V8s back in PUKE!!!!!

[fangsport]

i dont know the in and outs at all, but seeing as Hampton Downs is all but a brand new circuit and Taupo has just had a massive renovation, surely some heads need to roll if they aren't up to the required standards for such an event.

Shannon, taupo dosn't have the infrastructure for such and event, and hampton has poltical issues.

welcome to 'motorsport in NZ 101' ................... it sucks !

[Mr Revhead]

Taupo is in the middle of no where as far as getting a huge crowd to attend

[matt dunn]

Taupo is in the middle of no where as far as getting a huge crowd to attend

Also they considered Taupo as not having enough accommodation within range of the track,

Plus years ago when taupo was new and the Supercars looked at it,
Supercars require a clean track, as in all existing signage must be removed, as if they haven't paid V8SC, they ain't getting on TV,
and Taupo club refused to remove the signs of those who had sponsored to help build the facility.

[fangsport]

Taupo is in the middle of no where as far as getting a huge crowd to attend

Also they considered Taupo as not having enough accommodation within range of the track,

Plus years ago when taupo was new and the Supercars looked at it,
Supercars require a clean track, as in all existing signage must be removed, as if they haven't paid V8SC, they ain't getting on TV,
and Taupo club refused to remove the signs of those who had sponsored to help build the facility.

is that not the same reasoning behind not going to hampton downs?

[snwtoy]

Apparently it's political BS between MANZ and another party who has control over HD (or something like that - I did hear the full story but can't remember the details)? There is no actual reason the race can't be held at HD, apart from egos and stubbornness.

[matt dunn]

Apparently it's political BS between MANZ and another party who has control over HD (or something like that - I did hear the full story but can't remember the details)? There is no actual reason the race can't be held at HD, apart from egos and stubbornness.

There was a radio interview with TC who runs the V8SC series in australia,
and they asked him about HD and you could almost hear him laugh,

[escortman]

my understanding was HD wasn't big enough circuit yet, but was a possibility when the whole track is completed

[rolla_fxgt]

my understanding was HD wasn't big enough circuit yet, but was a possibility when the whole track is completed

No, that was a MSNZ reason, but given that its 100 meters shorter than Puke, I don't believe it for a second. And I think they race shorter circuits in Aus for V8SC anyway.

If the govt gave the $2mil to HD(instead of Puke), they could finish it, in fact they apparently have the money to do it in the bank now, its just they don't want to spend it till its profitable to build the full track, ie the rest of the business is creaming in the money, and they have a long term user for the large track. They don't want to end up like Taupo, and build a larger track length, and not have the users to support it. Which in my opinion is a good idea, after all they're running HD as a business, not a track to entice members to join a motorsport club.

Sorry not Matt as I orignally put, should have been as Fangsport says, its all MSNZ politics.

[snwtoy]

my understanding was HD wasn't big enough circuit yet, but was a possibility when the whole track is completed

It's only 100m shorter than Puke, but lap times will be higher due to it being more technical. I don't think that's a valid reason?

[escortman]

oh yeh fair enough

[STR]

V8 Supercars won't go to Hampton Downs any time soon. There's alot to do there as well, and they'll never get consent to run an event that big, due to traffic control issues with that many people trying to get off/on SH1 at one interchange.

There's also some personal crap going on in the background. I happened to be at Hampton earlier in the year, and saw a stand-up yelling match between Tony Roberts (Hampton Owner) and Tony Cochrane (V8 Supercars boss), with Roberts literally telling Cochrane to GTFO...

Hampton was designed at FIA Grade 2 (or something like that), but can't be the top FIA grade without an on-site hospital. It was also designed to be run in the opposite direction, but they couldn't get consent to run that way as the council reckoned there was a risk an out of control race car could end up on SH1 if it came off the end of the front straight (now turn 10)! That'd be quite some crash, but that's what had to happen, so that's caused problems.

I think V8 Supercars won't go there until the track extension is built. As for NZV8s, they won't go there because the Supertourers are there.

It's a shame, cos I reckon Hampton is a far better circuit and facility. Puke is bumpy as f*ck and I reckon it'll take more money than what they've promised to make it a good circuit again.

[Boost_4_Life]

This will cause so much anger from those in the tron

None here. Good riddance I say!

amen!

[rolla_fxgt]

I see that V8SC has done MSNZ's bidding for it in banning the Gis and Fabian from competing in V8ST.

Surely its time for the FIA to step in and remove all office holders from MSNZ, and ban them from standing for a decent length of time. Its the only way its going to get better.

Also not sure what legal ground V8SC have to ban them either. Could be interesting if it goes to court. V8SC could end up paying V8ST a lot of money, and all because they listened to the muppets at MSNZ.

I have read that MSNZ perhaps said to Tony C that they wouldn't provide the right signoffs for V8SC to race in NZ, if they allowed the Gis & Fabian to race in V8ST.

[Mr Revhead]

Where's the official info for that?
I've seen fb posts, twitter quotes and forum topics but no official releases o anything?

[fangsport]

I see that V8SC has done MSNZ's bidding for it in banning the Gis and Fabian from competing in V8ST.

Surely its time for the FIA to step in and remove all office holders from MSNZ, and ban them from standing for a decent length of time. Its the only way its going to get better.

Also not sure what legal ground V8SC have to ban them either. Could be interesting if it goes to court. V8SC could end up paying V8ST a lot of money, and all because they listened to the muppets at MSNZ.

I have read that MSNZ perhaps said to Tony C that they wouldn't provide the right signoffs for V8SC to race in NZ, if they allowed the Gis & Fabian to race in V8ST.

got any 'offical ' release for that information??


what makes you think NZST are such angels ??

[rolla_fxgt]

got any 'offical ' release for that information??


what makes you think NZST are such angels ??

No no offical release, not even MSNZ are that dumb. First rule of blackmail is never write anything down or allow it to be recorded, that's how you get caught.

Oh they're not angels, but they haven't been as dodgy as either MSNZ or V8SC yet.
Why else would Tony C step in and say that he didn't think its a good idea blah blah blah, and "sugest" (his words) that teams shouldn't allow them to race in NZ in ST's. It has MSNZ fingerprints all over it. They are the only ones that benefit from V8SC not allowing big name drivers to compete in NZ in a ST.

[Mr Revhead]

Oh. Dear.

[fangsport]

Oh they're not angels, but they haven't been as dodgy as either MSNZ or V8SC yet.

what a load of crap.... where did the ST chassis come from?? did Petch and Co just decide to do it ?? who also used (without permission) V8SC wings and splitters to set up the test mule?? who also waded into the Puke fight saying there series is far better and ATEED only needed to pay $250K instead of the $10-ishM for the Aussie counterparts.

Why else would Tony C step in and say that he didn't think its a good idea blah blah blah, and "sugest" (his words) that teams shouldn't allow them to race in NZ in ST's.

the big picture suggests that V8SC are embarking on new TV contracts and want to protect their investment

It has MSNZ fingerprints all over it. They are the only ones that benefit from V8SC not allowing big name drivers to compete in NZ in a ST.

don't you think V8SC lose out if their drivers have injuries sustained whle racing in NZ?? If it was in their off season, like most of the NZ summer series, they might be more lenient??

[matt dunn]

Oh. Dear.

how misguided some are.

It is widely known that Petch wants V8ST to become as good and big as V8SC,

and even went to the papers saying that the auckland govt. would have been better giving supertourers the money instead of supercar aust.

so why would supercars aust want thier big name draw cards running in a series that is aimed to be thier opposition?

If petch had of shut his mouth he may not have lost the drivers.

[rolla_fxgt]

Oh they're not angels, but they haven't been as dodgy as either MSNZ or V8SC yet.

what a load of crap.... where did the ST chassis come from?? did Petch and Co just decide to do it ?? who also used (without permission) V8SC wings and splitters to set up the test mule?? who also waded into the Puke fight saying there series is far better and ATEED only needed to pay $250K instead of the $10-ishM for the Aussie counterparts.

ST Chasis came from Cerich or whatever his name is, based on a v8 chasis developed orignally for NZV8, but which the evidently didn't want. Hardly ST's fault that MSNZ/NZV8 couldn't write a proper contract and retain ownership of the intellectual property. But V8 chasis development is hardly rocket science, your not really reinventing the wheell are you. They could have developed any chasis, and it would have had features similar to other V8 race cars.

I thought they had permission to use the wings and splitters for testing, otherwise how did they get them?

Yes Petch was a moron winding up the monkeys. But what he actually said was wouldn't it be better to put less money into a local series, which in my opinion was a fair question to ask.

Why else would Tony C step in and say that he didn't think its a good idea blah blah blah, and "sugest" (his words) that teams shouldn't allow them to race in NZ in ST's.

the big picture suggests that V8SC are embarking on new TV contracts and want to protect their investment

Well hopefully they get decent contracts then. But not sure anyone in the TV broadcast world wants to deal with another Ecclestone clone. Ones enough for the world.
I love it how TC and it seems you think team owners can't think for themselves and think of their own interests. Because we all know that team owners are idiots right?

It has MSNZ fingerprints all over it. They are the only ones that benefit from V8SC not allowing big name drivers to compete in NZ in a ST.

don't you think V8SC lose out if their drivers have injuries sustained whle racing in NZ?? If it was in their off season, like most of the NZ summer series, they might be more lenient??

Yes they could loose out, but they let other drivers do other events or activities (including cycle races, which have a higher chance of injury than a car race) in the season. So I don't buy the argument that they've finally figured that out. If so, then they're a bit slow, after all how many years has it taken them to work it out.
It also shoots their want for other drivers from other series to come out for the Gold Coast race, unless they no longer want that now either? After all why do they expect other series to let their drivers come out for that, but not allow their drivers to go elsewhere?
Just a little hypocritical, I think everyone can agree on that.

I mean its all well and good for TC to make this call, and get teams in line, but you can bet that if drivers are prevented from racing in any other catagory, then the drivers will demand higher pay, and teams will have to get more sponsorship, or cut other costs. Eventually it'll mean the death of smaller teams, as they won't be able to afford the higher costs, to satisfy their drivers, and yet again V8SC will face another struggle.
But then again TC hasn't really ever been one to think about the consequences of his decsions in the long term.