New Zealand Risks Losing V8 Supercar Championship Series Forever

[Falcadore]

Originally posted by Evomike
No the issue the challengers to the current mayor are playing on is that he is a petrol head and someone who is trying to make something happen because he wants it to. The current mayor calls a spade a spade and can come across a bit brash, they are using the fact that he is pushing it as a sign that he will do whatever he wants. Quite apart from the fact that Aucklanders are quite happy to have the race. It's a few councillors and a couple of journos who don't.

The Department of Transport wasn't exactly enthusiastic either. As they own the roads, its probably a good idea to have them on board.

[Falcadore]

Originally posted by Evomike
Here here TC. Have any of your grizzle guts asked the question of MANZ and why they won't allow 2 races in NZ? Nzers are very slow at getting things organised, look at the fiasco over the sub hosting rights for the Rugby World Cup. You may see them as "bully boy tactics" but MSNZ are just the same. Their "Take our date or **** off" attitude is the no different. I cannot understand what is going on.....or maybe I can....Maybe MSNZ want V8 Supercars to go away so they can achieve global domination with their NZV8 Touring car Championship

well there is a point to be made there. A street race in Auckland for an Australian series doesn't do much for New Zealand motor racing does it? The profits aren't going back into the sport. Money isn't being spent on a facility the whole sport can use. And t only promotes New Zealand drivers who leave their shores to race in Australia.

So what is in it for them? Why should they automatically rubber stamp it?

[Evomike]

Originally posted by Falcadore
well there is a point to be made there. A street race in Auckland for an Australian series doesn't do much for New Zealand motor racing does it? The profits aren't going back into the sport. Money isn't being spent on a facility the whole sport can use. And t only promotes New Zealand drivers who leave their shores to race in Australia.

So what is in it for them? Why should they automatically rubber stamp it?

How many New Zealand Drivers make a good living racing in NZ Championships and that don't have to have a day job?

[Just Do It!]

Falc: Transit are pretty pig-headed when it comes to lobbying and building roads in this country.

They got all keen recently though and helped the Government to see the benefits of a toll road over here.

Transit are about as much use as a fart in a sleeping bag really, and between them and the Government, they have abused NZ's roading development for many a year.

Furthermore, I was a recent arrival to Auckland from the provinces when the NZ APEC summit meeting was held. I left town for the weekend, like many others with no interest in it and the roads were a gem to traverse.

At the time, one of my mates was company secretary for a large NZ company with international offshoots and had to travel from one block away from the proposed Supercar street circuit to his Penrose office.

He said that you could never have asked for a faster trip.

Auckland has managed the traffic before and can do it again.

If the antagonists and the tall poppies could be talked over, which no one seems prepared to do right now, then it could happen with ease.

If Kiwis have any vision, we will allow it to happen and allow those who are working on that day of the school holidays who don't wish to attend to take the day off work and spend it with their children...being school holidays and all.

Furthermore, with ANZAC Day being the Tuesday after the race, why not take a 5 day weekend and alleviate the traffic once and for all?

Unless JAFFA's (Just Another Flaming #ucken Aucklander)can't see past one's self-opinionated, self-interested, pigheaded nostrils of course...

[Armco Bender]

Pukekohe looks good right about now.

[D.R.T.]

Originally posted by Evomike
How many New Zealand Drivers make a good living racing in NZ Championships and that don't have to have a day job?

Whats that got to do with NZ supporting there own championships and teams

[Evomike]

Originally posted by D.R.T.
Whats that got to do with NZ supporting there own championships and teams

It has everything to do with it, why should someone who is good at what they do, stay in their own country because there sport says they should, even though they can make a living overseas doing what they love. Motorsport in NZ is not a professional sport for drivers, they do not get paid, it is professional for engineers who prep race cars as a business and thats about it.

[Mr Keener]

Morning Evo.Whan is the decision deadline and do we know what date the final Puke Supercar event is next year?

[Just Do It!]

Keener: AVESCo have apparently extended the December 31 by 90 days.

Its an interesting scenario. Let's just hope that if Dick Hubbard wins, he still proceeds with things. It would truly be sacriledge to come so far....only to have it all fall over due to a change of mayor.

I wonder if a Heads of Agreement was signed subject to conditions? I hope so in case Dick Hubbard turns into a bit of a raisin about things.

[Falcadore]

Originally posted by Evomike
How many New Zealand Drivers make a good living racing in NZ Championships and that don't have to have a day job?

I have no idea. Will an Auckland V8Supercar street race help that?

[Just Do It!]

Congratulations Evomike! You have finally done it! Someone has stumped Falc!

[Evomike]

Originally posted by Falcadore
I have no idea. Will an Auckland V8Supercar street race help that?

I was responding to your comment about how it only promotes NZ drivers who leave NZ to race overseas, my point being, if they want to do it for a "day job" they have to leave NZ.

[Tracy]

Hi All

Here is the latest on the WRC round dates and the V8's:

www.motorsport.org.nz/Pdf/ex-press3Sep.pdf

[Falcadore]

Evo: well thats what I was suggesting by why MANZ might feel lukewarm towards a race which does little for them.

[Evomike]

Originally posted by Tracy
Hi All

Here is the latest on the WRC round dates and the V8's:

www.motorsport.org.nz/Pdf/ex-press3Sep.pdf

Seems they are now backing away from comments made in previous releases. Maybe they didn't have the support they thought they did.

[Evomike]

Originally posted by Falcadore
Evo: well thats what I was suggesting by why MANZ might feel lukewarm towards a race which does little for them.

But the point is, the loose out even more by not having it. The same could be said of the WRC. Reality is that it brings motorsport forward in the public eye, Motorsport, despite it's popularity in NZ is not rated at all by the media, if motorsport in NZ is to advance they have to raise the profile of the sport as a whole, if that means trundling in an "overseas series" then that is what is required. MSNZ have said how important the WRC is to them, if they had never had the WRC and had to bid for it, would they be given it today? No I doubt it, they have it because we have been in since day dot. Now turn this to the V8 Supercars, the plan is, to take this category to the world, if we are in now it is easier to keep it than try and get it later when it is being raced all over the world. Now I am not saying V8 Supercars will succeed totally, but isn't worth a shot?

[Falcadore]

I understand the sentiments but find myself unconvinced.

Although the difference there is, if you have a Group N rally car, you can enter Rally New Zealand, and Group N rally cars are used in the NZ Championship, and Rally NZ roads can be re-used for a national championship rally (are they?)

V8Supercar can't claim that.

But as its not even my country, what I think don't matter a damn.

[Evomike]

Originally posted by Falcadore
I understand the sentiments but find myself unconvinced.

Although the difference there is, if you have a Group N rally car, you can enter Rally New Zealand, and Group N rally cars are used in the NZ Championship, and Rally NZ roads can be re-used for a national championship rally (are they?)

V8Supercar can't claim that.

But as its not even my country, what I think don't matter a damn.

Excellent point Falc. I still think it is shortsighted on the part of MSNZ, but given their recent retractions in press releases they may have seen the light.

[retro]

For 06 it's either Auckland or no race - from TC

[Just Do It!]

Retro: Yesterday it was announced that Transit NZ and Auckland City Council have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together to overcome the obstacles before them. It is understood, though unconfirmed, that the largest hurdle is the proposed widening of the Victoria Park flyover which will require much additional structure being built at road level, particularly near the Beaumont Street/Fanshawe Street intersection, which at times could be cut to one lane in each direction. This intersection compromises the pitlane entry and final corner for the proposed street circuit.

Finally, after months of tensions, North Shore mayor, George Wood conceded that it would be wise to bring the structural works on the Victoria Park flyover forward to save having to work around the proposed Supercar event.

Right now, I would say that things are 95% done, although the last 5% could take some time, and I am confident enough to say that it looks like we can all breathe again!

[retro]

TC did an interview on BigPond today and there was a lot of info in it - I will watch it again when they put it up.
He said that the calendar cannot be released for next year as the dates are not settled. He was talking about the 13 + 1 race series format but I was having buffering problems and missed some of it.

[Falcadore]

OK with NZ now on again, who will go to make way for Phillip Island??

Porbly something for another thread though....