Tony's Homebush Street Race Fantasy Surfaces Again

[Alan 52]

This weeks Auto Fiction contains details of the latest attempt by The Artist Formerly Known As Avesco to convince the state government to hold a street race at the Olympics site at Homebush.This is one of the most stupid and wasteful schemes I have ever heard of and I hope the government points them to the door or better still doesn't let them in it.Street races make no sense ,particularly for domestic racing for anyone but the Artist and the television channel.The GP Corporation quotes an annual put up/pull down cost for Albert Park of $25-30 million each year and Homebush without the purpose built pemanent pit facilities would be more.How a government could justify spending money on this rather than health or education is beyond me.Also street circuits bring little or no benefit to motor sport as a whole(not that The Artist has ever concerned himself with this)because the facilities are only used for 3-4 days a year.It is equivalent to building a football ground to play the Grand Final in and then not letting it be used for any other matches.This push by The Artist is even more ironic when you consider that Sydney has the only internationally licenced permanent track in Australia(owned by the state government) and that the state government recently contributed $10 million towards the Bathurst upgrade which was done almost entirely for the benefit of The Artist and his offsiders.Why is The Artist so desperate to push this street race proposal again?I believe that a large part of the answer may lie in the closure of Oran Park in the next few years.At that time Eastern Creek will be the only option in Australia's largest city.Because they must have an event in Sydney they will be in no position to demand exhorbitant sanctioning fees.With The Artist's delusional international dreams crumbling around him he is looking desperately for major sanctioning income streams.I hope the government reads the report of the A.C.T. Auditor General into the events held there or speaks to the state governments who rejected The Artist's proposals for street races in Hobart and Perth before they even open mail from The Artist.Reject this stupid idea now.

[Oaksnaf]

It makes it easier to read if you press 'enter'

And what roads would they plan to hold the street race on?

And why would they close Oran Park?

[storyline]

Originally Posted by Oaksnaf

And why would they close Oran Park?

Tony Peritch has confirmed, on more than one occasion, that OP's days are numbered and that he is currently looking for a site to relocate the track to.

Complaints from the ever expanding Narellan township are causing more and more problems every meeting.

The 'new' pit facilities were installed using materials that can be knocked down and relocated at reasonable expense.

That plus the NSW Government planning agendas released - what was it? 12, 18 months ago? - that indicate the whole area, including the Oran Park track, are earmarked for residential development over the next 10 years.

[woodbine]

Oran Park is dying the lingering death of encroaching housing. I believe its life expectancy is no more than a couple of years

[Alan 52]

There is a map in Auto Fiction.It differs from the circuit proposed for the ALMS race in 2001-2 in that it avoids the northern part of the area which was the centre of environmental concerns but actually moves outside the Olympic precinct into normal roads on the western side.Oran Park has been announced as the centre of a major new residential/retail area and has at the most 2-3 years of life left as a racing circuit.

[PVDA]

So let me get this straight,

VE$A want the NSW state government, who own Eastern Creek and just spent a small fortune at Bathurst, to tip a small fortune into another temporary race track just so it will line the pockets of a bunch of millionares??

In the immortal words of Al Borland "I don't think so Tim"

[Mark Twain]

The end of Oran Park will be a sad day. I have fond memories of my father and I attending race meetings there regularly.

[Mark Twain]

But the street race scenario will be interesting. If VESCA do continue moving towards street circuits, who are they going to go to when the street circuits say no more. Too late when they have burnt their bridges so to speak.

[WebberForWDC]

You can use tents for pits...

"V8 Party Sydney" = crowds

Many of which will adopt a straight-forward Holden V Ford mentality and spend considerable cash even if they don't follow the racing at any other times, they may spend most of their time in the side events.

It's gonna be a lousy 28 car show no matter what, I think it would good for V8SA to raise the profile?

Certainly if Tony wants this he should be able to arrange that the event should pay for itself.

The frogs? How is it any different to the huge crowds making noise, rubbish etc, converging on Telstra Stadium.

[Aquarius]

Unfortunately VE$A are driven by TV coverage - END - FINAL - FULL STOP - NO MORE - THAT'S IT!!!!!!

[spectator22]

Alan 52, remember where you 'read' this. You used the word Fiction. Must have been a quiet news week, how many times are we going to hear it, maybe one day it will be right, although I doubt it, for all the reasons outlined by others. Not even state governments can afford street race costs any more, other than those (ie Clipsal) which have had infrastructure in place for many years. Forget it, it wont happen.

[Alan 52]

Originally Posted by WebberForWDC

You can use tents for pits...

"V8 Party Sydney" = crowds

Many of which will adopt a straight-forward Holden V Ford mentality and spend considerable cash even if they don't follow the racing at any other times, they may spend most of their time in the side events.

It's gonna be a lousy 28 car show no matter what, I think it would good for V8SA to raise the profile?

Certainly if Tony wants this he should be able to arrange that the event should pay for itself.

The frogs? How is it any different to the huge crowds making noise, rubbish etc, converging on Telstra Stadium.

Tents for pits?Yeah sure just like they have everywhere else.As for Tony's financial guarantee I can just see him writing a cheque for $25 million to cover costs-he's that sort of guy.By the way some guy rang Steve Price on 2UE yesterday afternoon linking the street race with the proposed new public holiday in NSW and Price thought the race was a great idea.Talk back hosts have such great economic knowledge.

[peckstar]

there are currently 3 street races in australia (plus bathurst), funnily they are the 3 biggest drawing motor sport events.

You would need your head read to think that a street race is not the best opportunity for V8SA to get a new round in Sydney.

spectators have voted with their feet and attended them.

The isssue of Government funding is a seperate issue all together.

but street races are good for v8s, only the stupid would say differently

[Alan 52]

The issue of government funding is not a separate issue altogether it is the fundamental central issue.They are incredibly expensive to stage ,cannot return a profit(except with the most creative of accounting procedures) ,drain tax dollars from things they should be spent on and incidentally drain resources and money away from everyone else in motor sport except for The Artist and his associates.Clipsal 500 spends upward of $20million to attract 11,000 tourists.This makes no sense to me yet this event is held up as being the model for all to follow(I really like the event though).Street races may be good for V8's but they are not paying for them-politicians are with other people's money-our taxes.

[Dirk]

Originally Posted by peckstar

only the stupid would say differently

and the circuit owners. The circuit owners stuck with them through the hard times, in some cases when they lost money on events, crowds weren't that flash. Now it has hit the big time, they have outgrown the ones that helped them grow. A real shame in my eyes, places like Oran Park, Amaroo and even Eastern Creek, and most of the other permanent circuits stuck their necks out and helped them through only to be dropped for street races and international events.

[peckstar]

so just let me check alan, it actually costs money to put on a car race. interesting. DH.

So what they spend 20 million big deal, wouldnt matter if they spend a billion dollars, if it felt that it could gets its money back.

Thats why i say the issue of government funding is separate.

the principal of street races is a good one, its takes motorsport tot he people, because it is easy to access and in turn promotes the series, hopefully leading to larger tv viewing and bigger crowds at other events and more sponsors for the teams. you can not argue that point because it is correct. 100%

The issue of government funding is separate to the issue of street races, just as the issue of governments supportisng any sport or other program is.

The SA govt spend 3 million dollars on the clipsal, because they expect it will bring in extra value to SA, 11,000 tourist you say plus alot of the locals who attend also go out for meals because of the festivities that occur. they have determined that spending 3 mill brings in more than 3 million to the state of SA, i reckon they are probably right. and as a result they receive more monet back. they receive nearlt 2 million GST on the cost of running the race alone, almnost revenue neutral at that point

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by Dirk

and the circuit owners. The circuit owners stuck with them through the hard times, in some cases when they lost money on events, crowds weren't that flash. Now it has hit the big time, they have outgrown the ones that helped them grow. A real shame in my eyes, places like Oran Park, Amaroo and even Eastern Creek, and most of the other permanent circuits stuck their necks out and helped them through only to be dropped for street races and international events.

oh dirk that is incredible naive, amaroo closed because people lived too close. OP still has a round but will close because people live too close and EC lost their event because sydney people didnt go, you blame every single sydney motorsport supporter for EC losing their round, not V8's. V8s gave EC a better chance than every other track and still it failed

[Dirk]

pecker, you need to look a bit further than just Sydney. I know what is going on at OP and I am well aware of Amaroo and Eastern Creek situations. I am just saying that whilst the street circuits are good and are well supported, what happens when the street circuits can't happen anymore? Someone will be on there hands and knees crawling.....

[storyline]

On government funding - I don;t think anyone here has knocked Adelaide for what it is - it IS and has been a good investment. BUT it wasbrought about by a government that had, what? 10 years of putting on an F1 event and knew how to do it and what pitfalls there were. They knew what NOT to do.

And they have done it well - there is no disputing that.

They managed to keep F1 costs under control which is something that Victoria simpyl have not been able to do. (Incidentally - has anyone got access to the last, say, 5 years or even 10 years of costings from the GOld Coast for comparison?)

The problem in Victoria is that the government said it 'would cost $$$' - everyone expected a blow out for a reasonable period - but not every year - and the costs are continuing to spiral.

As was pointed out before - the costs of the C'Wealth Games is unlikely to be revealed until AFTER November 25 (funny how that is an election date down here - makes you wonder just how big the blow out will be from it), at least a $20+ million costs for 2006 for the AGP, and a forecast $10+ million cost (at present) for the 2007 Swimming Championships being held here - the projected outlay from 18 months of events is in excess of $1b - there is simply no way at all that that sort of expenditure is going to be recouped from those events - now or over the next 10 years.

Why did WA say no to a street race?

Why has the QLD government put a rider on any Townsville street race (that QLD Raceway MUST be retained as a venue in the series)?

Why did Canberra fail? And don't say 'bad time of year - if weather had been a genuine problem, all concerned would have had the event moved to a more equitable climatic period.

And if people don;t go to Eastern Creek - why would a street race be any different (they would see less at a street race than at the Creek).

[woodbine]

Because its a "festival" and maybe transport links are better. It perhaps seems less out of the way to go into the city than to some cold, wind-blown race-track where prices are a rip-off.

Just playing devil's advocate. I don't agree with this and personally would prefer to go to a track rather than a street circuit.

[peckstar]

woodbine, you have a good point but the general public wouy;ld rather go to a street circuit. We have both. and we should accept and encorage both, as both have good points and advantages

[WebberForWDC]

Originally Posted by Alan 52

Clipsal 500 spends upward of $20million to attract 11,000 tourists.

I dunno, I think the $10 to 20 million that may go to a V8 race is just as likely to be spent on buying colour coded paper sleeves for govt. depts, subsidizing an opera to the tune of $600 a seat, be spent on an ignored study or go directly towards horse racing prize money etc etc anyway, rather than hospitals or schools etc.

[racer69]

A good point was raised earlier, there is a perfectly good international standard track funded by the government sitting there without a round, yet people want (VESA seems to expect, and i'll include A1GP in this as well) the government to shell out even more money for a temporary street circuit used once a year for a domestic touring car championship?


Permanent circuits are built for a reason, why not use them? All this 'V8s have outgrown them' is a pathetic cop out, especially when you look at how successful some of the events that took over permanent circuits were (China, Canberra)

Originally Posted by peckstar

but street races are good for v8s, only the stupid would say differently

Good for V8s, but not good for Australian motorsport......unless you are of the opinion that V8s are Australian motorsport

Originally Posted by peckstar

the principal of street races is a good one, its takes motorsport tot he people, because it is easy to access and in turn promotes the series, hopefully leading to larger tv viewing and bigger crowds at other events and more sponsors for the teams. you can not argue that point because it is correct. 100%

It is not 100% correct. How many casual fans who attend Clipsal as a first time motorsport event are likely to go to Sandown or Mallala? Bugger all, they will just wait for Clipsal the next year, or save up and go to the Gold Coast. Good for the government's yes, good for VESA because people show up to their 'marquee' events, but good for motorsport in general?

[WebberForWDC]

Yes, mainstream sport vs. non-mainstream sport...

[peckstar]

so what your saying racer, is that if one person with no motorsport interest but goes to the clipsal, suddenly decides, hey i wopuld like to try this and they go and join their local kart club or even higher or they decide to sponsor a car. that is bad.


Maybe none of those fans will join up, maybe they will start watching more races maybe they will encourage a friend, who is to say, certainly not you in your typical anti v8 rant.


and the so called good point is a great point except that no one goes to EC. races their are poorly attended. So the v8s go somewhere different wheer people will attend. Heard that one before explained it to you before . but still you rant. Wake up in there your argument is flawed