why did they get rid of canberra???

f1freak · 5 Jul 2005, 05:48 (Ref:1347408)

I know that this is a pretty late time to be asking a question as such, however, recently I've been thinking about the circuit...

Does anyone have an exact reason why they don't race at Canberra anymore???... I think it might have something to do with the 'tent pits' they had, or because it was too cold, but any certain reasons???

Any help would be appreciated, cheers...

racer69 · 5 Jul 2005, 06:03 (Ref:1347418)

Too cold
Wrong time of year
Track was too narrow and poor layout (though not much could be done about that)
Government didn't want it anymore

Matt H · 5 Jul 2005, 06:37 (Ref:1347422)

it was a suberb layout. i was lucky to official at the last stebar 400, and really enjoyed the event :d

f1freak · 5 Jul 2005, 07:35 (Ref:1347455)

I love(d) the circuit... I'm glad that at least I have it on a game (V8 Supercar Race Driver)...

but yea, racer69, that's basically what I thought, I just wasnt sure if they were the exact reasons... except I never heard that the government didn't want it... ohh well, you learn something new everyday... cheers mate...

peckstar · 5 Jul 2005, 08:48 (Ref:1347505)

from memory. didnt the new Govy in canberra, decide it wasn't worth the interription and cost, so theylet it go

F J Nedos · 5 Jul 2005, 09:57 (Ref:1347529)

Quote:

Originally Posted by peckstar

from memory. didnt the new Govy in canberra, decide it wasn't worth the interription and cost, so theylet it go

That's pretty close to the mark.

The new local government didn't care too much about it. A few (slightly) affected pubic serpents who work in the area made loud complaints (in my opinion louder than the race itself). They didn't like their precious roads closed for 5 days (3 of which were days not at work as the monday was a public holiday). They also thought it created too much pollution and noise for the ultra conservative pubic serpents. The new government buckled to this (with minimal pressure) therefore any interest in the city for that time of year went, along with all of the flow on tourism.

Yes it was cold, bloody cold. But the merchandising made squillions out of sweaters and jackets, and there was plenty of warm food and drinks at the circuit. That in itself, while it didn't help matters, wasnt really a deciding factor in the race stopping.

I always maintained that the event should have been held in march or september, and they should have modified the track. The simple basic modification would be this - after the start/finish line, rather than turning right and driving behind the old parliament house, they should have instead turned left. What would happen then is that the cars would veer right in a corner which opens up to a long straight with wide roads (much wider than behind parliament house) and then there would be a slight veer to the right at the end of the straight, which leads on to the back shoot up to the new parliament house. There would have been passing opportunities there, no narrow barriers to clout against, and the camera shots would have been awesome seeing v8's hook in at high speed past the front of the old parliament house - the camera shots could have shown them in such a way that you could see both parliament houses. As I work in the direct area, I drive on this road every day going to work and i know it would have worked brilliantly.

Speaking as someone who works right in the middle of the affected areas, the disruption was minimal, there was always more than one way to still get to your office and the organisers were quick to restore the roads to public use by the end of monday night. The stopping of this event just typifies the d**kwads in the pubic circuis and the local government wanting to keep local consituants happy.

I still get p*ssed off and happy at the same time when i drive over the roads and I still see the black tyre marks...

f1freak · 5 Jul 2005, 11:00 (Ref:1347577)

F J Nedos... mate, that was greatly informative... good to know, cheers...

One thing you didnt mention (and I don't know if it played apart in the demise of Canberra) was the pits???... How much room did they actually have for the pits and trucks and everything that was essential to hold a race???...

Another thing... just curious, is this the layout which you were talking about???...

Falcadore · 5 Jul 2005, 11:25 (Ref:1347605)

There were so factors which made it a very difficult event to run. The environmental lobby had its way and each and every tree near the track was given special treatment, more so than was given track officials. The circuit itself was difficult to get at. Some sections couldn't be walked. It was difficult for spectators to get around. The tourism return was not as high as hoped. Spectators travelling from interstate was disappointing - in particular the clash of event with the Winternats, a 35,000+ game day motor sport crowd in Queensland, had its effect on the number of Queenslanders who might have travelled.

The climate was a real issue. But it could not be moved as the event required a long weekend, and this was the only one available in the calendar.

That the sitting government at the time took an absolute pasting on sporting events. There was the very expensive, and expensively botched redevlopment of Bruce Stadium for the Olympics which eventually saw an entire surface transplanted after the new surface refused to grow.

There was real political mileage to be made from craking down on sports expenditure. Bruce Stadium at least could be value added easily with regular Canberra Raiders games and the hope of a minor Wallaby Test match or Rugby League test game. The Canberra street circuit was only ever going to be used once a year and was thus extremely vulnerable in the same way the Race of a Thousand Years in Adelaide was.

With real political gain to be had the Canberra 400 was doomed the moment the election went they it did.

AATurbo · 5 Jul 2005, 11:42 (Ref:1347618)

Canberra looked great on television. I was there a week before the race in 2001 & I couldn't believe how cold it was.

I don't think they could have put the event on a worse time of the year then it was.

275 GTB-4 · 5 Jul 2005, 13:49 (Ref:1347745)

Quote:

Originally Posted by F J Nedos

That's pretty close to the mark.

The new local government didn't care too much about it. A few (slightly) affected pubic serpents who work in the area made loud complaints (in my opinion louder than the race itself). They didn't like their precious roads closed for 5 days (3 of which were days not at work as the monday was a public holiday)...

As a serpant...and an official who attended all the Canberra 400s...I just want to say that I was extremely dissapointed with our local yokel excuse for a govt when they caved in to the minorities and lost about $16M of taxpayers dollars paying out the contract for the final two races.

The National Capital Anti-Development ponces also did the cause no good by refusing to allow the date to be moved.

R.I.P.

Growling Ferret · 6 Jul 2005, 00:43 (Ref:1348367)

If only the $30 mil that was spent on the 3 years (all up 9 days of motorsport) that was the Canberra/GMC/Stegbar(?) 400 had been invested in a multipurpose international class circuit, dragway etc on Majura Road or Sutton Road that could have been used 365 days a year...

Loved the event, never missed a day. Just wished it was on the Canberra Day Long weekend in March... But I'd never have bought my Gibson Motorsport jacket if it was

jd yort · 6 Jul 2005, 03:33 (Ref:1348417)

I never went down to the meeting in Canberra but my old man was an official there each year and said that he never got the feeling back in his toes until the Tuesday from standing on the ground. Way way too cold.

I was actually surprised it ever got off the ground in the first place. I remember someone was trying to get a meeting around Cronulla at one stage and there is always the talk of a circuit around the Olympic Stadium in Sydney. People have these dreams that so rarely come off.

billy bigtime · 6 Jul 2005, 03:43 (Ref:1348423)

To *F* cold, a hole of a joint and I don't miss it one *F* bit.

Kerri · 6 Jul 2005, 03:54 (Ref:1348424)

Why don't you say what you really think Billy

f1freak · 6 Jul 2005, 04:03 (Ref:1348427)

AATurbo, jd yort... you serious, that cold... LOL... buggar...

Well if the track 'needed' a long weekend to race, then couldn't they have used 'Labour Day' (First Monday October) or (I just found this out now) 'Canberra Day' (Dont know the day, but it was 21st March this year)???...

billy bigtime... what do you (and anyone else who dislikes Canberra) have against it???... Personally, I reckon it was one of the best circuits in the last decade... I reckon its better then Adelaide (as a circuit)...

mayhem · 6 Jul 2005, 05:41 (Ref:1348481)

The actual track shape was great, it was the width that sucked badly, a pure car wrecker. Now if some of those traffic islands could have been taken out to make the track wider, well it might be still there today. As long as they found a more suitable time of year as well. Is it right that the Canberra/ACT chamber of commerce said that the first year that the race wasn't held, takings from ACT restaurants and hotels were down 80%?

Growling Ferret · 6 Jul 2005, 06:00 (Ref:1348491)

f1freak - The October long weekend has been the traditional date for some unimportant race meeting at Bathurst for most of the last 40 years. Its only in the last couple of years TC and AVESCO moved back another week to the second weekend in October to avoid the NRL Grand Final weekend...

Back to the C400 - the suggestion of running on Canberra Day llong weekend never worked as it was roughly the same weekend as the hugely successful Adelaide 500 season opener, which had been run mid to late March the last few years. Considering the V8 Supercar season used to revolve around a few key dates - the F1 GP and Bathurst being the main ones - turning the schedule upside down to fit a Canberra 400 was never going to happen.

Now, if the Canberra 400 had been for Aussie Legends, the track would have been the perfect width!

Falcadore · 6 Jul 2005, 07:35 (Ref:1348523)

That wasn't the reason.

AVESCO left the long weekend because they couldn't force the ARDC to break their contract with Channel 7.

Rugby League took up the weekend in the meantime to try and create a buffer from the AFL Grand Final, and because Channel 9 told the Rugby League to.

AVESCO have not tried to reclaim the weekend seriously that they willingly gave awa and have instead wandered all over October and November with dates.

James63 · 6 Jul 2005, 07:45 (Ref:1348528)

I liked the race, and the reverse grid was always entertaining aswell.

275 GTB-4 · 6 Jul 2005, 09:51 (Ref:1348608)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Growling Ferret

If only the $30 mil that was spent on the 3 years (all up 9 days of motorsport) that was the Canberra/GMC/Stegbar(?) 400 had been invested in a multipurpose international class circuit, dragway etc on Majura Road or Sutton Road that could have been used 365 days a year...

Loved the event, never missed a day. Just wished it was on the Canberra Day Long weekend in March... But I'd never have bought my Gibson Motorsport jacket if it was

Good point Ferrett, but its getting a bit tired now....Govts can't hand out millions to entrprenuers to make a profit....they are also so risk averse that they will not invest in and run a complex themselves....

Cold in Canberra...(um like coals to Newcastle ???)....Yeah yeah...big deal made of the cold and sure... totally inappropriate date for this neck of the woods for a motor race....however...I was there in my thermal underwear, gloves, big socks and boots and a beanie and felt quite comfortable.

Some of the QLDers and people from other states turned up with no singlets, no warm jacket etc and wondered why they were cold....

These same people would probably think nothing of going an extra hour south in all their apres ski gear.....this aspect always annoys me...like hey!!..people get hypothermia at Bathurst (FFS) and not to mention PI....

BTW there is a motoring writer down here called Mike Attwell who is all for Motor sport in the region...he is actively lobbying for a return of the V8s (amongst other things!) ....best of luck to Mike

Mattracer · 6 Jul 2005, 10:06 (Ref:1348617)

Begs the obvious question- Canberra or China?

F J Nedos · 6 Jul 2005, 10:08 (Ref:1348620)

Quote:

Originally Posted by f1freak

F J Nedos... mate, that was greatly informative... good to know, cheers...

One thing you didnt mention (and I don't know if it played apart in the demise of Canberra) was the pits???... How much room did they actually have for the pits and trucks and everything that was essential to hold a race???...

Another thing... just curious, is this the layout which you were talking about???...

The pits were fine. I had pit access for all 3 events and they had plenty of room. It was quite well layed out where the transporters were. They used a whole car park for that. I've been to other events and done the walk, and they seemed more cramped. The only critisism of the pits would be that the actual bays the teams worked in when the actual races were running, were temporary. But the size of them was quite fine. If they ran the race there now, they'd have to make another lane, ie the fast lane. But it wouldnt be hard to do there.

You've just about got that picture perfect. The only difference was at the end of the straight in front of parliament house, i was thinking of a slight veer to the right which would end up at where a set of traffic lights exist now. Your pic veers sharply at the end. But I think you got the idea

F J Nedos · 6 Jul 2005, 10:10 (Ref:1348626)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mattracer

Begs the obvious question- Canberra or China?

I'd selfishly say Canberra. But thats just me, and a lot of people I know locally.

F J Nedos · 6 Jul 2005, 10:12 (Ref:1348627)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mayhem

The actual track shape was great, it was the width that sucked badly, a pure car wrecker. Now if some of those traffic islands could have been taken out to make the track wider, well it might be still there today. As long as they found a more suitable time of year as well. Is it right that the Canberra/ACT chamber of commerce said that the first year that the race wasn't held, takings from ACT restaurants and hotels were down 80%?

Yes thats correct, the local business werent terribly happy. Neither were the ski fields as they saw a nice flow on effect.

F J Nedos · 6 Jul 2005, 10:13 (Ref:1348628)

Quote:

Originally Posted by 275 GTB-4

As a serpant...and an official who attended all the Canberra 400s...I just want to say that I was extremely dissapointed with our local yokel excuse for a govt when they caved in to the minorities and lost about $16M of taxpayers dollars paying out the contract for the final two races.

The National Capital Anti-Development ponces also did the cause no good by refusing to allow the date to be moved.

R.I.P.

Dont take offence at the serpent references

Most of them that I saw at the track loved it and it was only the minority who ruined it

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