NZV8's 2011/12

[promax]

Originally Posted by Jerico

Better I couldn't say but cheaper to run.

haha ST sprinkling a little sugar on their words again

[on_to_it]

Originally Posted by Jerico

It is a support category. It will get a TV slot I understand.

Well that should be correct. According to the V8ST website:
• The V8Challenge Cup will also enjoy extensive television coverage on TV3’s Gillette Motorsport show with all five rounds screened in a delayed highlights programme.

These are guys who can't afford to buy into V8ST so they need to perform on the same programme to be recognised as potential co-drivers or otherwise, which is what the class is about. They need to offer something to sponsors and sponsors want to see their young chargers on the tele!

[promax]

11 days out from the new gen cars "Official Release".. still no press releases/photos/videos/crayon drawings of the upspec FG or new VE?

promotion at it's best!

[Ugy]

promotion at it's best![/QUOTE]

Must be taking a leaf out off Ford's book

[promax]

BNT V8s Championship
Round 6: Dunlop Grand Finals - Taupo - 9-11 March 2012

NEW GENERATION NZV8 “OFFICIAL RELEASE”
Venue 1: Isaac Performance Vehicles, Taupo Race Track, 5.30pm : 9th March, 2012

talking about not selling your product

a couple of shiny new toys for the public to ohh and ahhh would probably help with ticket sales to the final round.. don't ya think?

[on_to_it]

I hear through the grapevine that someone at TMC has conceded that they have been soundly beaten in the V8 stakes. This lacklustre promotion of the new car looks like a sure sign of capitulation on their behalf.

Which is a shame really. ST is virtually a closed shop already unless you have $45-60k to pay for a co-drive in the three enduro rounds. If you want to win a National title in a V8 class, what else is there at a sensible price?

[promax]

the local primary school netball team does a better job promoting their sport than TMC. the "they'll come to us" attitude was never going to work.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by on_to_it

I hear through the grapevine that someone at TMC has conceded that they have been soundly beaten in the V8 stakes. This lacklustre promotion of the new car looks like a sure sign of capitulation on their behalf.

Which is a shame really. ST is virtually a closed shop already unless you have $45-60k to pay for a co-drive in the three enduro rounds. If you want to win a National title in a V8 class, what else is there at a sensible price?

I think the thing to do now is a deal for the benefit of all and as I laid out before, you could have the NZV8's folded into V8 Challenge Cup and even have the MRX car as an option if they could cut costs down. In addition look at the different support series as well to see what could be done.

That way you'd have multiple options at different price points that people could either afford or source a sponsor for. The Challenge Cup can be like the Dunlop Series in Australia with privateers who don't want to run in the main game or those looking to move up through the ranks and get the experience and demonstrate their skills.

Right now, ST is getting off the ground and plugged into V8 Supercar drivers and some of the current national drivers, but then what next when those people move on someday? So it's not an issue now, but something to consider because if it just ends up as local/regional club racing and then just V8ST, there is really going to be no pathway for jumping up to a $200K car.

I don't think support series bring hordes of people to the track, but not having enough of them drives people away from future events as no one wants to sit there with hours between races.

[promax]

so you're talking about ending the summer series (as we know it) and the turning the all classes into support classes for the ST series?

[on_to_it]

Agreed. I stated the same thing probably six months ago where ideally V8ST should have become the 'main game' with NZV8's providing a decent V8 feeder class with plenty of room for quality support classes - all part of one show. Unfortunately we can all see the outcome from the split that's transpired.

I believe V8ST need more support classes as I heard many grizzles about the downtime between races at Hampton Downs. And the punters go to see racing. However I'm sure that is a work-in-progress for ST management as they continue to develop their product.

It may even be that ST becomes the new summer series if the current one fizzles.

[promax]

*tongue in cheek* well you could argue... it still would've been one show.. if someone didn't didn't take a certain car.. and go off and start their own series *tongue in cheek*

would the remaining NZV8 teams want to go from being the main act.. to the side show?

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by promax

the local primary school netball team does a better job promoting their sport than TMC. the "they'll come to us" attitude was never going to work.

I've seen how it's done in Europe, the USA(including Nascar) and down under. Admittedly I am sure there is much for me still to learn and experience. But with what I have seen so far is a lot of people down under when it comes to tracks and promotion of motorsport events is they don't comprehend they are in the customer service business and the entertainment/discretionary spending business.

To generalize it, the attitude seems to be, have the minimum level of infrastructure and promotion you can get away with and whoever turns up, turns up.

[on_to_it]

Well PM, that's all water well and truly under the bridge now isn't it.

To answer your question though, probably not. But they aren't really considered the main act now, are they?

I think very important issues in NZV8 built up over some years, and none were resolved in a timely fashion. This caused a lot of dissatisfaction and concern about the future for many. Ultimately that prevented an agreement on the way forward, hence the breakaway.

I don't know what the issues were, but I suspect some parties wanted a longer timeframe to complete the transition from old to new, and that was not acceptable to others. I would also pick that the 'behind the scenes' activities of some at TMC were not seen as ever being in the best interests of the sport at large, so for some, enough was enough.

There are lot of guys in NZV8 who like to tinker and tweak their cars all weekend and for them, a spec class reduces that enjoyment. Engine builders who make money from that class, don't want spec engines.

In reality it probably couldn't happen, but I suggest that a benevolent dictator with no commercial interests could have fixed this properly, and quite quickly.

[NZSTfan]

I agree with moutainstar and on_to_it and have said the same thing as well. Why not have the BNT's become part of the Challenge Cup, and still continue to build the MRX car for next year in the SuperTourer Development series (that kind of thing anyway). That way we could still have a NZ built car that looks the goods and will not be too far off and ST performance wise. Makes sense to me anyway.

So can i take it from this that VEEGA etc are not going to pursue court action anymore, or is that set in concrete? if so, does anyone know when the case is set for?

[promax]

Originally Posted by on_to_it

But they aren't really considered the main act now, are they?

in their series they are

CC looks like it will be a step down from NZV8. last time i looked at the ST facebook page.. it looked more like a ST/D1NZ page.. with very little info about the ST feeder class. any idea if the CC races will ever be shown on the home of motorsport?