V8's on Perth's city streets by 08/Petition (merged)

[Chatters]

Originally Posted by pete55

I think Indy is the most ridiculous street circuit ever built.

Don't know about that- Did you see the Beijing A1GP Circuit...?

[pete55]

No, but then i would exclude China from any comparisons. lol

[Woolley]

Simple question. Lots of people complain about the dearth of Australian talent coming up through the ladder (especially in F3). If the big paying series go to street tracks (which soak up the income and taxpayers money) and the permanent tracks disappear as a result, where is the future talent going to get a start and learn it's trade? Not to mention the much derided race officials, organisers and marshals? Permanent, frequently used circuits are vital to the long term health of the sport. Street circuits are fine as a quick thrill in addition.

[Chatters]

[275 GTB-4]

Originally Posted by billybanana

How many people can you fit into Barbagallo ? 10 - 15 thousand on a good day ? It's all about bringing in as many people as you can. A street race would potentially bring in 10 times that many.

You can't blame VE$A for doing this. I'd love a business where govt tips in the money and I take the profits. It's a no brainer.

Thats the point mate....its in a natural ampfreetheatre so bumping up the capacity would not be all that difficult if the investment was made. Getting the punters in and out is another matter....the roads need an upgrade as well.

[Lukin]

Originally Posted by Woolley

Simple question. Lots of people complain about the dearth of Australian talent coming up through the ladder (especially in F3). If the big paying series go to street tracks (which soak up the income and taxpayers money) and the permanent tracks disappear as a result, where is the future talent going to get a start and learn it's trade? Not to mention the much derided race officials, organisers and marshals? Permanent, frequently used circuits are vital to the long term health of the sport. Street circuits are fine as a quick thrill in addition.

You can add engineers and mechanics to that list. Most of the people I know in the main series started at club level donating time and worked their way up from there.

[Pro Racer]

Originally Posted by Woolley

Simple question. Lots of people complain about the dearth of Australian talent coming up through the ladder (especially in F3). If the big paying series go to street tracks (which soak up the income and taxpayers money) and the permanent tracks disappear as a result, where is the future talent going to get a start and learn it's trade? Not to mention the much derided race officials, organisers and marshals? Permanent, frequently used circuits are vital to the long term health of the sport. Street circuits are fine as a quick thrill in addition.

so true couldn't have said it better myself.

[pete55]

Originally Posted by pwr fan

so true couldn't have said it better myself.

It's just a pity we have an organization like CAMS running our sport. A body with a little bit of common sense would help motorsport in this country.

[Pro Racer]

common sence and knowledge of what is best for everyone and not just the hip pocket and bank account.

[snappa]

here here woolley you couldnt have said it better I dont believe that a street race is in the best intrests of the motorsports public as a whole in WA. Taking away the major event of the year from the WASCC would seriously degrade the amount of money available to keep wanneroo raceway open. This would then lead to an increase in the costs for grass roots participation (due to the costly nature of keeping infrastructure up to a Cams required minimum standard) which does force a lot of people away from the motorsport that we all love.

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by pete55

It's just a pity we have an organization like CAMS running our sport. A body with a little bit of common sense would help motorsport in this country.

Not just there, mate, our own MSA doesn't exactly have it's finger on the pulse. It hasn't even found the casualty for that matter.

Half of the problem is that these headline series get passed out to a promoter who invariably runs it for the benefit of the promoter first and the narrow interests of his series second, and then maybe motorsport comes in a distant third.

[cavvy]

Originally Posted by Woolley

Half of the problem is that these headline series get passed out to a promoter who invariably runs it for the benefit of the promoter first and the narrow interests of his series second, and then maybe motorsport comes in a distant third.

That is what we face in Aus Woolley - basically it has lead to the demise of the circuit based promoter who has to have an eye on growing the local market to make his circuit viable.

We have V8 Supercars running a business model (very successfully) that seeks to ensure there are more circuits (street & permanent) seeking a V8 round than the promoter is prepared to run.
Cant blame V8Supercars, they are in it to make money.

If the WA scenario plays out the way it has previously, the State Government will say no, V8s will threaten to do away with the WA round, the individual team owners will face reduced budgets from their sponsors (reflecting no round in WA), the series sponsor will come under pressure, V8 Supercars confirm future rounds at Barbagallo.

Does racing beyond Australia have similar problems?

[Woolley]

Same here - Alan Gow and the BTCC banger racing (and he's also head of the MSA), Stephane Ratel runs various GT series (GT3, FIA GT, British GT) as well as British F3, Eurosport effectively run WTCC with a new and totally unnecessary single seater championship being added to rival GP2/Renault World Series (itself a 'promoted meetings' series), etc., and then we've also got promoted packages such as the Dunlop Best of British and others. And of course, F1 is the worst culprit of all of them as it has (in my opinion) a malign effect on all motorsport worldwide. I'm sure there are many others.

Without exception all of these are run for their own benefit and not as part of the overall motorsport community. The problem, of course, is that the promoter has to make his living from the product and has to be selfish, but that adversely affects the rest of the sport in their area - either geographically or type.

[WebberForWDC]

Originally Posted by Woolley

Simple question. Lots of people complain about the dearth of Australian talent coming up through the ladder (especially in F3). If the big paying series go to street tracks (which soak up the income and taxpayers money) and the permanent tracks disappear as a result, where is the future talent going to get a start and learn it's trade?

If you have no talented drivers but a full field of evenly matched amateurs, the likes of which swamp the devleopment series, and promote the heck out of it who's gonna notice

[WebberForWDC]

*whoops didn't mean to double post*

Anyhow the serious talent like the Courtneys are straight overseas anyway?

[Pro Racer]

but come back to early.

[RotorFan]

Wow, JSuperGTC in Australia! I'd go to Perth for that!

[cavvy]

Interesting to look at the Hopman Cup tennis sponsors - all seeking international exposure not Aus.
The WA Government was never prepared to pay for TV coverage of the WA round of the WRC - what did market research show that prompted that decision?
Hard to see WA supporting a street race, excellent for WA motorsport !!