Dirt Tracks Future

[VMX247]

Want to keep Dirt Track Future going  ,then stay on ya butt on the computer and rev into the MA survey website.
For immediate release
December 22, 2008
Dirt Track survey available online
As part of Motorcycling Australia (MA)’s continued effort to develop the discipline of Dirt Track racing, a survey has been created which can be completed online.
The survey can be found on the MA website at www.ma.org.au/dtsurvey.
Following two recent successful Dirt Track forums held in New South Wales and Queensland, this  survey covers issues such as classes, venues, competition, safety, clubs and more, and is a fantastic opportunity for people to contribute to the advancement of Dirt Track racing into the future.
We encourage anybody with an opinion or interest in the future direction of the discipline to take a few moments to complete the survey, which will be available to complete online until 31 January 2009.

Please feel free to forward this onto anybody who may be interested.

For further information please contact:
Paul Fink

Communications Officer
Motorcycling Australia

Tel: (03) 9684 0507
www.ma.org.au

[firko]

Something has to be done to rid the sports administration of those weezils that are trying everything they can to see the end of the traditional Aussie dirt track slider and try to change the whole concept of dirt track. Proposed changes that will see the end of the slider are ill advised at best and just plain stupid at worst. There are rumblings behind the scene sparked up by some of the sports heavy hitters that will fight the new legislation head on .I'm meeting up with a couple of those involved tonight and I'll give more information as I learn more. If you like traditional dirt track, Australias own sport you should be very very worried.
 More news at 11!

[VMX247]

Take the bull be the horns. 
Those that wish to keep there sport or discipline need to get on the move with the task.
Not that I'm a bowl of knowledge on this,but if you want something bad enough 

[steve234]

What does all this mean? Being a complete new commer to DT for the 2009 season, being an older rider with a similar aged bike, will i be shown the door at my first meet because my bike isn't so and so, or i am to old etc etc, will my bike be required to take on jumps/ruts? I am located in South east queensland and was intending racing at Maryborough and Nudgee in the classics class. Can anyone elaborate what the potential future of my ambition of partaking in this great australian motorsport will be for me and my kids (if i get lucky)?

[211kawasaki]

Get onto the survey guys and send them the feedback that they need and our collective opinions to get it right. No sence in sitting back and wondering what happened when we have the chance to influence what happens.

211

[VMX247]

What does all this mean? Being a complete new commer to DT for the 2009 season, being an older rider with a similar aged bike, will i be shown the door at my first meet because my bike isn't so and so, or i am to old etc etc, will my bike be required to take on jumps/ruts? I am located in South east queensland and was intending racing at Maryborough and Nudgee in the classics class. Can anyone elaborate what the potential future of my ambition of partaking in this great australian motorsport will be for me and my kids (if i get lucky)?

Your best bet would be to contact your local DT club Secretary and they should be able to help out with the dirt future riding.

Firko did you get to go to the meeting.?
cheers

[Rosco400]

I'm meeting up with a couple of those involved tonight and I'll give more information as I learn more. If you like traditional dirt track, Australias own sport you should be very very worried.
 More news at 11!

Just completed the survey with some interesting questions, dont know exactly where MA ar going with this but interclub DT would be OK in classics, could see it now Hunter Club, Penrith, Coffs Harbour and Canberra, one round at each venue couple months apart so there is no overkill, would also get clubs talking to each other

How did your meeting progress the other night Firko

[Freakshow]

i filled it out, but the questions are very well lead and set up to gleen a certain response in a few areas, its interesting to see that there are some areas that are obviously being led in a certain direction and give a hint to some issues or hapening behind the closed doors

[firko]

Baically it's about Paul Caslick and Wayne Gardner proposing changes to the whole makeup of dirt track that if adopted will see dirt track as we know it today go through some drastic changes that will see the traditions of our sport lost forever. I'm finding out more information before I say any more in case I miss some details or get it wrong. One thing is for sure, this is going to upset a lot of people.

[pancho]

attemt No 2.when i get home after the christmas break and get in front of our old p.c. i will fill in that survey and i recomend that anyone interested in short circuit,dirt track miniture tt or whatever you've heard it called does the same. however THINK carefully about the repercussions of some aspect that may sound good at first. this fancy laptop keeps outsmarting me!

[elsie 125]

 the dirt track changes that are being talked about should be good for the sport....
 Firko, what are the traditions of dirt track that will be lost forever out of all this???

A lot of the changes to dirt track will be in the junior classes, trying to eliminate the $15,000 engines in little johnny,s XR80...
 There are tracks that are 2 dangerous, and need to be restored with run off areas and there is talk of increasing laps, and making the tracks more technical and not horsepower tracks, where in the juniors the biggest pockets win...
 the current state of dirt track discourages new growth into the sport in the modern bikes, eg a competitive 450 needs to have 55HP, it has become an expensive sport and in return competitor numbers are suffering...
 the idea behind the proposed changes is to encourage growth into our sport, making the tracks more technical, and standard classes in junior competition....
 the sliders will be getting a class of there own from 2010...
 the track surfaces will also becoming into line with the majority, out with the oil, and in with the decomposed granite.......
stay tuned as there will be things coming through to the clubs in the near future

[YSS]

Somehow I remember similar arguments when the minibike dads  started to castrate good  MX tracks in the early 80 s and slowly turned them into SX tracks  . Whats left today ,is only handfull  MX tracks that are worthwile travelling to and get some enjoyment from riding . ( for me anyway)  ( for example good tracks like Barrabool , Ravenswoood , Coonendale )

[YSS]

Yes I still remember the heated arguments  at the Ballarat Rovers about chopping up Monza Park. I still have a chuckle talking today  to Floody and Brooksy . They all listened to the Minibike dads and built doubles , studders and you name it. Then for the big event in 84 someone that hade the key to the track and" borrowed " the traktor and knocked it all down on Friday night  .  I then asked  Ellis , Moates etc after the race next day what they thought of the track , and they all agreed it was now a great track again.     

[pancho]

one aspect i feel is the under rating of the spectator appeal of dirt track racing! to have a gate price of only $5 at nepean meets is under rating the appeal of the sport. even for smaller club events. even these events manage a full program.any body been to parra speedway on an ordinary sat night event?you didnt get in that cheap! 5 or 6 times that!i believe $15 minimum for a club event. use the money for advertising!...... in the '60s there were plenty of tracks around.[vineyards arcadia amaroo nepean as well as moorebank] various pressures closed these if we insist on adding more pressure like making it mandatory for all tracks to use a particular type of surface material will that be be the last nail in the coffin for some tracks? should tracks be designed for juniors? should they be designed for sliders? chook chasers? personally i think nepean is perfect! there are lots of things to be considered. maybe for spectator appeal track managers should look at other sporting venues and look at how facilities could be improved wih some money gained from a realistic gate entry charge. like i said previously every bodys imput is required. lets here yours.

[VMX247]

Pay to go to a club day,     is this a city thing,    as we have only ever paid to attend for a club day near the city.
Its Motorcycling Australia that should be giving there 100% support,as I think the common rider/spectator pay enough.
Its time MA stood up for what they are suppose to represent.
Why do we have to keep paying. 

ps Wally this is not a personal attack to your above post