V8s to Pukekohe (formerly No more V8 Supercars in NZ?!)

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

There are other problems with Taupo
1. The track is not great, too twisty and hard to pass
2. It is too far from an airport that can take a 747 loaded with V8 Supercars
3. It is too far from Auckland, wellington, Hamilton and Tauranga. Hamilton had problems because people don't want to drive more than an hour from home.
4. It is hard to get accommodation there when there is an event on.

1. And Hamilton was a great track?
2. Put them on a truck from the airport
3. Surely if the product is good enough people will travel. Aren't v8 supercars supposedly a tourist attraction that drives economic impact?
4. Where is accommodation easy to find when an event on? As mountainstar alluded to there seems to plenty of accommodation available

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

1. And Hamilton was a great track?
2. Put them on a truck from the airport
3. Surely if the product is good enough people will travel. Aren't v8 supercars supposedly a tourist attraction that drives economic impact?
4. Where is accommodation easy to find when an event on? As mountainstar alluded to there seems to plenty of accommodation available

1 yes it was
2 maybe. but its a long way, but ill give you that one
3 while yes, only some travel, its still needs locals, for instance Clipsal hope for about 10,000 visitors, which leaves the bulk of the crowd being from adelaide
4. you need to go to more street races, let me start by saying Adeliade Melbourne, Sydney, and Indy. Sandown has never struggled for accom, Darwin is good, PI is good, Winton not so good, QLD raceway and indy good although funnily enough EC does struggle, but if you want interstate or long distance visitors you need accom, which was part of hamiltons problem

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by peckstar

1 yes it was

I fear for motor racing if this is now considered a great track

Originally Posted by peckstar

4. you need to go to more street races, let me start by saying Adeliade Melbourne, Sydney, and Indy. Sandown has never struggled for accom, Darwin is good, PI is good, Winton not so good, QLD raceway and indy good although funnily enough EC does struggle, but if you want interstate or long distance visitors you need accom, which was part of hamiltons problem

Peckstar, there is no need to any street race - let alone more.

When was Hamilton struggled for accommodation. I thought the issue was the lack of visitors not a lack of beds.

It seems there isnt a lack of beds in Taupo anyways - just V8SA berrying its head in the sand as to alternatives to a street race.

[Mr Revhead]

Not so much lack of beds, but lack or people to watch the race.

[Southern Man]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

That's because it all probably going to go to the Philippines for their race.

That is what is being reported in the media in Manila with the suggested venue being the new circuit at Clark.

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by peckstar

1 yes it was
2 maybe. but its a long way, but ill give you that one
3 while yes, only some travel, its still needs locals, for instance Clipsal hope for about 10,000 visitors, which leaves the bulk of the crowd being from adelaide
4. you need to go to more street races, let me start by saying Adeliade Melbourne, Sydney, and Indy. Sandown has never struggled for accom, Darwin is good, PI is good, Winton not so good, QLD raceway and indy good although funnily enough EC does struggle, but if you want interstate or long distance visitors you need accom, which was part of hamiltons problem

1. It was definitely better than Taupo, which is an awful track really
2. TC said at a press conference I was at years ago that Taupo is too far to truck the cars, drives the costs right up
3. No, people won't travel - that's why Hamilton had problems. Only the motorsport enthusiasts, who number probably 10,000 at best, will travel that far and stay the weekend. They need 3 times that number at least, and where are they going to come from? Population of Taupo in 2010 was 22,000. They would need probably 20-30,000 visitors to make it pay.
4. No way does Taupo have that many beds! It only just has that many residents!

[Goat Boy]

I did enjoy the first A1GP though, in spite of the circuit rather than because of it. Taupo is a lovely place, but even with all the hype for that event they probably got about 1/3 of the number of spectators that they were expecting. In the end on the Saturday night in town they gave away grandstand tickets that we had paid $200 for just to make it look good on TV and so they could say they got a decent turnout.

Good street party that night though!

[champcarman]

This seems like a good opportunity to rebuild V8 Supercars in NZ back to what it was in the best days at Pukekohe.

Going from a great, spectacular, track like Puke where you could see heaps of the track to one of the worlds worst street circuits was never one of the sports brightest ideas.

Especially considering it could only safely hold the same amount of people!

Seeing as it could only hold the same amount of the "fans" TC so dearly cares about what was the point of this ill concieved event.

Oh, sorry, must have been some extra money from somewhere?

I don't pretend to know the answer but I think Hampton Downs would be a pretty sensible place to go.

[Mr Revhead]

Puke was no longer an option as the horse racing people who own it were going to bin the track. But that didn't happen.

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by Mr Revhead

Puke was no longer an option as the horse racing people who own it were going to bin the track. But that didn't happen.

Yeah it's interesting isn't it? In the late 80's there were plans to expand Pukekohe to make it more challenging and longer, and there was much excitement afoot.

Then in the early 2000's rumours began to circulate that the horsey people were going to ditch the track as early as 2005 or 6, although when I contacted them about it they said they hadn't decided what to do but the cars would be staying until at least 2015 (from memory, which is definitely getting hazier...). But the implication was that Pukekohe was going to be redeveloped as some sort of amazing horse racing and training facility with bells and whistles and everything.

However, now that it's 2011 it's apparent that the horse racing industry in NZ is dying a death (due to old rugby, racing and beer fraternity - who also vote for Winston Peters - dying off in droves) and the whole place is just a dump these days.

The stands are atrocious (unless you are one of the ten people allowed into the members stand) and the old pit structure has to be demolished due to its unsafe condition.

The stupid overbridge they built over the track blocks out half the view (which was the best part of Pukekohe) no matter where you sit and the surrounding retail development puts pressure on parking and crowd facilities.

Pukekohe was a great track but the opportunity for developing it I think has been well and truly lost. It will remain I think, but it is a shadow of its former self. Pity.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

Pukekohe was a great track but the opportunity for developing it I think has been well and truly lost. It will remain I think, but it is a shadow of its former self. Pity.

So whats the solution for a race to stay in NZ goat boy?

Street races dont work. V8SA will find some reason why Taupo and Hampton Downs cant work

So not sure what outcome the v8 fraternity expect from here?

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

So whats the solution goat boy?

Street races dont work. V8SA will find some reason why Taupo and Hampton Downs cant work

So not sure what outcome the v8 fraternity expect from here?

What's the name of this thread?

[D.R.T.]

Case closed then. V8SA choose not to race in New Zealand

[Mr Revhead]

It looks like that is the case

[Just Do It!]

Pukekohe is being looked at by a promoter as a viable alternative. It is not stacking up too well based on conservative numbers though.

Hampton Downs.....well....we'll just see. A lot of politics and hard business decisions to be made there by several parties. Time will tell.

[Goat Boy]

Hampton Downs is the logical solution, provided they can put together the package they are proposing. But that is a big "if" right now.

If it doesn't happen for them, then unless Len Brown has some sort of epiphany and decides that Auckland needs a street race (), I think New Zealand can farewell the Supercars from our shores for the foreseeable future.

[Southern Man]

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

Hampton Downs is the logical solution, provided they can put together the package they are proposing. But that is a big "if" right now.

If it doesn't happen for them, then unless Len Brown has some sort of epiphany and decides that Auckland needs a street race (), I think New Zealand can farewell the Supercars from our shores for the foreseeable future.

The first thing we need to remember is that for many we can travel to Aust for less expense than we do to Hamilton or Auckland and the second is that sponsorship money should become more readily available to NZ competitors for what has been happening is that the head offices in Aust have dictated to their NZ counterparts that they pick up the sponsorship bill for the V8SC for the NZ round and this has totally wiped out their annual sponsorship budget for NZ in one hit. So in my opinion the sooner they go the better as it should release some sponsorship funds to NZ sport.

[Goat Boy]

Part of me agrees with you, but the Supercars do have much more mass-appeal than the other classes of racing here. You are more likely to get people who wouldn't think of going to any other motorsport event in a year, so with that comes sponsors who wouldn't normally sponsor motorsport but see the opportunity to get in front of a big crowd.

So whilst we may see some more sponsor dollars free up over here, it won't be all of the money that was floating about...

[harcey]

Originally Posted by Southern Man

The first thing we need to remember is that for many we can travel to Aust for less expense than we do to Hamilton or Auckland and the second is that sponsorship money should become more readily available to NZ competitors for what has been happening is that the head offices in Aust have dictated to their NZ counterparts that they pick up the sponsorship bill for the V8SC for the NZ round and this has totally wiped out their annual sponsorship budget for NZ in one hit. So in my opinion the sooner they go the better as it should release some sponsorship funds to NZ sport.

you got it in one CR.
Money this year has been a huge mission-even small amounts.
last year there was plenty of sponsor contracts being honoured plus the usual personal reserves,
this year the cupboards are bare and the toy money is required at home.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by harcey

you got it in one CR.
Money this year has been a huge mission-even small amounts.
last year there was plenty of sponsor contracts being honoured plus the usual personal reserves,
this year the cupboards are bare and the toy money is required at home.

this thought pattern sounds very selfish and takes no consideration into the needs of the sponsors

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by harcey

you got it in one CR.
Money this year has been a huge mission-even small amounts.
last year there was plenty of sponsor contracts being honoured plus the usual personal reserves,
this year the cupboards are bare and the toy money is required at home.

I'd say that would be more down to the RWC than to V8s - the Hamilton event also felt the impact of the RWC.

V8s were around last year when there was plenty as you describe it - the big change for 2011 was the RWC.

[harcey]

Originally Posted by Tourer

I'd say that would be more down to the RWC than to V8s - the Hamilton event also felt the impact of the RWC.

V8s were around last year when there was plenty as you describe it - the big change for 2011 was the RWC.

did i say plenty ???

that was a general comment and not throwing the blame at Hamilton.
of course RWC has sucked up plenty of dosh as well but there are still plenty of companies who weren't involved in either RWC or V8SC.
profits are down and marketing/promotion spend is cut.

Companies that are getting involved are getting way more for the precious bucks as competitors give the earth for very little.

anyone remember the 80's when for a 44 gallon drum of avgas an oil company could get a whole car livery?

[mountainstar]

Actually I think NZ needs V8 Supercars more than V8 SC needs New Zealand.

Reason being, V8SC is the pinnacle, the highest level professional class in that region of the world. It's the big draw, the end destination also for sponsors, driving talent, mechanics, etc.

Without that available, I think it kills a lot of interest out there amongst the common man.

Kinda of the same thing happens when a F1 Grand Prix comes to a country, it helps develop interest to grow their own stars and their own industry.

I haven't seen a NZ level championship attract anything on the level Hamilton attracted in crowd numbers for V8SC. The local supporting classes should have capitalized on that and if they didn't well... I would think an event that pulls 150,000 people over 3 days is a benefit rather than a negative.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

Actually I think NZ needs V8 Supercars more than V8 SC needs New Zealand.

Reason being, V8SC is the pinnacle, the highest level professional class in that region of the world. It's the big draw, the end destination also for sponsors, driving talent, mechanics, etc.

Without that available, I think it kills a lot of interest out there amongst the common man.

Kinda of the same thing happens when a F1 Grand Prix comes to a country, it helps develop interest to grow their own stars and their own industry.

I haven't seen a NZ level championship attract anything on the level Hamilton attracted in crowd numbers for V8SC. The local supporting classes should have capitalized on that and if they didn't well... I would think an event that pulls 150,000 people over 3 days is a benefit rather than a negative.

events like Clipsal 500, Bathurst, Sydney attract national level championship events to the race.

ive never been sure of the support categories for NZ races, but did it do the same thing?

i guess though if one of you top categpries is similar to the v8 sereis , it makes it hard to be on the same card though, either your sereis shows V8S up or the other way round

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by peckstar

events like Clipsal 500, Bathurst, Sydney attract national level championship events to the race.

ive never been sure of the support categories for NZ races, but did it do the same thing?

i guess though if one of you top categpries is similar to the v8 sereis , it makes it hard to be on the same card though, either your sereis shows V8S up or the other way round

Just off the top of my head, TRS, NZV8's, V8 Utes all ran at Hamilton.