Rallycross promotion. Who's responsability? (split from Superprix thread)

[leonidas]

The key to the success of any specialist rallycross track venture is to make it a cash generator all year round. If I was investing I'd want to see a 'National Rallysport Centre' that could cater for rallycross, single venue rallying, historic rallies, autograss, rally driving schools, stock cars, corporate days the lot. You cannot make money out of a track that has two rallycross fixtures a year and nothing else.

Btw an Open Championship press statement indicates they (Peter?) want to open or reopen two new venues - any details on that?

[M.Lowe]

I would love to see Langbaurgh as it was or the tees motorsports park as they have sprints, speedway karting and there is talk of stock car racing coming to the venue

[chunder]

Stock cars are gonna be hard work at Teeside because of a certain promoter in the North who really doesnt want to see anotehr track near him opening up!

[winnie]

I thought Bighton had grass track, which could be upgraded to a proper speedworth type shale oval, speedway is then a possibility, enough room for single venue rally's and corporate etc.

Rallycross must be Lydden's biggest earner by miles. If they threaten to take rallycross away then i'm sure a deal could be sorted out where the organiser takes a fair proportion of the gate.

One of the stumbing blocks is the fact that there are 2 different rallycross organisers. This needs to be addressed urgently, am in my opinion Peter Stott should be in total charge of British Rallycross. No-one can question his commitment. No-one can question his promotional skills. No-one can question his european contacts. The one thing he doesn't have is the backing of the top Supercar and Modified drivers.

Would it not be resable for Peter Stott to organise and run the BRC and the BRDA to actually run the meetings. If this happened then i am confident that Rallycross would move forward very quickly and we would get a round of the ERC back. Ever-one is a winner.

[Martin C]

Something to get some TV coverage.

Pro Celb Rallycross meeting?

With the 21centurys mad craving for reality TV etc how about a pro celb meeting. TV would surely go for it? Also getting the sport onto TV.

Just a daft idea I had today whist bored!

[King Arthur]

Rallycross must be Lydden's biggest earner by miles. AGREE but they do also have big Bike and Super Moto meetings

If they threaten to take rallycross away then i'm sure a deal could be sorted out where the organiser takes a fair - "define please" - proportion of the gate. Would you be prepared to front the negotiations !!

One of the stumbing blocks is the fact that there are 2 different rallycross organisers. - Disagree

This needs to be addressed urgently, am in my opinion Peter Stott should be in total charge of British Rallycross. No-one can question his commitment. No-one can question his promotional skills. No-one can question his european contacts. - without being personal - Oh yes they can. There are others who have and could have those contacts. This is absolutely not an anti anyone and PS in particular posting.

The one thing he doesn't have is the backing of the top Supercar and Modified drivers. - without emotion why is that ? They are businesmen and will go where they think they will get the best return on their money invested. That could be BRC or Open Series.

I personnaly would like to see the two series come together. I would also like to see Rallycross do what Speedway has done - get itself from a public perception of motorbike dirt track racing to a live Saturday night premier sporting fixture.

All it needs is the £2million committment the new promotors of Speedway put into it BUT only 25 plus competitors are involved.

One of the real problems Rallycross has is that any meeting with 100 entries 20 to 30 want it to be at the level of Touring cars / FIA GTs and are prepared / capable of spending the money required and the other 60 to 80 want good old fashioned club motorspoart at a reasonable price.

A Rock and a Hard Place I fear.


KA aka TW

[leonidas]

Originally Posted by King Arthur

I would also like to see Rallycross do what Speedway has done - get itself from a public perception of motorbike dirt track racing to a live Saturday night premier sporting fixture. KA aka TW

Absolutely - you need to copy business models which work elsewhere. The London Masters could be a real breakthrough - let's hope this can be followed up elsewhere.

Bear in mind that you don't have to own the land to obtain a decent venue. For example its amazing how much land some local authorities own (in my other life I'm a local councillor) - sometimes land on which nothing is happening or likely to happen for a long time! There are also horseracing tracks with good facilities, that are only used occasionally, and have lots of service roads that could be adopted for rallycross. There are options out there for creative thinkers...

[winnie]

If rallycross was promoted correctly it could fill Lydden 5 or 6 times a year - that in itself would command a very strong position for negotiation. Lydden are not going to say goodbye to rallycross when it is by far its biggest customer.

I still believe rallycross can only support 2 promotors if it wants to progress.

Still believe Peter Stott should head any promotion. He has put his face and name on the line - don't ever see any BRDA people doing that - don't even know who runs BRDA.

Rallycross is miles and miles away from speedway. It will never get the same following and crowds. Rallycross should aim itself at the level of decent Speedworth meetings / formula. If it goes really well we may see a return of proper 2 level meetings. 1 level for the 'pro type big budget boys that want tv and another level for the clubman that want cheap motorsport and no tv etc.

Rallycross needs the ERC, we have the Div1 cars, some regular european championship contenders. then hopefully some manufacturer support and then rallycross can look at some proper promotion with TV and attract some real sponsors that can inject some decent money into attracting and keeping proper / young drivers and teams. It is a huge job and will take years.

[Matti Alamaki]

Originally Posted by winnie

Rallycross should aim itself at the level of decent Speedworth meetings / formula. If it goes really well we may see a return of proper 2 level meetings. 1 level for the 'pro type big budget boys that want tv and another level for the clubman that want cheap motorsport and no tv etc.

Rallycross needs the ERC, we have the Div1 cars, some regular european championship contenders.

Winnie, the European & French Rallycross championships are both extremely successfull. Both of these championships successfully run a class structure at same events. There is no reason why the British championship cannot do the same.

[Westysprinter]

Originally Posted by M.Lowe

I would love to see Langbaurgh as it was or the tees motorsports park as they have sprints, speedway karting and there is talk of stock car racing coming to the venue

Until it does something serious about its padock size, karting is about all that will run at Langbaurgh