Townsville - What's The Problem??

[eelboi]

forget the politics for the moment, what is the problem with a new location getting the opportunity to host a round of the V8 supercar series? it seems to me that a few people are getting just a little bit precious about the whole townsville thing. it's going to be a winner for the city, the series and the fans, who presently are starved of motorsport in the north.

[DAVID PATERSON]

I think it's great that Townsville are getting a V8 race, i just think it would be better for Townsville and motorsport if Townsville got a permanent circuit instead of a street race.

[Sultan]

Yeah, I'm with David - not only would Townsville get the V8's, but a regular income from other motorsport categories as well...

[R4z3rw33n]

Originally Posted by Sultan

Yeah, I'm with David - not only would Townsville get the V8's, but a regular income from other motorsport categories as well...

I also support this notion. Inner city street circuits are horrendous creations that usually serve as great paint strippers, and not much else (Surfers Paradise anybody?).
QLD is in desperate need of more permanent circuits.

R4z3rw33n.

[William Dale Jr]

Originally Posted by DAVID PATERSON

I think it's great that Townsville are getting a V8 race, i just think it would be better for Townsville and motorsport if Townsville got a permanent circuit instead of a street race.

Agreed 100%

[GTRMagic]

Is there actually demand for a permanent circuit in Townsville?

Is there an infrastructure of teams, of preparation businesses, or racing car drivers and the like who would benefit from having a permanent circuit in the area?

Did CAMS do an assessment as to the viability of such a thing?

[DAVID PATERSON]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Is there actually demand for a permanent circuit in Townsville?

Is there an infrastructure of teams, of preparation businesses, or racing car drivers and the like who would benefit from having a permanent circuit in the area?

If you build it, they will come.

[alfacors]

There's a permanent circuit in NT, so why not.......?

[eelboi]

Originally Posted by DAVID PATERSON

If you build it, they will come.

will they ?? - for one major meeting per year . it's the punters coming thru the gates with their hard earned, that makes any venue a viable proposition. i am no fan of the street circuits, but it's better than what they have at the present.

[alfacors]

David is referring to the building of a permanent facility.....

[Rombles1]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Is there actually demand for a permanent circuit in Townsville?

Is there an infrastructure of teams, of preparation businesses, or racing car drivers and the like who would benefit from having a permanent circuit in the area?

Did CAMS do an assessment as to the viability of such a thing?

Why would there already be the teams etc already up there? There is nowhere for them to race. I think here we may get into a chicken/egg argument.

[eelboi]

Originally Posted by alfacors

David is referring to the building of a permanent facility.....

so was i. i think most of us agree on a permanent track over the [here today, gone tomorrow] street circuit. hopefully, the street circuit will be the catalyst for something better in the future.

[NewsStalker]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Is there actually demand for a permanent circuit in Townsville?

Is there an infrastructure of teams, of preparation businesses, or racing car drivers and the like who would benefit from having a permanent circuit in the area?

Did CAMS do an assessment as to the viability of such a thing?

Whether there is a need for a permanent circuit isn't the question really. Putting public money into a facility that will disrupt the community for up to 4 weeks for a single event is a waste of that public money.

You can bet your bottom dollar that after the first year many of the contracts for the supply of material for the event will not even be awarded locally (what's the bet that even all of the key officials will be 'imported' rather than local sources tapped 'because they don't have the experience' and - again any bets? - they won;t get that experience simply because they have no facility in that region of QLD.

It isn't CAMS responsibility or role to do an assessment for the need for a track - they are not in the business (yet) of building and/or running tracks. If they were they would be running a street race around Caulfield Race Track every second weekend and STILL claiming travel and accommodation subsidies from anyone racing there!

CAMS role is purely a licencing one (and, of course, collecting huge retainer err sorry 'licence' fees from all interested and non-interested parties to motor racing).

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by NewsStalker

Whether there is a need for a permanent circuit isn't the question really. Putting public money into a facility that will disrupt the community for up to 4 weeks for a single event is a waste of that public money.

If this is the argument, then we can jump up and down about the 2000 Olympics, every weekend when there is a football match on or indeed church service down the local... because each one may/may not impinge on my enjoyment of my property without actually asking me my opinion.....

[MPA]

Originally Posted by eelboi

will they ?? - for one major meeting per year . it's the punters coming thru the gates with their hard earned, that makes any venue a viable proposition. i am no fan of the street circuits, but it's better than what they have at the present.

They will come.....perhaps the punters will stay away. The only event that will pull a crowd is the V8s, and that is a pity.

But race car drivers are a selfish bunch. They'll book the circuit for their own pleasure in the same way most other tracks are used all year round.

[pete55]

I'm sure there would be plenty of North Qld'ers who get involved given a chance. Trouble is without a permanent circuit they are not going to get that chance. GTR, maybe you should take a trip to Townsville and suss it out. You might be surprised.

I should also add that the income of the North Qld'ers is pretty high with a lot of mining within a reasonable distance of Townsville. There have been in the past competitors who have come from Townsville, Ayr and Mackay racing in Qld, and they are only the ones i know about.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by pete55

I'm sure there would be plenty of North Qld'ers who get involved given a chance. Trouble is without a permanent circuit they are not going to get that chance. GTR, maybe you should take a trip to Townsville and suss it out. You might be surprised.

Too hot for me, would get sunburned

I still get back to the catchment area argument... there are ~6 million people in Sydney, and as of the end of next year, we have only one motor racing circuit within 100km of the CBD.....

[pete55]

Used to run up Castle Hill with HHH many years ago. You're not telling me anything i don't know about heat.

[peckstar]

if ther was a need for a permanent track, why hasnt someone built one?

[pete55]

Originally Posted by peckstar

if ther was a need for a permanent track, why hasnt someone built one?

Probably because there are plenty of self interest individuals up there who thing a street race will do the area more good. They used to have a small circuit up there that bikes used to run on many years ago just on outskirts of town. I don't know if it is still being used now or not. It was within the confines of a sports ground, can't remember what the main sport was there though.

[peckstar]

as opposed to selfd interested individuals who feel that a permanent circuit wuld be good for their own self interest.

Remember those self interested individuals probably are not intetested in motorsport, theer interestes are elsewhere, if they thought a permamnent track would serve their interest they would build one, but i guess there research has suggested it wont

[Crash Test]

A race through down town Townsville would be a fantastic promotional tool for the area. If the Gold Coast street race were to be held in Nerang, it wouldn't have the atmosphere, the crowd, or any of the appeal. It's a whole heap easier to get a massive crowd into an attractive part of town that has infrastructure in place to cope with big volumes of visitors..

[Rombles1]

Originally Posted by peckstar

if ther was a need for a permanent track, why hasnt someone built one?

If there was a need for a street race, why hasn't someone run one?


It is a growing area, things change.

[peckstar]

rombles, they are.

you should catch up with the news

[pete55]

It' funny that Darwin can get good crowds to their race up there on a permanent circuit and yet you feel Townsville couldn't. Let me tell you North Qld'ers will drive for miles to get to a race or other significant entertainment and there are plenty of people living within a reasonable drive of Townsville. Also if you go to the mining towns outside of Townsville you should see the cars they drive around in. Plenty of disposable income up there let me tell you.
Another point about this is that these people with these types of cars have nowhere to run them without it being on the open road. They at least need some sort of complex where they can open out their cars without risking lives on the roads. This facility is available where most of you are living so why can't a large area with a large population have the same privilege that most of you have.
Mark my word, if they had a permanent track up there it would get used.