The 3 Day Meetings (Read 3,130 times)

[hbhawkeyes]

So its on the table yet to be decided weather bthe New Zealand Champs for Superstocks and Stockcars will go to 3 days would love to hear from drivers and supporters there thoughts and do they think it will be past at the agm. Would like postive feed back, my thoughts are it could be ago but it will be more costly alround but I rather see it stay a two day meeting

[hienekenno1]

Two day meetings for me,there was talk of tracks doing qualifying to get the field for the title,i dont know if thats good or not either,some top drivers might not qualify,im lucky this season no hotel bills but the following season extra exspense if a 3 day meeting,then you have to have 3 nights of fine weather,can be hard in nz lol.

[superstocker]

With the 3 day meetings, it would depend on if the drivers are actually racing on all 3 days or still just doing 2/3 days of racing...

I mean if you race all 3 days there’s more race gas and more tyres needed... if ya looking at $1,500ish for a set of rubber... over 3 days maybe 3/4 sets? Adds up fast..

[Admin]

I assume all drivers would have to race the first 2 days at least or else some would have unfair advantage with regards repair/rest time before night 3 finals.
As a spectator(not that I am much anymore) I probably wouldn't bother with the first 2 days either in person or live streaming.

[hbhornets]

Something will change. What it will be idk.

All cars running on night one will not work in Auckland. I would like to see 6 cars from every regional title qualify for night 2 of qualifing.the top 3 at the championship and the top 3 best stirrers from those meetings as there is 2 parts to stockcar racing and both parts must be acknowledged. Plus 1,2,3nz. So thats a total of 105 possible spots atm qualified for night two. The remaining 75 spots plus all the spots that didn't get taken get are raced for on night 1. Night 2 is 6 x 180 top 5 though to tier 1. And so on and so on all the way down. The guys who don't make night two come back for night 3.

[midway]

It is a financial struggle for many even with two nights of racing plus motels expenses ,there seems a element of folk out there that simply for a better word kill the sport that many others enjoy .

[kevtherev]

Not a big fan of this idea.I love my Superstocks but even i would be tired of it after 3 days.The weathers unpredictable in January so could drag on for 4 plus days.Think id just go to the last 2 meetings.

[go29]

Not a fan of the proposal. But I think that if they want to try it, they should just trial it with the stockcars and see how it goes. Superstocks is still managable as a two night meeting. If it does change, I would only go to the last night I think - be too expensive otherwise!

[BarryB]

Keep the feedback coming, it's a good read. It'll be an interesting debate come the AGM.

Barry B

[daz]

I see this as a backwards step. Way too costly for the average competitor and race fan. hard sell to get spectators there three days in a row and super tough on volunteers. Overdone and unnecessary, less is more. Two days max for me, either cap entries or start qualifying really early on night one

[percy]

Will be an interesting one to watch at the AGM.

Personally, I don't have a problem with 3-day meetings, particularly for the New Zealand Stockcar Title. Trying to scrutineer >200 cars and qualify all in one day is more than any club should be expected to do. Meeanee did a solid job on qualifying night and the show ran to around midnight. Not a sensible outcome for a so called "family sport".

If we look around the world, NZ is out of step with the length of big shows. Chili bowl is 6 nights. Knoxville Nationals 4 nights. Jackson Nationals 3 nights. Kings Royal 4 nights. The Dream 4 nights. I understand both the Australian Sprintcar Title and the Classic are normally 3 night shows. The length of those shows actually makes it more worthwhile for fans to travel and attend.

A number of objectors bring up prize money which I see as a separate issue. Only $20,000 total prize money for the NZ Stockcar title is a disgrace. Normally each driver gets in free + one crew member which means each driver brings through the gate 2-3 crew members plus their family. That equates to more than $100 per driver through the back gate. The 200+ drivers are actually funding the prize money themselves. They do not see a cent of public gate income, live stream revenue or any other revenue generating activities.

If we are to stick with the current system of open entry I do not see any viable option other than taking the NZ Stockcar Title to a three night format. And if Superstocks continue their growth they will also soon require a three night show.

[beachboy]

Jun 15, 2021 10:17:08 GMT 12 superstocker said:

With the 3 day meetings, it would depend on if the drivers are actually racing on all 3 days or still just doing 2/3 days of racing...

I mean if you race all 3 days there’s more race gas and more tyres needed... if ya looking at $1,500ish for a set of rubber... over 3 days maybe 3/4 sets? Adds up fast..

I'm not sure tyres and fuel would factor in, those entering NZ champs know it costs $$ to go racing, and if you were racing on a tight budget then it may mean you miss one club night to save your fuel and tyres to do the NZ champs 3 day meeting. I'm not sure many drivers sit down and know the exact amount of fuel and tyres they will use up for the entire season and budget from that. There's always rainout's so that's a saving of 3x races worth of tyres and fuel right there. Haven't heard of anyone not doing a repechage or run off because they didn't bring enough fuel or tyres as it wasn't factored in that they would be doing those extra laps

[midway]

As a employer to have a employee missing even a extra day is a costly figure
Most of us give and take we like to see our employees involved in sports and other activities ,but at times do others really stop and think of the cost of having some plant idle for a day or two for no reward .

[TonyT]

Depends what your goal is. If its to give everybody who races a chance to win, then its gonna take however long it takes. If the goal is to find the "best" competitor then either run the contest over multiple rounds and allow drivers to drop one or more rounds from their points total, or find a way to restrict entry (eg entry only accepted if you have placed top 3 in a race held prior to the title in the same season). If the logistics of running the event are the main talking point then there is something wrong somewhere.

[Deleted]

I can't say which I prefer until I see what format is proposed for the three day carry on. If it's to qualify 220 cars down to 100 ish and then qualify that 100 down to 26 well ya may as well not bother and leave it as a 2 nighter.

Here is "RamJam's How It Should Be Nz Stockcar Champs".

Host track sells the rights to 5 other tracks spread thru the country to run satellite qualifiers.
Each of these meets might get enough entries to run 2-4 groups. Ideally it would be a 1 night Championship. Even if it mans a 1 race final. It doesn't even need to have a final TBH. The top 15 finishers earn qualification into night 2 of the NZ champs meet.

Night 1 of NZ Champs
So 220ish cars who would have entered anyway is now less the 75 pre qualifiers leaving 145 cars who will race normal three heat format to find the 75 cars who will make night 2.
TOTAL RACES = 6 groups x 3 heats 18 races + 1 support class.

Night 2 of NZ Champs
The 150 qualifiers will race in 6 groups of 25 over the 3 heats with top 5 from each group making the 30 car finals field to find the NZ champion. Non qualifiers from last night get split 2 groups. 2 heats each, 1 race consolation final

TOTAL RACES = 6 groups x 3 heats 18 races + 5 consolation final 23 races

Night 3 of NZ Champs

30 finalists run Champs finals as normal

120 non qualifiers from last night split into 4 groups. 2 heats each to find 30 cars who race 2 heats to see who wins the 31NZ trophy

TOTAL RACES = Championship Group 3 races. Best of the rest 8 qualifying heats & 2 finials heats
13 races + any run offs add that to the grand parade(s) and pagentry & presentations etc.

And that's how it should be IMHO

[sonic33]

Jun 16, 2021 19:38:37 GMT 12 midway said:

As a employer to have a employee missing even a extra day is a costly figure
Most of us give and take we like to see our employees involved in sports and other activities ,but at times do others really stop and think of the cost of having some plant idle for a day or two for no reward .

All staff are entitled to their leave. It is only the NZ champs in 2 classes (probably really 1) that this is an issue. If staff use their leave for speedway, fishing, rugby, pleasing the Mrs it is up to them. Can't see this being an issue unless you let your staff participate in NZ champs in stockcars or superstocks, without docking their leave. Other than that employees get x amount of leave a year and it is up to them how they use it. Have I missed the point of your post?

[screaminV8]

Jun 15, 2021 20:19:59 GMT 12 daz said:

I see this as a backwards step. Way too costly for the average competitor and race fan. hard sell to get spectators there three days in a row and super tough on volunteers. Overdone and unnecessary, less is more. Two days max for me, either cap entries or start qualifying really early on night one

That’s an interesting idea re a BIG 2 days rather than 3 nights.
After all we all hate mucking around all day on night 2 waiting for 7pm!!

I can’t remember what stockcar meeting it was at Stratford a couple of years back, but the weather meant it was all run on the one day.
Qualifying at I think 1pm, then a couple hours gap, the finals meeting. Everyone (spectators) loved it that I talked to.

[gravelspreader]

That was the NZ Stockcar Teams Champs a couple of years back and if i can recall the stormers defended that title sucsesfully

[midway]

Jun 17, 2021 21:59:40 GMT 12 sonic33 said:

Jun 16, 2021 19:38:37 GMT 12 midway said:

As a employer to have a employee missing even a extra day is a costly figure
Most of us give and take we like to see our employees involved in sports and other activities ,but at times do others really stop and think of the cost of having some plant idle for a day or two for no reward .

All staff are entitled to their leave. It is only the NZ champs in 2 classes (probably really 1) that this is an issue. If staff use their leave for speedway, fishing, rugby, pleasing the Mrs it is up to them. Can't see this being an issue unless you let your staff participate in NZ champs in stockcars or superstocks, without docking their leave. Other than that employees get x amount of leave a year and it is up to them how they use it. Have I missed the point of your post?

Most of our staff get there annual leave over the Christmas break as written in there contract so that does not interrupt the workings of the companies operations .,during the year ..We simply dont have staff randomly taking time off ,so a two day meeting over a long or short weekend would be far beneficial to all parties concerned .

[craige]

Jun 18, 2021 0:01:45 GMT 12 midway said:

Jun 17, 2021 21:59:40 GMT 12 sonic33 said:

All staff are entitled to their leave. It is only the NZ champs in 2 classes (probably really 1) that this is an issue. If staff use their leave for speedway, fishing, rugby, pleasing the Mrs it is up to them. Can't see this being an issue unless you let your staff participate in NZ champs in stockcars or superstocks, without docking their leave. Other than that employees get x amount of leave a year and it is up to them how they use it. Have I missed the point of your post?

Most of our staff get there annual leave over the Christmas break as written in there contract so that does not interrupt the workings of the companies operations .,during the year ..We simply dont have staff randomly taking time off ,so a two day meeting over a long or short weekend would be far beneficial to all parties concerned .

hate to work for you then being told when i can use MY leave 🤣🤣