Quote:
Originally Posted by GTRMagic
Its simple. A couple of years ago, the production cars were the headline act at the B12, there was a genuine opportunity for them to win or place well in the race, to get some teev airtime (albeit mostly via live streaming) and it was relatively easy to justify the investment to build, prepare & run a car for the B12.
When the GT class' introduction occurred, the production fellows were rendered mere class competitors. No guarantee of coverage, almost no chance of outright result. So why would a car owner like Rod Salmon for example, throw a couple of hundred thousand at TMR to run an Evo Lancer when the chances of outright success are between none and zero?
Lets not forget that most cars in either the GT's or Production car series are funding these gigs out of their own pockets. If they cant see that an investment from their own (or their business') pockets as valuable and worthy, given the product on offer, then it just isnt going to happen.
Pick on the production car blokes all you like, but its their money being spent.. and their call as to whether they do so or not, based on the competitiveness of the class they enter..
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Phrasing the circumstances in any form doesn't change them - the cars, and competitors remain eligible. If they opt against competing, for what ever reason, this is their choice.
Multi-class competition is exactly that - entries competing across multiple categories, concurrently at the same event. If any competitor (touring or otherwise) feels their participation is no longer a sound investment, from a perspective of either commercial, or personal gain, their non-participation would seem entirely reasonable.
What isn't reasonable, is the 'poor us', event trashing mentality that many have adopted as a result of their no longer considering the event a viable exercise.
This behaviour is pointless, vindictive, and doesn't win them any support or, sympathy.
It's worth noting that most people in this thread (myself included) have only bitten when a poster has claimed the touring competitors are 'hard done by' or, they're facing discrimination on the part of the organisers. As has already been discussed, this is a tired, and unfounded argument.
Most people would enjoy seeing the local touring competitors in action at the 12 hour. They likely aren't interested in hearing them *****, pointlessly and unrelentingly about not competing.