Winton can’t compete with richer raceways......

[retro]

***link***

“We’re quietly optimistic we’ll get another round, but we don’t know.”

[Uncle Cranker]

Nice to see a story about V8 supercars, telling the truth.....

[woodbine]

Well if they expanded the calendar then we could have all our favourite tracks hosting a race.

[Notso Swift]

I suspect Eastern Creeks local paper will be saying how they can't compete with the more politically savy operators that run some of the other circuits

[hoffy]

Nothing really new here. Just wind the clock back 8 years, replace Winton with Mallala & Mick Ronke with Clem Smith & its all the same.

People won't like it, but thats just the way things happen

[Aquarius]

Amazing how someone from Queensland posts a link to the Albury Border Mail - that is all at this stage.

[retro]

Originally Posted by Aquarius

Amazing how someone from Queensland posts a link to the Albury Border Mail - that is all at this stage.

About time you Mexicans found your Groove.
...That is all...

[GTRMagic]

Nice Mercedes coupe you are escaping in there Retro

The series will climb to 20 rounds by 2010... just a question of where and when....

[marcus]

Hey I read the Border mail every day , its not the most exciting newspaper in the world

[Just Do It!]

GTR, I think you are right. More events is certainly the aim.

Winton could do things a bit different and get a round reasonably easy, but that's not for me to say.

I am a grocer, not an event promoter so I probably don't know much

[Grimace]

Winton is not a track suitable for supercars, >>Dick called it a a goat track<< , much too small for the beasts that need "room to move"-.....its a club racers track !


I still cannot figure how Winton got the round over Eastern Creek when China pulled the plug -simply amazing having a track like EC not getting a round!!!!

[PVDA]

Originally Posted by Grimace

Winton is not a track suitable for supercars, >>Dick called it a a goat track<< , much too small for the beasts that need "room to move"-.....its a club racers track !

No Grimace, Dick was actually quoted as saying "it's like running a marathon around a hills hoist". That comment dated back to the golden era of DJR when they couldn't be beaten and he was the drivers mouthpiece and had to come up with something funny to say during the Racecam crosses midrace.

Of course that was back when Winton was only 2km long & it's now had an extra kilometre of track added (in fact the only track to have had any major works in the last 20 years (Sandown was extended in '84 using government money and what are they using that extension for these days). We could start the old "why should Winton get a round" arguement here all over again but the biggest thing in Winton's favour is that it once again attracted a record crowd (and not just on the rubbery VE$A figures either) and it's 200km from Melbourne where Eastern Creek being just outside Australia's largest capital city just cant attract any spectators.

Another thing to remember is that of all the tracks that hold V8 rounds Winton is owned and operated by a car club and all the money raised by activities held at the track are put back into the track to improve facilities for the spectators & competitors not just for a once a year V8 round but for ALL racers & fans ALL year. Do any of the existing or proposed street circuits do that, they just line VE$A pockets by using government (our) money to create an artificial track for 4 days a year with no benefit to the local racers.

[peckstar]

beat me to that one PVDA. its funny how people always remember a quote and then that quote counts forever even after things change
Winton is a significantly longet track, so they quote no longer has a relevance.

its liek that never never gST comment of John howard, always the shortned quote is given and never in context.

but Grimace. the reason is that people like going to Winton and because Winton is in the heartland of v8s,(which is country victoria)

[Aquarius]

Goddam, I Get Sick Of This Same Old "It's Too Short" Argument.

Hey Grime Ace, Go And Check The Length Of:

Darwin

NZ

Barbagallo

Symmons Plains, And

Oran Park

Then Report Back To Us Which Of These Is Longer Than Winton!!!!!

All of these tracks are on the 2006 Calendar.

[retro]

Originally Posted by Aquarius

Goddam, I Get Sick Of This Same Old "It's Too Short" Argument.

Hey Grime Ace, Go And Check The Length Of:

Darwin

NZ

Barbagallo

Symmons Plains, And

Oran Park

Then Report Back To Us Which Of These Is Longer Than Winton!!!!!

All of these tracks are on the 2006 Calendar.

NZ is my favourite track?

That is all...

[Matt H]

pvda, dont forget the small works done to sandown a few years ago, not major, like wintons extension, but never the less, its still works.

[kosher_pig]

Originally Posted by Matt H

pvda, dont forget the small works done to sandown a few years ago, not major, like wintons extension, but never the less, its still works.

mmmmmmm that small i cant even remember it........oh maybe some work at T 13?

[marcus]

In actual fact when Winton did their upgrades Dick Johnson was quoted as saying "They have added a Vegie patch"

who cares , its a great place to watch racing from , I just think the cars are the problems these dyas

[acotrel]

How do you know which motor race circuits are 'richer' than others? Apparently certain organisations charge 'fee for service' on the circuit owner's (organisation's) ability to pay! So how would you know who is 'rich' or 'poor'? A circuit owner would be an idiot to let that information out into the public domain!!

[MPA]

Indeed Winton did add an extra K but also added more slow corners.

The potential was there to get a faster, more flowing track but look at the average speeds.

Vroom, break. 2nd gear,turn.

Vroom, break, 2nd gear, turn......etc.

Would have been much more fun if turn 10 (Old 8) was a sweeper onto the new (10 year old) bit of track.


Anyway, for what it is worth MHO, the V8 Supercars are challenged at every track they go to.

At Phillip Island they get very confused because the have to learn their way to the top end of the gear box.

In China they have to work hard to produce some GRATE racing. ouch!

In Darwin they get hot and bothered.

Adelaide has concrete to sort them out.

At Eastern Creek they're confused because no one bothers to watch.


Life can be hard sometimes.

[PVDA]

Originally Posted by Matt H

pvda, dont forget the small works done to sandown a few years ago, not major, like wintons extension, but never the less, its still works.

Matt that wasn't really for the car circuit as such but a result of changes to the horse track (which took away the infield extension at the same time).

PI has had some major changes but all they've done is put in bigger boulder pits (the bike racers still reckon the gravel is way too big for bikes) and moved a few tyre walls back a bit (I thought the Coroner suggested at the Hansford inquest they should be replaced with concrete??).

[MPA]

But the changes to the corner at sandown made it fun.

When they shortened the shute between the right hand turn 13 and the left hand turn 14 that leads onto the front straight, the drivers have to stay even tighter on the exit of 13 to get the perfect apex through 14 and down the front straight.

The HQ guy worked it out very quickly.

If you can go around the outside on 13 and go two deep into 14, you can nurf them off into the boonies near the causeway and take the postion.


No wait I got that wrong....its turn 8 now.

Ahhh poop.....maybe its 12.

Ask Knackers, he'd know.

[acotrel]

Originally Posted by PVDA

Matt that wasn't really for the car circuit as such but a result of changes to the horse track (which took away the infield extension at the same time).

PI has had some major changes but all they've done is put in bigger boulder pits (the bike racers still reckon the gravel is way too big for bikes) and moved a few tyre walls back a bit (I thought the Coroner suggested at the Hansford inquest they should be replaced with concrete??).

I believe the law in Victoria was recently changed t o make the Coroner's recommendations enforcable? What happens if/when the next similar fatality occurs?
Best Regards,
Alan Cotterell

[Silent Number]

Originally Posted by acotrel

I believe the law in Victoria was recently changed t o make the Coroner's recommendations enforcable? What happens if/when the next similar fatality occurs?
Best Regards,
Alan Cotterell

SNAFU

[Silver 3]

Many posts here seem to miss a very important issue.With the V8's sucking the lifeblood out of all other motor racing and seeking to go only where they can draw government type subsidies and denying the rest of the "sport" their assistance to the permanent circuits . No big crowds equals a big whole in the budgets of the permanent circuits.The V8's are a private company- a profit making venture. As such it ought to be paying for every part of the "show" they put on. That includes everyone that currently donates their time at a race meeting.They have selfishly pursued what suits( a profit) them to the detriment of the rest of the sport, and the permanent circuits are the victims.