Top Ten shoot outs

Does anyone else feel that these are bore for race spectators!One car on 3kms of track is not a good spectator draw.Bring back the days when it was a free for all for practice/qualifying.

On TV they are brilliant.When you get the on screen splits and how they are stacking up.No traffic worries just the as good as you'll get conditions to go as hard as you can.At a track I could imagine they might not be so great.

Not a good analogy.

Boxers are competing against another boxer, whereas, a racing-car is competing against the clock.

Personally, I enjoy seeing someone 'doorhandling it', knowing he has no other vehicle to worry about--makes for some untidy moments!

So at Pukekohe for example, where the cars are out of sight for at least half a lap, you think that is good value for your spectator dollars!No wonder non-motorsport people can't understand the attraction.

Ho hum.Must rethink my attitude as to what constitutes a spectator friendly event.

I wonder why they get such good crowds at Speedway when many of the races are only last about 4 minutes!

Its not gentlemans sunday afternoonracing socram , the boys want to know who is quickest & whether they can do anything to improve their speed . . Those not interested can go & have a cup of tea & a lie down until the racing starts .

But why do they need the whole track to themselves!Tier 1 is supposed to be the pinnacle of NZ racing and for that to be justified, then the paying public need to be considered.If 25 cars can't find enough space for a clear run over a 2.8km circuit in a 30 minute practice when all lap times are within cooee of each other anyway, then they shouldn't be racing.For goodness sake, when two cars exit the pit lane together in practice, all the second one has to do is hang back for 2 or three seconds.In the unlikely event of 20 drivers all going for it at the same time, they can all a have a three second gap.

One of the reasons entry fees are so high is that there is so much wasted time and they could easily run at least one or two extra classes.Two extra grids of 25 cars would bring in extra spectators but more to the point, an extra $5000+ (in entry fees at club level), so you can up that a fair bit at tier one level, as they are paying a fair bit more than $200!

Do you guys pay $200 per race! Maybe people shouldnt be bleating about the cost of drag racing (around $75 for the day including day license)

Surprise surprise Taupo on sundayraces ran 1 after the otherpace car out with feild behind as last car from previous race entering pits . Usually5 minute delay , didnt evenhave time to get an ice creambetween races . .Manfeild have been doing it past season too .Big crowd , car parks full all stands & embankment full by10 am, so still BIG interest in teir 1rightfrom shoot out

Good to hear elect70.Gradually getting their act together.TV coverage stated a good crowd but TV cameras didn't really show it.

#10 Entry fee for effectively 1 practice and three races over a weekend (National race meeting) varies from about $150 to $200, with the Amon festival at $250 per weekend.

As to parity - UK sprints at Curborough, a 900 yard dedicated sprint course would also be about $250 for two practice runs and possibly 3 timed runs - if you were lucky.

How many runs do you get at the drags for your $75!As for ten-pin bowling and golf, the better you are, the less time you get on the course!

Cost of hiring the track, plus ambo, paramedics, breakdown crew, timekeepers, hire of extinguishers, stationery, photocopier, stewards expenses, marshal's lunches, postage, MSNZ permit application fee, safety car's fuel contribution, rubbish disposal, secretarial, bank and visa costs and divided by anticipated number of competitors, plus MSNZ levy gives you a starting point.Hopefully a profit to go back into motorsport or charity too, as running at a loss is not really on, but it does happen more often than you would realise.