2016 Queensland VMX Race Series

[PBMGold]

I sincerely hope that I am not talking out of turn and certainly don't want to put any noses out of joint with BMCC or QVMX but would like to get a conversation started where next year there is more VMX racing at a greater variety of venues that is inclusive of all vintage riders.

In other words, a race series that would only require a rider to have an MA licence and be a club member of any Australian motorcycle club. The race series would be managed by a management team, probably drawn from members of the two existing vintage clubs but this may not be necessary as each meeting would still be run by the club that has the affiliation to the track location. This would mean the Series management team would be responsible for promotion and prizes for the series and each individual round of the series but the actual meeting would still be run by the clubs.

Having a series would provide opportunities to find naming sponsors. More dollars provide better organisation and infrastructure to promote the sport, the clubs and also that sponsor. Being packaged, it would be an easier sell to people that may otherwise have not considered becoming involved. Maybe MQ could tip in and assist as well.

I am not suggesting that their should money or huge prestige involved. I certainly do not want to create a stepping stone for the serious, young, fit and hungry riders but would like the opportunity for more races, at more venues with a greater diversity of bikes and riders.

The current class structure works reasonable well and shouldn't be changed but it would provide a better spectacle and solve issues of completing all events in a day to combine more classes. Most of the tracks have drop gates where it would be easy to line up the first staggered start to the left of the centre lever and the second group to the right. Now that transponders are commonplace there is no good reason to not have two races on track with a time delay between the starts.

To my un-expert eye, there appears to be 7 venues that could be included, Echo Valley, Conondale, Biddadabah, Harrisville, Coles Creek, Nudgee and Qld Moto Park. This series should not detract from QVMX and BMCC own Club Championships. I would hope that this proposal would not impact on the State Championships or the Conondale Classic.

To summarise:-

7 round race series running from late February to early November
Race Series promoted independantly of existing clubs
Each round to be single day race days
All VMX classes catered for

I would love to hear if anyone else thinks that this idea has legs. Look forward to your comments.

[Ted]

200K up front would probably see it through. Go for it. Good luck.

[PBMGold]

Thanks Ted for the helpful suggestion. At first I thought you being glib but now I realise that you were deadly serious about the cost to host any event. I considered not using Kanye and his fat bottomed wife to attend these events, but realised that the credibility of our pastime would be unjustified without the approval of the A-Listers. On the other hand, having Russell Crowe Vs Johnny Depp and a couple of porn stars as the 'swingers' in a sidecar death match may draw a decent crowd and get the $200k you spoke of.

Living just down the trail from Utopia, I have visions of muddy scrambles, desert races with a smoke stack as the finish and riding through the streets of Encino with 1000 other riders. Everyone has cobbled together an unsuitable bike, are wearing work boots, stripy jerseys and a grid iron helmet. They're having a ball and not concerned with sponsor logos, colour co-ordination, performing up to standard, breaking bones, breaking bikes or breaking the bank. Yes, I am an On Any Sunday tragic.

The horror stories I have heard about payments to MA and MQ, ambulance, catering, flaggies, fire service, stewards, local council, the list just goes on. We are indemnified, insured and divested of all responsibility to the point where you would wonder why bother, it's safer to watch Moto GP on the goggle box.

That's not the Anzac spirit. Aren't we a 'Can Do' state. Come on guys, give your feedback.

There's always running 'black' race meetings. Does anyone still do that?

[PBMGold]

I just remembered. The latest Dust Hustle was great. Fair entry price, lots of 'races' or events, heaps of rider variety and masses of fun for both riders and spectators.

Why can't we manage the same thing.

Why aren't we running $10 day licences for 'Anything Goes' - postie bikes, Pit Bikes, Harleys even. Guys having a go and getting a taste for dirt biking.

[William Doe]

Meetings in the modern world cost money to run , romancing about how it used to be is very nice but time has moved on and dragged even old fools on old dirt bikes with it

We still have it fairly good in NZ but even here we have to comply with a bit of health and safety and the cost of an ambulance is expensive .

Our saving grace is that we don't affiliate to a parasitical 3rd party who offer nothing and charge plenty .

But I like your idea 

 

[VMX247]

A tri series is always manageable...say top,end mid qld and bottom end clubs coming on board...lots of work and working with those area clubs plus lots of marketing. 

Though you could help assist build classic dirt and conondale classic to become as big as any other overseas events bringing in the big VIP or interstate riders..
Cheers A

[FireKwaka]

You have put some good thought into that, I like your thinking. If I lived in Qld I would be apart of it.

Like any race meeting… if you have people that put their time into it, it can happen.

[PBMGold]

I appreciate the comments but just to avoid any misunderstandings, I wasn't proposing to usurp the Conondale Classic or the State Titles. Both of these events were run fantastically and should remain in the 2016 calendar as headline events. I also don't think that VMX is that popular or newsworthy to create something as big as Ben Hur.

The series I was proposing was quite the opposite. It involved having either the governing body or an independant organiser act as middle man between any clubs that want to run an event. The events should be able to turn a small profit for those club and in so doing encourage these clubs and others to continue their involvement in the future. If it were business, we would be trying to increase the customer base.

What if MQ were to say, here are 4 dates that we want a VMX Series run for 2016. If there were only 2 clubs interested, that would be two events each and the clubs would tender for the dates and venues. MQ would sanction the events and allow the events to be run as Interclubs but without restricting where riders come from. A bit like a discounted Open event so that the sport can encourage new blood. Apologies to clubs other than QVMX and BMCC I'm not trying to shut anyone out but am just not experienced enough to know if anyone else could care about this. 

To demonstrate how VMX's appeal could be improved you only have to look at some of the semi social events that have been massively successfully to see the potential to promote this arm of the sport and to get away from the strictures of club versus club. CD12 has regularly been a huge success. The Dirt Hustle, run by a motorcycle retailer was awesome, the Distinguished Gentlemans ride each year is incredibly well promoted and supported. I know these are not necessarily related to our sport but they are great examples of promoters of highly successful and well supported events.

What do they have in common? Simple, they appeal to the casual nature of most middle aged guys. They want take their old dungers out for a blast in fantastic terrain and relive their youth. They don't want to be locked into the formality of membership but at the same time also want to feel like they are part of that greater thing. Like we are family.

In SE Qld we have a great selection of venues, at least two dedicated and hard working vintage clubs and hundreds of riders looking for something more than just a trail ride but without all of the bureaucratic red tape and seemingly unnecessary additional costs that currently exist.

There surely can be a middle ground where a rider does have to comply with the governing body by being licenced, but they don't have to join every club so they can ride all of the vintage venues, flat track, vinduro, modern MX, trials etc.

An independant series, I would have thought, may allow any licenced rider to have a go at competing against similar aged riders and bikes, at different locations with a different group of riders and a greater diversity of bikes.

I won't apologise for the rant with the hope that it encourages my local comprades into thinking about alternatives to what we currently have. It doesn't need a meteoric change but a small shift in outlook might bring about improvements for all.

[bigthumpa]

 Great idea for a concept, I believe that with the appropriate support from the clubs, the scb and the riders anything is possible. But, as an event promoter/organiser, it may be a long hard road but I reckon it could deliver huge benefits to the sport. Good luck and I urge everyone in Qld to get behind it, the sport and the competitors could benefit immensely from this idea. A definite "can do" attitude is required by all to make things like this succeed!

[mtmike]

New to the sport of VMX but this sounds like just the ticket to get a toe in the water.

[KTM47]

The first thing anyone needs to determine is how many race meetings do the majority of VMX riders want to race a year?

I think the answer might surprise you.  The more you ride the more expensive maintenance gets on your old bike.

And yes such a basic concept can work in the right environment.  It has worked for Motocross with the Shell Advance/Sunshine State MX series since 1989.  This series was/is overseen by the MQ MX Sub-Committee.

As for any suggestion something occurs that included North and Central Qld.  Please note Brisbane to Mackay is similar to Brisbane to Sydney and Brisbane to Cairns similar to Brisbane to Melbourne.  Queensland is a big State with VMX racing spread from NSW border to Cairns.

Also any suggestion of black meetings also note.  Biddaddaba, QMP and to a lesser extent Conondale have a direct connection to MQ.

For anything different to occur the first thing needed is the two SEQ clubs have to work together.

And all this doesn't address the need (in my opinion) for Classic/Post Classic Dirt Track to get going again.

[PBMGold]

Great points KTM47.

Personally I would like to have more events available than I have time to ride. That would work if we lived in Southern California but here, you pretty well need 100% support for every meeting otherwise it is not viable to pay the club's bills. I guess about 8 race meetings a year would be good. I would rather that half of them don't fall into a 2 -3 month period and be staggered about 6 weeks apart.

The 'Black Meeting' line was a throw away and maybe in hindsight is regretable and consider it retracted.

I think you have hit the nail on the head regarding getting Marriage Counselling for the two Queensland Clubs. Come on guys, think of the children!

As to the bigger question, how to revitalise our hobby!
Is the issue the cost, the limited availability of places to ride, the general overgoverning and Nanny state mentality of anything more dangerous than a Playstation.
Without droning on about it, what do those big events do to draw such numbers whereas riding at a club track doesn't bring crowds of 'curious' motorcyclists.

Invitations to comment please.

[Ted]

Heaven quite regularly get over 100 riders to their club events. QVMX is also well patronised. What club do you belong to?

[09.0]

Two Vmx clubs that have regular club days and ride days. Plus Qld titles, Conondale classic and cd. Then the nations will be up here as well next year. One event might work but I think it's a pipe dream to have a series when there is plenty to do already.

[KTM47]

The most important thing to happen in Qld (SEQld) is for the VMX (and possibly VDT) calendar to be controlled by MQ so that there is spacing between meetings. 

One key thing I would like to see is no club days against the National Championship.