Pukekohe have apparently increased their hire fees - dramatically - and that will have a direct impact on the viability of many meetings. The days of small grids must now be well and truly over and unless those currently refusing to combine their class with others see the light, I suspect they'll very soon be out in the cold or be digging far deeper into their pockets.
Sad state of affairs when you have to go to the bank to get a mortage to enter a "SPORT" (Americas Cup Excluded).
The 'powers to be' who are in organizing positions, need to get heads together and heed the rot and remember it all starts with the small guy in the club car and goes up through the stages.
Some '"class's" may have a big field at the moment, but can they alone fill the 8 grids for a meeting, as that's the way it is heading, and don't forget the big grid is all 'amateurs' and don't believe they will keep digging into pocket. The few bigger fish in the pond will be running around in a couple seasons back in the 'original 15 car' grid.
Club days will be a thing of the past (already are really)
At the risk of sounding slow on the uptake , can someone please explain the costs and the returns to see why this problem has happened and why a new buyer would transform it into a profitable business.
I see no figures here to help my understanding, but Car Clubs having advanced bookings so this business is not dragging its feet.
What are you trying to suggest Rod, I am getting too old for this reading between the lines stuffOriginally Posted by Rod Grimwood
Just as a matter of interest I looked at the MSNZ schedule of fee's.... if I was stupid enough to re-enter the sport at the level I left it ~1984 it would now cost me ~$1425.00 just to comply with the paperwork for year one [ year two would be less assuming no COD/roll cage/ licence upgrades etc & only renewals ]... IIRC it was costing in the region of $200.00pa in 1984.
Last edited by Jac Mac; 02-21-2015 at 09:56 PM.
Jac, Only what was heard, but seems true, as why would you take car all the way to Cromwell and then by pass Christchurch 6 days later. They raced at Ruapuna Scope last year and was great.
Story is, 'if you race at Ruapuna you do not go to Bathurst' from person at Highlands.
has anyone confirmed who is in talks about taupo circuit. or are you all assuming
I believe they(Central) were paid a fee per every car to attend(Highlands) but a part of the stipulation was to race at Highlands only and not Ruapuna, the following weekend(im only presuming this is correct) but as mentioned elsewhere on this post, its all about the CASH and I must admit if someone wanted to pay me to attend I would have to consider it seriously so good on him, and maybe that's the future?
As for Taupo it sounds as though its going to get sold regardless(just like a business going broke) and someone will buy/own it regardless, and will do with it as they wish depending on there own financial wealth, regardless of what anyone says or thinks. This probably means the club days of picking and choosing meetings/events are over so Quinn may as well be the one, at least he'll do something with it whether its to our liking or not.
It also seems to me the face of motorsport is changing very rapidly in this country! whether for better or worse only time will tell? but maybe its a change that's needed? We all bleat about cost but this is mostly from past memories as we get older, but I see more people involved in Motorsport today than ever before(2K cup has helped) so can't be all that bad or wrong as persons wouldn't be attracted otherwise!!
Dale M
Last edited by Kiwiboss; 02-22-2015 at 01:52 AM.
Check post #9 on this thread- there is a link to the 'old school' website- post #1 on that site has the same letter with further info than what Dales first post here included. A bit unsure myself as to what format the letter writers have in mind for Taupo should they gain the support they need, would seem that they have been thru it all before in earlier stages of the circuit evolving into what it is today.
http://www.business.govt.nz/companie...5135/documents
Some interesting reading in here if one wades through it all and places a timeline of other activities and developments alongside of it.
Private buyout of the fallen into disrepair Lakeside in Queensland a few years ago seems to have been overall a positive for the facility from what I've heard - upgrades, improved relationships with territorial authorities etc. The ownership is held in common with the Queensland Raceway. Maybe some of our QLD motorsport forum folk could let us know how it has gone.
Whether this is comparable to the current NZ circuit situation I couldn't say. I am just a follower of the sport not a competitor but I can understand the fears many have. As Richie's optimism goes, maybe we could be hopeful for an outcome that is at least OK. After all, if the facility is run along more business-like lines this doesn't necessarily mean less accessibility and/or greatly increased fees. If Taupo has been getting in the financial cack then something like this is on the cards. If the buyer is a motorsport enthusiast with lots of coin it's going to be better than a developer or, worse, a bank stepping in.
For someone to see an opportunity to make money, someone has to be ready to lose money. Enough money lost on motor racing at the top without clubs suffering
There may not be many events on at highlands, but you can do hot laps all day 7 days a week, so resource consent must allow for that.
thanks jac mac
After a quick look at the above...as of 2014 there were 6,376,099 share allotted to a total of 113 shareholders with a further 54,866 shares that had not been bought/allocated. Don't know how much those shares were valued at initially or how much they are in the hole for now. One would think by now the shareholders would have considered the possibility of injecting further funds on the basis of number of shares already held in order to clear the slate.
Last edited by Jac Mac; 02-22-2015 at 09:30 PM.
Yea, become a 'member' check it out.
Just in my email
Dear Class Representatives, Competitors and Race Contacts.
The Taupo Motorsport Park (TMP) Shareholders meeting last night, voted against the resolution to sell to the interested buyer. So that’s great news for now for bookings and it’s business as usual at this stage at the Taupo Motorsport Park.
Regards
Terry O’Brien and Melanie Coleman
Taupo Car Club Representatives
TCC Logo - medium
Oldfart, is this the same Terry O'Brien who raced a V8 Capri back in 80s'in Sports Sedans and dabbled with jet boats and was at Whyteline Ltd Paeroa.
Grimme, I don't know.
If the TCC has voted not to sell the track then they mustn't be under financial pressure to sell it? which is what i thought the situation was!! So why has all this come about???? was it just "someone" want to buy and the TCC needed a shareholders meeting as such to discuss??
Dale M
Taupo Motorsport Park Ltd is under pressure and by all accounts TMP shareholders turned down an offer of less than $4 million for the place, mind you it is about $6.5 million in the red. Scuttlebutt has TMP being offered for sale on the International market
Taupo Car Club along with friends are now one of the parties that maybe looking at purchasing. Sure hope they can pull it off.
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