TQs at Kihikihi (Read 1,145 times)

[tonyr]

I see Kihikihi will be contracting TQs now. This is good news for that class as the WS promoter is want to boot them to run his other non contracted favourite classes and the fact WS track has an uncertain outlook at least for the coming season.

[percy]

Couldn't disagree more. I don't see how this is beneficial for anyone.

Kihikihi is limited to running 10 meetings a year and they are required to run each contracted class 5 times. The track already contracts too many classes which last season resulted in 6-8 classes being programmed each night and long, drawn out shows. Why they would add another class when they already contract too many I have no idea.

We saw on two occasions last year Kihikihi running Midgets against Western Springs programmed events. I'm not apportioning blame for that but will point out that nobody won from the Midget class being split. The fans at both events were denied full fields and the drivers ran in half sized fields. Given Kihikihi's limited schedule, the Springs situation and the requirement to run contracted classes 5 times, a clash or two is almost inevitable. That does not help the class in any way.

It's also hard to see how this will add to the driver base. Rotorua is contracting TQ's and drivers from the lower Waikato/King Country can already contract to a local track.

Can someone explain to me how this is a positive for the track, the class or the sport?

[openwheelfan01]

Tqs were given real rough deal last season from ws promotors, even before what unfolded curtailing the season. with no certainties of racing for the class at the springs. potentially contracting those other tracks, may not be such bad plan. whats disappointing is so many fantastic drivers were contracted to the springs. just seems unfortunate deal that now fans getting see the class lesser extent. than what was previously done by other promotors. pretty disgusting far i'm concerned.

[azzurro]

Kihikihi is a great track and with Saturday meetings now is a real contender for drivers to register to this club.

If you look at the 14 day statistics pack for the Speedway NZ AGM you will see openwheel numbers dropping almost 30% at Western Springs. The promoter has tried a few different things and it is driving competitors away. Those competitors want to register to Western Springs but the promotion is insistent on reducing grass root classes (1/4 midget, TQ and F2) to run less races a night and then also bring in other classes that already have more tracks to race at.

Those who support the sport are reaping the rewards - well done Kihikihi for growing a great club

[percy]

Jun 30, 2023 21:43:07 GMT 12 azzurro said:

If you look at the 14 day statistics pack for the Speedway NZ AGM you will see openwheel numbers dropping almost 30% at Western Springs. The promoter has tried a few different things and it is driving competitors away. Those competitors want to register to Western Springs but the promotion is insistent on reducing grass root classes (1/4 midget, TQ and F2) to run less races a night and then also bring in other classes that already have more tracks to race at.

I don't see any evidence the promotor is driving competitors away

The drop is due to a number of things
- Baypark contracting Midgets which has seen BSL and a couple of other drivers run the M. They still race at Western Springs
- Baypark contracting F2 Midgets which saw seen a handful of drivers run the M. They still race at Western Springs
- Rotorua contracting TQ's. Ordinarily those drivers would have run with an A
- Kihikihi contracting Sprintcars has drawn some cars away from Auckland and Baypark
- Demise in quarter midget numbers in the north island. At the end of the Greg Mosen era there were some nights where there were over 20 quarter midgets racing at once. For whatever reason the class has halved in size and Kihikihi has started contracting the class which has drawn a few cars.

I think it's more a case of some drivers contracting to their local track when that option became available rather than the Springs promotor driving competitors away. Many of those drivers race at the Springs anyway and if we could actually race at Western Springs I suspect cars on track would be at pretty much the same level as they have been for the last decade.

[openwheelfan01]

Tq numbers at the springs never been issue, in fact some meetings you've had up to 24 cars in tq heats, when only had 3 heats on that night. when your seeing less meetings because promotors wanting to add in other classes. only time tqs be stood down when national title is on where vast majority of those be competing. . besides that majority of racers are contracted Ws. cant say because of numbers thats just not the case.