|
|
Post by bigsparknz on Feb 5, 2009 10:50:00 GMT 12
[/quote]
Now I hear, a top running Auckland Mod pilot is now looking at Sprintcars for next season.[/quote]
any hints on who the driver is
|
|
|
|
Post by jamo91 on Feb 5, 2009 23:01:30 GMT 12
How large is the prize pool? It is insulting, but I am biting my tongue.  I know that committee members read this site so maybe Bernie or Wadey may like to explain the situation with regard the amount put up and the reasons behind it. I put Wadey in the same bracket as Abrahams, you would waste your breath asking him. I'm only guessing Jamo, but I would almost bet that the only reason they even know how many entries they have for the Dirty Cup is because you told them. One thing I know is if you added the money that was wasted on the solo's to the pool then you would have attracted more entries, and then theres the 7k they're spending on visiting cars to run a meeting that is clashing with Western Springs biggest meeting of the year and the teams in PN The show is struggling before it starts, with the saloon car club not being able to deliver the numbers of cars promised (and advertised) They have little to offer in support classes this weekend so I beleive they will struggle to give us a show. I will be very impressed if they break even, let alone make good money. Surely the members sooner or later will get sick of the promotional blunders dished up to them week in and week out . Next week is gonna be great as well with the minisprints advertisted as the winged support class running head to head with the minisprint 30 lapper at huntly and the CTRA Nz Champs in the naki. The class does not have the numbers to support three big meetings so why would you split them by running them. We know that they have been on Huntlys calender all year, so I can only assume Abrahams is running then only to p*ss Red off, there can be no other reason Red, I say play his game and run superstocks next weekend to crush the Ollie Brown Series. Move on Abrahams . . . . . . . while we still have a track!! 
|
|
|
|
Post by Abb0 on Feb 6, 2009 18:52:06 GMT 12
Plenty of money for non Auckland super saloons and super stocks though..... that is the main thing  That's weird. If you cross out Auckland and replace it with Christchurch the same comment could be made. Deja Vu!  |
|
|
|
Post by DTM1 on Feb 6, 2009 20:43:47 GMT 12
Red, I say play his game and run superstocks next weekend to crush the Ollie Brown Series. Unfortunately,Ollie Browns name gets caught up in the cross fire and even though im from across town,im well aware of the passion Ollie had for not only the supers,but also the club and to be honest,Ollie deserves a hell of a lot more respect than having her name associated with a shambles like Waikaraka Park,for the second year in a row at that. Im sure enough people would be prepared to put money in a hat to "buy" the naming rights to this "series" and in doing so removing Ollies memory getting trashed. |
|
|
|
Post by jamo91 on Feb 6, 2009 23:43:39 GMT 12
Red, I say play his game and run superstocks next weekend to crush the Ollie Brown Series. Unfortunately,Ollie Browns name gets caught up in the cross fire and even though im from across town,im well aware of the passion Ollie had for not only the supers,but also the club and to be honest,Ollie deserves a hell of a lot more respect than having her name associated with a shambles like Waikaraka Park,for the second year in a row at that. Im sure enough people would be prepared to put money in a hat to "buy" the naming rights to this "series" and in doing so removing Ollies memory getting trashed. Could the dirt cup be moved to a venue that would do it promotional justice? It's not only the mods that are getting tucked, you can enter your 100k superstock in the nth island champs and the lucky winner will recieve. . . a massive one thousand bucks. Surely thats an insult to the competitors knowing that Abrahams can chuck 6k at some pommy solos that no one came to watch, 7k for a saloon car meeting that is closed to outside competitors, and he has even managed to chuck 2.5k at the mini sprints for the Auckland champs and i'm pretty sure they aren't gonna pack the place. |
|
|
|
Post by DTM1 on Feb 7, 2009 11:11:10 GMT 12
The Dirt Cup as a branding point,has had its value eroded entirely by the association with the shambles that is Waikaraka Park and the ASSCC.
Where the DC was once one of the major highlights of the racing season,run over 2 nights and guaranteed to have a capacity field and a great purse,its now just an after thought.
There is nothing to stop any individual or track,from putting together a show in the DC vein,that not only rewards the guys who are holding the class together,but to also build on the potential that the class has to grow.
Personally,an event that is developed,branded and promoted without club involvement,is the only logical way forward.
Funding a show out of club coffers,leaves the door open for the rot to get in via whoever happens to be pulling the strings.
An independent promotion is easier to fund and easier to grow,primarily because the cult of personality that dictates so much of the club scene is removed.
As far as a venue is concerned,put the event up for tender and ultimately the track that can put together the best proposal can have the first crack....what i would suggest,is that the tender process would not be monetary based in terms of a fee to run the show,it would be based on the overall package a venue can offer that best fits with the event.
If a clubs wearing the cost of staging and promoting a show,the reality means avaliable budget will forever dictate the quality of the show and when you add in the cult of personality attached to the committee structure nothing can ever be certain.
|
|
|
|
Post by scrapper on Feb 7, 2009 18:28:37 GMT 12
Hey guys, some very valid points in these replies to the dirt cup. I must say DTM1 makes the best point in that the event should stand alone and not be at in the grace of some club members as I dont agree it is the club. Give wadey some time though, he's new to this. These big, non SNZ, events should be going through a tender process with a purse to reward those that do well but also to all that attend.i.e. travel money.If any one has any reservations about the strenght of the class than this should be a good indication. We still have 20 or so cars showing up with poor promotion, to a track that out of towners dont like to come to, with bugger all price money, and strange referees. Just imagine the show the boys can put on when theres some real money up and the event was one everyone wants to be at.
|
|
|
|
Post by bernie on Feb 8, 2009 17:05:02 GMT 12
Hey guys, some very valid points in these replies to the dirt cup. I must say DTM1 makes the best point in that the event should stand alone and not be at in the grace of some club members as I dont agree it is the club. Give wadey some time though, he's new to this. These big, non SNZ, events should be going through a tender process with a purse to reward those that do well but also to all that attend.i.e. travel money.If any one has any reservations about the strenght of the class than this should be a good indication. We still have 20 or so cars showing up with poor promotion, to a track that out of towners dont like to come to, with bugger all price money, and strange referees. Just imagine the show the boys can put on when theres some real money up and the event was one everyone wants to be at. Back the truck up here mate I gotta take you to task on a couple of things here, 20 or so cars of any class don't turn up to a track that they don't want to or they don't like. We have had some strong fields, with 21 Supers and 15 + saloons last night , the competition was fierce with a big midget event just over the hill and one of biggest events known to speedway running in Palmy on the same night. Couple of weeks ago we had 20 + street stocks as well, , we are steering down the barrel of 20 + Mods for the dirt cup and even more stock cars for the NI supa stock event later this month, we are so confident on this we are going for a two night event. Poor promotion , how many mod drivers don't know about this thing. A track that out of towner's don't like to go to , bollix, I make it my business to talk to as many visiting drivers as I can at any event at WP , as I scrutineer cars I thank them for visiting us. There will always be exceptions but remember you rarely hear about the good things. 20 odd cars will show up for this thing and they will have a ball. Strange referees , no stranger than any others Ive dealt with at other tracks, they are all bloody good sorts (on a good day), you have to be to go back to that job week in week out. You criticize the promoting , one of the anomaly's in Auckland is that you can spend squillions on advertising and still have a less than average crowd. Why ? because Jaffas have so much more choice than other places. because every second week someone has a premier event on. So how much advertising is enough and how much is too much. Despite you and your ilk we will do this thing and it will be a success, rant over. |
|
|
|
Post by scrapper on Feb 9, 2009 8:41:22 GMT 12
Hey bernie, how many out of towners come to Wp for a normal nights racing or lets say the auckland champs for that matter?
Cars show up to events like the dirt cup or the saloon series to support the class not the track. Dont get me wrong, I dont have an issue with the people at waikaraka, but plenty of people from other tracks sure do. As for promotion, most drivers find out more from Jamo then the track and the radio adds just before the event only bring in a select few. With magazines like petrol head and NZ racer etc, I believe you can attract more people from a wider range of motor sport nuts. Saturday night was great racing in the saloons but everyone was dissapointed with the lack of support classes running, I believe better organisation and timing of the event would have resulted in more classes running, offering better bang for your money, I know the mods wanted to and asked for a run wel before christmas as preparation for the dirtcup and got the thumbs down, then got asked to be there a couple of days out. All events are planned by the teams and I know we couldnt be there with car repairs planned around the weekend of. And that scrutaneer is there always friendly and always smiling and I havent heard a bad word about him. Thats the point, we all have to always improve and all put our best foot forward when out of towners show up so they want to come back when ever possible as all of us put on the show for the punters and I think that people get too set in their ways and see every thing as a personal attack on them instead of taking some of the critisism on board and work it to improve the experience for all involved. Its a bummer that there is no database for the people that used to pack the park as it would be good to see why they dont go to WP anymore as they used to.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jamo on Feb 9, 2009 11:11:30 GMT 12
Lets be honest here.
1/ Current promoter at Waikaraka park has done nothing to promote the upcoming Dirt Cup from where I sit. Mod drivers know about it and are coming because of work done By Craig McLeish and myself. Neither of us are paid to do this where as the current promoter is paid.
2/ Current promoter recommended a prizepool to the committee that I believe was insufficient. The committee reduced it even more! If it was not for the drivers raising another $3000.00 by way of a frantically organised naming rights raffle (incidentally won by the Jenkins Group) then this mediocre prizepool would be even less. The fact is that the drivers themselves have probably ended up buying the majority of the tickets due to the short notice and the fact that they didn't want to pester their already tapped out sponsors. I know we did!
3/ We had South Island competitors willing to come up if a fair travel money allocation could be made. With the inadequate budget we have for the event they had to be told there was no money available to help them get up here.
4/ was it a mistake to run the Super Saloon series on Saturday night against the Springs and Palmy? Not rocket science guys, of course it was. Seems everyone knew this except the guys who scheduled it!
Was it a mistake to pay $7000 to the Super Saloons on the night with only 1 Auckland car running (and even he was a late addition), you betcha it was (if true) because now it looks obvious to all that this expensive failure (one of many this year) has affected the funding of core events that club members want to see run like a well funded and supported Dirt cup (as the modified drivers have been promised!).
The Dirt Cup is the most sort after trophy for modified drivers with the exception of the 1nz title. I have been told on more than one occasion by the current promoter that the drivers do not care about the event... he is wrong. I have also been told by the promoter and the committee that maybe it is time for another track to run the Dirt Cup. You have to take it from this that the current committee,excluding Craig McLeish (and Wadey you would hope!) are not really interested in the modified division.
I personally believe that the club have let down the modified class dramatically this year with lack of quality meetings, poor scheduling and lack of budget to get visitors to front. We have been told that due to the fact that more than one feature event is on Saturdays programme, that the money is not available. Who decided to run more than one feature class on the night? Not the mod guys! In days gone by the dirt Cup could hold its own as the feature event, sure strong support classes are essential but why water down the prizepool available by having 2-3 classes all running "premier" events??
Just an indication that the mods are viewed as a 2nd tier class and not a premier class by the club. After all it is the ASSCC (Auckland Stock and Saloon Car Club)!
Sorry Bernie, yes Dirt Cup will be a success with 20+ mods running but it will be so despite the efforts of the majority of the committee and the promoter, not because of the efforts! And as for the old chestnut about it being harder to attract crowds etc to Aucklands meetings due to "so many other options, blah, blah, blah....." heard this for years Bernie and it is a cop out! Auckland has over 1,000,000 people and Wacky only holds about 5-6,000 on a good day! The reason people don't come is due to years and years of poor promotion, nothing more and nothing less. Don't fall in to this brain wash argument that you hear from certain people Bernie, you think about it and stop kidding yourself.
Is the committee there to promote and schedule events that benefit their club members or not? I suppose the answer to this question will dictate what if any changes are made this year and this will in turn help guys to decide if they want to continue in any given class.
|
|
|
|
Post by Devilracer on Feb 9, 2009 12:15:49 GMT 12
Well said Jamo. Couldnt be closer to the truth if it tried. Im sad to see the dirt cup and the modified drivers treated this way, and if this is the reply your getting from a top team in the class, you have issues, big ones. I really do hope next season brings a promoter who does just that, promotes, and not just one or two classes.  Im only coming up to support the class, not the club. |
|
|
|
Post by tq59 on Feb 9, 2009 13:28:33 GMT 12
Has anyone else noticed that when its a big Modified night at Waikaraka, they have another championship on the same night, say for stockcars or streetstocks? Its like they think the Modifieds wont pull a crowd!
The promoter seems abit one sided for certain classes.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jamo on Feb 9, 2009 13:34:51 GMT 12
Has anyone else noticed that when its a big Modified night at Waikaraka, they have another championship on the same night, say for stockcars or streetstocks? Its like they think the Modifieds wont pull a crowd! The promoter seems abit one sided for certain classes. they don't think they will pull a crowd, they have told me that before. Bit like the chicken and egg though. Crowds will come if racing is good. Racing will be good with good numbers of drivers. Drivers will come and race if they are kept in the loop as to what is going on and are LOOKED AFTER. Don't look after them and they won't come back therefore show will suffer. Talk to the promoter and it is the drivers fault.... talk to the drivers and it is the promoters fault! |
|
|
|
Post by tq59 on Feb 9, 2009 13:43:59 GMT 12
When was Abrahams put up for the job? I didnt know untill now that he was promoter
|
|
|
|
Post by BarryB on Feb 9, 2009 14:22:32 GMT 12
Red, I say play his game and run superstocks next weekend to crush the Ollie Brown Series. Unfortunately,Ollie Browns name gets caught up in the cross fire and even though im from across town,im well aware of the passion Ollie had for not only the supers,but also the club and to be honest,Ollie deserves a hell of a lot more respect than having her name associated with a shambles like Waikaraka Park,for the second year in a row at that. Im sure enough people would be prepared to put money in a hat to "buy" the naming rights to this "series" and in doing so removing Ollies memory getting trashed. Her second home was Palmerston North - maybe they could do it more justice......... |
|
|
|
Post by scrapper on Feb 9, 2009 17:28:05 GMT 12
Hey guys, ill put my bit in again, Jamo's right again, lets get all drivers together and make the man the promotor for the mods, and craig helping, lets face it they are the only ones doing it now. Lets pay them.!!!
As for club attitude, here's one for ja: Showed up at a drivers meeting (the ones conserning smashfest) with a new driver who just spent a small fortune getting into a modified after considering a sprintcar but talked into mods by yours truly. It was an awfull meeting with more questions then answers. When the discussions about the smash fest were finished, the next question asked was: Are we gona run modifieds next season.!!!
You should have seen this guys face dropp!!! It took lots of convinsing from my end that it would all be ok I can tell you.
Whit those attitudes I m not surprised as to the pricepool or lack of organisation.
|
|
|
|
Post by epmurc on Feb 9, 2009 18:32:11 GMT 12
5 sleeps to go and time to turn 180 people.
Yes the "discussion" around the merits of the Promotion of the Dirt Cup and Mods in general could go on for days but right now it's time to start ensuring the event will be a success.
There is no doubt the racing will be fierce, the Auks got their collective butts kicked in Stratford and will be hurting. Are they going to give the visitors a sniff of a chance in the Dirt Cup?
What more of a reason could you want to get along and watch? And that will be what makes or breaks it this year, getting a good crowd.
As previously mentioned, the drivers have gone out and raffled off the naming rights for the event. I was lucky enough to sell the winning tickets and it will be staff and customers from the company I work for that will be coming along on Saturday night; most of whom will never have been to Speedway before. What needs to happen is a good show is put on, good enough to get them and others like them back again.
Was doing some promotion for League a few years back and had a chat to the Mad Butcher about it (and he'd know a bit about promoting things). His advice was that the best advertising you can get is word of mouth, get people excited about something and they will pass that enthusiasm on to others. Anyone reading these discussion boards would certainly be thinking twice about spending their hard earned $$$ going to WP given the amount of negativity written about the place (not going into the merits of whether or not it is deserved here)
So for the sake of the class and the event, let's start talking it up. Tell two friends and get them to tell two more. Springs people, plenty of the WP crowd support your events and you only have two meetings left to enjoy this season; get yourself across town for what is sure to be a full-on night of racing.
If you believe a point needs to be proven, then now is a darn good time to do it.
|
|
|
|
Post by percy on Feb 9, 2009 19:54:47 GMT 12
If you look at the discussion board this week it's all been Waikaraka Park. The Huntly Stockcar Champs, nor any other meeting has got a look in.
This is Waikaraka's time to shine at the Modified Super Dirt Cup this weekend. It's been the most talked about Waikaraka meeting so far this year and dare I say it but the pressure is on to pull off a quality show. The potential is there.
|
|
|
|
Post by deecee3737 on Feb 10, 2009 10:20:28 GMT 12
If you look at the discussion board this week it's all been Waikaraka Park. The Huntly Stockcar Champs, nor any other meeting has got a look in. This is Waikaraka's time to shine at the Modified Super Dirt Cup this weekend. It's been the most talked about Waikaraka meeting so far this year and dare I say it but the pressure is on to pull off a quality show. The potential is there. agree with you there percy....there is huge potential for a cracker of a show.. I'll be there |
|
mmbeer
Full Member
Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained.....
Posts: 127
|
Post by mmbeer on Feb 10, 2009 21:07:17 GMT 12
As a out of town competitor i have only heard from Jamo about mod events in auckland... If it wasnt for you Jamo we wouldnt have a clue whats on up there. Good on you for looking after us  |
|
