POWERnights!

Shalders · 8 Mar 2007, 19:04 (Ref:1861663)

http://www.motion-works.co.uk/assets...tsLaunched.pdf

Thought there would be lots of discussion on this somewhere, apologies if I've missed it.

Was on the front cover of Motoring News this week.

Looks an interesting idea, although MN mentioned prices of £300 which seems a bit steep, but suggests it includes a days testing.

Think I'd be keen to certainly watch/marshal if the entries look good.

Tim Wilkinson · 8 Mar 2007, 21:45 (Ref:1861828)

Hmmm... £300 would be a bit steep. If there was a lower-priced option without the testing then it would be very appealing, though.

On the face of it, it looks like a good initiative, and a good idea to target local companies and families - kids free will be appealing, and so will the chance for people to mingle afterwards.

Glad to see someone seeing what works in other sports and trying to apply it to ours. I hope it's a success.

tux · 8 Mar 2007, 22:14 (Ref:1861852)

wow that sounds cool!!

kipper · 8 Mar 2007, 22:54 (Ref:1861886)

It does look a bit pricey though, for I note that MN are claiming that admission on the day will be £15, which seems a lot for six short races. That said it is good to see motor racing being packaged in a way which may perhaps attract a new group to club level motorsport, although I do wonder whether Friday might be a more conducive night to achieve this.

**Woolley** · 9 Mar 2007, 01:21 (Ref:1861954)

Hmm. My first thought was that, since Donington struggle for marshals on the regular week-ends, how are they going to get enough to run weekdays? Then I read this:

"Part of the 2007 trial will be to potentially assess new ideas in trackside
recovery/marshalling, along with the regular methods, as the organisers recognise the
current issues of volunteer marshalling within the sport, especially with this weekday
schedule. All volunteer marshals will receive family tickets and evening BBQ voucher for the
event."

I have to say that worries me. Presumably minimum cover on post with some sort of fast response system. Either it will be deemed succesful, and sound a death-knell for current practice (and without that, how are you going to find volunteers in future to acheive the standard necessary to join a minimalist team), and if deemed unsuccesful... well, what would have to happen for that result?

blueflagger · 9 Mar 2007, 02:14 (Ref:1861973)

We tried running a club race in the evening to see what the racers thought of it and nixed it after one event. With our lower latitude (the event was in Michigan), the sun isn't high enough for long enough to run an evening series. We had trouble seeing car numbers and the drivers hated driving into the setting sun. None of our tracks would pay the expense of lighting for evening club events. There's no profit in it.

But it could well work with your longer hours of daylight.

graeme · 9 Mar 2007, 09:24 (Ref:1862161)

Sounds a good idea - but the cost is way too much at £300. If they are trying to make money from the gate - and only have to rent the circuit for the evening, surely the cost should be less than a normal race - £100-ish?

Sort of similar to an evening at the stock cars, isn't it...?

Ian Sowman · 9 Mar 2007, 10:18 (Ref:1862200)

£300 includes testing during the day as well - so I imagine that the track is being hired for the full day.

graeme · 9 Mar 2007, 10:38 (Ref:1862212)

How about general testing for those who want it, then the rest of us could turn up at 4pm to qualify for £100

ss_collins · 9 Mar 2007, 11:56 (Ref:1862247)

great concept a shame its being run by the BRSCC - which explains the stupid entry fee. Otherwise I'd have been tempted out.

Graeme's suggestion is logical and sensible - will it be taken up - of course not.

Piglet · 9 Mar 2007, 12:10 (Ref:1862258)

Hmmm my thoughts.

Roger has always had some good ideas and executes them well so if anyone can make it happen then Roger's a good bet.

I do wonder it the target competitor market is right though - national and club racers are traditionally people who have full time jobs and come out and play at weekends. I'm not sure about the weekday format especially given the price.

I hope they have considered lighting the Paddock for the evening, Silverstone night races always seem to leave punters trying to negotiate the paddocks in darkness. Maybe it'll still be light enough to not matter?

ss_collins · 9 Mar 2007, 12:21 (Ref:1862272)

Probably still be light enough.

Thursday evening events do work 7oaks and DMC have been running Autotests on thursday evenings for years and they are very popular - I think it will work for racing too - frees up the weekend to take the wife shopping.

Roger is the right guy but with the wrong club - BARC would be a far better option I think. (DTRC Sundown Showdown?)

midgetman · 9 Mar 2007, 12:52 (Ref:1862297)

They just don't get it do they? Club racers have jobs, we can't take an afternoon off to test so the entry fee of £300 for 2 x 10 minute thrashes is plainly ridiculous. And as a spectator, £15 for two hours? Come on, get real.....

The whole point of evening racing is just that - an evening, so we can scab an hour or so off work to get there, enjoy ourselves, go home and be back to work next morning.

The words "ivory" and "tower" come to mind. I do hope they can get a sensible proposal to work, this is in principle a really good idea but the current execution isn't the answer.

Al Weyman · 9 Mar 2007, 16:16 (Ref:1862435)

If the current (I believe) Tory party private members bill to bring the Uk summertime inline with rest of Europe bears fruit (I sincerly hope it does) then this type of event may well work as it will remain light until 11pm at night in the Summer.

kipper · 9 Mar 2007, 17:04 (Ref:1862463)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

If the current (I believe) Tory party private members bill to bring the Uk summertime inline with rest of Europe bears fruit (I sincerly hope it does) then this type of event may well work as it will remain light until 11pm at night in the Summer.

If such a move does pay off and the number light hours does increase, then a circuit which would still need to obtain planning permission to run that late at night, which may prove difficult to obtain.

JohnMiller · 9 Mar 2007, 17:05 (Ref:1862465)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ss_collins

great concept a shame its being run by the BRSCC - which explains the stupid entry fee. Otherwise I'd have been tempted out.

Graeme's suggestion is logical and sensible - will it be taken up - of course not.

I think you'll find it's actually being run by Motion Works who are using the BRSCC to officiate.

As it costs £300 to test at Donno, and their test days are always popular, this does seem like quite good value - although whether it will take off I have idea.

Dave Brand · 9 Mar 2007, 17:22 (Ref:1862477)

Quote:

Originally Posted by midgetman

They just don't get it do they? Club racers have jobs, we can't take an afternoon off to test so the entry fee of £300 for 2 x 10 minute thrashes is plainly ridiculous. And as a spectator, £15 for two hours? Come on, get real......

Three hours, according to the press release - racing will take place between 6PM & 9PM. However, how many punters will be able to get to either circuit for 6PM if they are working - although the timing of the meetings, in August, suggests that they are aware of this & targeting a time when a lot of people will be on holiday. However, I suspect that, from the competitors' point of view, August is bad timing. Are drivers really going to be interested in non-championship races at what could be a crucial time in their championships. Even if they did a cheaper deal without the testing, to allow time for signing on, scrutineering & qualifying it would still necessitate a day off work for most drivers.

As with any idea, you don't know whether it will work until you try it; this one looks like a classic example of the answer to a question nobody's asking

Ian Sowman · 9 Mar 2007, 19:56 (Ref:1862583)

Competitors may prove difficult; the marketing plan to get spectators there sounds promising. Probably working on a similar model to that used for 20:20 cricket.

Al Weyman · 9 Mar 2007, 19:58 (Ref:1862584)

I did midweek night races in short circuits in the 70's so what the difference.

bdwoody · 9 Mar 2007, 22:16 (Ref:1862664)

I did ovals in the 80's and 90's on wed nights but i only live 25 miles from the track so it was ok , but donny and silverstone aint a lot of good if you live down south or up north.this thing must have been thought up for midlands folk only.. doh..

Al Weyman · 10 Mar 2007, 08:47 (Ref:1862866)

But a lot of people will live local and we used to travel for evening meetings.

ss_collins · 10 Mar 2007, 11:50 (Ref:1862960)

£15 is steep for Silverstone - perhaps limit it to £10 or £11.

Motion works are not MSA so CofC has to be BRSCC, as do other officials. It is in effect BRSCC.

£300 is way too much, thats 2x 750 meetings. I do like the concept though - an open race but it would make so much more sense at Brands (on a lot of peoples way home) with BARC SE running it. Quals start at 1700 or 1800, racing starts after that, open races as they can't really be champ rounds as thats unfair on many competitors who may not be able to play for a whole host of reasons.

Eddy V · 10 Mar 2007, 12:30 (Ref:1862988)

Now that would make it really difficult for me to get there.

Quick 750 mile trip from the office to Brands for a few hours.

Seriously, I doubt if it would work. Probably for the first few meetings, as it is a novel idea and therefore many would like to take part.
If people (drivers, marshals, ....) keep coming back once the novelty has worn off, now that is another question.

They ran 2 races at Zolder last year during the week (daytime) as a trial, lots of people there for the first one. The second event was less attented. Not that many drivers, marshals or spectators. Still, they are doing the same this year, so something must have pleased them.

I couldn't be bothered with it because of work. What if you have entered and a customer keeps you busy or your boss wants you to work longer?

JohnMiller · 10 Mar 2007, 12:37 (Ref:1862993)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ss_collins

£15 is steep for Silverstone - perhaps limit it to £10 or £11

Story says it's £10 in advance, and they'll be targeting local employers, clearly in advance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ss_collins

Motion works are not MSA so CofC has to be BRSCC, as do other officials. It is in effect BRSCC.

Anybody can put on motor races, they just need to pay the club their day rate to officiate for them. Last time I heard they were all very, very similar.

Roger Etcell · 10 Mar 2007, 18:04 (Ref:1863191)

Dear All

Interesting to read comments about POWERnights but unfortunetly some of the facts have been incorrectly reported in the MN article, most of which have led to some negative comments. Let me put some of the facts straight...

The Entry fee has yet to be decided, we are trying to keep it under £300 including VAT...no more than a general days testing. The fee will include general testing from 9am to 3.30pm, qualifying from 3.30pm to 5pm, 2 x 10min plus 1 lap races between 6pm and 9pm, prize fund and complimentary tickets for familiy/friends plus BBQ voucher etc.

The total 4 hour show for the public starts at 6pm with 8 x 10min plus 1 lap races from 6pm to 9pm plus 1 hour of joining the competitors, marshals and officials in the paddock for awards presentation, BBQ, Bar etc.

Tickets are £10 in advance and £15 on the day - Kids up to 16 years go free, with car parking, seating, paddock transfer all FREE. Less than a 90 min local town football match!

Entry will be for 4 categories of race groups which provides 8 races in the evening from 6pm to 9pm.

All races will be by invitation so no pressure of c'ship or series, competitors can choose to enter! Races at each of the POWERnights evenings will vary.

From 9am to 3pm testing will be run under general circuit testing conditions the MSA permit will start from around 3pm. Marshals will be provided with benefits, we apprecaite this is a difficlut area and will work to secure correct levels.

Hope this clarifies some of the misunderstandings. We strongly feel that new ideas must be tested as national motorsport is currently not reaching it's true potential! Without trying new ideas no one will ever know! We appreciate comments though and will expect to amend elements as this year's trial of 3 events develops.

Roger Etcell