Another gap jump incident GRC

[AndyS]

Originally Posted by USRallycross

then we will stick to trying to get the GRC into a good place and one day when we have done that we will deliver world peace.

I can't type anymore as I have to go and search for some more racing that I absolutely hate to watch, think is crazy, dangerous irresponsible so i can come back and report on it here.

Mark

[chunder]

Excellent.

Man after my own heart.

Mark, you are involved, so you are highly unlikely to bad mouth, and the fact that you are here makes people more perhaps likel;y to say thigs as they know you are involved.

THe passion for rallycross is obvious, but people like me are stuck in the past. it's never going to be that good again or as good as it was in the 7's and 80's. So youa re up against it.

But if you can try and see it from outside the box. Rallycross in a car park is not a spectacle is it? Rallycross driving between concrete blocks is not rallycross is it? The jump thing has been pretty much proved to be a mistake. Yes it might get you on the news, but for all the wrong reasons.

Drivers are drivers, they will all gag to get invovled, but thats coz theya re stupid like football fans, they all moan about tickets prices at the Emirates but they have a 20,000 waiting list! So drivers always want to drive in front of a new audience.

I feel for you fella, I admit I dont like it. I have made no bones about it, part of it is the Dirt/stunt element, another part is the nicking drivers from ERC for money side of it, not your or the series fault.

But, this is a forum. And so far I have seen widespread criticism of this series, I know someone who was visiting Charlotte a few months back, they wanted to go and see this, they lasted an hour and went and looked roudn the NASCAR trailers, bored stiff. We are interested, so you have to expect an opinion, and sadly, most of it has been negative, sorry.

I think its a hard sell buddy, thats all, especially for people over here. But its a different market you are trying to appeal to, a new market with different people that might, eventually end up being better and our rallycross will wither and die, who knows.

[AndyS]

Originally Posted by chunder

E

I think its a hard sell buddy, thats all, especially for people over here. But its a different market you are trying to appeal to, a new market with different people that might, eventually end up being better and our rallycross will wither and die, who knows.

Hmmm, not sure about that. My two young nephews (5 and 8) tend to be quite impressed with things like freestyle motorcross, skating boarding etc, not because they are into it particularly but just because at that age it excites them. I've watched a bit of X Games with them and also a bit of GRC and they now think rallycross is cool (their words not mine). When I mentioned they could see it a track nearby (Croft) they haven't stopped pestering me to take them since. Sadly they couldn't make the GP this year but when I've shown them some coverage on You Tube they couldn't careless whether its GRC or BRC, its cars going fast and sideways as far as they are concerned. Without them seeing the GRC they wouldn't be bothered by rallycross but now they are potential future fans. Lets face it the BRC and ERC aren't exactly pulling in new fans by the bus load at the moment.

[acer]

Originally Posted by USRallycross

I keep reading these threads - must be a masochist - but then wondered why do you all watch it? There are many sports I don't like so I don't watch them. There are motorsports I don't like so I don't watch them.

IMG aren't doing this to the ERC, the Doran's aren't doing this to be BRC and we are a continent away and not particularly easy to watch on TV over there. But you still all go to the trouble of watching on youtube or elsewhere and then having to cringe or cover your eyes at the scary bits.

Perhaps if you all stick to trying to rally around the BRC and ERC - although you kill both of those as well - then we will stick to trying to get the GRC into a good place and one day when we have done that we will deliver world peace.

I can't type anymore as I have to go and search for some more racing that I absolutely hate to watch, think is crazy, dangerous irresponsible so i can come back and report on it here.

Mark

Mark, thank goodness, you are a breath of fresh air. Your statement is my thoughts exactly. Bravo!!

[Pozi]

Originally Posted by acer

Mark, thank goodness, you are a breath of fresh air. Your statement is my thoughts exactly. Bravo!!

I have to agree.

Mark - Just keep doing what you are doing because it seems to be working, and good luck with world peace because if you think this is a tough crowd.....

[Magistrate]

Surely when you look at it close enough, the majority of the major rallycross series are increasingly becoming more of a show than the racing it used to be - The European are limiting drivers, apparently to impress the spectators, The BRC are removing certain classes from their events (the traditional minicross, for example!), using the excuse that the majority of spectators do not want to see these and as this thread is about the GRC are incorporating ridiculous (and potentially life threatening!) jumps, but what for? Surely making rallycross into a show, as opposed to the racing it has always been is only entertainment for those who are narrow minded and have little knowledge where rallycross is concerned - and even then it only entertains those people for the first few times of seeing it! The excitement of a show can only be maintained for so long and becomes particularly predictable, as opposed to a "normal" rallycross race, where anything can happen.

Is the show aspect, and entertainment of a few for a short space of time really worth the risk of ruining a great reputation and also the loss of life?

[Richard Jones]

...but with fewer spectators