Are V8's too "big" for their boots?

[Wizzby]

The Supercars have gotten so big over the last few years, it's now the third (?) most watched sport in the country, yet there are so many aspects to it which are still left in the dark ages that it makes me wonder if they can grow as fast as it's popularity.

Some of the circuits they race at are substandard in both spectator and pit facilities, and most struggle to find funds to cope with the massive increase in attendance. Also, the turn around time in between races compared to other forms of motorsport is quite long and I can't believe the cars are shipped to New Zealand and not flown! And don't get me started on the lack of 'professional' stewarding, not so much on penalties, but the debacle of the Darwin restart must have had people around the world laughing at us!

It seems to me that whilst the cars have gotten faster, and the budgets and crowds have gotten bigger, some areas of the sport have been left behind. It's not he 'weekend racer' series it used to be, these guys are playing for a lot more than just sheep stations and I don't think some areas of the game reflect this.

I was just wondering what you all thought?

[gttouring]

of course it has gotten bigger, and the land used needs to cacth up, this is only a time issue, it'll be sorted out and any success leaves the weekenders, and oes all pro, the konica series is still about, and V8brutes. but look at turn around time in NASCAR, and Touring cars V8's are doing well and right on par with a #1 sport- it'll never replace footy but its racing.

[Big Trev]

yes

[RaceTime]

How would you propose the transporters get shipped to New Zealand - they won;t fit in planes - or maybe they should just drive from the airport to the race track?

As for turnaround time - sorry but last time I looked there were only, what? 13 or so rounds - what do you want - 13 weekends in a row so that they can all prove they have quick turnarounds?

There can be no comparison to NASCAR - first of all, NASCARs tend to race logically - ie they don;t go from the west to the east coast, back to the south west, north, north west, west coast etc like they do here (Barbagallo, Hidden Valley, Queensland....)

And, of course, NASCAR don;t race off shore to the US.

[GTRMagic]

I would like at least 18 rounds myself, one every 2nd week for 36 weeks... each one eligible for championship points (so yes that includes the AGP)

Open test days at different circuits that the public can attend, to watch teams test on brand new tyres, to blood new drivers, to debut new cars... to be timed on Natsoft...

But I am dreaming...

[sevi]

These guys are buggered enough as it is, towards the end of the season, they don't need anymore meetings. There are other things to do in life besides watch/attend motorsports.

[GTRMagic]

The reason they are buggered has nothing to do with the number of events, its more the proximity between one and the other. The Indy to NZ thing inside 2 days after a race meeting is bloody stupid.

Teams like Mr Ellery's were lucky, and the accident has been repaired, but not all teams were in the same boat, while preparing cars in a tent while all that lovely equipment remains at home base unused is an insanity that not even the slippery tongued TC can explain away.

Again, the requirement for any extension of the calendar would be that it was fully funded from entry/appearance fees to replicate the cost of running those rounds, so teams dont have to go to sponsors and beg for more cash if the season gets bigger and longer.

There are many commercial realities seemingly ignored here by the current series management, but I shouldnt be surprised

[Airhead]

Yes that's interesting that Steven Johnson said the day he had jet skiing with Russell and a few CART drivers wwas the only day off to the end of the season.

The logistics of moving a two car team from one round to the next must be amazing.

[RaceTime]

Originally posted by sevi
These guys are buggered enough as it is, towards the end of the season, they don't need anymore meetings. There are other things to do in life besides watch/attend motorsports.

Only because of the stupidity in the schedule.

Take a look at it - and let's use SBR team for standardisaiton.

Rnd 1 - QLD to Adelaide and return.
Rnd 2 - QLD to Ph Island and return
Rnd 3 - QLD to Eastern Creek and return
RND 4 - QLD to Winton and return
Rnd 5 - QLD to Barbagallo and return
Rnd 6 - QLD to Hidden Valley and return
Rnd 7 - QLD to Queensland Raceway - gotta have one near home..
Rnd 8 - QLD to Oran Park and return
Rnd 9 - QLD to Sandown and return
Rnd 10 - QLD to Bathurst and return
Rnd 11 - Surfers...another at home
Rnd 12 - NZ - everyone is in the same boat - literally
Rnd 13 - QLD to Eastern Creek

And yes - I know the argument is that they have to return to their home base every time - but even so - surely the idiocy of going to Perth, a fewweeks off then BACK across the continent to Darwin could be made more reasonable (eg Hidden Valley the week AFTER or BEFORE Barbagallo so it becomes a round trip instead of two 4000 to 5000 km round trips.

[GTRMagic]

But you miss the Konica rounds that SBR would also have attended, which clogs up the weekends on even more.

The rush from Darwin to PI inside the week was a bit ambitious!

[sevi]

That is talking about the truck driver, and taking a couple of days off car prep time so the transporter can arrive on time.
for all the others staff that work, and I am referring to media, crews, avesco etc, I don't think an extra couple of hours on a plane is going to tire them out. Adding more meetings no matter how you schedule them is going to wear them out even more.

[Crash Test]

But between rounds five and six you can send the merchandise truck up the west coast of Australia and make a bit of extra coin

[GTRMagic]

Yeah but they spend it all when arriving at Kalgoorlie

Crews are paid to work 52 weeks of a year... shouldnt the teams be trying to maximise the output of these guys?

[sevi]

maximise, how much more do you want out of these people?

[Chucky]

Race team staff have it fairly easy in this country comared to OS.

As for the title of this thread refer to the PROCAR to take legal action thread for some more reasons why.

[Aarrgh8]

Originally posted by sevi
maximise, how much more do you want out of these people?

Well, a series with a bit more racing maybe. Like Chucky said, there are tougher schedules around - like this:
http://www.worldofoutlawsracing.com/...t.asp?series=6

[GTRMagic]

Winston Cup runs 38 weekends a year!! Yes the budgets are bigger but the breadth of the coverage across the country is similar

[Aarrgh8]

I don't know why that url won't appear as I enter it. I'll try again:http://www.worldofoutlawsracing.com/...t.asp?series=6 No matter how I copy and paste, it keeps changing. Once more -
http://www.worldofoutlawsracing.com/...t.asp?series=6

[prn 31]

If we going to get into NASCAR type scheduling teams will need to have two cars per driver - with the resultant increases in budgets.

I hear that TC is stipulating that all teams must have Double B trucks by 2005 in order to enhance the show. Should be able to carry a couple more cars in those ...

[Aarrgh8]

I give up. Try http://www.worldofoutlawsracing.com and click on 'SCHEDULES'.

[RaceTime]

Don;t worry about the link - it works - this is how 10/tenths forum software handles it...

[vatuloa]

If they can't get the cars into planes is China just a PR stunt to get more publicity. IF the F1 can run most times every 2 weeks why can't the supercars. Shortage of venues is the major problem.

[RaceTime]

Nah - we have all the venues needed to run them - Mallala, Calder, Phillip Island, Symmons Plains, Baskerville, Morgan Park, Darlington Park, Collie.

There's an extra 8 straight away

[DAVID PATERSON]

A V8 Supercar race at Morgan Park! OMG, stand back, well back.

[Crash Test]

Yeah, it aint that far fetched- people from AVESCO and Procar have been up there. While it wont happen next year or probably the year after, but there will always be a chance of something happening up there in the future...