OzVMX Forum

Clubroom => Competition => Topic started by: number 87 on August 31, 2011, 04:43:14 pm

Title: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: number 87 on August 31, 2011, 04:43:14 pm

Afternoon all, a bit of urgent news if anyone is interested i have had a conversation with the organisers and they mentioned that they would be happy to run a vintage bike class to replace one of the current classes that is extremely short on entries if we can get enough entries together.
We would need as close to 12 entries as possible (more would be better).

Count me as 1.

Officially the entries close last mail on the 1st of September (tomorrow) but obviously if there is enough intrest from us old bike people this wont matter.

The meeting is a day/night, gates open at 1.30pm with racing to start just after practice which is scheduled for 4pm. The track is the Tyre Power Sydney Speedway at Granville and is a "short track", about 440 metres long and all lefts.

Interested riders should contact the Race Secretary David Smith on 0412 506 503

I reckon the night will be a hoot and i can leave the modern bike a home.
Cheers all

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: Curly3 on August 31, 2011, 04:52:07 pm

I'm keen, how much and how many rides would we get?
Count me as number 2.

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: number 87 on August 31, 2011, 04:57:35 pm

Sorry people (i am dumb, should have done this earlier)

Following is a link to the entry form

http://www.motorcycling.com.au/PDF_Files/Competitor_Info/ci_sr_2011dirtbikespectacular2_100911.pdf (http://www.motorcycling.com.au/PDF_Files/Competitor_Info/ci_sr_2011dirtbikespectacular2_100911.pdf)

Cheers

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: Shaun G on August 31, 2011, 05:01:02 pm

I'm in as number 3 if it is run as a pre '90 class.
Cheers
Shaun

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: VMX247 on August 31, 2011, 05:57:53 pm

About Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway:
Track: 460m clay/dirt oval
21 Wentworth St, Granville
(Just off Parramatta Rd near the corner of James Ruse Drive)
www.parramattacityraceway.com.au
E-mail: [email protected]

How did the entries go last year matcho mick,Get a good turn out ? Good to see the entry price has gone down on the seniors by $30..extra pit pass is still same..enjoy.

Quote from: Stan S on July 15, 2010, 11:24:39 pm

Quote from: Stan S on July 15, 2010, 07:35:41 pm

Sounds like these will be great events. I remember riding at a very early Supercross event in 1978 at the Granville Speedway is this what is now the Parramatta Speedway?

This was the Granville Speedway when we raced there in 78.

(http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/gf079/Gregs%20pictures/Granville1.jpg)

(http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/gf079/Gregs%20pictures/Granville2.jpg)

(http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/gf079/Gregs%20pictures/Granville3.jpg)

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: Curly3 on August 31, 2011, 05:58:28 pm

I'll be in need of a one day license, no indication on the entry if they're avaliable?
Without being a doom sayer, $170.00 for me might be a bit much.
Over the years I've seen plenty of these "exhibition" events turn pear shape and I'd be royaly peeeed off if I only had 2 rides.
Anyone out there went last year and how did it go?

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: number 87 on September 01, 2011, 10:01:28 am

Hey SlideRulz, there has not been a vintage class at the previous meetings and i didn't ride the modern last year, by all accounts it was a good meeting, well run and everyone got their rides. i only saw the the idiotbox package televised some time after the meeting and the whole shooting match looked like a pretty well run affair with the only negatives comments being the cost of entry (some people will whinge no matter how cheap entries are!!!)

From what i can gather the promoters dont regard these race meetings as exhibitions, obviously any promoter (be it a club or a private entity) needs to either make some money out of race meetings or at least not go broke! and as racers, we need somewhere to play and the more places to play the better. The last thing that motorcycle racing needs is less promoters and less tracks (look at roadracing in NSW).

Personally i will ride at ANY promoters meeting at least once, if its a cluster i dont go back, but i think that the sport needs to support anyone that supports the sport . . . . . say that 10 times quickly when your full of "round brown sandwiches"!

I think if the old bike brigade turn up , we might actually be invited from the get go next meeting they run . . . . . racing vintage bikes on Saturday night at a track smack in the middle of Sydney on a regular basis would be just sensational . . . . me thinks.

Cheers all

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: firko on September 01, 2011, 10:18:25 am

The whole problem with this and many other promotions is that there just plain isn't enough lead up time for entries. With the vintage class inclusion was announced yesterday and the deadline being today I reckon it's a bit much to expect racers to drop to their knees in thanks for the opportunity and rush the promoter with their entries, even if they extend the deadline a few days. These 'last minute inclusion' situations have appeared in the past and like Slidey says, they usually end up going pear shape, causing the promoter to get the shits and opt not to include vintage classes in future promotions because "they didn't support us last time".

It's a great idea and I hope as many as possible support it but in reality the lead up is way too short.

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: vmxrider on September 01, 2011, 10:28:42 am

Quote from: SlideRulz on August 31, 2011, 05:58:28 pm

I'll be in need of a one day license, no indication on the entry if they're avaliable?

Just off the phone to Dave Smith (race sec) and no one day licenses for this event.  :'(

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: Curly3 on September 01, 2011, 11:06:04 am

Well that's me out.
I'll be there to look and I'd love to see it become a regular inclusion.
I hope you can muster up the numbers required and safe racing to all who ride.
Steve

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: vmxrider on September 01, 2011, 11:07:24 am

One day license no go as its an open meeting. As sup regs show must have national license.
Spoke to MNSW there may be just enough time to apply for and receive a national license before the meeting ($275) if really keen and cashed up.
Not sure about cost/time to upgrade from club license.

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: number 87 on September 01, 2011, 12:06:44 pm

Firko, hope you are well, i kind of agree however the inclusion of vintage bike was more my idea and the attitude from the organisers is certainly not "kiss our bums and thanks us".
I put a call into David Smith to confirm my entry for the moderns and in conversation asked the question "how are the entries going" to which the response was "Sh#t . . . . as this is on and that event is 2 weekends later etc etc" . . . . . . . . . . .To which i said . . "Should have asked the old bike people" . . . . . David then said "put the word out and if you can put a field together we will run a vintage class and drop the sidecars" (apparently as of yesterday there were NO sidecar entries).

Firko, it is a chicken and egg thing . . . . if these promoters dont know that we (old bike people) exist they will never invite us. . . . and if we sit back and wait for an invite or not enter because we want to wait and see if the show is a good one. . . well . . .  it all amounts to the same big bucket of nothing.

Firko, you probably have the phone number of more vintage people than anybody so put the word out and if people want to have a ride well good, if not for this meeting then for the next lets get some communication going amongst ourselves AND the promoters of such events and get vintage on the programme. As i said elsewhere, racing vintage bikes on sat arvo/night in the middle of Sydney on a regular basis, how cool.

Racing speedway years ago in the days of travel, start, and point money we got ripped of by some promoters but not by others, there will always be good and bad but in my mind the ultimate bad is not have any opportunity to race my old bike anywhere. . .

Cheers

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: firko on September 01, 2011, 01:28:25 pm

I'm not blaming you #87..you've done a good thing. My concern is that the promoters have known of the classic classes all along...if they aren't aware of the classic classes they haven't been paying much attention. Just about every long track meeting in the last 20 years has had some sort of classic class in the mix. By not including them in the first place and then only including them as an afterthought is a bit rude in my mind.

Now to the task at hand...what vintage class are they wanting? Sliders and/or speedway bikes would seem to be the logical inclusion, as would the classic flat trackers that were so spectacular on long track.
If it's for motocross type bikes are there to be capacity splits or is it all in? How many races would a rider get for his $170? Another thing to consider is that many vintage racers ride on restricted or day licences because they never feel the need to ride open meetings.

Quote

Firko, you probably have the phone number of more vintage people than anybody so put the word out and if people want to have a ride well good, if not for this meeting then for the next lets get some communication going amongst ourselves AND the promoters of such events and get vintage on the programme. As i said elsewhere, racing vintage bikes on sat arvo/night in the middle of Sydney on a regular basis, how cool.

I doubt I've got as many contacts as you'd think but I've rang a mate who has more contact with the dirt track population than I and he asked me the same questions I've asked...."What vintage bikes are we dealing with here"? 

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: number 87 on September 01, 2011, 01:48:35 pm

Firko again you are correct the promoter should be aware but i get the imppression that the organisers in this case are either speedway car heads or people from central coast motorcycle club wich is highly jnr focused . . . so vintage bikes are not "top of mind" for these clandestine (joking) types....

You are absolutely right with the licence thing i know that many of the guys i race with at nepean dont have a Snr National . . . cant do much about that.

To answer your question - dont really care - i thought along the lines of the EVO rules (Air cooled, no discs, no links) but again at short notice  - dont care -  the task in my mind was to try and find a dozen like minded nutters with old bikes that wanted to turn up and have a ride . . . . my plan from that point was to loby hard and make absolutely sure a proper vintage presence catered for in future meetings.

Cheers

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: firko on September 01, 2011, 02:59:58 pm

There ya go boys....Evo action on the clay mix at Granville. I realise it's short notice but surely there must be a dozen or so guys ready for some quarter mile action. If it falls through this time 87, it would be a good idea to inform the promoters that there might be a better chance to drum up some vintage bikes for their next Granville meeting, laterin the year.

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: Curly3 on September 01, 2011, 03:32:35 pm

EVO MX or Dirt Trackers would be best suited me thinks.
There isn't enough dirt on the track to turn a Slider, pretty much all clay and way too grippy for Sliders, unless it's real wet of course, then its like ice skating.
I hope something happens as I'll have an open license for next year.

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: JAP 454 on September 03, 2011, 06:01:21 am

This was emailed to me yesdy,


Subject: Sydney Speedway Cancelled



Regrettably, the Motorcycle Rescue-sponsored Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular at Sydney Speedway has been cancelled.

The forced cancellation for the event that was slated for Saturday, September 10, was due to lack of nominations from Dirt Bike competitors.

As the time of closing of nominations for dirt bike competitors (Thursday, September 1), the entry numbers were less than half of the inaugural event held in August, 2010, despite lower nomination fees.

Race Secretary, David Smith, was at a loss to explain why nominations for the event were so low.

“The competitors, particularly the seniors, always want more race meetings, and here there is one right in the heart of Sydney, and the response has been underwhelming,” said Smith.

Sydney Speedway Assistant Manager, Rod Britton, was naturally disappointed.

“I thought we had a bright future with the dirt bikes. We listened to the dirt bike fraternity and provided a much more attractive nomination structure for competitors, but sadly, the response was not favourable.

“For the competitors that did nominate, I apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank them for their support. As soon as we were aware of less than favourable numbers, we made a decision as soon as possible to minimise the impact on competitors who had commitments.

“I would like to thank the support from the likes of Matthew Haynes at Motorcycle Rescue, as well as Allan & Georgina Fulton at Motorcycle Accessories, Castle Hill, who threw their support behind dirt bike racing in Sydney.”

Three practice events are set for speedway competitors on Saturday, September 17 and 24, as well as October 8.

The next scheduled race meeting is the charitable season opener – the “Skidz 4 Kidz” Gold Coin Night on Saturday, October 15, with 100% of all donations going to the Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

Foss   

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: dirttracker on September 03, 2011, 08:28:12 am

i think its only a money grabing exercise, why would you go and pay $170 for 4 rounds when you can go to kurri on the same weekend and pay $30 for 5 rounds, aint it all about value for money,fun, and bike time. i think most of the entrants at the last meeting only entered so could get their mugs on the idiot box.

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: Taka 100 on September 03, 2011, 08:36:22 am

maybe it had something to do with short notice and entry cost ... do you think . post this stuff early and youll  get the results and i will donate to the skids 4 kids where do i send the money

tel the promoter dont spool off on the dirt bike fraternity that bs , surely  the event could run without a handful of old bangers and mash ??? where's all their stars surely they had them G'd up , it sounds like a politians spool to me and probaby to  a lot of others , you dont need many riders to entertain a crowd , match them up in pairs , of equal ability , or have some good old hadicap races , with a couple of stars showering the crowd to finish off the evening , wow i would pay big money to see that

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: JAP 454 on September 03, 2011, 09:41:59 am

I have had entry forms for this meeting for some weeks now, so they were in circulation in time enough.

As I see it, the promotors were trying a last ditch attempt to get enough riders, by programing another class, much too late in the day, however I did remove some private comments from the email , from riders from previous events held there, regarding the racing surface, cost of entries and a couple of other issues, so the cancellation of the meeting comes as no big surprise to me.

Foss

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: firko on September 03, 2011, 10:10:16 am

I'm pretty sure that the unsuitability of the clay mix surface was a deciding factor in many riders opting not to enter. Previous bike events on Parramatta's smaller 400m infield track have met with overwhelming dislike by the majority of competitors. The surface is tacky and dangerously drivy when dry and like an icy lake when wet. It'd be difficult enough to set up a modern 450 for the surface and it'd be virtually impossible to set up a slider to handle the tacky dirt. On 86's 'advice' I rang around a number of modern and classic racers that I thought might be interested and every one of them to a man quoted that they didn't want to ride on the clay/dirt mix and pay $170 for the privelege.

I suspect (but may be wrong)that the promoters are dirt track promotion newbies who see a dirt surface as a dirt surface, unable to diferentiate between what's suitable for a dirt track/short track event and for 800hp sprint cars. Just because it's brown doesn't make it right.

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: JAP 454 on September 03, 2011, 10:22:03 am

Quote from: firko on September 03, 2011, 10:10:16 am

I suspect (but may be wrong)that the promoters are dirt track promotion newbies who see a dirt surface as a dirt surface, unable to diferentiate between what's suitable for a dirt track/short track event and for 800hp sprint cars. Just because it's brown doesn't make it right.

You've hit the nail on the head , Firko
Foss

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: Shaun G on September 03, 2011, 11:04:45 am

Just a small correction. Senior entry fee was to be $120 not $170. Still way too expensive for what was on offer.

From the rider's I spoke to who rode the event last year the track surface didn't come up. What was the main reason for them not entering was the exorbitant entry fee for only 3 or 4 races on a tiny 440 metre track when you can ride at tracks like Nepean all day for around a third of the cost.

This event looks to me to be a Junior meeting with Senior support. 3 classes for Senior Solo's and 8 junior classes. The fact that the press release singles out senior riders indicates that they were the main classes under subscribed. If more effort was put in to making it attractive to older riders (more classes + more races) then the entrant numbers may have been a bit higher I reckon.

Cheers
Shaun

Title: Re: Urgent - Vintage Class at The Sydney Dirt Bike Spectacular September 10th
Post by: Curly3 on September 03, 2011, 11:06:48 am

Dissapointing but not surprising, I originally quoted the $170 because I was factoring in $50 for a one event license.
I doubt they'll try again, as Firko said, they probably think dirt is dirt.
I rode there once when they first opened up as a demo and it was diabolical.