Quote:
Originally Posted by Al Weyman
If its an MSA thing then someone needs to tell them it has to change as do a lot of things if the sport is to survive. Lets stop them making excuses and putting obstacles in the way at every corner and do something about it.
Didnt see you post Claire when I posted but yes 100% agree, all of the race championships/series/events are going to need people in to compete so lets all make a concerted effort for that to be easier and less costly.
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Al, you know only too well my views with regards to this, but its THE WHOLE SYSTEM that needs to wake up, not just the clubs, the governance and the competitors also need to take a stand. The thing is, we are all to blame really, for example, I was at Snetterton at the weekend as you know but it was thought by some that I should not be there as I am "a competitor of the club"...what NONSENSE.
The club in question should have no delusions that I am after their business....Im not unless they think that the individuals who partake in their clubs racing should not be allowed to go elsewhere ? We do an event once a year which is a completely different kettle of fish to anything they do (unless they are planning to go into Endurance) and I took a bit of offence when I heard it because, We dont tell people at the 360 not to race elsewhere......they would have a bloody long wait if they only raced with us!!! but that is the nature of the beast.
I have said what I believe needs to happen
1) The Government needs to ask itself whether its in the best interest of all that the governing body of a sport appoints a senior office (chairman) who is responsible for managing one of the series which is goverened by it. I personally believe that there MAY be a conflict of interest there, I am entitled to that opinion
2) We need to stop this ludicrous practice of waiting until The Brit GP has decided, followed by the BTCC and then the Superbikes when THEY are having their meetings before we can book ours (the only way to do this is to GET TOGETHER....remember how Bernie became the force he is now? he took all the smaller teams and MADE THEM ONE FORCE) If you add up all the content from club racing all the CONSTANT stream of revenue from the permits and from the licence renewals that is generated for the governing body ...I bet you it is not something that would want to be sniffed at BUT WE NEED TO PULL TOGETHER!
3) Circuits should be made to open up and allow organising clubs more flexability in organising events that the COMPETITORS and public want. In the same way as British Telecom had to make THEIR lines available to other firms to provide service, so should the circuits be made to open their venues to the organising clubs and not "keep the best bits for themselves" I am sure, it is only a matter of time before SOMEONE challenges in a court of law that there is a monopoly in effect that should not (for the good of the sport) be allowed to continue
4) The Organising and Racing clubs need to meet, get off their high horses, stop thinking they are above each other or too good for each other and need to agree a common ground whereby EVERYONE has a bite of a REASONABLE CAKE rather than trying to either stuff their faces or starve their counterparts, I said that I would facilitate this meeting....I still intend to but as you can imagine...in roads are "hard work"
and before ANYONE says with what I have said above that I may be "bringing the name of Motorsport into disrepute" THINK AGAIN...I am NOT, I love it with a passion, I do not see it as a gravy train or my given write to abuse, I volenteer on a regular basis to help run Race meetings along with countless other people be they in the Ivory Tower or on the bank, checking a car in a Scruit bay, on the phone to the posts, doing driver sign on or playing with a timekeeping system or indeed....sitting in a safety car, we all do it for love, we do not get paid fortunes we DONT GET PAID AT ALL and as most of you know, in the last two years...Motorsport has COST me alot! but the real people who also do it for love and ACTUALLY PAY so that we can do it for love...they need to also make a stand and it is no good continuing to complain about it...you must do something about it