A bit of a random question regarding local race events

[Mick_w]

Hi guys,

Just a bit bored at work and I have a bit of a random question. Not sure if this is the right category either, but I figured it fits with General Discussion.

How many of you have attended (i.e. spectator only) a local motorcycle racing event/s? i.e. FX Superbike, ASBK, MX, other?

One thing I have noticed is that the crowds at FX Supers generally are a few random spectators but the majority it seems are family and friends of competitors. But the problem is that the crowds are never that big and obviously won't grow any bigger unless there is significant increase in spectators (both TV and at the track). So to add to my initial question, if you haven't attended before, why?

We all love motorbikes (it'd be weird for you to be on a motorcycle forum if you didn't) but it'd be interesting to understand if there is just no interest in watching racing or it is entirely to do with other commitments on the weekend.

I have attended the FX Supers this year at SMSP (March round) and will attend the ones later in the year at SMSP, Rnd 5 & 6. I didn't get to the ASBK round @ SMSP due to other commitments and I don't get the chance to travel interstate for events, except for MotoGP. To be honest, I probably wouldn't travel interstate for a local competition though. Last year I also attended the SMSP and Wakefield rounds of FX supers too.

Anyway, it'd be interesting to hear your thoughts.

Cheers,
Mick.

[Fifer]

Mick,

An old chestnut! I was involved in the MV Historic commttee for a while and we sat in with the Road race committee, so I had a view into the workings of running a race series / race meetings. It's a vexing question and occupies a lot of talk; there is no one answer but probably a significant reason that is agreed on, is that there is a lot more out there for people to occupy their time with and people simply have much fuller calendars, which = less time to watch bikes amongst many competing priorities. I saw a pic somewhere recently from Oran Park in the late 80's, a major road race meeting, and it was packed. The only meetings that get any crowd at all are MotoGP, WSBK, the Island Classic and the Barry Sheene Festival, that's it. Dirt biking has become a lot more popular, and affordable which has taken numbers away possibly, and for various reasons, road racing has become a bit fractured, with in-fighting and despite some valiant efforts from many parties, simply hasn't promoted itself effectively enough, and has been left behind. Circuits are expensive things to build and run, and racing is expensive, so we've seen a drop in participation and availability of venues as punters went elsewhere and the land became too valuable. Some clubs have ticket incentives and all sorts of things lijke Show n Shines, etc etc to get people out but it just doesn't have the profile it used to - the general public will only ever go to MotoGP these days.

[JimZXR]

Being from the UK I've attended many rounds of the BSB around the country and rarely saw small crowds there but then again overall population and density is much greater than here (I live in Sydney now) so, to me, that means more bikers per sq.km with a greater number of circuits in easy (less than 3 hours) riding range makes for easier attendance.

From what I've seen of the racing here the quality of rider is no different in any class.

[MadKaw]

Not that long ago there use to be reasonable crowds at the EC Aus superbike rounds. KSRC would have a marquee on the hill and would get 20 to 30 ppl there along with the few thousand other spectators, the last round they had at EC (the one before this years) had over 10,000 spectators, so they say.. This was because they gave thousands of tickets away. we all got some for free..
Then the shit hit the fan and Aus superbikes was not allowed back at EC for a number of years, the round this year being the first for about 4 years. To not have a round of the Aus champs in one of the biggest states in the country was not a good thing.
That only left FX as a national championship at EC and having raced in that for a few years with others on here, I can cerainaly say they didn't get a lot of spectators, apart from KSRC members..
but we did get on TV...

[s man]

I think its a sign of the times madcow.
Road racing in Australia is a dying. The only event that pull a bit of a gathering/crowd in the Barry Sheene meeting .
I remember when I was racing in the 80s, they ran the first Australian round of the World Supers at Oran Park, & the crowd was 30+ thousand!!! I could hear the cheering over my engine noise at BP corner. Ive never heard that again. The Swann series use to pull the same sort of crowds.[huge] So you could imagine my surprise when I returned to racing in 08 after 19 years away. We had bigger crowds at club races than, they do at Australian title races now!
SAD VERY SAD

[Nelso]

People also don't like paying $30 each for an afternoon of racing. FX and ASBK refuse to charge one day entry and most punters that don't know anyone who is racing don't intend to go for a full weekend and won't pay that much for a few hours of watching races.

[Kermit]

Hi guys,

How many of you have attended (i.e. spectator only) a local motorcycle racing event/s? i.e. FX Superbike, ASBK, MX, other?

X1, when I'm free I'll drop in for PCRA, St george, FX & ASBK rounds.

Rotating between pitch bitch, paparazi & spectating.

[MAXUMIS]

I think it comes down to expenses in the modern life ?this country has become so expensive for the "average" person.... the only reason I go out there is because I get free tickets .

[Blurr]

Agreed I won't go if I have to pay for a arvo of racing.

[Kermit]

People also don't like paying $30 each for an afternoon of racing. FX and ASBK refuse to charge one day entry and most punters that don't know anyone who is racing don't intend to go for a full weekend and won't pay that much for a few hours of watching races.

This is true, as of late the racers have been gracious in handing out freebies.

[smithy5]

I reckon two major factors are time, people have less spare time available these days, and value for money. I'd pay $10, but not $30 as a spectator...
Then, unless you take your own, you pay through the nose for shit greasy food and drinks as well.

I guess the Sydney road network and traffic congestion would also come into play. It does for me. I have two FREE Gold Member Tickets at every event at ANZ Stadium, but I only go to a few events. The reasons being... it's just not worth the hassle. It's a traffic nightmare getting in and out of Homebush, the parking, the crowds, the greasy food, the beer in plastic cups, the replays on the big screen are very limited if at all.
All that hassle and most things are live on TV.......... It's just easier to sit at home, with the food and beer of my choice

[dickfaber]

when i lived way out west, we had a local dirt oval, and racing (bike, sidecar, kart and car) happened every month, 5 buck to get in and it was nearly always packed

moved to sw sydney, and went to oran park for nearly every event. entry cost was reasonable and it (for me) was close and easy to get in and out of
ec is a prick to get to, get in and out of, and ticket prices were too high, and have not got any cheaper
wakefield is too far away. to watch a day (which is really an afternoon) becomes a full day (7am to really late at night) plus no beers!

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand that leaves nothing else


aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand they wonder why its dying

[robracer]

PCRA that's where its at! especially with P6 bikes circulating & bringing a more modern feel & a heap more people to racing that normally would have poo pooed older class racing.
I went to the supers the other day at the creek & the atmosphere was dreary it was quite disappointing ...... go to any PCRA meeting & everyone is smiling & friendly.
Road racing in Australia is in a shocking state, we need more tracks & more accessibility to cheap racing as stated above, the only club that has really prospered in NSW is PCRA with the introduction of the light classes & P6

[Mick_w]

Hi guys,
Thanks for the replies, it is good to hear from guys who have been around the scene for quite a while to get different perspectives. The people/km sq must be one of the major factors plus I think there are a lot of racing disciplines across Australia, which spreads the motorsport interest out very thinly. It is pretty crazy to think of the numbers that used to attend ASBK back in the day, hard to imagine now.

I agree the $25/$30 entry fee is pretty steep for FX and it does make it tough to attend both the Saturday and Sunday. Sydney's poor road and public transport network doesn't help the cause either. I think that would be a major issue for any sporting event across Sydney though.
In terms of food at SMSP, the ARDC cafe (or whatever it is called) does provided much better quality food and coffee, compared with that old take away shop that is/was behind the pits. Plus it is reasonably priced.
One of the issues I have with SMSP is the speakers around the circuit. I remember attending the final round last year and the speaker system wasn't even working in the new section of the track. Plus the majority of speakers sound so ratty anyway. But honestly I am not really a fan of the commentators either, in my opinion they don't really help with the on track action.

With Kawasaki being a major sponsor now of the FX Supers, does that make anyone more interested in attending?

Wakefield is a massive trip just to spectate as well and the services down there are pretty average. You really need to be keen to commit to attend there.

If that track goes ahead at Nowra and IF it is able to hold motorcycle events, would people consider attending?

Cheers,
Mick

[webcase]

Couple of random thoughts about crowds and the creek.The good.Easy to get around,no queues.You can drive around the curcuit and pull up where you like.I even made it into the last issue of AMCN,parked on the hill at the last turn.
The bad. Ive never had to or tried to get out there by public transport but im guessing that unless its the Bloopercars they are't running anything out there on a regular basis.The website which seems to have had a makeover recently fails massively when it comes to posting upcoming events .Ive often clicked on there when a bike events coming up and theres nothing,zero,zilch.How hard is it to post up a list of events that are locked in months ahead?At ASBK 2 pies and two drinks $18 F$#k!BIke racing in general needs to work harder at explaining the different categories to people who don't have an intimate knowledge of the difference between Supersport,superstock and superbike etc. because the average punter hasn't a clue.
I'd also like to see more of the higher profile teams set up behind the pit garages for a better view of them working on the bikes.