I just wanted to wind NZ club racers up a bit!

[Oldfart]

In the latest round of news from the MSA (UK equivalent of MSNZ) they have decided to extend the life of seats and harnesses which are homolgated to the latest standards in an effort to help grass roots motorsport. Novel isn't it?
“As the governing body, one of our principal
roles is to grow motorsport at grassroots
level while promoting safety within the
sport at a realistic cost for competitors.
I firmly believe the time has come for a
wholesale review of our approach to safety
across the entire motorsport landscape
and this review will be delivered by
2020. It’s therefore appropriate to allow
our competitors to continue using their
recently purchased seats at least until then,
when the outcome of this review will be
published.”
In stage rallying, seats homologated to the
FIA 8855-1999 standard are granted a twoyear
extension at the end of their initial
five-year life
ƒ Across disciplines requiring a
homologated harness, the MSA will
recognise a ten-year life for harnesses
homologated to the latest FIA 8853-2016
standard. This homologation is for sixpoint
harnesses as a minimum, and is
tested with higher loadings than the
previous standard.

[Allan]

There are a lot of us that used to but can't and don't any more, for a variety of reasons (age and money in many cases) that don't need winding up thanks OF.

[Oldfart]

I find it somewhat of an irony that the UK organisation is bending over backwards to get the grass roots going as opposed to .....

[John McKechnie]

Their view needs to be encouraged and send missionaries out into the world...well, at least this Colony ...to spread the word

[Roger Dowding]

Oldfart

I find it somewhat of an irony that the UK organisation is bending over backwards to get the grass roots going as opposed to .....
John McK
Their view needs to be encouraged and send missionaries out into the world...well, at least this Colony ...to spread the word

Agree Gentlemen - a reasoned approach, and what about the extra restictrive Tony Quinn venues -we should get back to basics with appropriate safety, otherwise the Historic Motorsport scene will diminish,being left to those with "Pots of Gold " to spend.

[928]

I think it is time that Mr Quinn realised that, although he may own a race track, if no one wants to use it because of unreasonable regulations it is of little use. talking about hampton downs, the spectator facilities need improving over all aspects,seating food outlets otherwise people will not come back to watch.me for one

[Ray Bell]

That wasn't the attitude the Poms had when colonising our lovely lands...

And haven't our own elected governments and controlling bodies carried on with the old "bleed 'em dry" methods?

[Oldfart]

Sometimes, just sometimes, people look forward, not back! (Said in jest Ray).
Quote on the wall at our Australian owned UK company, England has history, Australia has previous.

[ERC]

In many respects, I'm glad I'm no longer competing. Common sense as we all know, isn't very common, otherwise we wouldn't have had a plethora of regulations aimed at flimsy cars with a potential of 300kph totally ignoring the amateurs with road-going vehicles.

Rules and regulations regarding cages and belts, certainly in NZ, have proved to be full of contradictions, classic of which have been that removing a good cage and reverting to standard lap and (aged) diagonal belts, is and was preferable to having decent equipment.

The logic of that escapes me, as does Mr Quinn's regulations - that are not based on driver protection but on.... (well, some know the answer to that one).

Grass roots motorsport is where most start to ultimately rise up the ranks and those who elect to stay at that level, are the 80% who provide the income and support for not just the tracks and MSNZ, but also for the businesses who rely on competitors for a living.

Attack the 80% and there is only one outcome. Volumes shrink.

[Ray Bell]

The big question is, "Would you get into it today?"

I mean if you were young and enthusiastic. I know you'd have to be much wealthier than I was when I went racing.

[Oldfart]

The big question is, "Would you get into it today?"

I mean if you were young and enthusiastic. I know you'd have to be much wealthier than I was when I went racing.

And so many get in to live Dad's unfulfilled dream, and help empty his wallet. When many of us were young and started at whatever level we could, it was our own money, scrimped, saved and found from second jobs etc, etc. If the money dried up, the car was parked, or something else sacrificed.
The whole thing has changed. Almost every person you see even at Motorkhanas has signage for someone's business, many forums have appeals from a brand new "wannabee" asking how to get sponsorship.
It's just different.

To answer Ray (Bell's) question, I couldn't afford it. Even a 2K by the time the prep is done, and I don't know enough people to contribute money.

[Ray Bell]

Yes, it's all too true about the family funding...

I remember about 25 years ago I was doing a story about a young motorcyclist running in the Australian title series. His parents had sold their home to finance his racing.

At about the same time I went to a Formula Ford title race at Lakeside and I could recognise about half of the runners were sons of racing fathers. And they made up eight of the first nine on the grid, IIRC.

[ERC]

Ironically, I don't see the high percentage of youngsters into cars (even though most couldn't even afford a car anyway) as when we grew up. Cars to many are now just 'White Goods', with little or no character.

That inevitably means there are going to be fewer entering the sport at any age, let alone at a senior age, which is generally the largest group these days. The average age of the ERC members over the last 20 or so years, has always been over 50, with many only in their first or second season at that age.

I note that in the last three years or so, more older ones are hanging up their helmets early and are not being replaced by the same number of younger drivers. This does not augur well for the future of classic motorsport in particular, and as posted above, even starting off in the 2K Cup series is maybe now out of reach of many and most do have to finance their own racing.