super/future tourers....

[gomick]

anyone know of a calender - i know they raced at winton cuppla weeks back with powertour and are racing at calder in another cuppla weeks but ......

[racer69]

After Calder that is it for the year i think. Next year I believe they will be on the PowerTour full time.

[Buckshot]

That would make Power Tour absolutely chock full of varied racing all day.

But if next year they add Super Tourers, Commodore Cup AND their Super Ute Category where is everything going to fit ?

[RaceTime]

And don't forget HQ's.

Maybe someone can find out why the HQRA have signed a contract with the PowerTour to supply cars at all their rounds but haven't bothered informing the various state Associations until about 10 days ago? As I understand it at least the NSW and VIC HQ Associations are not happy campers about this - particularly as the Calder Meeting clashes with possibly one of the biggest state meetings held annually in Victoria.

[Crash Test]

Hrmmm...the QLDers knew of it some 2 months ago... then again, it would be a bit hard to have a clash up here anymore!

I guess in that respect we've been lucky that we've only erally had one clash in the last...well ever. In Vicotoria, are there enough officials to stretch over 2 race meetings?

[RaceTime]

Officials - possibly - but then consider that we have Sandown Historics next weekend, Winton 4 hour the weekend after, then Phillip Island/Calder clash and then Sandown V8's.

Also consider that the Calder meeting was NOT confirmed until 3 weeks ago - whereas Ph Island has been running this weekend now for what? 8 years?

[Vandas]

Are Powertour running against Island Magic?

That will mean that there is Oran Park, Island Magic, Calder, and the IPRA Nationals in Tassie all on the same weekend?

Shows you what happens when PIARC tries to run an invitational event for the 11th time in a row.

[RaceTime]

What's on at Oran Park? That's this coming weekend isn't it - Nov 10-11?

As for PIARC trying to run an invitational meeting - I've had my run in's with PIARC and disagreed with them, however, if you go and look at facts - this meeting has been run on the same weekend in November since 1992 (1991 it was run a week earlier) - the Power Tour was NOT confirmed until 3 weeks ago despite supposedly being on the calendar (Calder park wasn't even booked by the organisers of the Power Tour until this time).

The Winton 4 Hour has, for the past 2-3 years, been run on the 1st weekend in December and the same date has been used for various club level and Winton 300 meetings as far back as 1987 - Winton changed the date for that meeting, and the Sandown Historic meeteing is also being run 2 weeks later than normal.

So, if anyone is out of step it is definately not PIARC this time.

As for Tasmania - sorry - but the frequency and publicity for any meetings in Tas this year doesn't rate a mention at all.

[Vandas]

Racetime,

I can totally agree with you on everything. Being on the organising committee for the Island Magic event, and also being on the Board of Directors of PIARC I can tell you that this will be the 11th running of the Island Magic event.

PROCAR are running their Oran Park Event on the same weekend as Island Magic. And it also appears as though Powertour are doing the same.

Here is one for you, In Tasmania the Improved Production class are holding their Nationals, on the same weekend the third and final round of the Tri-State Series for the same class is being held at Island Magic. Work that out.

Formula 3 were supposed to run at Island Magic but because of their commitments to CAMS and PROCAR they had to pull out to race at Oran Park. Speaking to a number of teams and drivers it appears as though they would rather be at Island Magic.

What do we do, when categories and competitons start cutting it others lunch. I think motorsport in general needs to sort a few things out before it can start soaring to the level of Cricket in this country.

[RaceTime]

First, give me the courtesy fo telling me who I am discussing this with. I use the name RaceTime in here for a reason - I don't expect any other name to be used.

Your original message implied PIARC were the cause of this mess - Shows you what happens when PIARC tries to run an invitational event for the 11th time in a row.

If you read my reply you will see in it, and previous posts, I am sticking up for the PIARC meeting. I don't really care how many times this meeting has been held - I stated before, and will repeat - that since 1992 the Island Magic meeting, and its previous incarnations as State Championship etc, have been held on the same weekend as this coming one. In 1992 it was held a week earlier. IMHO this gives it some credence to call it 'their weekend'.

As far as the IP meeting should be taken up with the class itself - they are the ones that decide when their nationals are held. This isn't the first time, and certainly won't be the last that clashes like that have happened - they shouldn't BUT it does happen wth interstate meetings.

The ProCar and Power Tour meetings are something different. ProCar is being held at Oran Park - not in Victoria and, whilst F3 may be racing there, that again is something that will happen from time to time.

That leaves the Power Tour - and this is where is has gone wrong - not with Tas or OP.

The Power Tour meeting, IMHO, should NEVER have been permited to have a permit in the first place for that weekend. I am aware of what it has done with HQ entries (I am surprised you didn't mention that category btw) but, more importantly than one category, it is also going to hurt official wise.

And, again IMHO, it is this side that is not and has not been addressed. There are only a finite number of officials available and, as I also pointed out before, with Sandown this week, Winton the following, Ph Island and Calder and then Sandown all official groups are being stretched to breaking point.

There is NO reason for this to happen. Winton has brought forward a race that, until this year, has alternated between the 1st and 2nd weekend of December - heck they used to ***** because they used to schedule it to clash with the Thunderdome - now they shift it to clash with others!

If you think, as it appears from my reading, I am having a shot at PIARC - please read it again. Geoff Bull and Peter Nelson both know my thoughts on the absolute **** that is currently going on with Winton, PowerTour etc. I do not support this siutaion in any way, shape or form.

[Vandas]

Racetime,

I am sorry if I offended you by using your last name.

I am Cameron vandenDungen, son of Henk vandenDungen (aka Henk Duncan).

It appears that we have our wires crossed. I was agreeing with you.

The statement I made was against the others not PIARC. I was stating that it always seems as if people try to run events on the same weekend as ours.

At our last supersprint event, there were two other sprints being run on the same weekend. Effectively meaning that no clubs made large profits from these events.

I agree that Powertour should not have been allowed to run an event on the same weekend. It makes it very difficult for VFT and other officials groups.

As PIARC generally has a large number of officials at our disposal it will not so much affect us.

The reason I ention the events in other states on the same weekend, is because we lose drawcard categories like F3. Categories we can market and get publicity from. Also we need fields to be over the 30 car mark in each category for it to be a roaring financial success.

That is why I stated that we do not like other major meetings on the same weekend as our club's premier event.

I am sorry if I wasn't clear in my previous posts.

thankyou

Cameron

[Crash Test]

In QLD, our last meeting for the year is on the 24/25 Novmeber, the same weekend as the IP Nationals in Tasmania. Me thinks it will be a Roger Hurd benefit anyways...

The closest thing we've got to a clash is the Noosa Hillclimb on the 17-18 November, yee haa!

BTW- editing done

[gomick]

hmmmm - tension..... all over super/future tourers

[RaceTime]

Of course, if people in Victoria want to get along after all this to an event unlike any other - the Holden Proving Grounds at Lang Lang are hosting this years Formula SAE-A event - Universities have to build and run scale formula cars - 75% from memory.

Last years inaugural event was held at the Ford Proving Grounds. Over the weekend of Dec 8 and 9, if last years event is any indication, with more local teams entering, this should be a good weekend.

For anyone interested - http://www.sae-a.com.au/SAE_formula.htm is the link to the Official Formula SAE-A web site

[Crash Test]

I don't know if you saw my post on the subject a while ago, but 'RaceTime' recieved a mention on the TV on the Foxsports show Though the Gears (or whatever it is called these days) with regards to the last pedal prix.

Blimey, I wish they had them up here, they look like a blast! Just judging from what I saw in that, im certain my brilliant racecraft would more than make up for my, ummm, my ballast penalty

[RaceTime]

Crash,

Must have missed your post on that. The guy that does Through The Gears was at Murray Bridge and has previously covered events I time - he was also at last years Formula SAE event. I got to know him when he did a major article (20 min on screen) on timing at the Thunderdome about 3 years ago.

He will probably be at Maryborough next week for the annual RACV Energy Breakthrough 24 hour race - this will be our 10th year at the event!