OzVMX Forum
Clubroom => General Discussion => Topic started by: Graeme M on November 07, 2007, 09:47:14 pm
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Just finished reading the article in the latest ADB about the new Supercross series for 08. They reckon they've got a 5+5 contract, building up to a full 12 round series by 2010. Sounds like they've put a bit of thought into it, and it's an exciting concept. But do we have the population to make it financially viable? I know they've done some pretty impressive things with the Crusty tour, so I guess all things are possible! I'll have to get along to one I think, would be a real spectacle.
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what's Supercross? ::)
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I saw an interview with the Supercross Promotor the other night (MXTV on the Aurora channel - Tue nights at 8.00pm Qld time).
He says many Promotors have been burned financially in their attempts at Supercross in Australia.
In his own words "Supercross is nowhere" in this Country; it hasn't grabbed the Aussie public at all.
He had a few concepts and his vision is to see Supercross promoted as 'entertainment' more so than 'motorsport'.
He believes 'man on man' races would be exiting - that's two people in the race.
Races in general would be much shorter; consisting of only a few laps.
This would raise the intensity of both the competitors and the crowd.
He noted 'Crusty Demons' as a good example of what stadium crowds like to see.
This concept has taken off and Supercross can and should follow this lead.
He went on to say Chad Reed would return to OZ in the next few years and Chad is also keen to lift the profile of the sport in this Country.
He believes Chad would smoke the field in the first season but the locals would rise to the challenge and lift their game over the following seasons.
History shows that certainly worked when the Europeans raced in the U.S. all those years ago.
The Americans lifted their game and look at them now.
He had some good ideas and they were all 'outside the box'.
Supercross has about fifty too many jumps and fifty too many corners for my liking.
It's not my cup of tea (I'm a traditionalist) but I can see my young bloke would love it.
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god help us
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Show time ............... i think it has to be either motor cross or pure X games style free style, that formula seems a bit of a basket case to me. It needs to be a race or a jump show. A cross breed wont work IMHO its just to much of the same ol thing with bling.
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last supercross I attended was one of the first PJ masters at Boondall..it was great but not a crusty stunt in sight..admit it..we are just old..no if's but's or maybe's
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I attended the '79 Supercross at Archerfield as a spectator.
I'm not sure if it was the first Supercross in OZ or just the first in Qld; does anyone remember?
I still have the entry ticket in a photo album.
The Competitors entry fee was twice the price of 'normal' MX, so instead of entering I chose to put the money toward a new rear tyre for my bike (KX 250 A4).
There were two Americans invited - I think Glenn Bell was one them.
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Wombat i was at that Supercross as well. It was definately the first in Qld but think they had one in Sydney before hand. The 2 Americans were Mike Bell and Rocket Rex Staten. Bell won with Staten 2nd and Gally was 3rd.
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In late 1980 me and about 10 mates rode our road bikes from Sydneyto Archerfield in the absolute pissing rain to watch Chuck Sun ride the first watercooled CR. It pissed down from the time we left Sydney on Friday, all the way to Queensland, all through the Supercross, and all the way back to Sydney again the net day. The joy of it all. You would have been there Maico31 for sure.
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I went to the Sydney Superbowl of Motocross, Marty Smith was the other featured yank with Staten, and Doug Domokos wheelied the entire course on a KLX250 Kawa with an electric motor spinning the front wheel for gyro effect, also pulled a wheelie right across Sydney Harbour Bridge on it for publicity, and then pulled monos on a Z1300 outside the Sydney Showground and trashed the taillight. Date of that night was Sat, April 19, 1980, I still have the programme. Got a feeling the crowd was around 20,000, not sure but it was packed. A Blair Shepherd/ Mike Goodwin promotion, and a great night out !
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I remember watching Chuck Sun at Archerfield. My dad couldn't get over the width of the handlebars he had. The next week dear old dad had a set of wide bars on my yz80. Hey if Chuck Sun had a set, they must have been the ticket! ::)
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I also went to that super x at Sydney showground, biggest crowd ever, I remember the traffic jam getting there, the atmosphere was electric, Domokus unbelievable, great big track fantastic racing between Gally and the yanks, everyone was stoked. Haven't experienced anything like it since. (although that Red Bull city X a few years ago came close) Have to dig out some photos now.
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Yes Magoo i was there.. I was also at the Sydney SX and got Marty Smiths #26 jersey off him that he raced in, sweaty and dirty. I still have it hanging in my wardrobe. Doug Domokos was incredible on that KLX.
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OK, my jaded 2c worth....
There hasn't been a top supercross held in this country in a major capital city for a very long time indeed.
The "supercross" that has been served up to us in basketball and tennis stadiums is NOT supercross, it's arenacross.
Supercrosses held at worn out and shonky speedway venues also do not count...
The reason supercross has captured the imagination in the USA is that the venues are major stadiums, the tracks are decent in length and the number of riders on the gate (usually 20) is substantial. In other words, the racing is the spectacle, supported by the atmosphere that a big crowd creates.
Nothing like that has really happened here since the Sydney Showground supercross where (reportedly) 40,000 showed up to cheer Gally on.... 8)
No amount of frigging with the format of supercross, to make it "more entertaining" will substitute good old fashioned large scale spectacle.
Chad and his mates are fooling themselves if they try to do it on the cheap... If Chad decided to run a race at Aussie Stadium, with Bubba and himself riding, then THAT would bring them in from miles around...including the mainstream press which is vital to bring the sport into the loungerooms of OZ.
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Oh yeah, I didn't see you at the wet Archerfield Magoo... VMX42 and I were there covering it for ADB ::)
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I agree AJ, we haven't had any decent supercross's since the 80's when they were at big venues with big name american riders, excellent tracks and huge crowds. Indoor stuff just doesn't do it for me. Which wet Archerfield were you referring to... Nearly all of them were wet.
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I lied actually ::) I did go to another meet..it was the following year and the venue was Brisbane ekka..the jumps were huge! I have crappy dark pics and I think it was Peter Melton who cleaned up on the night riding a kwak. What I forgot to mention about the Bris Entertainment Supercross event was the name of the rider who absolutely demolished the competition..none other than Anthony Gobert..that guy really had talent to burn.. :-\
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This announcement just popped into my computer. As much as I personally dislike Supercross, I still reckon this series is a positive step forward for our sport. Canning the Parramatta event because four basket weavers objected is yet another example of how gutless local government has become in this country. Welcome to life in the new millenium. It's going to get a whole lot worse.
JUST FOUR SPOIL SPORTS RUIN THE PARRAMATTA SUPERCROSS
September 11, 2008 12:00am
IT would have generated $1 million for western Sydney and thrilled tens of thousands of spectators - except for the sensitive ears of four objectors.
A world class Supercross event at Parramatta stadium had sold more than 10,000 tickets.
But Parramatta Council rejected the inaugural Australasian Supercross Championship in November after four objections.
Join our petition: The People for the Parramatta Supercoss
It leaves Sydney as the only major city in Australia without a stage of the new championships being held in Brisbane, Townsville, Wollongong, Geelong, Adelaide and Perth.
The event was to have been broadcast live around Australia and replayed throughout Europe, the US, Asia and New Zealand.
Leading the campaign against the Supercross was the Parramatta Park Trust, headed by former Gough Whitlam Government minister Tom Uren and trust director Chris Levins. The objection said: "The motocross will be a noisy event, far noisier than a football game with industrial levels of noise which will carry across the open landscape."
They are one of just four objectors including Government House, the Catholic Education Office and the Sisters of Mercy.
Promoter Michael Porra of Global Action Sports said he would appeal the decision through the Land and Environment Court or the NSW Government.
"We're not asking for money, we just want the assistance of the local area," Mr Porra said.
Parramatta Stadium venue manager Luke Coleman said yesterday the decision would affect other events for western Sydney.
"This sounds the death knell for other major events coming out here. If this event is not staged it's a significant setback, not only for the stadium, but for Western Sydney," Mr Coleman said.
Parramatta councillor Chris Worthington, who moved the development application be rejected, said four was enough.
"I'm there to represent the Parramatta constituents, not the stadium quite frankly," he said.
The Supercross, backed by motocross star Chad Reed, was estimated to sell out 20,000 seats worth almost $1.5 million about four-times bigger than any previous motocross in Australia.
Almost 40 per cent of ticket sales had gone to tourists from Queensland, Victoria and country NSW and promoters estimated about 4000 would stay in or around Parramatta for the weekend.
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I always find these things intriguing.
Parramatta councillor Chris Worthington, who moved the development application be rejected, said four was enough.
"I'm there to represent the Parramatta constituents, not the stadium quite frankly," he said.
So, by extension, if a petition signed by 500 Western Sydney people is received, he would reconsider? Not on your life. It's the quality of the four he received that counts. Much more meaningful than 500 signatures from motorsport boofheads.
Wanker.
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and here once again it seems that "noise" is the main reason for thier complaint.
how will they ever know what noise levels will be reached without the event? it's a guess, presumption on thier behalf.
Graeames right!
Wankers.
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This announcement just popped into my computer. As much as I personally dislike Supercross, I still reckon this series is a positive step forward for our sport. Canning the Parramatta event because four basket weavers objected is yet another example of how gutless local government has become in this country. Welcome to life in the new millenium. It's going to get a whole lot worse.
JUST FOUR SPOIL SPORTS RUIN THE PARRAMATTA SUPERCROSS
September 11, 2008 12:00am
IT would have generated $1 million for western Sydney and thrilled tens of thousands of spectators - except for the sensitive ears of four objectors.
A world class Supercross event at Parramatta stadium had sold more than 10,000 tickets.
But Parramatta Council rejected the inaugural Australasian Supercross Championship in November after four objections.
Join our petition: The People for the Parramatta Supercoss
It leaves Sydney as the only major city in Australia without a stage of the new championships being held in Brisbane, Townsville, Wollongong, Geelong, Adelaide and Perth.
The event was to have been broadcast live around Australia and replayed throughout Europe, the US, Asia and New Zealand.
Leading the campaign against the Supercross was the Parramatta Park Trust, headed by former Gough Whitlam Government minister Tom Uren and trust director Chris Levins. The objection said: "The motocross will be a noisy event, far noisier than a football game with industrial levels of noise which will carry across the open landscape."
They are one of just four objectors including Government House, the Catholic Education Office and the Sisters of Mercy.
Promoter Michael Porra of Global Action Sports said he would appeal the decision through the Land and Environment Court or the NSW Government.
"We're not asking for money, we just want the assistance of the local area," Mr Porra said.
Parramatta Stadium venue manager Luke Coleman said yesterday the decision would affect other events for western Sydney.
"This sounds the death knell for other major events coming out here. If this event is not staged it's a significant setback, not only for the stadium, but for Western Sydney," Mr Coleman said.
Parramatta councillor Chris Worthington, who moved the development application be rejected, said four was enough.
"I'm there to represent the Parramatta constituents, not the stadium quite frankly," he said.
The Supercross, backed by motocross star Chad Reed, was estimated to sell out 20,000 seats worth almost $1.5 million about four-times bigger than any previous motocross in Australia.
Almost 40 per cent of ticket sales had gone to tourists from Queensland, Victoria and country NSW and promoters estimated about 4000 would stay in or around Parramatta for the weekend.
If the organiser need to rely on a petition to local government to get this project up and running then all is lost.
If the 'boring as bat shit', 'noisier than Hell', V8 race cars can get streets closed at Homebush Bay (with a 'running at a lost govt subsidised' race track at Eastern Creek standing unused) and get the government to give them $23mil to run their shenanigans for direct private profit, then shouting down 4 earnstwhile objectors should be a piece of cake if the organisers have any nouce or political savvy.
The State Govt has special powers for significant events of "State Importance". If they can find a polly who not running around without his political head or who is not 'too busy' sharpening a political knive or two ready to backstub the nearest rival or colleague, they would have a good case.
Hey, organising is just like taking the triples safely; it all in the timing and positioning ;) ;D
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It sucks that an event like this is canned because of 4 individuals ,
if it is noise related objections then the modern MX set dont do themselves any favours.
As Vandy says its probably presumption on the complainants part , but lets not bullshit ourselves .
The modern four stroke MX bike has IMHO done more to lose us land and give ammunition to the greenies and all the other forking wankers who constitute the FUN POLICE .
When will people wake up and realise that the modern 4 stroke will given time kill the sport unless they quiet them down.
They are ridiculously NOISEY, expensive to maintain , and are creating a breed of rider who is both lazy and lacks skills.
BSA built a 250 in the 60s that could run with 2 strokes of the same capacity but they proved both noisey and unrealible , so they haven't come far have they.
Im not anti modern i still love this sport as much as i did when i found it in the early 70s , If the 4 stroke is the way of the future then they need to quiet the forking things down and educate the owners.
We all love our sport , but the reality is if you took every man jack of us worldwide and stood us together in one place , from google earth we would look like a pimple on a elephants arse .
I hate the modern PC world but im starting to realise that it aint gonna change in a hurry so we all gotta give a bit.
Long live the 2 stroke ;)
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I'm with you Bill.
I'm not quite sure what percentage of the Motorcycling community are abject wankers but we most certainly draw more than our fair share.
If they were just objects of our derision that we could fall about laughing and pointing at would be one thing, but unfortunately they cause overall PR damage and put the sport backwards by their very presence. The noisy bike is the prime demonstration and example of this truth. Again I’m not sure who does the most damage; the sports rider, trail rider, enduro rider, MX’er, cruiser/Harley rider or the everyday commuter.
I could be sympathetic towards all competition riders who may be seeking the last poofteenth of power but the majority are just class A wankers. The classic example is the sometimes trail rider who buys a ‘full on’ Enduro bike. Not satisfied that their brand new $15,000 KTM 520, or whatever, produces 50hp, they’ve got to spend $2000 to buy, and then $500 to tune, that new Brand Name exhaust to get another 5hp when they can’t use the first 30hp. Of course the Db’s have gone from 92 to 102.
But it gets worst. Not only do they have a noisy bike but they use it noisily, and without consideration for anyone other than their own ‘low self esteem’ ego. And it gets worst; they now take on the ‘its my God given right’, I’m okay, my shit don’t sink, can’t be told anything freaking attitude.
And we won’t talk about the ‘holier than thou’ motorcycling Industry, so able aided and abetted by the noble, objective, ‘more pure then driven snow’ Motorcycling Press. They of course have no interest or gain in promoting and selling noisy exhausts. They are simply responding to demand.
Motorcyclist are our own worst enemy and times like this it ‘comes home to roost’.
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...The classic example is the sometimes trail rider who buys a ‘full on’ Enduro bike. Not satisfied that their brand new $15,000 KTM 520, or whatever, produces 50hp, they’ve got to spend $2000 to buy, and then $500 to tune, that new Brand Name exhaust to get another 5hp when they can’t use the first 30hp. Of course the Db’s have gone from 92 to 102.
In fairness though I imagine we're all guilty of this sort of thing - who hasn't bought a larger capacity/newer model bike with the aim to 'grow' into it?
Who was it on the forum who progressed from an 80cc tiddler to an RM400 back in the day?
What a buzz that must have been!
The roads and tracks of Australia are full of Riders and Drivers - usually male - punching above their weight with choice of transport.
And on the noise thing, let's not kid ourselves a full grid of two smokers at full roar isn't noisy; ask any non-motorcycling rate payer.
So what's my point? I'm just playing Devils Advocate of sorts.
Bikes ARE noisy. Maybe the local residents are sick and tired of one noisy event after another?
But I don't think it's fair to cancel the SX on the say so of four complaints either...
Wankers.
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I rode this one at the Melbourne Showgrounds in 82. Great thrill to ride with a few top names.
Andy Viper #70
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Some more program scans
Andy Viper # 70
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Last one
Andy Viper #70
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how did you go in this event Andy and what were you riding at the time the 81 or 82 CR?
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82 cr 125 made it into the main for 125 crashed out comming about 5th or 6th.
Landed on a back marker over some blind doubles.
Andy Viper #70