PROCAR Categories Not Dead - We Were Wrong!!

[GTRMagic]

As we are all aware PROCAR is the category manager for BRUtes, F3, GT Performance, GT Production and Nations Cup in Australia, mandated by CAMS.

It seems that there was some confusion after the press release came out on Friday that PROCAR was ceasing operations. I too didnt quite get the gist of what was going on, presuming the worst, and thinking that PROCAR was shutting the doors with a view to relinquishing the category management rights.... that it was all over.

Well it seems nothing could be further from the truth!!

As I understand it, representatives of 120 teams from all 5 categories managed by PROCAR met yesterday, and a number of issues came to the surface.

First and foremost was the recognition that the way PROCAR had been operating for the last 11 racing seasons was now over. That the days of PROCAR leasing circuits, ensuring adequate numbers of cars for the different categories, employing administrators to construct the championship series, managing the technical specifications allowable in the category, and from that the prickly pear of parity... was over!! As well as financially underwriting the whole shebang!

From what I can gather, the teams are taking a surprisingly pragmatic view on the future, recognising that the competitors make the championships, not the organising bodies.... it seems a light bulb may have gone off above the heads of some people, who have finally realised that the responsibility for running the 5 different classes of racing should be on a collective management of the class, not a central administrator... and that there were opportunities to be had from this arrangement.

Its kind of like an employee getting equity in a company he works for. The employee feels better about working there because he knows that he will work harder, and indeed share in the spoils, and equally share in the responsibilities and risks.

Perhaps this is the masterstroke, to move the risks, responsibilities and upside into the hands of the people who actually influence the extent of such things by their participation!!

Agreed yesterday too was an organising committee formed to oversee the ongoing future of the collective of classes.

Some heavy hitters have apparently taken on the role of committeement, including:
- Peter Hansen (ex-CAMS administrator & CEO)
- Roy Leaver (currently on PROCAR board, from BRUtes)
- Peter Boylan (currently on PROCAR board, from GT Performance)
- Ian Palmer (currently on PROCAR board, from Nations Cup)
- Frank Slowiak (from PROCAR/Palmer Group)

So the way I see it happening is that each class will form its own management committee. So Nations Cup competitors will set up a board of its own, as will the GT Performance group of competitors, the APCC group, BRUtes and F3.

These groups will look after all of the responsibilities PROCAR previously did, ensuring entrant participation, gathering sponsorship, technical management, eligibility and control etc etc.

So I guess it will be like Commodore Cup to some extent, where there is a management committee in place, a set of class rules and regulations, and competitors will guarantee a minimum number of participants at certain race meetings across the country.

I presume from the cross-category organising committee that the intention is to keep the 5 classes together in one block as well.

Much has been written about the intention of BRUtes wanting to go play in the AVESCO arena... and indeed there were said to be a small number of dissidents involved at themeeting yesterday... although interestingly enough the people most vocal about the apparently poor job PROCAR had been doing had been trying to lever the class over to the AVESCO program for more than 2 years....

.... each person is entitled to an opinion of course, and presumably with the right constitution established for each organising committee, the voices will be heard, but the majority should rule!

The next event at Sandown is said to be covered by television, thru AVE, to be shown on #9 at the next agreed timeslot.

The (not unreasonable) expectation is that in a show of strength, all sorts of Nations Cup cars will come out of the woodwork to be at the Sandown meeting. If you believe half the cars that were promised yesterday actually show, we will see 3 Lambos, 6 Ferraris, 6 Porsches, 3 Vipers and assorted other cars... including the fabled Honda NSX Judd

So as I see it, the competitors in these classes have been handed a gift. They can either continue down their current path and race as it suits them, or they can take this opportunity to heart, to build their category up with a competitor-led direction.

PROCAR still technically exists, and will likely do so for some time yet... there doesnt seem to be a plan or indeed a need to place that operation into administration... and a number of employees remain with that business, offering facilitation assistance to the new category management.

So its not the end, only the beginning. Viva PROCAR!!

[GROUPA]

So is Sandown on for sure or not?

[Phase3]

All the best lad's, but you've got a bloody big hill to climb...........

[Bigguy]

Originally posted by GROUPA
So is Sandown on for sure or not?

YES SIREE!!

[smokinJ]

i am so glad

[pplater]

YAY.

[pplater]

See here for details:

http://www.crash.net/uk/en/news_view.asp?cid=26&nid=90535

[GROUPA]

Hell thinking the Procar round @ sandown was cancelled we have organised a drive day to Mt Macedon

Check it out

www.gccv.net

[Also a Believer]

The pheonix has risen need I say this is my I told you so face.

[just a racer]

It is good to see it is not all as bad as first thought.
Was there any talk of this years Bathurst 24 Hour race?

[Bigguy]

Originally posted by pplater
See here for details:

http://www.crash.net/uk/en/news_view...d=26&nid=90535

Gee PPlater, that's doing it hte hard way! This is the media release on the PROCAR homepage!

[Also a Believer]

The 24 hour race was ann intrigal part oseries so my guess is they will pull all stops to make it happen.

[jason7250]

Will this news be on RPM then I dont think so

[TSR]

Originally posted by jason7250
Will this news be on RPM then I dont think so

I guess not as Ch10 & B.Woods are only interested in the v8supertaxis.


Great News about PROCAR.

LET'S GO RACING.

[Trevor P]

Below is the first paragraphs of last Friday's press release on the PROCAR web site.

Procar Australia Ceases Operations
23/4/2004: MOTOR racing organiser PROCAR Australia announced today it is ceasing operations immediately.
Ross Palmer, Chairman and founder of the Brisbane-based company, said a meeting of directors today unanimously agreed to a strategic withdrawal from the industry

It's good to hear that there will be cars on tracks after all, but I don't blame myself for being a bit confused at the moment.
Has PROCAR ceased operations and strategically withdrawn from the industry or not?
By all accounts, they did not do either, and are still out there. How much heartache has unnecessarily been caused by the original press release?

[Senna05]

GTR, you make no mention of the Monaro's -
Has the field increased due to them not turning up, or are they turning up as well?

I love the Monaro, but even myself, as a one eyed holden supporter, can see that IF the other competitors will only compete without them there, thats a potential 10 competitors without them is a better way to go (sadly)

You also make no mention of Peter Brock. Has he walked away from the board?

[pplater]

Gee PPlater, that's doing it hte hard way! This is the media release on the PROCAR homepage!

Oh no... I've been found out!

Serious tho, International exposure for Procar is good; Crash is a British site whose fans are concerned with the fate of one of the world's great GT Races in the 24hr.

I should've posted a link to Procar, but Nicko doesnt mind other sites using his stuff.

Apologies.

[Bigguy]

Originally posted by Trevor P
Below is the first paragraphs of last Friday's press release on the PROCAR web site.

Procar Australia Ceases Operations
23/4/2004: MOTOR racing organiser PROCAR Australia announced today it is ceasing operations immediately.
Ross Palmer, Chairman and founder of the Brisbane-based company, said a meeting of directors today unanimously agreed to a strategic withdrawal from the industry

It's good to hear that there will be cars on tracks after all, but I don't blame myself for being a bit confused at the moment.
Has PROCAR ceased operations and strategically withdrawn from the industry or not?
By all accounts, they did not do either, and are still out there. How much heartache has unnecessarily been caused by the original press release?

trevor, you have misunderstood. PROCAR is no longer operational, with all staff retrenched on Monday. The Palmer group still owns the PROCAR "shell", which is still the owner of the "intellectual property" being the PROCAR specifications and category types (although CAMS also owns part of this, the division being unclear at the moment), and PROCAR is still holding funds which are "unused portions" of series entry fees paid by teams.

The teams which ran under PROCAR have decided at yesterday's meeting, to run in the Sandown event, and Jon Davison has agreed to administer the meeting (which is what most circuit owners do for most meetings except AVESCO, and until now, PROCAR). Arrangements have been made (unclear who by) to ensure that AVE makes video programs of the Sandown meeting for airing on 9 at a later scheduled date.

The realitty is that Ross Palmer and his group of companies have stopped funding PROCAR. The original release was 100% accurate, so the heartache is also very real, and it is just due to the superb efforts of Peter Boylan and the other teams and people who have worked so hard to avoid the total collapse of the whole show. I suspect that the combined wills of all the teams will see a "son of PROCAR" which will provide the public with an even better spectacle, and a more satisfactory situation for the teams themselvs.

However, it would be remiss of me to not pay Ross a huge compliment for sinking literally millions of his own funds into building up the PROCAR show to what it is today, and I (or anyone else) can certainly not blame him for deciding that spending at least another $2 million to keep the show on the road for the rest of the year was too much.

The debacle late last year involving some PROCAR staff was a major contributor to this situation, and the unsuccessful search for a series sponsor since then was also probably the final nail.

So Trevor, the best way out of this is to look forward, rather than back, and join me in hoping that "son of PROCAR" will be better than ever.

[GROUPA]

Lets hope the admission price is not like Oran Park the other week or there will be alot of cars parked on the Dandenong Road overpass watching

[paydirt]

Geeez...This is all as clear as mud. Are they introducing confusing management structures as well as having confusing parity adjustments ?? (I think the light at the end of the tunnel is an express train...)

[jetsetter]

Hopefully the board of the series formely known as Procar can make a go of it & make it the best category in Australia.

[pete55]

This is good news. And thanks GTR for your insight to it all.

[GTRMagic]

It is great news about the 5 categories, the 24hr is less positive, but it is early days.

[astinus4]

including the fabled Honda NSX Judd

If the "yeti" turns up I'll dog paddle nude to Cairns!

On a serious note I'm really looking forward to the large Nations Cup grid that's been promised. The farcical turn out at Oran Park left alot of people disillusioned.

[Ross Palmer]

Including me.