How many more tracks have short futures?

[pete55]

It seems Sandown's future is a bit clouded. Procar may not be going there this year due to some safety concerns. This may not be the total end of it yet but the ultimate closure must be getting close.
Together with Philip Island's future also being a bit clouded and the current Promotors/CAMS situation there might be a shortage of circuits for some series operators. If too many more circuits close in this country, motor racing will die a slow death.

[RaceTime]

Add to this list Oran Park - word has it that OP are not signing any long term sponsorship contract beyond 2005.

On a personal note I understand that owner Tony Perich's health has not been the best recently and, whilst this isn't the deciding factor in OP's future, he IS the driving force behind OP (and a thoroughly nice ******* as well - Australian style ). To Tony - hopefully you have managed to overcome these problems and we see you around for many a year to come.

Don't write Calder Park off just yet either....

[Mattracer]

See my sig...

[TSR]

OP,BARBARGELLO, WINTON, PHILLIP IS and possiably SURFERS are gone or will go in the near future. And what are the leaders of AVESCO doing BLOODY nothing. Thanks TC for nothing, we all know you are rubbing your hands together for these tracks to close and to our series to OS destinations.

[jetsetter]

This is a combination between AVESCO's love affair with street circuits & their willingness to take the category overseas costing our permanent circuits a chance of hosting big meetings which means that they are struggling to make ends meet. It makes you wonder how much damage this organisation is prepared to do to the sport in this country.

[pete55]

I've neveer had any doubt that the only thing AVESCO is looking after is themselves.

[TSR]

There most probly trying to increase on there $400m of last year.

[dangeradam]

Lakeside is gone and they nearly ditched QR after it lost the 500. They may have more viewers but it takes the sport away from the grass roots.

Without tracks closing club level racing is left with nowhere to go.

Sure big money touring cars teams fly and drive to tracks, and where does this leave the next generation, unless of course the work thier way up avesco's support bill,

[275 GTB-4]

Totally agree with a lot of the concerns expressed so far although not totally convinced that TC would sell his Grandmother yet - he would be fairly dumb if he didn't realise that his V8 fan base has been spawned by the interest generated by the existing race scene put in place by the dedicated circuits.

OP do not appear to have ploughed too much back in over the forty odd years its been going with the exception of th GP extension and being forced to build some tin garages and corporate facilities in order to keep the V8's.

2004 is not looking really flash for the future of Motorsport

[TSR]

TC would sell his Grandmother,Wife and 1st born if he could make money out of v8, and he see's the $ in the overseas market, he could not give a r*****e on the Aussie market and tracks. True OP needs urgent attention to the track stracture.

[streaty]

cross barbagallo of your list, we'll be here for a while yet

[TSR]

I hope so streaty, the series need a WA race to keep it's title as a National series

[MRJUCY]

Originally posted by TSR
I hope so streaty, the series need a WA race to keep it's title as a National series

I hope your right but TC seems to beleive we don't need Tasmania to make it national series despite the current champion being born there so don't be too confident.

[mountainstar]

I don't think that you can completely blame either avesco or the tracks. Many tracks despite having the main show for years and having the track packed to the rafters with fans, have seemed to do little in regards to investing funds into their facilities.

Many of the tracks in Australia are in poor condition. If you are a corporate sponsor that spends millions do you want to go to a mudpit? If you're a spectator do you want to spend a wad of cash to go to a track with poor food, facilities, parking and spectator viewing points? I'd say the answer is probably no.

So I think the solution is two fold. Tracks need to make the investment to keep up with the growth of the sport, but avesco needs to work with the tracks to ensure that happens. There is no point in investing in facilities if avesco is going to walk at their own whim.

I'd caution TC about getting too fascinated with overseas markets. What works one place doesn't mean it will fly elsewhere. Remember the DTM/ITC in 1995/96? All the sudden because of the huge following the dtm had in germany, the powers that be decided that this series could be the rival to F1 and started racing in all these obscure markets. Look at how long that lasted.

At least Procar is around. Having some competition is always good. I'd just as soon go see a procar race as I would a V8 race.

[mjt57]

Originally posted by TSR
I hope so streaty, the series need a WA race to keep it's title as a National series

What about Tasmania, then? Does it not count as a state of Australia?

Is there anything wrong with Simmons Plains that prevents it from holding a touring car round, or any other national series round?

[TSR]

Please don't get me wrong I would love Symmons Plains back on the calender, but as it has not being there for a while and while TC is running the show (AND BLAMING THE TASSIE GOV, FOR LACK OF FUNDS) Tassie will never get a look in. So if I upset any body from Tassie. The person you people form down south should have the s**** with is TC.

[racer69]

Even more disturbing than the high number of tracks rumoured to be at risk, is that as far as i know there isn't any plans for new tracks being built for professional motorsport in Australia.

[TSR]

The NSW govement spent $90m on Eastern Creek and god only knows how much the QLD gov spent on Queensland Raceway??. And they are the last two tracks to be built.
So who going to pay for a new track?????????
TC I hear has some spare dollars NOT.

[Ozfords]

What about the ACT, we should run the street circut in the spring or autumn or summer, not bloody winter. Whose stupid idea was that! Or maybe a permanent circut, wasn't there rumours of that going around?

Ozfords

[the man]

It is a real shame that all these tracks are going down the drain, but i heard that Lakeside was going to be kept there for motorsport use. Also why doesn't someone put the money towards Darlington park in Queensland. It is there it just needs 1- 10 million dollars to fix it up to make it up to cams standards

[pete55]

i don't think the owner of Darlington Park wants to have to do anything to do with CAMS.

[the man]

Originally posted by pete55
i don't think the owner of Darlington Park wants to have to do anything to do with CAMS.

Why doesn't the owner want anything to do with cams?

[Morris 1100]

Originally posted by the man
Why doesn't the owner want anything to do with cams?

Why would anyone want anything to do with cams?

[spook]

As far as the cost of building QR is concerned, I can tell you that the final figure was around $9.5M. That includes everything - all the contra deals, the "Freebies" and the help from the Qld Government. It does not include the cost of the 55ha of land - that is still owned by the local council, who lease the land to the operators.

Makes you wonder how they could have spent $90M at Eastern Creek. The grandstand and pit complex could not be worth $80M?

Sorry - had to edit for typo's

[Crash Test]

Everyone should move to QLD (oops, too late!). QR, Morgan Park, probably Kilcoy, forget Darlington Park, but include, Indy, Carnell Park for a bit of a flog around, and things like Speed on Tweed, Leyburn, Noosa etc etc etc...