porsche91722

2015 MOTORSPORT CALENDAR

JANUARY                                                                                                                                          9-10 DUBAI 24H DUBAI U.A.E.
24-25 TUSC DAYTONA 24H U.S.A

FEBRUARY
7-8 BATHURST 12H BATHURST AUST

MARCH
1 V8SC ADELAIDE AUST
7-8 PWC CIRCUIT of the AMERICAS U.S.A.
8 INDYCAR BRASILIA BRAZIL
14-15 V8SC MELBOURNE AUST
15 F1 MELBOURNE AUST
18-19 BLANCPAIN GT MISANO ITALY sprint
21 TUSC SEBRING 12H U.S.A.
28-29 PWC ST PETERSBURG FLORIDA U.S.A.
28-29 V8SC SYMMONS PLAINS TASMANIA
28-29 SHANS NATS SANDOWN AUST
29 INDYCAR ST PETERSBURG FLORIDA U.S.A.
29 F1 KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA

APRIL
5 JAP SUPERGT OKAYAMA JAPAN
6 BLANCPAINGT NOGARO FRANCE endurance
11-12 BLANCPAINGT MONZA ITALY sprint
12 WEC SILVERSTONE 6H U.K.
12 INDYCAR AVONDALE LOUISIANA U.S.A.
12 F1 SHANGHAI CHINA
18 TUSC LONG BEACH 1h40m U.S.A.
19 PWC LONG BEACH U.S.A.
19 INDYCAR LONG BEACH U.S.A.
18-19 SHANS NATS MALLALA AUST
19 F1 BAHRAIN U.A.E.
25-26 ADAC GT OSCHERSLEBEN GERMANY
26 PWC BARBER M/SPORTS PK U.S.A.
26 INDYCAR BARBER M/SPORTS PK U.S.A.

MAY
2 WEC SPA 6H BELGIUM
2 JAP SUPERGT FUJI JAPAN
2-3 DTM HOCKENHEIM GERMANY                                                                                            2-3 V8SC BARBAGELLO W.A. AUST
3 TUSC LAGUNA SECA 2H U.S.A.
3 F1 KOREA
9 INDYCAR INDIANAPOLIS GP U.S.A.
9-10 BLANCPAINGT BRANDS HATCH U.K. endurance
10 F1 CATALUNYA SPAIN
16-17 N24H NURBURGRING GERMANY                                                                                 16-17 PWC MOSPORT CANADA
16-17 V8SC WINTON AUST
23-24 BLANCPAINGT SILVERSTONE U.K. Endurance
23-24 SHANS NATS PHILLIP ISLAND AUST (PI 101)
24 INDYCAR INDIANAPOLIS 500 U.S.A.
24 F1 MONACO
30 TUSC BELLE ISLE DETROIT 1h40m U.S.A.
30-31 INDYCAR DETROIT U.S.A.
30-31 DTM LAUSITZRING GERMANY                                                                                          31 PWC BELLE ISLE DETROIT U.S.A.

JUNE
6 INDYCAR FORT WORTH TEXAS U.S.A.
6-7 ADACGT RED BULL RING AUSTRIA
6-7 BLANCPAINGT ZOLDER BELGIUM Sprint
7 F1 MONTREAL CANADA
13-14 WEC LE MANS 24H FRANCE
13-14 SHANS NATS WINTON AUST
14 INDYCAR TORONTO CANADA
20 BLANCPAIN GT PAUL RICARD FRANCE Endurance
20 JAP SUPERGT THAILAND
20-21 ADACGT SPA BELGUIM
20-21 V8SC DARWIN AUST
21 F1 AUSTRIA
27 INDYCAR FONTANA CALIFORNIA U.S.A.
27-28 DTM NORISRING GERMANY
28 TUSC WATKINS GLEN 6H U.S.A.
28 PWC ROAD AMERICA U.S.A.

JULY
4-5 BLANCPAINGT MOSCOW RUSSIA sprint
4-5 ADACGT LAUSITZRING GERMANY
4-5 SHANS NATS EASTERN CREEK AUST
5 F1 SILVERSTONE U.K.
11-12 DTM ZANDVOORT NETHERLANDS                                                                               11-12 V8SC TOWNSVILLE AUST
12 TUSC MOSPORT 2h40m CANADA
12 INDYCAR WISCONSIN U.S.A.
18 INDYCAR IOWA U.S.A.
19 F1 GERMANY
25-26 BLANCPAINGT SPA24h BELGUIM
23 INDYCAR POCONO U.S.A.
25 TUSC LIME ROCK PARK CONN 2h U.S.A.
26 F1 BUDAPEST HUNGARY

AUGUST
1-2 DTM SPIELBERG AUSTRIA                                                                                                     1-2 V8SC QLD RACEWAY IPSWICH AUST
2 PWC MID OHIO U.S.A.
2 INDYCAR MID OHIO U.S.A.
8 JAP SUPERGT FUJI JAPAN
8-9 SHANS NATS QLD RACEWAY AUST
9 TUSC ROAD AMERICA 2h40m WISC U.S.A.
15-16 ADACGT NURBURGRING GERMANY
16 PWC MID OHIO U.S.A.
22-23 V8SC EASTERN CREEK SYDNEY AUST
23 TUSC VIRGINIA INT RACEWAY 2h40m U.S.A.
23 PWC MILLER M/SPORT PK U.S.A.
23 F1 SPA BELGUIM
29 JAP SUPERGT SUZUKA JAPAN
29-30 ADACGT SACHSENRING GERMANY
29-30 DTM MOSCOW RACEWAY RUSSIA
30 WEC NURBURGRING 6H GERMANY
30 PWC SONOMA U.S.A.
30 INDYCAR SONOMA U.S.A.

SEPTEMBER
5-6 BLANCPAINGT ALGARVE PORTUGAL sprint
6 F1 MONZA ITALY
12-13 DTM OSCHERSLEBEN GERMANY                                                                                      13 PWC LAGUNA SECA U.S.A.
13 V8SC SANDOWN AUST
19-20 BLANCPAINGT NURBURGRING GERMANY sprint
19-20 ADACGT ZANDVOORT NETHERLANDS
19-20 SHANS NATS PHILLIP ISLAND AUST
19 JAP SUPERGT SUGO JAPAN
19 TUSC CIRCUIT of the AMERICAS 2h40m U.S.A.                                                                   19 WEC CIRCUIT of the AMERICAS 6H U.S.A.
20 F1 SINGAPORE
26-27 DTM NURBURGRING GERMANY                                                                                      27 F1 SUZUKA JAPAN

OCTOBER
3-4 BLANCPAINGT MISANO ITALY sprint
3-4 ADACGT HOCKENHEIM GERMANY
3 TUSC PETIT LE MANS 10h ROAD ATLANTA U.S.A.
10-11 BLANCPAINGT  ZANDVOORT NETHERLANDS                                                              11 WEC FUJI 6H JAPAN
11 V8SC BATHURST AUST
11 F1 SOCHI RUSSIA
17-18 DTM HOCKENHEIM GERMANY                                                                                     17-18 SHANS NATS WAKEFIELD PARK AUST
24-25 V8SC SURFERS PARADISE AUST
25 F1 CIRCUIT of the AMERICAS U.S.A.

NOVEMBER
1 (31) JAP SUPERGT AUTOPOLIS JAPAN
1 WEC SHANGHAI 6H CHINA
1 F1 MEXICO CITY MEXICO
7-8 V8SC AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND
14 JAP SUPERGT MOTEGI JAPAN
14-15 SHANS NATS EASTERN CREEK AUST
15 F1 SAO PAULO BRAZIL
21-22 V8SC PHILLIP ISLAND AUST
21 WEC BAHRAIN 6H U.A.E
29 F1 YAS MARINA ABU DHABI U.A.E.

DECEMBER
5-6     V8SC OLYMPIC PARK  SYDNEY  AUST

After reading this article from Auto Action, it made me realize what a big chip some Australian motor sport media and supporters are carrying on their shoulders.     http://autoaction.com.au/gt3-wont-beat-v8s/?adbsc=social_20150417_43968526&adbid=846960438692527&adbpl=fb&adbpr=204021419653102

My response to these comments is as follows –  I can’t speak for all, but it is utterly ridiculous to make an assumption that fans want to see the demise of the biggest motor racing category in the country. We are however, sick and tired of the V8SC administrators thinking that they are the quintessential category in Australian motorsport.                   Never have been, never will be!                                                                                                       You say you don’t understand! Well…I’ll try and help you understand why motorsport fans in this country are frustrated at the category’s policies, procedures and tactics. We don’t like overbearing, ex-media/PR types who ride roughshod over other category’s, circuit owners and fans, with the attitude of  “We’re the only game in town”. Motorsport fans, like supporters of other sports, follow their game passionately, know their racing intimately, and don’t take kindly to some blow-in who turns up and manipulates the sport as his plaything and holds no respect for fans of other motorsport classes. The present administration will eventually disappear with their barrow full of payTV money and ride off into the sunset, leaving the teams to pick up the pieces, after destroying the product. Fans want to see the country’s main touring car category, if it is still possible, as the showcase of what the real cars are, not the silhouette, spec series that it has become.

Free to Air TV, PAYTV, live streaming

If the cars were all painted black, no one  would be able to tell the difference, and that includes the die-hards and the casual fans. We are over the stupid manipulation of the rules of racing….all in the name of improving TV ratings.

The term “troll” gets used a lot these days by people who don’t seem to be able to handle opposing arguments and can’t grasp the concept that some people may disagree with them.

I am a big GT3 fan. The various international GT3 series, have the best production based cars in the world, competing in racing at the moment. My personal view is that GT3, in it’s present form, could take over from the dinosaurs in our top racing category in Australia. I think that the main reason motorsport here in Australia and around the world is decreasing in popularity, is that administrators don’t seem to be capable of moving with the times. Decades ago, when our local automotive manufacturing industry was going great guns, the Ford vs GM battle was relevant. Even with the addition of Volvo and Nissan, having one tyre supplier and the determination of the category administration to promote the growth of the hated street circuits and their concrete canyon, demolition derby style of racing hasn’t made the product any more appealing. Australians have grown up, and are ready for a change from the boring old stuff that V8SC’s have been dishing up, for way too long. Kids these days aspire to own and drive the likes of Porsche’s, Audi’s, Ferrari’s, BMW’s, Mercedes, Aston Martin’s, Bentley’s, Jaguar’s, Lamborghini’s and McLaren’s. Do you really think that the new younger fans that the sport is trying to attract, really aspire to drive a Commodore, Falcon, Nissan or Volvo four door family sedan? The type of car that the category has at the moment would be more likely seen in a bowls club car park.

The reason Richard Muscat cuts a swathe through the AUSGT field is that he is a pro class driver racing against amateurs. Although he currently holds a silver rating, there’s no doubt that he should be gold rated in the FIA driver categorization list, based on his talent.

Demeaning other motorsport fans?? I’ve been to V8SC events. They don’t need demeaning by anyone, they do it by themselves. I’ve seen the actions of the fans/supporters at the Gold Coast event.  I’ve sat on the turn one hill at Qld raceway with my daughter. The behavior of some football crowds pales into insignificance. All of them aren’t necessarily in that group, however it does add to the image of the generic V8SC fan, and yes, most of the crowd at your average V8SC round is totally unaware of other forms of racing.  Photo dailytelegraph.com

F1, OMG, where do I start? The fans? Bernie Ecclestone? The boring Tilkedrome circuits they race on? The spoilt brat actions and attitudes of the drivers?

The “Star factor”….. you’re kidding aren’t you? LOL. V8SC’s have possibly half their field which could compete on the world stage in motorsport. The rest are paying (or should be) their way. The bottom half of the driving list wouldn’t even come close to matching it with the best drivers of many of the international series in world motorsport. Drivers who bring money sustain all categories in motorsport, and btw there are pro/pro teams in GT3 racing  http://www.blancpain-gt-series.com/entry-list?filter_meeting_id=45 , again something the writers of the article should have been aware of. Another fact that the writers seem to have missed is that many of these am guys match it with pace with the pro’s. Many of the teams go with a talented, fast driver who brings coin.

Motorsport in Australia can continue down the path it is on, with its head in the sand and the outdated neanderthal racing that V8SC’s provides, or it can grow up, get out of the 20th century and move into the 21st. Whether or not GT racing provides the answer, who knows, but we need change from the boring repetitive racing, our biggest category is serving up at the moment. By saying that most GT cars are unobtainable again misreads the followers of motorsport. Sure… the sport transcends a wide gulf of car ownership and while most of us will probably never own a Ferrari or Lamborghini, there is a whole new bunch of high disposable income, motorsport fans out there.

The Auto Action article completely misread the feelings of motorsport fans in Australia. Whether your inaccuracies were a simple case of  a misunderstanding, or the total lack of comprehension of the Australian motorsport fan community, I don’t know.

Here-in lies the issue at hand. Motorsport is similar to other sports. The individual football codes fans and administrators all have the same passion for their game and never miss the opportunity to have a go at the other guy. Fans sometime overstep the mark, but it is generally a healthy respect, that each code has for the others.

Richie Benaud. Photo: Patrick Riviere/ Getty.

Yesterday we lost one of our great sports commentators, Richie Benaud. Richie was a former Australian Cricket Captain who after his retirement from the game, went into broadcasting and became the voice of cricket, on television in Australia. He initially started his broadcasting career in the U.K. and commentated cricket all over the world. When Kerry Packer developed the breakaway World Series Cup of cricket back in the 1970’s, Ritchie was installed as the anchor of the TV commentary team, and became one of the iconic sounds of the Australian summer over the last 5 decades. His distinctive voice and commentary style was the subject of many impersonators and comedians, but he was universally loved and respected by everyone, from his former team mates, to his commentary colleagues, to cricket fans and to television audiences.

“The key thing was to learn the value of economy with words and to never insult the viewer by telling them what they can already see”

“What I want most from being a television commentator is to be able to feel that, when I say something, I am talking to friends”

“Put your brain into gear and if you can add to what’s on the screen then do it, otherwise shut up”

“And Glenn McGrath dismissed for two, just 98 runs short of his century” – on the Australian bowler, famous for his ineptitude with the bat.

We’ll miss the calls of “Marvelous”  “What a catch”   “Two for 22” over the Christmas/ New Year Australian summers of cricket.

I believe that there should be more permanent motor sport complex’s instead of the temporary street circuits that seem to be all the rage in recent years. I realize that there are considerable costs involved in getting a permanent motor racing track up to a high grade FIA international standard, that would make it viable to attract major world motorsport events. In saying that, it appears that the Bathurst regional council in NSW, have had the foresight to get involved with a motorsport venue, and can see the obvious benefits that it brings to their area. Without being unkind to the lovely people from the region, it’s got to be pointed out that Bathurst itself, doesn’t really have much else to attract visitors to the area.

Seeing how state governments poor tens of millions of dollars annually, into temporary street circuits at the Townsville, Gold Coast and the Sydney Olympic Park V8 Supercars races, it amazes me that there hasn’t been a more concerted push to have a permanent track where the venue is there, year round and can be utilized for additional motor-racing events and other sports/entertainment attractions. Although the existing temporary circuits are situated close to the CBD areas in the cities, there is an annual debate held where the local business & accommodation venues, who are all for the event (and who wouldn’t be, when the state government and council picks up the tab), and the local residents are generally up in arms against the annual invasion which limits their capacity to get around their cities, with major disruption to local traffic and infrastructure, for weeks before and after the event taking place.

The reasoning behind the ridiculous amount of money being continuously plowed into these street circuit venues, apparently is to generate TV pictures of the surrounding vistas to local Australian and international viewers, who in turn will come to spend their hard earned tourist dollars, at these places in the future. The money that comes with the motorsport fans is another immediate boost to the local economies too. Whether or not the combination of the two, justifies the taxpayer funds going into this black hole, seems to be the question that remains unanswered. The dubious crowd attendance figures that the government and promoters use as propaganda are also questionable, with combined figures over the duration of a three day event published, when generally, fans buy  multi-day passes and are counted at least 3 times and more, when they exit and re-enter the circuit over the course of the weekend.

If somewhere in the vicinity of 200 million dollars, spent over the history of the Gold Coast event, couldn’t have built a permanent, purpose built circuit and sports precinct, which would be there for, not only motor sport, but other sports and entertainment as well, I would be greatly surprised. In the case of the Gold Coast, there is evidence to prove that a permanent circuit proposal south of Beenleigh, has been around for quite some time.                                                                                                               http://www.imett.com.au/

Either there, or in the vicinity would mean that the location would be near or very close to the main Brisbane-Gold Coast corridor of transport, the M1 motorway and train services. It would still be in the City Council boundaries and close enough for the Gold Coast to gain exposure for their tourism and accommodation industries. Building football, basketball etc stadiums, and having a circuit as part of a specific sporting precinct would also make it more viable. Doing something in the very near future, could also mean that it could be utilized with the upcoming Gold Coast Commonwealth games. Unfortunately, this aspect of planning does not appear to have ever been considered.  None of this type of thing is new. It’s been done in many places around the world already, so there’s no reason a first class facility can’t be built here in Queensland.

It’s vitally important that if it were to happen, it has to be done right the first time, as it will probably be the only time. If a crap circuit along the lines of something like Queensland Raceway were to be built, it would be a total and utter waste of time and doomed to failure. A circuit like Bathurst shouldn’t be attempted to be duplicated, however a track that could be a world class complex, built to FIA standards up front, with good viewing facilities catering for both trackside fans and media, would be a success. Making sure it is also a challenging track for competition would be paramount.

“If you build it, they will come”.

A world class circuit in S. E. Queensland, within an hours drive of Brisbane’s airport and  port facilities would also mean easy access for international teams. However, it must be done now, before residential development closes the last gaps in the Brisbane – Gold Coast corridor. Leave it much longer, and the opportunity to build a motor sport facility will no longer be possible!

The reality is that we won’t get anything as truly magnificent as the Nurburgring. Take the time (2 minutes) to watch this, and see how a brilliant race circuit has been part of the beautiful landscape in Germany, for decades. If done properly, Queensland could have something, which we could be proud to project this beautiful part of the world to prospective international visitors.

I am a passionate motor racing fan, however I am fed up to the back teeth, of governments pouring our money down the drain, to help prop up localized industries.

I’m a sports fan, in particular motor sports, and more definitively sports car racing. I’m addicted to it. I can’t get enough of it. However, as a general sports fan, I don’t particularly like being limited to what I have access to watch on television. My opinion has always been that sporting events should be on free to air TV. We are in fact, having advertisements pushed down our throats every time we watch something on FTATV. If I were to pay to have access to TV, I would expect to get it commercial free. Apparently, that is not the case. It’s like having to pay an admission fee just to get in the door, to one of those camping or homemaker exhibitions that come to town, and then having over zealous marketing people trying to ream you out by selling their products to you.

The payTV debate in Australia continues to rage on, with the take up ratio sitting at about 30% of Australian households. The general standard of free to air television in Australia is absolutely pathetic, so I guess in one way, that in itself is frustrating people enough, to sign up to payTV. I honestly can’t see the value in signing up to a network when I would probably only watch about an hour or so of TV per day during the working week, and if I was suckered into getting access to more sports on TV, I’d expect to pick and choose the channels I want, without the repeats of sitcoms, news, lifestyle and other rubbish channels of their choice being thrust upon me.

Now, it’s been pointed out to me that I can miss out on watching the events that I like, because payTV are monopolizing many sporting codes and events. I’m fine with that. I only have so much time to watch the multitude of motorsport, cricket and football events that are telecast across the many mediums that are freely available anyway. If a particular sports series chooses to make it harder for fans to get live access to their code by selling their souls to a payTV network, I won’t get to watch it any more. It’s as simple as that. I’ll be mildly disappointed, but will generally catch up with it on a no charge, commercial free replay later, if I feel like it. It amuses me when marketers tell us how easy their products are available and then make it extremely difficult for the consumer to gain access to them. Motor sport is a very expensive pastime for the participants and sponsors. I would have thought that they would be lobbying promoters to make their coverage more easily accessible to fans. The Big Bash League (20/20 cricket), here in Australia is a prime example. In it’s first couple of seasons, it was shown on payTV. I wasn’t interested in paying and in not being able to get access, I wasn’t interested. Two years ago, they shifted over to FTA, and it’s been one of the big success stories in Australian sport, with fantastic TV ratings and sellout attendances at matches. I became a fan of this big hit version of cricket, with its brilliant entertainment value, however, if it disappears off FTA and goes back to payTV, they lose me and a lot of others.

photo theherald.com.au

There’s no doubt that live access to an event is the preferred way to watch, but if they are going to charge me for something that I can see later, for free, they’ve lost me. I haven’t seen a movie at the cinema for years, for that same reason.

I did however, sign up  to the WEC (World Endurance Championship)  for their 20 euro streaming service last year. Initially, I wasn’t happy with doing this, for the aforementioned reasons, however it turned out quite well, with only the events I wanted to see being available and being shown in good quality, advertising free. I considered the service they provided, with the excellent Radio Le Mans commentary and first class live timing to be exceptional, value for money. Hopefully they will continue with it this year.

The DTM (German Touring cars) series, Tudor United Sports Cars (U.S.), ADAC GTmasters, Blancpain GT, Pirelli World Challenge, Japanese Super GT, Bathurst 12 Hr and other motorsports series and events from around the world all make their racing available via live streaming, with most also making instant complete race replays immediately available. So, to put it simply….. If sports series choose to take the payTV money, and enjoy the short term financial benefits, they will face the consequences of losing fans and sponsors, which will ultimately prove very hard to win back.

photo autosport.com

The debate about V8Sc drivers appearing at the Bathurst 12 Hour race is ongoing. This year’s race did not have any of the main game V8 drivers appearing due to V8SC, denying them the opportunity to race, due to a dubious test session scheduled for the same weekend. For me, it raises the issue of whether the B12hr needs them or not, to be successful.
So, the question is…..Will V8SC drivers, racing in the B12 bring more people through the gates over the race weekend?
There’s a theory that the V8SC drivers may bring more local interest to the race. I disagree! As a motorsport fan, and a sports car racing addict, I don’t care. I certainly understand the reasoning behind it. The event needs increasing spectator numbers to make it successful. The TV network showing the race, wants to have as many possible viewers watching the race to make it more marketable to advertisers. However, this years attendance figures, and the brilliant TV ratings for the 7 network here in Australia, have shown that the punters turned up in increasing numbers at the track, and also watched the race live on TV, which this year was shown in its entirety. This, in itself, is a major step forward and a great leap of faith for the network, as previously to show a real endurance race, other than the iconic Bathurst 1000 would have been a suicidal move. The network has recently signed on the dotted line to televise the event for another couple of years.
I have been accused of being a V8SC hater for some of my comments about the series, in recent times. Far from it!! I enjoy watching great motor sport, of all persuasions, however the V8SC series has lost me over recent years, due to their antics in the way they run their series and promote it. It is generally accepted as being Australia’s premier motorsport category, but if that truly is the case they have to be proactive in the motorsport community. They aren’t!! They seem to hold this holier than thou attitude, that they are the only game in town. They aren’t!!
I think that this year’s B12hr showed that Australians want to see an alternative to the processional racing that V8SC’s show.

photo-carsguide.com.au

It takes an attention span longer than a goldfish has, to watch endurance racing. Aussies are now finding that there is an alternative to the freight train like racing that the V8 sprints churn out on TV for most of their series. The best drivers from around the world, from some of the best teams in international motorsport, in a wide cross section of magnificent cars with differing power trains and engine capacities, plus throw in some of our best Aussie drivers and teams all go to make the 12 hour, head and shoulders above what the other mob serve up. As it is only one event on the calendar, it has me bemused why the other crowd feel so threatened by it.

I don’t necessarily believe that the V8SC series actually has the cream of the crop across the board in Australian motorsport any more. As much as they try with their ridiculous points scoring and qualifying systems for the series, it only shows how shallow their depth of talent actually is. Take out Whincup, Lowndes, Tander, VanGisbergen and Winterbottom, and the stocks aren’t really that flash. There’s a few has-beens, some promising young guys and a lot of what can only be described as back markers amongst it, plus of course the drivers who are only there, because they bring money.
Sports car racing only exists because of money, and lots of it, but they don’t hide from it. The various sports car series run pro drivers and amateur (pay)drivers. Sports car racing has not and will never survive without rich guys paying their way.
So, I digress…. back to the main point. If the B12 was to get the likes of Ash Walsh, Todd Kelly, James Moffat, David Reynolds, Tim Blanchard, David Wall, Dale Wood etc turn up next year, would the race day attendance and TV ratings go through the roof? I doubt it.
If Todd Kelly, Michael Caruso, Tim Slade, Jason Bright, Lee Holdsworth, Andre Heimgartner and Nick Percat were to race at the B12, would the crowds become unbearable? I doubt it.
Going on this years success, with the likes of Winkelkock, Vanthoor, Mies, Ortelli, Mucke, Vilander, Gavin, Long, Smith, Kane, Brabham, the Nismo guys plus throw in any of the multitude of drivers racing in TUSCC, BlancpainGT, ADACGT masters and the WEC and it’s a no brainer.
The Bathurst 12 hour race has morphed into one of the world’s great endurance classics in its short life, improving every year in the four years I have been attending. The event now stands on its own. It doesn’t need some of the cringeworthy, overrated mob with questionable talents, from that other series, taking driving seats that I would rather see filled with real star driving talent.

I was attempting to watch the TUSCC race at Indianapolis this morning and it made me wonder, what must be going through the minds of the producers of the TV telecast when they are putting it to air. They don’t have a choice when it comes to incidents on track etc, but the amount of Full course yellows, ad breaks, commercial partner promotional segments, pit-lane driver interviews and general commentator dribble is now getting ridiculous, to the point where there is hardly any racing being shown. I tuned out eventually, choosing to background watch the stream, with the volume muted, while typing this report. It’s just all too hard! A lot has been said about the TUSCC (read NASCAR) way of doing things this year, from the driver gradings, the Balance of performance on the Prototype classes and of course their event TV production, but it’s got to be said, that in comparison, the ALMS put together a pretty slick TV/live video stream when they were controlling the reins.

Do the current TV production people not think that the fans are actually wanting to see the racing, rather than the off track non-racing antics they are giving us now? I understand that a commercial backer wants to get coverage for their products or services, but it is now gotten to the stage where it’s a commercial turnoff point. We (the fans), are being shown a race where more ads are being shown than actual racing.

If TUSCC want to destroy their fan base of North American sports car racing, they are going about it the right way. This year was supposed to be a year of integration, learning and ironing out the bugs of partnering the two former series (ALMS and Grand-am), but for every one step forward, they seem to take two steps back.

I am rapidly losing patience with this mob. They probably couldn’t care less about that, but the reality is, if comments on social media are anything to go by, a lot of others feel the same way.

I’ll be tuning in to watch the Spa 24 hour race, later this weekend, where we will hopefully be able to see the actual race instead of an advertising event with a touch of racing thrown in.

I’ve followed motorsport for over four decades, and over that time have noticed how race fans are often treated with disdain by various sections of the motor racing press. In the past we were just in the background at circuits on race day, we bought motorsport journals, we watched whatever was available on TV, but we pretty much had to accept what was presented to us. It’s a different world out there now, and we finally have a voice, via social media, forums, blogs etc to register our discontent. When they start throwing the gates open and letting us in for free, when the race promoters don’t sell their series to the highest bidder with fans having to pay per view, via streaming or payTV, we might decide to shut up and take what we are given. However, when we have to pay to follow the sport we love and are passionate about, we become stakeholders and then have the right to be heard. Some sections of the motorsport media aren’t too happy about this and seem to be quite peeved at anyone having an opinion which differs from theirs. Well guess what, guys? We may not always be right! Occasionally, people make statements that haven’t been properly researched (much like some media outlets) Sometimes our frustration makes us angry!
Thank goodness for Radio Le Mans and Sportscar365, who are light years in front of the rest.

What’s happening in world motorsport at the moment?
The FIA World Endurance Championship kicks off this weekend at Silverstone in the UK, and they tell us 2 days before the event starts that we now have to pay for a live stream of the race!
The Tudor United Sports Car series in the US is only 3 races into the calendar. The standard of racing has plummeted. Every decision they have made this year to make the unified series successful seems to be sending it downhill at an alarming rate. Ridiculous rules that stifle racing, crazy driver grading systems and stupid amounts of advertising that outweigh the racing make it extremely hard to watch and are driving the fans away in droves.
V8 Supercars, here in Australia, have joined the party and have made the decision, in 2015, to get out of free to air television and run on payTV.
All these moves by the race series mentioned have the effect in making them harder to follow. They obviously have their reasons for doing so, but in this present climate of instability, one would be forgiven for thinking that they would all be looking at retaining their fan base and simplifying procedures to expand on it. The opposite outcome appears to be the case.
Another thing that intrigues me is the secrecy. Surely one would be forgiven for thinking that promotion is all about being open and honest, spreading the word and doing so, well before the event, rather than fans having to go searching for details two days before a race starts. Don’t advertisers and sponsors deserve better?
I think it would be a good time to step back and have a good look at what these marketing genius’ are doing to the sport and the damage that is being done.

Just when a race series starts to genuinely get ahead, make advances in crowd numbers, increased TV ratings, larger grids etc, they shoot themselves in the foot with what seems to be a crazy, backward step in driving fans away.
I don’t get it.