Is The Writing On The Wall For Shakey ????

Guy · Post by **Guy** » Wed Oct 30, 13 3:07 pm

March 29th/30th - Season Opening Public Track Weekend & ET Bracket Gamblers
April 12th/13th – Public Track Weekend & ET Bracket Gamblers
May 3rd/5th – MSA/ACU APIRA Springspeed Nationals Drag Races
May 24th/26th – Yanks Public Track Weekend & NASC Gary’s Picnic
June 7th/8th – Public Track Weekend & ET Bracket Gamblers
June 20th/22nd – NSRA Nostalgia Nationals
July 5th/6th – Gti International
July 19th/20th – Public Track Weekend & Ladies That Launch Bracket Race
August 7th/10th – Bulldog Bash
August 23rd/25th – MSA/ACU APIRA Open Sport Nationals Drag Races
September 12th/14th – NSRA Hot Rod Drags
September 27th/28th – Public Track Weekend & ET Bracket Gamblers
October 11th/12th – Public Track Weekend & ET Bracket Gamblers
October 25th/26th – Halloween Bonfire Burn Up Public Track Weekend & ET Bracket Gamblers

Jon Connolly · Post by **Jon Connolly** » Wed Oct 30, 13 9:19 pm

Guy

Put me and Dave Billadeau in for July 19th please

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Wed Oct 30, 13 9:48 pm

It's good to know they will still be open for business, what with the recession / noise, etc....it will be a sad day if ever that track shuts (as long as you don't need a Number Two...)

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Wed Oct 30, 13 10:49 pm

With attendances like last weekend, it won't be long.

Use it or lose it, folks.

Dave81 · Post by **Dave81** » Thu Oct 31, 13 1:21 pm

Stu wrote:With attendances like last weekend, it won't be long.

Use it or lose it, folks.

I think the weather is the big player here. It was supposed to be on/off rain and most people wont go through the expense of travel and admission for 3 hours racing!

They had the same issue at the HRD's where quite a few didn't bother due to the forcast!

Tis a shame, but the issue with living in Blighty I suppose......

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Thu Oct 31, 13 6:08 pm

Won't be a consolation when it's gone and it's not like you'll ever see new ones built.

Could have gone round and round all day on Saturday. It's like that a lot when the doom and gloom weather forecasters get on it. Put's everyone off and usually doesn't materialise.

Even when it has rained, it's been a great Craic with Mates anyway.

John · Post by **John** » Thu Oct 31, 13 6:31 pm

Shame they don't have the vision to build a canopy up the strip and maybe the fire up so other than breakages it could be full on. Yes it would have an initial cost but with that I don't think it would be to long before the numbers increased.

Adrian Worman · Post by **Adrian Worman** » Thu Oct 31, 13 7:37 pm

I love this track, been at it loads over the decades, ran bikes, cars, camped at loads of Bulldog Bash etc........... but as much as I try and stick up for it, if the management don't move with the times and make some hard investment, not only in rebuilding and improvements but also in the way the events are run, I doubt it will be here much longer

Guy · Post by **Guy** » Tue Nov 05, 13 7:29 pm

I hope this is not a rant and is not aimed at anyone, I have used some quotes by people in this thread and tried to answer them or used them to highlight issues. By using the word "us and "ours" I mean all racer that attend not just the MMA members

JohnS wrote:Shame they don't have the vision to build a canopy up the strip and maybe the fire up so other than breakages it could be full on. Yes it would have an initial cost but with that I don't think it would be to long before the numbers increased.

The cost of a canopy would take years and years to recover John. As you know the council only allows so many events to be held at the Drag stip. Because of the volatile fuels involved, smoke from the burnouts etc etc would have to be fitted with a good ventilation system and fire suppression. Also how much would you cover, you couldn't just do from the bleaches to the stripe as the run off area would be dangerous if it was wet. would you leave the fire up road uncovered all those wet cars moving onto the track would bring water with them, so if you covered the fire-up road the spectators wouldn't be able to see much so do you cover them as well. Also don't forget the place is an airfield so you would have to make allowances for them too.

The trouble is with Shakey is us, we just don't support it enough when its open lets use it there are events that are put on throughout the year not just the Picnic and the HRD's and if we organize ourselves (MMA) I am positive that Jerry will accommodate us as a club, in fact I know he will but we do need numbers there.(excluding MSA events)

Stu wrote: Won't be a consolation when it's gone and it's not like you'll ever see new ones built.

Your not wrong Stu, There are too many Motorsport venues that are closing down worldwide not just here. Yes Shakey maybe a little further away for you chaps down south but you can get some runs in. At the Halloween event I got five runs in on the Saturday Mick got in an awful lot more and would have had even more if he hadn't lost another fuel pump. Look at it this way, cost of signing on (£20) divided by number of runs for me £4 per run Mick at lot less....Now that's cheap sport ok I know it doesn't include fuel or getting there but its still bloody good value for money.

Adrian Worman wrote:I love this track, been at it loads over the decades, ran bikes, cars,

So do I mate hell I have even worked at the track on the Fire And Safety Team but had to pack that up because of my knees, the management do listen but its hard to win an arse kicking competition with both your feet tide together, I know that Jerry is trying to make some changes to the place but if the owners don't stomp up the Bananarama! hard, this is where we could help by attending the place. Some people complained about the length of time it take to clear the track after an oil down etc how many of you would be willing to grab a mop (if available) and help.....I would. Its a thankless task I know as I've done it. After all its the cars that we drive that drop the oil. I know accidents happen and sometimes a rod falls out of the sump but a lot of it is down to our preparation.

People moaned that they shut the track early at the HRD's, who fault was that.....Well it was ours if they have more cars going down the strip it would have stayed open. (i'm guilty of this too)

The management can't do much about the weather at these events even
King Canute couldn't stop the tide coming in

As for the toilets seats for bums will improve if they get bums on seats

These are my views and mine alone, I have put my tin hat on and i'm ready for the incoming

Adrian Worman · Post by **Adrian Worman** » Tue Nov 05, 13 8:59 pm

A well thought and constructive answer to some thing you obviously feel strongly about....... no tin hat required

I do think the standards expected from the younger, ever growing ricer crowd are different from us decreasing American/custom/hot rod types.
The mess the tuner tw@ leave the fire up lane, let alone the track in is appalling, water, coolant and oil were all over the place at the Bonfires.
Dealing with that crap has to be a mammoth and pretty thankless task.

My point was that the management need to move with the changing demographic cos that's where their future success lies.

I have to echo what Guy says......... USE IT OR LOSE IT

Mossy68 · Post by **Mossy68** » Tue Nov 05, 13 9:56 pm

Never been to Shakey.
But planning next year to be my fledgling racing year so how about a club event ???
I hear its a bit " old school " up there. That said I have great memories of the Pod as a kid. Old school cool !!

Mick · Post by **Mick** » Tue Nov 05, 13 10:28 pm

I personally would rather use shakey than the pod. It's a faster track and has pretty good entertainment.
As Guy has pointed out, Shakey is restricted by the amount of events they can hold, unlike the pod.
At the end of the day we only have 3 strips in this country and they all need support. I use all 3, although i've only raced 5 times this year and attended probably 9 or so events in total.
I will do at least 4 of those events, hopefully 2 at the pod and maybe 2 or 3 at York barring any breakages or financial difficulties.
Roll on 2014.
Mick

autofetish · Post by **autofetish** » Wed Nov 06, 13 6:27 am

Well said guy

Bring on 2014 and jade

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Wed Nov 06, 13 8:58 pm

Will, I'm looking forward to seeing that.

If it meant keeping the track open, I'd grab a mop when it got oily.

I know I'll get shot for this, but it doesn't help the cause when we dilute numbers by organising events for the same weekend as one of the only American car meets there.

A load of people complain that the v dubs turn up in force at that one, but you have to give them credit, they turn up and keep the event going. Entertaining too!

I genuinely believe that days are numbered at this track, which really Bananarama! me off. We need this track, so Bananarama! the rain. It never stops us.

Anyone remember the MMA group photo I posted up a few years back? Empty stand with just me and Gareth in it one year at the HRD's. This isn't a new phenomenon.

Les Szabo · Post by **Les Szabo** » Sun Nov 17, 13 2:44 pm

The Pod is the premiere track in this country, therefore any other track has a harder job to do to attract the racers, yes you should support it, and those that live close to it, will, but its up to the track to advertise itself, improve facilities, have sufficient equipment and manpower to clean up oil downs as fast as possible etc etc., in order to entice more people up there to race, you can't rely on just the locals for support, the more racers, the more spectators, the more revenue, the better it will or should get.

They are providing a service, ie the track, they charge an entry and race fee, so they need to get their stuff together to make it as good as they can for the people handing over their cash for the use of that facility, its not up to the racers around the country to keep it afloat, if its rubbish, those new people that came will probably not come back.

If you start an enterprise you have to put something in to begin with to get something out, the less you put in, the less you get back, and vice-versa, and if you don't get more back than your putting in, costs can close you down, unless of course you wanna use it as a loss for a while.

I watched that Sunday on the webcam where they shut the track early. Well, that was real bad in my eyes, shutting a perfectly good condition track because there weren't enough cars going down it doesn't help them at all, and it tends to show you there attitude to it all, lets get out of here and go home, things like that will get around and will not help them in the future at all, maybe they don't realise that people have memories. As long as there's 1 car thats paid and wants to run, it should stay open to the end.

The more experienced racer will have prepared their car well and serious breakages (oil downs) are rare, I had 1 in 10yrs of racing, and that was down to an engine prepared by someone else.

"Racing is Dangerous", after all....most newcomers to the scene (which is what they want) will probably not have prepared their cars well for a 1/4 mile of WOT, the tracks needs to be prepared for all eventualities and update themselves to a more professional outlook to survive.

Les