MGCC State Championships- QR

[jetsetter]

Having spent the last two days at Qld Raceway i must say while there was some good racing i was dissapointed at the numbers in the fields as most categories had about 12 cars & to me it is a sad indictment of grassroots motor racing. I think it is about time the hierachy from CAMS had a look at what is going on & make the sport cheaper to compete in & condense the categories & basically realise there are categories other than V8's which are in need of assistance.

[RaceTime]

With CAMS increasing costs all the time is it no wonder that this level of racing is fallig off?

Consider that CAMS are now requiring drivers to have a CAMS permit even for private practice days during the week and you can understand where the problem is starting (oh forgot - this is so the driver has CAMS Insurance Coverage...)

[team drinkalot]

I don't think Cam's gives a rats. As long asthey are getting their pockets lined from the high profile categories. It cost so much to run an club event which has to be divided between the competitors. Less competitors - more cost.

Gee, 5 Sports Sedans in one race. The local scene is shure looking healthy!

[FalconEL]

Dave (team drinkalot),

The local scene would be a lot healthier if there was less cars in garages and more actually out there. There is obviously a variety of reasons for this, the main one as you suggest being the cost of motorsport.

Regardless, the five Sports Sedans in question managed to put on some good, fast racing, it's a pity there wasn't more guys out there.

Can you tell me Dave, I did notice the distinct lack of U2L Sports Sedans out there on the weekend (there was none), (I realise you are now retired so I'm not talking about you), would there be any reason for this that you are aware of? I keep hearing about these twenty-five to forty cars that are on the go, trapesing off to Morgan Park for their own race meetings/fun days/whatever? Has U2L SS finally divorced itself from the rest of the Sports Sedan group? I would like to think not because it would be to the detriment of both U2L and Over 2L Sports Sedans in Queensland.

I don't mind racing whatever, whereever and with whoever, in fact I'd be prepared to start a lap behind myself just to see a good field of Sports Sedans turn up.

I must say it's been pretty difficult to go to a sponsor or organise your race schedule this season in Queensland at State Level due to the uncertainty regarding dates and venues of the events.

I know in years past, I have personally taken on the responsibility of sending information to Sports Sedan competitors regarding the season calendar and other information. It was absolutely pointless me doing this this year because as I predicted, we have just received another amendment to the calendar (the July 5th/6th meeting is now to be held at Morgan Park, not Queensland Raceway).

The debacle regarding the formulation of a calendar lies squarely at the feet of both CAMS Qld and Queensland Raceway, Rev City, Rev Central or whatever it is this week. Why these two parties did not engage in civilised communication to formulate a calendar in a timely manner is an absolute mystery to me. Realistically if QR wants to run race meetings (and yes it is a race circuit, not a burnout/drifting pad), they should have let CAMS know earlier their intentions.

The other promoters also (QRDA included - we are guilty here also) should have told CAMS to get f$%ked and not run State Championship events, rather run Multi-Club events to keep the costs down for both ourselves and therefore the competitors. Biggest problem there is that the staunch (pro-State Championship clubs such as MG and QGRA ) will never agree to do anything other than run a State Championship meeting. Thus we have higher costs to go motor racing at our level. Keeping costs down can only be achieved effectively if we all agree to do the same thing.

Unfortunately the QRDA was put in the position of either running a State Championship round on August 10/11th or not running a race meeting at all which would not have been politically to our advantage. (Sure the QRDA was offered the weekend following for a Multi Club meeting, but we know competitors won't back up two weekend in a row). We now find that the rescheduling of the July race meeting to Morgan Park means that the QRDA may well not get the required entry numbers to the August meeting to break even in dollar terms which is all we want to do.

Don't get me wrong, I have many friends and colleagues within both organisations CAMS and QR, but in a sport that requires professionalism and proper organisation by competitors, it is a pity we don't get the same sort of respect and display of professionalism in return by both the above mentioned organisations. As competitors, we pay far too much to get treated the way we do.

CD.

[team drinkalot]

C.D. it's a shame that there are very few competitors in the sports sedans, but you are asking the wrong person about the under 2 LT Morgan Park series (I would like to know how it is going).
The under 2LT numbers have been deminishing because of lack of competition. We used to have a heap of old clangers, but a few (myself included) went and built some really fast cars and I think this put a lot of competitors off. Lets face it, the worst thing that happened was the demise of Lakeside where close racing was always happening. The introduction of that dragstrip known as QR only promotes boring racing, you only had to have a little power advantage and you were GONE.
Look at how many SS,s were at Morgan Park, it promotes close racing giving the slower cars a sniff.
I don't think it takes too much skill to get around QR compared to other tracks.
QR is simply boring to drive and even more boring to spectate at.

[team drinkalot]

C.D. how about handicap starts at QR for at least one race.

[Mattracer]

I can say that it is pretty much like standing next to a freeway, but it's what we've got so that's it.

The hairpin at the end of the back straight is OK. You can see the whole circuit from any point which is fine, but the cars are not doing much on the circuit because of its nature.

<sigh> knee-high weeds growing at Lakeside.

[spook]

Hi Crashy - I'm back, do you know me now.

For the last time - to all those that complain that QR is too boring for you - It can't be changed - any more than any of us can change, a circuit design is controlled by the size of the block of land, the terrain of that block of land, and the length of track needed. The land that QR calls home was flat - we could have put a hill or two in but it would have cost about one million dollars per hill - the track needed to be 3.2km to get a National track licence, and the only shape that complied with CAMS Design Constraints and fitted within the land is the track you now see. We did put in as much variation as we could within the constraints of budget and time, but there comes a time when you have to stop talking and start building. QR was designed with a 30 year life, so the cars of today will find it a trifle boring, but the cars that race there in 30 years time will probably feel like the V8 Supercars did at Lakeside 5 years ago. Speaking of Lakeside, it was destroyed by those who claimed to love it most, the owners, who failed to keep the circuit standards in line with the industry.

[Crash Test]

Spook- how spooky of you to pop by!