Is it just me, or has the thrill of it gone away?

Last week I went the Grand Prix on the opening night, and I was so disappointed with what I saw I didn't bother going Saturday, instead I drove 3 hours home that morning and lost money on a night's accomodation.

Track conditions aside, the racing was boring, it was single file and rubbish. But the atmosphere is gone too. Where are all the cars that used to come across for what once was the marquee event on not only the Tasmanian Super Sedan calendar, but Nation wide too?

Lionel West, Des Korn, Paddy Ward, Steve Jordan, Ron Pyne (Clayton), Wayne Brims, Mark Pagel, Mick Doblo, Dave Colgrave, Trevor Ware..... where are these guys? The guys I mentioned used to be here year after year to support the event. I know it's 'invite only' now.. but why? Who is John Carr to decide who will and won't be able to run the Grand Prix? And I know nothing is stopping them, but who in their right mind would come down here and support a race for nothing? and why should they?

I'm afraid the Grand Prix will die if something isn't done...... it's the highest paid race in the country, and only 10 or so mainland drivers came over to compete.. it's wrong.

This invite **** needs to stop, and tow money should be paid to ALL drivers who want to come, and you'll soon see the return of crowds and the return of great racing. I would have thought it's a fairly simple flow chart .... bigger fields = better racing = bigger crowd = MORE MONEY FOR THE PROMOTERS = everyone wins. But it seems money comes first now, which is very sad.

I didn't go to Hobart this weekend, and from what I hear I'm glad I didn't. It's bad when you've got a former local boy, and current National Champion saying it's the worst track he's ever raced on, very bad.

Carrick might not have the best facilities, but at least they put on good racing most of the time, but I guess it's only a matter of time before those who have ruined 2/3 of the state's speedway's take over there and kill it once and for all. And it'll be a sad day!

As it is this season I've attended 4 night's of racing in Tasmania, and 3 on the mainland. The next meeting I go to will be the Australian Super Sedan title in Adelaide, and that will probably be me done for the season. That'll mean I've seen more racing on the mainland than I have here for the season, and it's becoming a trend!

I'm never disappointed with the racing over there? so the passion is still there for me. Maybe I get spoiled over there, who knows.. but I fail to see how every track I go to on the big island can do it so much better than they do here, because they all have the same thing to work with.

And let's face it, it was only 5 years ago we had 50 odd cars here for the Grand Prix and the racing was awesome! .. Only one thing has changed since then... anyone guess what it is?

That's my opinion and I'd love to hear what everyone else thinks......

This year has been the same for me. My home track is carrick and that to me has even lost its thrill. Dusty tracks and low crowd numbers have been a major concern and the poor racing in the higher ranks ( most of the support races are more exciting) has been diappointing. I have attended latrobe once and although the facilities are great there was that wow factor missing. Most of these clubs rely on hard working volunteers who do a great job, are they getting worn out having every weekend racing, and so many two night races in a row. So what is the answer, everybody needs to work together but as I see on the forums there are so many opinions I dont think it would work. New speedway in the midlands at the cost of selling Hobart and carrick both tracks that need work, just a thought. Hour from Hobart and Launceston. Maybe just a off year but some of the issue that have come from Latrobe and Hobart is a concern. All I'm looking forward to is the Super title at Latrobe and hopefully Brad smith sticking it right up them.

Sprintcars, and to a cetain extent, supers, have outgrown 1/4 mile, flat, clay tracks. Horsepower and grip levels mean that the tracks are destroyed early in the night. They are also to small for two lane racing on most nights.

I also think that the format of racing needs to change, even if only occassionaly. 2 heats and final has been the format for as long as I can remember.

I went to the US last year and at every track for every division the format was one heat and a final. Tough going but you had to race flat out in the heat.

WoO and California sprintcars, time trial, one heat, dash and main events. If you finished top four in heats, into the dash. Start the feature from dash finish. Everyone else, c & b mains. Balance of A main transfers lined up in time trial order. Every time the car went on the track, it had to go forward.

Might not work all the time but it reduces the laps on the track, and the damage to it, but the punters see cars passing and having a go.

Secondly, there is a serious lack of promotion. The promoters don't support the drivers, I've tried to provide giveaways in the past and been told, "that business doesn't do any for the track, why should we promote them". Drivers become reluctant to help promoters. Ticket prices are too high.

Commentary at the tracks is dismal. The bullsh*t positive spin put on everything is appalling. "the track will go down well" when it is black in hot laps or ski jumps like last weekend is just offensive. The lack of knowledge of the cars, the rules and the drivers is terrible. The unwillingness to "comment" on anything is infantile. "Lets leave that one to the officials". Wrong, you are paid to comment, tell us what you think, the punters can then debate who is right, boo the steward for incorrectly sending our favourite driver to the rear or whatever. A bit of controversy is great! That's what adds excitment.

Hi folks & have just read some of your thoughts & yes, some unknown reason it seems to be lacking the wow factor & sting it used to have, ie as stated our Grand Prix just doesn't have that atmosphere as it used to......I think that as Aron was saying we need more mainlanders over for sure.....the track surfaces i agree seem not to last as long as they used to....We lost having a round of World Series but i must admit having the american's over wasn't a bad idea....At least some of our other divisions have put some great racing on.....

Hi everybody & yes interesting to read how our Tracks' have gone off early as in previous years...1...I think that some years ago we didn't have the huge field of sprintcars as we see now doing their hot laps......2....I think the super sedans too have grown in numbers.[ i may-be wrong]..3..Is that there are more divisions so more cars tearing up the surface.......Now don't shoot me for saying this BUT do we really need hot laps for the sprint cars & supers??......No other division gets them....So I'ld like some feedback please....Yes i do love watching hot laps but at the end of the day DOES it ruin the surface for close racing as it goes black & slick & more or less one lane instead of 2 or 3 abreast, later in the features....my opinion only.......

Sprintcars seemed to manage ok at the Title without hot laps. That might say a bit.

Hi every-body, & yes i think that we need to really have a good hardlong look at where this state is heading....I know every-body on here has their views for the sake of speedway as we all love it & want to see it do well into the future. So this being the case i would like a promoter as in the case of the 3 speedways that we have in Tasmania to express their views & what they have on the drawing board fo the next couple of years at least. If we can get any of these guys on I know that we'll ask them important ???s...In this situation i do hope it works out is that it won't be a grill session for them we'll keep it above board & welcome & challenge them on any subject in the Speedway Forum tha t we ask of them.....Look i would love your full support & let's get the ball rolling & head Tassie Speedway in the right direction for everybody's peace of mind......