V8 Supercars fans treated to first class facilties at Super Cheap Auto 1000

[sizzle]

http://www.v8supercar.com.au/news/la...nd=M&gid=18211

There are also some significant improvements in place for all race fans including new big screens showing live coverage as well as replays and an improved PA system around the entire circuit.

A new viewing mound has been provided on the inside of ‘The Chase’, a prime position on the fastest and most spectacular section of the track where speeds in excess of 300 km/h are not uncommon.


These two paragraphs almost seem like an afterthought. Perhaps we had better throw something in for "Joe Average". They take away the most spectacular viewing platform on the "outside of the chase" and try and have you believe the viewing from the inside is as good.

This whole article was about the corporates and how good they have it.

[TSR]

I thought that Glen Seton in 97 is the only v8 taxi to reach 300kph down the straight, so why does the v8taxi PR spin always cars reaching speeds of 300kph at the chase. Today cars seem to be going slow than prevoius years.

[sizzle]

Originally Posted by TSR

I thought that Glen Seton in 97 is the only v8 taxi to reach 300kph down the straight, so why does the v8taxi PR spin always cars reaching speeds of 300kph at the chase. Today cars seem to be going slow than prevoius years.

I think you will find that the change of diff ratios for this year has lead to speculation the cars will break the 300k mark.

[TSR]

You are right sizzle I did read that somewhere, my mistake.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by sizzle

A new viewing mound has been provided on the inside of ‘The Chase’, a prime position on the fastest and most spectacular section of the track where speeds in excess of 300 km/h are not uncommon.

Without doubt, for me, this is the very best place to see these cars on the Mountain.

To watch a committed driver at 290 km/h go thru the right hander after junking left to get a better approach, then the cars go back to a relative snails pace as they go left then right again... it separates the good'ns from everyone else....

You can see braking, car control, sheer grunt, handling... loads of difference between the cars.

The 24hr was amazing from there, to see the Ferrari and Lambo thru the night, discs aglow.... ah those were the days

By putting a mound where the CAT hospitality tent was last year (which I presume is what is happening) will likely stuff the viewing position for us mere mortals.... I just hope whoever rents that facility appreciates the spectacle they can see from there!!!

[275 GTB-4]

when, if ever, are they going to get serious and develop this venue into the world class mecca it could be.....

I will be camping in the officials paddock again this year...so keep the noise down past midnight

[Average Punter]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

I just hope whoever rents that facility appreciates the spectacle they can see from there!!!

And that, GTR is what bugs me the most about going to the circuits these days. Although Cochrane keeps telling us how many of us are attending the races, we put up with some cr@p...

I went to Adelaide for four Formula 1 GP's and used to stand in the shade of a beautiful gum tree at the exit of the chicane. The memory of seeing Senna's yellow helmet come into view on a qualifying screamer is still enough to give me goosebumps 15 years later...

I went back to Adelaide for the 2003 Clipsal and in that very same spot was a corporate box. I arrived a little late (on a dodgy ticket from Sevi...) but as fortune would have it I ran into a mate who works for a big property management firm in Sydney. He was in that very box. Couldn't get me past the doberman on the gate so he came down, eleventieth beer in hand. I asked him who had topped the times in practice. He told me "didn't even watch it..."

Sure the corporates bring in the money but a large number of them aren't interested in watching so why plonk their tent in the absolute best spots on the circuits???

I watched the Toll boys on the Turn 1 hill at Queensland raceway and they seemed more interested in the TV monitors. (Given where Tratty is usually running I guess that's not a surprise)

I don't mind allocating some space for the corporates to do their schmoozing but how about we put them somewhere else? Like up the back of the hill? Like where the Castrol boys usually are at Hell Corner. Or inside Hell where Brockies big Marlboro emporium once sat? Better still put them in the new flash boxes above the pits and leave the rest of the circuit for those who are genuinely interested in what's going on????????

[sizzle]

Originally Posted by Average Punter

And that, GTR is what bugs me the most about going to the circuits these days. Although Cochrane keeps telling us how many of us are attending the races, we put up with some cr@p...

I went to Adelaide for four Formula 1 GP's and used to stand in the shade of a beautiful gum tree at the exit of the chicane. The memory of seeing Senna's yellow helmet come into view on a qualifying screamer is still enough to give me goosebumps 15 years later...

I went back to Adelaide for the 2003 Clipsal and in that very same spot was a corporate box. I arrived a little late (on a dodgy ticket from Sevi...) but as fortune would have it I ran into a mate who works for a big property management firm in Sydney. He was in that very box. Couldn't get me past the doberman on the gate so he came down, eleventieth beer in hand. I asked him who had topped the times in practice. He told me "didn't even watch it..."

Sure the corporates bring in the money but a large number of them aren't interested in watching so why plonk their tent in the absolute best spots on the circuits???

I watched the Toll boys on the Turn 1 hill at Queensland raceway and they seemed more interested in the TV monitors. (Given where Tratty is usually running I guess that's not a surprise)

I don't mind allocating some space for the corporates to do their schmoozing but how about we put them somewhere else? Like up the back of the hill? Like where the Castrol boys usually are at Hell Corner. Or inside Hell where Brockies big Marlboro emporium once sat? Better still put them in the new flash boxes above the pits and leave the rest of the circuit for those who are genuinely interested in what's going on????????

I have only been to Bathurst once, but for me, although there are some good viewing spots at the top of the mountain, the pick was the outside of the chase. I did try the inside and found it to be no where near as good. If they ever build those units they will be worth gold on race weekend.
It is every circuit that is being handed over to the corporates. Here at Hidden Valley the area at the gravel trap is one of the best viewing areas as you can see a fair bit the track and a screen for what you cant. This year the corporate area encroached even further onto the public area and the heavies prevented anyone standing in front of the marques even though they were well above most peoples heads.

[waxon]

Hey People lets get serious about this , the inside of the Chase is fine ,if you want wiplash from swinging yr head from side to side. I felt like I was watching tennis.
In my view nothing comes close to what WAS available on the outside ,even with the corporate facility and there is clearly room for both if the organisers want it that way.

Assuming that nobody at AVESCO gives a toss about Joe Punter , I contacted Supercheap Auto Head Office. To their credit , they expressed interest in the effect on the public and commited to bring the issue up during discussions with AVESCO et al.

So, how about some follow up from others? I don't think that it is entirely untrue to tell SCA that unhappy punters will go elseware to spend their hard earned if they blame SCA for the lockout?

So lets try people power, we have nothin to loose?

[Belly13]

I agree with average punter. Not everyone has hundreds of $$$$ to buy a grandstand ticket either. There seems to be more and more at the Mount each year. My mates and I are always at Murrays Corner (Harris Park side), from dawn to dusk, Saturday and Sunday. I recently heard that there's going to be a huge grandstand in that area as well this year. Within a few years I'll be watching everything on the TVand no longer attending. There isn't enough space for the average V8 Supercar fan, and that is a disgrace.

[Mattracer]

Corporate hospitality has its undeniably important place but at the expense of the masses in the "heartland"? I think not. The same can be undoubtedly said about street circuits.

[peckstar]

actually. you dont need hundreds. just one hundred more than the GA price. and grandstand seating is worth every cent, if you cant get there the weekend before.

you dont sit in the mud, you get a set position and dont have to get there at sun up to get, you can go for a walk without someone moving into your space and you get great viewing psoition with big screen

[peckstar]

belly 13 try http://www.supercheapauto1000.com/camping/trackmap.htm
no grandstand at present

[bathurst]

Any interest AVESCO shows of effects of anything on the General Public is all a load of B.S. They couldn't give a toss about us.. If they did they would use some of the Thousands we alone have payed for camping to improve the facilities. The reason they put more grandstands in is so they squeeze out the (real supporter) general public, in the hope that we'll stay at home and watch it on TV, therefore increasing the ratings of the TV channel which Cochrane has shares in. WE AINT GOING ANYWHERE, except straight to the Mountain.

[racer69]

The big deal made about the 'first new spectator area since 1988' in AA today is a joke, surely.

You've been able to watch from the inside of the chase for years, extending it is quite different to a 'new area'.

[mtpanorama]

I had a look yesterday at the new veiwing area....ha ha ha. The spot inside the cahse where they normally have the corporate VB tent has been increased is size and height. The new spectator area is to the right of the mound when you are facing the track. It extends almost up to the kink in conrod straight. You wont see a great deal from there as you will only bassically be able to see what is in front of you, and maybe a bit of the way up conrod, if you look to your left all you will see is other people and a giant tent on the hill. I have to do some more work up there in the next week or so , so i will get some pics.

They have also leveled off the support paddock area that is behind the pits. Instead of running downhill towards the dummy grid the ground has been built up so it is nearly level. It is supposed to be tarred as well i have been told. The new overbridge will go in in the next week or so as well

[Skippy1976]

I went up there today and had a look at it and I dont think its that bad at all. It is a shame that it was put there at the expense of the chase outer viewing areas.

I will be looking to spend some time up there when its nice and empty on the thurs/fri of race weekend.

At the southern end of the mound right at the kink you can get so damn close to the track I'd almost call it dangerous (in the event of a car getting nudged into the wall at almost 300km/h) if it wasn't going to be such an adrenalin rush watching them fly past through there right on the limit.

Generally, visibility is good from most points. Having a side on view of some dices from the kink all the way down the the left hander will be somewhat spectacular. Only thing is you wont get to see much of them once they are out of the left hander (just about 20m before the cleland/plato incident) due to the elevations and the tyre wall at the end of the sand trap to stop the don watson style run offs.

I have got a few pics up for those who want to have a look. Was going to take a movie to show what its like except i was low on memory and i had pics on there that my g/f would kill me if i deleted!! Stay tuned for a movie to get a better perspective of the 180 degree views that are possible from this location

http://athene.riv.csu.edu.au/~skauter/mount/

(big_pics 1024x768 || small_pics 640x480)

P1010128.JPG
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Taken from chase outer (flag point 21)

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Taken from the inside of the track at the start of the "kink"

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Taken from the outside of the track at the start of the "kink"

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Taken from the inside of the track at the start of the "kink"

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Taken from the southern tip of the new chase inner spectator mound

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Taken from the middle of the new spectator mound (note the XF falcon in all 3 shots to give a rough perspective of closeness to the track)

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P1010141.JPG
Taken from the northern end of the new bank (note the obscured view of the continuation of conrod from the tyre wall and the site of the 04 CAT Racing tent)


P1010142.JPG
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Perspectives of the mound and track from the concrete wall. Its much higher than it looks! but I'd still like to see it higher to hold more of the general public such as ourselves!!!

P1010150.JPG
P1010151.JPG
New pit straight bridge stairs and timekeeping building.

P1010152.JPG
Drainage work on the inside of pit entry lane at murrays

[sizzle]

Skippy it looks better then what was there before but it will never replace the outside area for viewing excellence. I hope it doen't rain to much between now and then or you might need to borrow some wellies.

[Skippy1976]

yeh.... nothing will beat watching a high speed battle from the outside of the chase, all the way down the straight , through the chase and all the way around to the GMC bridge...

Maybe we could all chip in for a ten-tenths corporate tent perched right where the caltex one was last year ?? :P

Actually the mound was actually reasonably well grass seeded.. just need it to rain before we can get some of that photosynthesis happening.

[twinwebbers]

Thanks Skippy those photos are geat.