Super Saloon Bay Champs (Read 2,864 times)

[Gordon]

Has anyone heard who will be racing at Bay Park in the Super Saloon Champs this Saturday.

[jimmyj]

Ask Bernie, he might know

[Speedway Central (David)]

Drivers May be BKed out, Hope not

[Admin]

screen shots

[dps]

Jet Sprints ruined the track, its still under water.
Baypark becoming a multi -purpose venue is really effecting Speedway.
Feel for Berine and Baypark.
There hasnt been a speedway meeting there since the NZ Sprints car in early Jan.

[BarryB]

Subject: Baypark Speedway Cancelled this weekend

Hi Everyone

Unfortunately I have had to cancel this weekend’s Speedway event due to the state of the race track following the Jet Sprints.

I have attached a photo of turns 3 & 4 taken this morning (11 days after the event). This photo does not do justice to the poor state of the venue.

When the jet sprint track was dug out they cut through the power wires to the submersible pumps (for the 2nd year running) and have not repaired them as of this morning. Both ends of the track have been water logged for over 2 weeks now, so I am unable to get a grader on the track to re instate the surface. This should have been done yesterday at the latest, to enable me to start the watering process today. Obviously it will be Friday evening at the earliest, before I can get water to the dry areas of the track ( assuming that the pole line at both ends is dry and I can re grade the surface).

If I continued with the event the pole line at both ends of the track would cut out into big holes and the rest of the track would be a dust bowl. Driver safety and spectator enjoyment would be seriously compromised.

I apologise for any inconvenience that this has caused.

Hopefully we will be good to go for the race meeting on the 20th February. Classes racing on that night are Sprint Cars, Saloons and Super Saloons, Stock Cars, 6 Shooters, Mini Stocks and Street Stocks

Kind regards

Bernie Gillon
DIRECTOR
Bernie Gillon Motorsport Ltd.
Baypark Family Speedway


Barry B (I'll put a pic up later!!)

[Gordon]

Thanks for updates

[jimmyj]

There you go Gordon told you Bernie would know /

[Murray Guy (Grandad)]

Wrangle over cancelled speedway
Posted at 7:53am Thursday 11 Feb, 2016 | By Greg Taipari [e-mail]

Baypark Family Speedway promoter Bernie Gillon says he has no option but to cancel this weekend's speedway after the world jet sprint champs left the track un-driveable.

However, New Zealand Jet Sprint Association president Paul Gaston disputes the claim, saying they have gone above and beyond all requirements set down for the reinstatement of the Baypark Speedway.




The state of the track Bernie Gillon says is not up to a standard for speedway to race on. Photo: Supplied.

The claim comes after a contractor helping to prepare the jet sprint track, cut into a power cable used to operate the pumps which drain water from the track, says Bernie.

The promoter, who was expecting to hold the Super Saloon Car Bay Championships, Sprint Cars and Stock Cars at the ASB Baypark Stadium this weekend, is cancelling the event because he says he can't make it suitable to race on in time for Saturday's event.

“It will be impossible for me to provide a race track that is safe for the competitors and enjoyable for the spectators.”

Bernie is putting the blame at the feet of the ENZED 2016 UIM Jetsprint World Championship organisers and Bay Venues who oversee the venues preparation.

But Bay Venues commercial manager Ervin Mc Sweeney says Bernie has jumped the gun calling a halt to the event and believes the track could have been ready in time for race day.

Bernie says he's been left frustrated and annoyed with the whole incident.

“Following the jet sprints, they just have not reinstated the speedway track in a timely manner. Both ends of the track are still under water.

“They cut the wire to the submersible pump when digging the jet sprint track out and have not yet repaired it, so it can't pump the water out. So I'm just not going to have the track ready for racing. I'm hugely frustrated and annoyed,” Bernie says.

“At this point I think [the blame] has got to be shared between the jet sprint people. Most of the fault is theirs because they were meant to be overseeing the reinstatement.

“But there is also got to be a certain amount of liability, for want of a better word, to Bay Venues who should have been overseeing them.”

Paul from the Jet Sprint Association says they met all time frames given.

“A safety meeting and pack out brief was held at 8am on Tuesday February 2, with BVL (Bay Venues), where the reinstatement was confirmed to be managed by BVL as this is a service the NZJSA are paying BVL over $20,000 for.

“Our people have been onsite every day and the reinstatement was completed on Wednesday, February 9.

“The contractor that did all the earthworks was finished and offsite last Friday, the same day Bernie had the grader out on track prepping it for this weekend's event. So his claim of having to cancel the event due to us holding him up doesn't stack up,” says Paul.

“The issue of the pumps not being reinstated is 100 per cent BVL's responsibility. NZJSA personnel have drained the affected areas three times, ready for the appropriate repairs to take place yet BVL's engaged contractor has not shown up.

“When you run the biggest and most successful event that comes to Baypark each year there will always be someone looking to pin something on you, however, in this case the speedway promoter needs to look at the real cause of why he thinks the event should be cancelled.”

Bernie says he will now have to try and book another date for the event.

He says competitors and speedway fans will equally be annoyed the event has been cancelled.

“I get daily reports off Eventfinda with the number of pre-sale tickets, in the last few days there has been some really, really good sales. Obviously these people are going to have to have their money reimbursed.

“I've also got entries from all over the North Island for this weekend's event and I'm going to have to ring up all the drivers and say sorry guys it's not happening.”

Ervin says while there are elements of truth in “everything that's been said”, he feels the track could have been ready.

“What we're saying is ‘yes there is no doubt it's a fact that a pump cable got severed and we've been finding it challenging to get it repaired. But that's not the only way you can get water out of the track.

“We've been getting water out of the track, using other means since the jet sprints and we're still working on the track to get it right. It's our belief that Bernie has been slightly premature cancelling the speedway.”

Ervin says he's been working for Bay Venues for about six years and has seen speedway tracks prepared anywhere between one day and two weeks.

“Whilst we would have liked the track to be in better condition earlier. It doesn't mean it wouldn't have been in good condition for Saturday night.”



The track as at 2pm today, wiring sorted.
Straights and turns dry and cracking.
On the pole line adjacent the turns still moist but drying.
infield looks poor as it is sand/loam type material. Firm and okay.

[magilla]

the track is always very wet for weeks after the jet sprints

[jj]

Seriously I thought the track had been crap all season. From my observation as a spectator I have seen a bone dry dusty rutted track that has caused a lot of damage to some very expensive cars.

[dps]

With Baypark a multiple purpose venue. This will happen more
The fact the other events are drawing more people than speedway. Speedway will always be playing second to events that 'fill' the stadium.
There hasnt been a meeting there since Jan 6th / 7th and before that the Bay dreams festival on the 2nd ruined the track.
The same thing will happen next season bay dreams is back on the 2nd, Jet sprints will be back because they draw in money for bay venues.
What is the future of Speedway at that venue? it will be limited again over the holiday season.
Ditch the venue, A new track,intimate speedway venue with grass banks with no 10pm curfew is what the bay needs.
If only it was that simple.

[magilla]

Have to give Bernie credit for cancelling early.

He has copped a lot due to various reasons so far this season.

[jimmyj]

What is the saying ,if the cap fits wear it /

[spdwayorthehway]

As was mentioned in the article, was he not watching what was/wasn't happening early on to step up to the plate if needed

[Murray Guy (Grandad)]

Feb 11, 2016 9:40:12 GMT 12 magilla said:

the track is always very wet for weeks after the jet sprints

Not the case this time, with water being only a small part of the concern it seems ...

[Gordon]

Good to see you are back to keeping us informed Murray LOL

[Murray Guy (Grandad)]

Feb 12, 2016 8:49:21 GMT 12 Gordon said:

Good to see you are back to keeping us informed Murray LOL

These are a few captures NOT of racing or under the control of the speedway promotion.

Called back in today to check progress and take a closer look, have a chat with Bernie.
Captured Bernie with a smile with surprised me, not having a helliva lot to smile about.

Seems to me the track could be and should be raced on, but for a lack of mutual respect and commitment.
However, and it's a BIG however, there are a lot of basic mis-management stuff impacting on the speedway activities and promotion that , frankly, are unacceptable and unreasonable.

Baypark Family Speedway have a significant financial investment in their promotion of speedway activities and a 'speedway race calendar' programmed to assist recoup that investment. The most critical element for the competitors and the spectators enjoyment, is a great race track to enable the very best of racing. This 'its the same for everyone' doesn't wash with me as an excuse for a crap track.

When the speedway track is leased it is done hopefully with specific levels of service and undertakings by the facility owner (BVL).
Surely a non-negotiable condition has to be, 'If the race track and associated faculties are to be used, impacted on, by any alternative activity, it is an obligation on the part on BVL to ensure it is returned to, made accessible to the Speedway Promotion (in this case Bernie Gillon) NO LATER THAN three clear days prior to ANY programmed race day, and in a condition 'NO LESS THAN' that prior to an alternative use.
Return it how you found it!

Put aside the blame game and just accept that lessons need to be learnt, accountability needs to be acknowledged and accepted.
The negative impact on the speedway infrastructure was significant and their return condition was UNACCEPTABLE!

A few more pics as at midday today.
Clearly the track is NOT as it should be, 6 inch nails and 800hp Sprintcars does not bode well at 160kph.
Might explain some of those flat tyres! The nails and pins are used by BVL to hold imitation grass in place, on the track.
The quarry fines were laid from the pit gate to the boat launching area over the terracotta clay. Next time put down drainage cloth or similar to avoid contaminating the terracotta clay!

So there are many areas of concern, areas that need not be the case with just a little bit more thought, a little bit more caring, a bit of understanding of 'our sport of speedway'! In the meantime, we miss out on our sport, our spectator enjoyment, the promotion flushes serious coin down the toilet and the reputation of our sport takes an unnecessary hit!

[stdstock]

I have to say we'll done on trying. The track was NEVER going to be ready. I feel for the drivers and the paying public and the promotion team. Good call to cancel the meet
if everyone could please stop being so negative