ARE WE RACING NEXT YEAR?ITS UP TO YOU

[Pete Sparrow]

There are a lot of things that we can do via the website or via e-mail. I find time a precious comodity and if a race report form or a commentators sheet is delivered via e-mail I am more likely to fill it in. Can we not give this a go?
I want to do as much as the next man (or woman) and think that if we are committed to our club then we should show it. If for example you have never taken a club position, why not have a go. most of us have computers so most tasks are tranferable and at worst time consuming.
Lets see who puts their hand up and offers help, if for example you are short of cash and can't get in a car then take a job adminstraiting,there will always be a job or someone that wants a hand.
If nothing happens i'll start giving people jobs i think.

[Marc Fenner]

Well i dont have the cash to race at mo. Give it another at least 5 years and i will be there.

I would love to do more for the club! If there is something i can do i will do it.

Would have been at more rounds but with moving house and getting a new job at same time its been a bit mad.

ANyway im here to help!

[rod stead]

Why not do a survey amongst those that have raced with the club in,say, the last 3 years but are no longer doing so, or who only do the 24 hour race?

These are surely the easiest people to get back onto the grid as they've done it before!

Might provide a pointer to the future ...................

Pete's point about being able to easily hire cars is a good 'un - the more that try it, the more that may buy into it!

[Trevor Williams]

Paul, Phil Myatt and others undertook a survey two years ago, the outcome was not conclusive, and led to this years championship make up.
This year the general consensus is that we should go to being only endurance rounds, and limit them to four plus the 24 hour race.
If we go with that it will be up to everyone to make it work
Cheers
Trevor

[Bob Rice]

Keith and I both favour the idea of endurance races only, and to a degree that is how we have selected the races that we have participated in, also it has been apparent that at double headers the endurance races have had healthier entries than the Sprints, which obviously indicates where those with limited budgets ie. most people, prefer to spend their money.

However just assuming that taking this direction will be the saviour of our grids is dangerous, what most people seem to think we need, is to attract those 'cars ' that participate only in the 24 hours. Personally I no longer support this thinking as it appears to me that the majority of those cars are run by people that are happily running the rest of the year in other series in what they see as proper cars! Nothing, lets repeat that, NOTHING will tempt those people out, other than the 24 hours. This is born out by other people I talk with, Racers and Instructors, most of whom express an interest in doing the 24hrs, but don't see beyond that when it comes to 2CV racing.

Therefore, in my opinion anyway, the only way to improve the grids is to entice new blood into the series (I'm deliberately using the word series and not Championship) and the sport, and I don't pretend to know how to  do that,
I think that, as I think Pete intimated, that if we were to promote reasonably priced hire cars, at let's say Junior Kart meetings that might help if properly promoted and advertised.
I think if the rules were tightened even more and at the same time simplified that might help too.
Maybe we should setle on one or two Engine Builders (which appears to be the case anyway), and then make everyone use their sealed and randomly picked engines, that might help as well.

Whatever you do it will need to be radical, from my own experience of two seasons involvement, I can tell you that I can't see me ever prefering this series over my Club level Caterham races (and believe me that has cost me less than the 2CV over the last two seasons), unless something changes.

Oh well that's my twopenny worth, I suppose I will now get pilloried, but at least that would be healthy for the club if it came from anyone other than Pete, Paul, Trevor, the Hollises etc, etc.

bye

Bob

[Ben Allan]

Bob,

I completely agree.  Apart from I don't have another car, so I do the spirnts as well.

Ben

[Bob Rice]

Thanks Ben,

[keith shoebridge]

The national Championship is dead.  I think that's an obvious statement.

If you asked all the members that do not compete on a regular basis the answer would be the same - cost and time.

I would not drive all day to Scotland, Wales or anywhere else for one hour of driving, it's not cost effective and not fun.

I think we all miss the point, sure we go motor racing for enjoyment, but we also have to remember that we have to give back entertainment,  otherwise nobody stays to see the action.  Most clubs would not embrace the 2CV club because we do not give the return on investment
of crowd pleasure, excitement or decent sized grids.

What to do?  Well here is my view.

-2007 Go endurance 2/3 hours at least
-Four rounds for the season.
-Two drivers for each race (except 24 HR)with equal time in the car, none  of this running around the car business.
-All rounds to be held in the South of England.  Bad news for Scots and the Welsh, but you have the water and the whisky.
-Reverse grids, ie. previous winner starts from from back of grid etc. This will ensure that the top jockeys have to work hard and please the crowd.
-If previous race winner wins by a large margin, penalise by staggered start.  Again, a good crowd pleaser and the more they spend on engine development the harder they will have to work.
-Introduce percentage penalties for going slow in practice and/or race.
-Paint car roofs different colours - so that it is easy for commentators and spectators to see who is who (Hot Rods).
-Take 3 rent-a-drive cars to each race, offer one to fastest club driver of a previous race.  If necessary, free of charge.
-Change gear shift to floor mounted, so not so many engine blow ups.
-Introduce standard cars and race cars.  All standard cars to be standard except for minimum safety equipment (leave the canvas roof on).
-Do not hold events over Bank Holiday weekends( mothers and kids get P Off with that).
-Employ somebody to go to each race meeting and write report and send to magazines.
-Go to a smaller Club that wants you to succeed.
-TAKE ACTION NOW.

Last, but not least, the Club should send a monthly News letter out, do you all really believe that we get home at night, switch on the computor and read 2CV News, but we could read it on the way to work on the train.  

PS: Its not the problem thats the problem its how you handle the problem thats the problem.
PPS: The next time somebody suggests racing at Goodwood, I would counsel the Club to take it seriously and at least 'phone or write a letter to make an enquiry.  We could be racing in front of 110,000 people - with radio and television coverage.

Good Night and Good Luck.

[TerryCollier]

Hi

I have followed the discussion with interest and agree with most of the aspects especially the positive moves to make the Club more helpful to new comers and existing racers.

It has been suggested that we might consider more radical solutions in an endeavour to make our activities more attractive to participants, spectators and sponsors.

This is my suggestion for a radical change.

I suggest that we form a working group to work towards setting up a mainly 24 hour experience. I would propose running three 24 hour races per year plus three 2 hour endurance races. The endurance races would enable cars and drivers to be prepared for the 24 hour races.

The three venues I am suggesting would be Snetterton, Pembrey and Spa. We know Snetterton. Pembrey has been the subject of some discussion and needs further evaluation. Spa exists because I believe the Belgian series would welcome a British Class bringing between 30 and 40 cars as this would keep the race going as it is also under pressure regarding grid sizes.

The three tracks offer completely different 24 hour experiences. Snetterton we know. Pembrey will offer a much more traffic congested and testing driving experience. Spa is Spa.

Our Grid sizes would be such as to remove this from the discussion area.

The Club image would be greatly increased and we would attract more participants.

I think that a focussed working group could deliver this to the Club.

Regarding cost -- always a critical item -- If we work a "Snetterton" approach, with "guest" drivers making contributions then the net outlay per car owner would not be excessive. People no doubt will work it out but a cost in the order of £1000 per drive would make budgets workable.
If a Team was made up of four existing car owners then they could hire their cars out and maybe end up in profit.

I have thought about this and am confident that it is a realistic proposition. I am not going to go into all of the things that I considered because this message is getting too big already.

I look forward to the comments of you all.

Good Racing
Terry Collier

[Derek Coghill]

Given the amount of time it takes to prepare for one 24hr race, doing 3 would be somewhat difficult. As far as Spa goes, our cars aren't that far away from the "Ameliorée" class that the Belgians have. The stumbling block (as always) is refuelling.

To another poster, who isn't prepared to go to Wales or Scotland to race; try having to travel from Scotland to race. Admittedly, I don't go to places like Lydden, but Spa is closer to me by road than Oulton Park (there's a ferry involved, though) and, apart from Croft and Knockhill, it's the closest UK circuit. It's a day trip to get to Snetterton.

[Francis Rottenburg]

Like Derek I can't see the logic of three 24 hours much though the idea appeals.  The logistics of running a car with all the wear (damage!) a 24 hour causes and organising 3 or 4 paying drivers for each race is unlikely to be possible.  Input from families is likely to reduce grown men to quivering cry babies!

[Bob Rice]

Here we go again, two responses that offer critiscm and no practical input.

I do agree with Francis that it would be difficult to find paying drivers for three races, but unlike him I'll tell you why - take a look at the entry list for the alternative UK 24 hr race at Silverstone... I predict that Pay drivers will prefer to save their pennies and race with the Britcar Crews in coming seasons, and that will spell the end of the 2CV 24hrs and British 2CV racing in general. No Racing, No club!!

So come on Guys, don't go the way of the Dinosaurs, put your thinking caps on and come up with something positive.

As someone says above - Its not the problem thats the problem its how you handle the problem thats the problem

See you at Silverstone - 9th, 10th September.

Bob

[keith shoebridge]

Bob,

This is like winking at girls with dark sunglasses on. Nothing happens.

Perhaps somebody will take the glasses off?

Let me take one small step for mankind.

If somebody can email me with a list of all the club members, including their names and addresses, i will write to them with all the ideas that i have and ask which one thay think will fly.

Good night and good luck.

[Catherine Noble]

I'm still mulling over all the recent comments but ...

If all the races are put in the SE England then I won't be racing, though would still try to attend as a spectator. If trying to promote the club is it not better to travel over a wide area so that the cars are seen ... not just a circuits, but on the road? Limiting the area racing surely reduces the visibility of the club?

I like the idea of articles being sent to magazines, etc. I can remember the Scottish series having a paragraph in the (then Glasgow) Herald. Every little helps.

C x

[Paul Robertson]

Dinosaur Here, Sounds to me kieth and bob that you are both so full of fresh and innovative ideas that one of you should take over as club chairman and pull the club out of the dark ages (or is that dark glasses)and into the bright and roof painted future.