Stockcar ring-ins a concern? (Read 5,890 times)

[Ricoshea]

Jan 23, 2013 7:12:08 GMT 12 tiroto said:

Good thread Barry and the answer is yes it is a concern. Firstly congratulations to the Pumas awesome and it was a pleasure watching you guys.
This champs appears to have had the most ring-ins and good on Palmy for helping out but future champs will only get more demanding for ring-ins to the point where I think it won't be sustainable in it's current format.
Case in point: Rotorua. Correct me if I'm wrong someone but I think Rotorua had it's first ever ring-in. I think Barry you alluded to this but out of 40 registered R cars to Rotorua they couldn't field a 5th car? Why?
I'm only assuming here but it's a good discussion point and sends a warning to this teams event that if a club of 40 registered cars can't field a 5th car there's a problem - with the teams event not the Rascals or the club.
It's an investment vs return scenario. Drivers have a choice as to whether they want to teams race.
I'm assuming that most teams go to Palmy to win. Some teams are more realistic and set lesser goals.
All teams that go spend money - lots of it.
The main problem at the moment is that the Pumas are too good!
Their machinery is topnotch. They have far superior resources available backed up by an awesome culture at Palmy. Everything is geared to winning and winning well.
For every $1 spent directly on the car there are other indirect costs to the drivers ie time spent on car preparedness, time away, potential injuries, car crews availability, impact on families etc. You would have to be selective of what other meetings you travel away to other than the teams - I'm picking your whole season is based some what on the teams champs. It is a huge commitment.
If a team goes to Palmy with the goal of winning - how much money would a team require to be the best and compete and beat the Pumas? How much is it worth in time and effort for the team members, their families, car crew and their registered stockcar club to pour their limited resources into a goal that may not be achievable? So do you go there then for the love of it? Downgrade your goal to top four? Forget about winning?
The Pumas beat easily a good Rascals team. I just looked in awe at the way they dismembered the Rascals. It was not through lack of trying - far from it. The Rascals are a fantastic bunch of guys who are as professional as any but that race perhaps more than any illustrated the future problem. Aucklands effort was amazing and came close to pulling off a huge upset. Unfortunately that will continue to be the exception.

agree with every word
you need good gear, good spares, top crew , and resources.
and of course not every one wants to teams race,

[BarryB]

Jan 23, 2013 7:12:08 GMT 12 tiroto said:

Case in point: Rotorua. Correct me if I'm wrong someone but I think Rotorua had it's first ever ring-in. I think Barry you alluded to this but out of 40 registered R cars to Rotorua they couldn't field a 5th car? Why?

I was referring to Christchurch........but there was obviously more than one the reference could have referred to.

[Apples]

Ok, I would like to add my input as to where I stand in the chch team, I teams raced for the first time in the north vs south teams, and loved it. Would like to have gone teams racing in the weekend
But like alot of others that race, I work. And my job requires me to work 6 days a week most of the time. The sort of work I do we only stop working for 3 days max in a row,

I took time off work to race at nz champs. And being works busy season giving time off for another 3 days is always a push.
It's not just that, it's the cost, the driver gets some money gifted from the club for ferry, accommodation, tow fuel ect. But even tho I drive it, I can't run the car alone, crew need the time off and will need to eat also.
I'm not going to make it long story cos I'm getting to the point where I don't want to rant

but, if people want to say no to ring-ins then maybe pockets should be opened up to see club cars get to the racing, costs of running, and the damage ect

I would put my car on the line for a out of town team if they where short here, and my team had numbers.

Thanks to the ring-ins. 11 teams makes a better show the 6

[mags]

i heard invers were trying to get a team but they got told they would ruin the spirit of the championship so they didnt do it? Chch shouldnt need ring in when they got 50+ drivers? maybe they should have looked after the youngs ones from last year

[craig]

Jan 23, 2013 16:20:34 GMT 12 mags said:

i heard invers were trying to get a team but they got told they would ruin the spirit of the championship so they didnt do it? Chch shouldnt need ring in when they got 50+ drivers? maybe they should have looked after the youngs ones from last year

Barry, the 50+ drivers registered had every opportunity to join as a driver or even as crew. As every one was told at meetings before the start of & during the season the team has an 'open door' policy & no-one would be turned away.
Many made the NZ champs their meeting to aim for this season as it was held at their own track - which is entirely their choice & no-one has any issue with that.

Mags, as for looking after the 'young ones' from last season - thats hard to do, only 1 driver left contracted to & racing at W/Glen.
He was asked personally if he was keen to teams race & turned it down citing he just wants to race this season & have a break from teams racing as it was both hard on the body & the gear. Thats a fair call - no-one wants to see someone who races become crippled financially or heaven forbid, physically.

[Go Slideways]

Jan 23, 2013 7:12:08 GMT 12 tiroto said:

backed up by an awesome culture at Palmy.

I totally agree about the culture comment. Earlier this season the Panthers hosted a meeting to share knowledge for Palmy drivers and crew who would like to go teams racing, and about 100 people turned up.
I think that says a fair bit about the culture in Palmy and why there's a line waiting to get in, or step up, in all of the Palmy teams, including the under 23 team.

Good post tiroto.

[spdwayorthehway]

Street stocks do a 50-50 raffle so why can't stocks.
I would buy 1 or 2 each meeting if it were going to a team that was going to represent the local club.
Another thing is, these teams events must attract big crowds because they know they're going to see a lot of hits, that being the case shouldn't there be a good payout to them all?