Damage and all that

[Minicross424]

Just wondered as the season draws to a close what everyone has thought about the level of contact in this years Rallycross both British and clubmans.
From my point of view there has been only one meeting when I have come away with the car being as straight as when I started.
What gets me is that in september I raced at a SEMSEC circuit meeting with a entire grid of BMWs and and did not get a single scrach.
Is damage inherent in rallycross? your veiws please.

[bigted]

Well all you drivers are there at driver briefings, and im sure the CoC mentions that the sport is no contact, so you drivers are the only ones who can change that.

[ebby]

Contact in rallycross is what makes the sport stand out from the rest, a bit of contact here and there makes rallycross what it is, although i can understand the drivers' points of view on damage costs. But believe me guys so long as it's not malicious it adds to the excitement!

[RoyG]

Originally posted by bigted
Well all you drivers are there at driver briefings, and im sure the CoC mentions that the sport is no contact, so you drivers are the only ones who can change that.

We are indeed at the drivers' briefing and time after time hear the same old spiel.

What hardly ever happens is any sort of just penalty for those who completely ignore the spiel at the drivers' briefing!!

Most of us want to have a good day's sport without the cost and hassle of continually repairing damage.

I started the year with a pretty straight car. It doesn't have any front end damage, but every side panel, including both doors, and rear valance and hatch are now all bent! Nothing major, but enough to make it look sh*t.

I shan't be spending money on repairs - it'll have to stay looking sh*t!!

I have to admit that I'm not greatly enthused about competing in Rallycross at the moment - although I've got a new engine fitted I can't even be *rsed to enter Brands.

But.... looking forward to 3 tough days on the Revival Rally next month!!

[Minicross424]

Originally posted by ebby
Contact in rallycross is what makes the sport stand out from the rest, a bit of contact here and there makes rallycross what it is, although i can understand the drivers' points of view on damage costs. But believe me guys so long as it's not malicious it adds to the excitement!

If you want to watch damage being dished out malicious or not, might I suggest you look up your local spedeworth circuit and go and watch stock cars or bangers.
Or perhaps if you fancy getting out your cheque book and sponsoring me I wont mind panel work after each meeting.

[mr_atspeed]

thought about answering this thread..but whats the point..same drivers..same front bumpers damaged...no penalties..same ****...different meeting...at the drivers briefing bla..bla..bla..1st corner...bosh..what does the driver get...sweet f.a..
If i did it..loaded up..ask why i selling my car..thats why..love the sport, shame..back to hot rods for me. less contact in that

[Queen]

RoyG & mr-atspeed I find it a shame for you both to feel like this but you do have some one to go to' to sort it out. Lets all play fair.

[Widget]

And who is that Queen??

[ebby]

Rallycross is bumper to bumper action, very close racing. I have watched rallycross for many a year, am not a fan in the least of banger racing, but you can't have 4 cars going into the same corner and not expect any contact, that's not cricket!

[BertMk2]

I think the very nature of Rallycross means that some contact is inevitable - cars in close proximity on loose surfaces are bound to have the occasional coming together.

The bigger problem seems to be that there are some drivers that are persistently involved in incidents that coule clearly be avoided - in those cases action needs to be seen to be taken against the driver.

[Queen]

Widget. In rallycross each class has ther own rep.

[Roundy Mooney]

know exactly how you feel Mratspeed. Put the car on the trailer at the end of last season and at that stage it had more hits than ABBA. Converted it to a rally car and haven't looked back. Would love to return but only when I see a marked improvement of the standard of driving. It is getting to a stage now that if your not prepared to push and shove then your not going to be competitive and as someone out for the craic I can't justify racing with people with that attitude.

[mr_atspeed]

sort it out...they cant sort it out...all the officials are to busy speaking to everyone apart from the people that pay for the race meeting...namley...stock hatch and minicross..without both formulas, supercars would be gathering dust in a garage somewhere, and yet stockhatch and minicross are treated like lepers.
cars are being damaged week in week out, always by the same people, we all know who we can race with..win or lose..race..best man win, but for some people, cant beat him..stuff him out, so get an endorsment..a few quid fine...doesnt matter, i have won...i am really wonderfull..am i??

[RoyG]

Originally posted by Queen
Widget. In rallycross each class has ther own rep.

Queen -

I and many other drivers have ear-bashed our reps endlessly and they have passed on these thoughts to the "powers-that-be".

The reps for Stock Hatch, Minicross & Juniors have produced a set of proposals to improve the situation and presented these in a very constructive way.

As yet their efforts have had no noticable effects - the carnage and dubious eligibility continues.

The longer this continues, the more competitors will vote with their feet.

The problems can be solved, but only if there is a genuine effort from the organisers of the sport to make a real difference. I hope this happens before too many more drift away.

[mr_atspeed]

i have voted with mine...im selling..thats two drivers..any advance??

[RoyG]

Originally posted by mr_atspeed
back to hot rods for me. less contact in that

Alan -

Sorry to see you go, mate. Good luck with the hot rod.

All the best,

Roy

[Widget]

And then who do our reps tell Queen?? The BRDA!! Thats just a pointless waste of time because they are to busy kissing the backsides of the supercar and supermodified drivers!!

[Roundy Mooney]

As I said in another post what really gets me is what do you have to do to get dsq from a race???
If you get 3 points or a fine, you must have done something to incurr this penalty. If the inncident is bad enough to get you 3 points it's bad enough to be dsq from heat or final???
As a one time competitor I can say that if I was competing in a championchip then being DSQ is a much greater punishment than a couple of points as dosen't a round you were dsq in has to be one of your rounds to count ???

[mr_atspeed]

without stock hatch and minicross..there would be no rallycross!!!!!Gone. like all the other formulas, where people forget how they got there, a rallycross event can be run without the supercars and modified, but not without the minis and stockhatch in there prime.
how can a series go from over subscribed, and in less than twelve months be on its knees..

[Widget]

High entry fees n Bad organisation!!! ie water bowser at knockhill!!

[golfvanman]

water bowser at knockhill is a bit of a bad example, the organisers at knockhill did all they could but to have 2 bowsers breakdown on the same day is pure bad luck !!!!

p.s. i drive supermodified and nobody from the brda has kissed my arse (press day at brands ? no invite hand delivered to me )

[Hog]

Why has everyone got it in for banger racing?

Why is it always used as an example of "the lowest end" of motorsport?

How many series do you know that can pull in the number of cars on a weekly basis that the ovals do?

How many top end drivers started their days on the ovals, and then progressed to bigger (not better) things?

I've spectated, marshalled and even been fortunate enough to drive a banger - all over 30 odd years. I voted with my feet earlier this year as regards rallycross - and I'll stick up for the ovals till the day I drop.

Nuff said.

[Spectator]

I think that we have covered this all before in various threads. Something needs to,be done and done now, about the handful of drivers, we all know who we are talking about, who continually leave the right foot planted firmly to the floor and b....r the consequences or the other drivers repair bills. I'm not a competetor but, as a spectator, I must admit a bit of light coming together adds to the spectacle but not anywhere near the persistant tactics of some. There have been a few spectacular crashes this year, Dave Bellerby's for one, that as far as I know were pure racing accidents but as said before Mr atspeed's was an avoidable one.
Sorry to see you guys leave the sport. No chance of changing your minds?

[sihorton]

My first season in rallycross has been a bit of an eye opener. Some of the damage has been self inflicted (doors and bumpers etc), but some of u may remember my big roll at blyton earlier this year. That was due to 2 things, firstly the huge amount of dust at blyton and secondly due to a big shunt up the rear going into the first bend.

I don't find incidents like this overly expensive to repair with stockhatches, but they do take a lot of time, and sometimes that is more of a problem. I think generally the driving at most events in the BTRDA has been very good considering the conditions (especially at a snowy crofy and very wet pembrey)

I think everyone who does rallycross expects a bit of panel damage, its in the very nature of the sport.

si

[BertMk2]

Originally posted by sihorton
I think everyone who does rallycross expects a bit of panel damage, its in the very nature of the sport.

Spot on I'd have thought - accidental contact is almost inevitable at some point. The problem seems to be the small minority of drivers that use contact as a means of braking or overtaking and seem to view it as being an acceptable approach. They need to be stomped on a bit harder - exclusion from the results would seem to be the most logical step (as has already been mentioned a few points on the licence doesn't halt the championship progress of the driver concerned).