Whispers from the Calder (re)launch

[storyline]

Bob Jane and Calder Park made their 2006 presentation today in Melbourne - there wasn't really that much that was new according to one source who was there.

Apparently Bob started off by suggesting that 'the prick who has been spreading rumours that Calder Park is going to be moved 6km north' was 'up himself' and stressed, more than once, that Calder Park was not for sale, has never been for sale and has never had anyone make an offer to buy it

He reiterated that Bob Jane is owned and run by his family business and that he will never sell it, Rodney Jane has stated HE will never sell it as has Rodney's daughter (I guess this lays out the line of succession for Bob as well).

Jane said that they now have a renegotiated permit which alloys events, without regard to noise etc, allowing them to run to 11pm (instead of the previous 10pm) with a half hour buffer if required.

He also stressed that motorsport is still, and will remain, the number 1 priority at Calder Park. To emphasise this he said that the Victorian Government, in their $400m spending on the fast rail project will be building a rail station at Calder Park in the Industricl Section which will have immense benefits for anyone coming to events at Calder Park.

With regard to the Thunderdome, work is progressing there to bring the Thunderdome back into play - the bumps which have been heavily criticised before, are to be removed.

The drag strip is being upgraded with the installation of tyre and heavy rubber stripping along the concrete walls all the way down the drag strip to the point where the pit lane exit joins the main straight. The barriers consist of tyres (bolted together) and then thick, heavy duty conveyor belt style matting bolted to the outside of the tyre to help dissipate energy. Jane said that this method, whilst it won't lesson damage to a car, will greatly improve the chances of minimising driver related injuries and, under the current Health and Safety guidelines, is their number one priority.

It is expected that the core of the media release handed out at the event will be available through normal channels sometime tonight.

Apparently he stressed, throughout the event, that motor sport for the competitors and fans is their priority - they are not there to create buearocracy or little empires.

[hml2777]

Would have been good to be there to see what he said first hand.

[mixxer]

Just some info re the drag racing side of things at Calder Park
Recieved in a email this evening

Outlaw event run outside ANDRA structure, Calder Park falls short of acceptable safety standards.
Championship Drag Racing is no closer to returning to Melbourne despite a ‘competition’ meeting being held at Calder Park this weekend according to Drag Racing in Victoria Association (DRiVA) President Helen Russo.
Mrs Russo said while offering bracket style eliminations, the DBD Nationals was an ‘outlaw’ event being run outside the existing structure of the Australian National Drag Racing Association (ANDRA).
“We want to ensure that drag racing fans aren’t confused by the advertisements and the flurry of activity, and that they aren’t under the impression that ANDRA Championship Drag Racing is returning to Victoria with this event – it’s not,” said Mrs Russo.
“Sure there’s drag racing of sorts but it is not the structured competition offered by ANDRA and its just one type of activity amongst a lot of non-drag racing acts such as burnout competitions and drifting around a circuit.”
Mrs Russo also warned the Calder Park facility continues to fall short of acceptable standards.
“Calder Park does not hold an ANDRA track licence and falls well short of the current accepted safety standards offered by ANDRA sanctioned tracks in Brisbane, Sydney and Perth,” Mrs Russo said.
DRiVA’s push for an international standard drag racing facility for Victoria gained momentum after the issue was raised in state parliament by Liberal state MP, the Hon. Richard Dalla-Riva earlier this month.
“Mr Dalla-Riva’s speech to parliament highlighted a major problem faced by the drag racing industry and that is the lack of a suitable venue in Victoria,” Mrs Russo said.
“Since the absence of ANDRA Championship Drag Racing we have seen the industry in this state brought to its knees, the incidence of dangerous and illegal street racing increase considerably, while millions of dollars have also left the state as competitors and fans alike have travelled both interstate and overseas in pursuit of their passion.
“DRiVA’s objective is to provide the sport with a secure, long-term future and the only way to achieve this is by building a world class, standalone drag racing facility such as Willowbank Raceway in Brisbane, Western Sydney International Dragway and the Quit Motorplex in Perth.”

[Uncle Cranker]

Is it just me, or is the ANDRA response a little akin to the CAM$ response when AASA was getting off the ground.



ANDRA..:- 'Well just because two cars are racing down a drag strip, doesnt actually make it drag racing, especially if we don't agree with the fact that OUR drag racing is the only true & proper drag racing, and don't forget;
we didn't sanction it,
because we are ANDRA.


CAM$..:- 'Well just because some cars are racing around a circuit, doesnt actually make it circuit racing, especially if we don't agree with the fact that OUR circuit racing is the only true & proper circuit racing, and don't forget; we didn't sanction it,
because we are CAM$.

Now Helen Russo is a lovely lady, and a solicitor, so I will be careful what I write here;
Instead of bashing your head against a brick wall, accept the fact that 'your sport' is a commercially viable operation to a racetrack promoter, work with the promoter, not against them and just maybe you will have a venue to race at.

You might not like it now, but during the boom times in the late 90's Calder Park was a great 'World Class Venue'.
"Fastest all ashphalt drag strip in the world" i believe was the catch cry.

Some collaboration might return it to that !



Oh & if you succeed in you talks with Calder, could you possibily assist in the facillitation of discussions with CAM$ & Bob Jane, for the sake of the motorsport enthusiast everywhere.......

[Robert Ryan]

I think there is some truth in what Helen Russo was saying. Where is the "Heart stopping announcements " that inpitlane referred too? My feeling all of this has beeb played out before. Is Bob Jane procrastinating to talk up the price of the facility...I do not know. We can only wait...and wait.. for something to happen.

[storyline]

I think you will find the only person making reference to 'heart stopping announcements' was inpitlane - who, it shold be pointed out, was very conspicuous by his absence on Tuesday - so much for reporting broad based motor sport - more like 'selective' motor sport (although I suppose Bob could always offer them a video camera which should see them showing glowing tributes!)

[inpitlane]

Originally Posted by storyline

I think you will find the only person making reference to 'heart stopping announcements' was inpitlane - who, it shold be pointed out, was very conspicuous by his absence on Tuesday - so much for reporting broad based motor sport - more like 'selective' motor sport (although I suppose Bob could always offer them a video camera which should see them showing glowing tributes!)

If you're going to have your media launch on a Tuesday which is of course when we do the show then it's no wonder that we couldnt make it. At that time we're up to our necks in writing news, timing stories doing running sheets, graphics, organising guests after last minute cancelations.
We did ask Mariana to send us any releases etc... in adavance so we could run them on the show that night. Of course nothing arrived until a day later.
We did as you would have seen if you watched the show report on the launch after talking with Darren House.
If your reference to a video camera is in response to the grant we recieved from the CAMS foundation 3 years ago then perhaps you should get hold of the agreement that stipulated that the grant would give CAMS no editiorial control or influence over the show. Our only concession was to agree to drop my old sign off line "Always remember motor racing is dangerous. Let's keep it that way" which they felt did not project the resposnible safe image they were trying to get for the sport and at a time when there were some Coroners inquests still going.
The grant of $5000 or about $500 per year that the show has been on air, has managed to keep the show on the air for a further 3 years in which time that Camera has filmed a wide range of motorsport events from the Rob Roy Hillclimb to the Le Mans 24 hour and Goodwood. It has also filmed several news reports and feature stories from the AASA VMRC at Calder Park both last year and this year.

[silver 2]

Geez Storytime, fancy having a go at Brett over that. Over a period of time he has given considerable air time to Bob Jane ( how many interviews) . The AASA has been given TV air time ( how much did they contribute to the cost of the show?) Brett has also covered for Auto Action AASA events . This is all done in the interests of motorsport and even if not happy with the execution some of the time you could hardly argue that it is bad thing. Brett comments about keeping editorial independence and does so even when it is not in his own best interests

[chavez]

Originally Posted by inpitlane

At that time we're up to our necks in writing news, timing stories doing running sheets, graphics, organising guests after last minute cancelations.

Are you saying that the In Pit Lane News is scripted? I guess the best adlib is the scripted adlib.

But seriously I love the show and watch almost every week.

[storyline]

A mild dig for an obvious absence - but he bit too hard. And, as I said previously - if we could get CH31 in the hills we could possibly watch it to see if it has changed - but we can't.

[chavez]

Originally Posted by storyline

A mild dig for an obvious absence - but he bit too hard. And, as I said previously - if we could get CH31 in the hills we could possibly watch it to see if it has changed - but we can't.

Where abouts are you in the "hills"?

I can get CH 31 fine in The Basin.

[Raglanparade]

I get channel 31 fine in Croydon

[pete55]

i just never get to watch tv.

[storyline]

Upper FTGully - over hill and wayyyy down the dale.

[Kerri]

Originally Posted by storyline

I think you will find the only person making reference to 'heart stopping announcements' was inpitlane - who, it shold be pointed out, was very conspicuous by his absence on Tuesday - so much for reporting broad based motor sport - more like 'selective' motor sport (although I suppose Bob could always offer them a video camera which should see them showing glowing tributes!)

Ahhhhhhh, now I have finally worked out who you are Storyline.

[Uncle Cranker]

Originally Posted by Kerri

Ahhhhhhh, now I have finally worked out who you are Storyline.

Took you a while Kerri..........

[storyline]

Except, if it is the same as some PM's I have received, is off target. Ask Trev or XW.

[Raglanparade]

Originally Posted by storyline

Upper FTGully - over hill and wayyyy down the dale.

well that explains a lot... thats real bogan territory up that way...

[storyline]

You should see our Ch Seriously ABC reception - and yet (for some strange twist) all those nice World Movies on SBS come through as clear as a bell! - Says something for stations powered by porn!

[XW GT]

Originally Posted by Uncle Cranker

Took you a while Kerri..........

Hi Storyline (SR),

Does it really matter who anybodys real identity is, and who really cares? Just keep your informative comments coming as well as your incisive replies. Good on ya mate

[Chucky]

I never thought I'd see the day.......

Good to have you back!

[Trevor]

Storyline and I had a discussion about who I thought he was and ne assured me he is Nigel and not the other person, and of course I believe him.

[1200Datto27]

Same here, I'll be seeing the "other" person this weekend, and I'll ask him (nicely of course)

[storyline]

Originally Posted by 1200Datto27

Same here, I'll be seeing the "other" person this weekend, and I'll ask him (nicely of course)

I presume, of course, from this that you will be at Bathurst? That being the case you shouild be able to find me on Saturday after the Shootout in the media room. Look forward to meeting you (as I have an early early start tomorrow to get there)

[mtpanorama]

I will have to drop by and say hello then on Sat arvo, it has been a while