks.
The land supply is also kept to a minimum to make sure that no cheap land is available to build on.

All these problems are further magnified in Australia where negative gearing allows investors to write off all losses on residential property, off against any income they derive. (Grossly bad and dishonest tax policy that greatly disadvantages anyone trying to enter the property market!)

So please feel free to stick this theory …

Now FF.

Vested interests again have an interest to see that the maximum possible revenue falls into their clutches.
The more complex Formula Ford becomes and the more susceptible they are to tweaking with the aid of data logging, engines built after thousands of hours on a dynamometer and bodywork tested in wind tunnels and manufactured from carbon fibre, the more a competitor has to spend to be competitive.
Hard work and intelligence simply won’t make you competitive.

Release the plans that a chassis must be built to, stipulate the materials and the welding brazing process, specify all components on price, introduce a number of different engines and run them under claimer engines; any spec engine can be bought from another competitor for a set price immediately after a race.
Ballast the cars for driver weight.
Allow free bodywork with same claimer rules.
Specify the number of tyres per meeting / season.

What you need is a cheap accessible car / chassis that anyone can build with cheap accessible components and competition for their supply.
What the series has to avoid is the suppliers and constructors conspiring to increase the complexity and drive up the prices and barriers to entry for their mutual benefit.
This should be a driver series.

Rants over!

And walk around the pits handing out CPU's to drivers randomly with all the CPU having the exact same programming. FF would not have the ability to scrutineer driver owned CPU's so supplying them is the best way.

[EfiOz]

Hard work and intelligence do make you competitive, a computer and a roll of carbon fiber alone do not.

[bathurst]

So the shannons nationals is on the cards.
FFs could halve their entry fees and double their tv exposure! Which isn't hard when they get no coverage from vesa.
Maybe even get back to the mountain again with the 12hr or Easter

[Casper]

Originally Posted by EfiOz

Hard work and intelligence do make you competitive, a computer and a roll of carbon fiber alone do not.

That does not stop the cheque books coming out and forcing the cost of competition up. Karting is the epitome of cheque book racing caused by a mind set of spec racing, it does not work and never has. Yes, hard work and intelligence can make you competitive and so can outright talent up to a point. Above that the expectation is you have the money before you try and compete in let's say V8's. Try and get a drive without bringing something to the table, it won't happen, hard work and intelligence just went out the window, it got you there but no money, no drive.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Casper

And walk around the pits handing out CPU's to drivers randomly with all the CPU having the exact same programming. FF would not have the ability to scrutineer driver owned CPU's so supplying them is the best way.

Good thinking Casper!

Great and vital idea!

[GTRMagic]

Shannons Nationals To Run National Formula Ford Series?

[Jacal]

Having thought about it for a couple of days since my last post, I think we are missing something here.

from the press release,
CAMS Chief Executive Eugene Arocca says the costs of staging the national competition together with a lack of manufacturer support..."

“As much as CAMS would like to see a thriving national Formula Ford competition, this has been and will be difficult to achieve. We agreed to run the category in 2013 when the Category Manager at the time was not able to continue doing so due to financial pressures – primarily a result of the withdrawal of important funding from the manufacturer. Those pressures have not eased and despite careful management of the category this year by CAMS, we simply cannot justify the time and money it will take to continue doing so beyond 2013.”"

sure they mention cost of competing but lets face it that doesn't change no matter the class. First lets remember CAMS are not a category manager / promoter having moved out of this long ago.

The important to read between that is that the costs of administering a national championship have gotten so out of hand that it is unviable without a benefactor

[GTRMagic]

Formula Ford To Shannons Nationals Program

Will this still be the National series?

[Jacal]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Will this still be the National series?

Meaning?

It will be the national series for formula ford, round makeup is being worked on if you mean does it go to WA I guess we'll find out but as costs of competing in the championship are one of the things that needs to be addressed that comes into consideration.

[chavez]

Originally Posted by Jacal

Meaning?

It will be the national series for formula ford, round makeup is being worked on if you mean does it go to WA I guess we'll find out but as costs of competing in the championship are one of the things that needs to be addressed that comes into consideration.

There is a difference (according to CAMS) between a "National" series and a "Championship" Series.

Note that some series previously known as "Championships" eg Sports Sedans, are now "National".

[GTRMagic]

Minda Motorsport To Close

Thanks CAMS.... and the F4 plan...

The VE Mr Waters drove has been for sale for a while, the transporter is on my105 too... plus the Formula Fords & running gear...

[GTRMagic]

[GTRMagic]

[GTRMagic]