NAT`S RANT

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Tue Jul 31, 12 10:40 am

I had a great time at the premiere venue and I for one am amazed and impressed that the Euronats committe manage to to secure the best weekend of the year (for example over the bugjam that must make SPR more money than the Nats).

I am really pleased we have got the gig at the same date next year, and I think that is a real achievement. Well done all the Nats committee.

PS: it was great to have a quick chat with Tony O on the Sunday, it is clear he has a lot on his plate.

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Tue Jul 31, 12 11:01 am

Jim wrote:I don’t often get on my high horse, but sometimes I despair..

Some grumpy people like to moan about it (you know who you are), some people take it for granted, but the fact is you are all damn lucky to have a Mopar Nat’s.

You don’t see it, but a lot of work and organisation goes into the Nat’s every year. We are always looking at ways to improve the event and add extra value, we don’t get it right all the time. We don’t do it for our benefit, we do it for yours. Anyone who doesn’t like it doesn’t have to go.

I can’t believe some of you complain about queuing to race. Yes during peak periods the fire-up road is full, but in the three days we have the track open very often I can see just a handful of cars waiting to race. There is plenty of time to get as many runs in as you want if you plan it right.

The Santa Pod venue is fantastic. Plenty of hard standing, good facilities, clean toilets, and good food, Santa Pod staff are efficient and helpful. We deliberately organise the event to be “laid back” so everyone has a good time without being corralled or told where not to go. So the Nat’s weekend is a social event that brings great people together once year for a musclecar party. What else do you want?

The comment about Tony O wasn’t appreciated. Make no mistake Tony’s organisational skills are the reason the Mopar scene is where it is in the UK today, and he is the driving force behind the Mopar EuroNationals. Well before this year’s Mopar Nat’s, Tony’s mind is already planning the Mopar Nat’s 2013. Much respect is due to Tony.

Tony started the MMA many years ago and built it into the largest and most respected Mopar club in Europe. His daytime job, and personal commitments forced him to hand over the reins of the MMA which was becoming practically full time on its own, initially to Matt Hollingsworth and latterly to Ivor Hawkins, two dedicated Mopar men.

The Mopar Nat’s very nearly came to an end back in 2001. We had to get out of Shakey at the last minute because we had been double booked with a rave. Santa Pod came to the rescue and gave us the August bank holiday weekend which was a success, and the following year moved us to our permanent position at the last weekend of July. A top date! So with the support of Santa Pod Raceway giving us a prime date, and a lot of work from the organisers and a dedicated team of helpers, we have a great event every year.

Let’s look forward to the 20th Mopar EuroNationals in 2013.

Jim, calm down mate, I think Andy only started this thread to stir the Bananarama! and look whats happened, he has succeeded, no matter what the EuroNats committee do, there's always going to be people with something to moan about, for a few years it was the toilets, I think you all do a great job and have done for years. xx. Just my opinion not the MMA.

Andy, behave yourself you big Bananarama!.

MilesnMiles · Post by **MilesnMiles** » Tue Jul 31, 12 11:50 am

...talking of friendly staff, I only got charged twenty quid to race on Friday as I signed on quite late in the day.

Les Szabo · Post by **Les Szabo** » Tue Jul 31, 12 12:09 pm

AllKiller wrote:Bloody brilliant weekend....my face is still aching from all the laughing, talking and swearing

Top Job again Guys...really great.........any chance of Real (Rockin) Music next year

Only gripe ....i heard the same music over the track system over and over again......If they are stuck for a Car orientated music....i could do enough to last all day or weekend unrepeated

shame I never got to say hello Steve.....there was a call for an alternator for 383..hope that wasn't you?.. and if so you got it sorted.

Was only there on Saturday, only downside was my stomach on Sunday with them burgers, and of course the track in the left lane got dangerous and they let at least 4 or 5 cars run down there all over the place before they sprayed it to make it safe, very poor.....apart from that excellent!

JohnR · Post by **JohnR** » Tue Jul 31, 12 12:14 pm

I thought the whole thing was good, been to a few now and noticed the few new bits and pieces, yes you see the same guys but it is always a pleasure to catch up with guys that you only see on the message board , thanks Dave for the pick up you had in the back of the 'vett and for Ivor for the shelter !!!

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Tue Jul 31, 12 12:19 pm

AllKiller wrote:Only gripe ....i heard the same music over the track system over and over again......If they are stuck for a Car orientated music....i could do enough to last all day or weekend unrepeated

There was a problem with the CD player. It would only play The Travelling Willburys.

Seriously, for some unknown reason the other CD's wouldn't play. I think they eventually solved the problem.

JC · Post by JC » Tue Jul 31, 12 1:08 pm

Well as a Sponsor and a mopar nut i think the euronats was a great success and my thanks goes out to Jim, Richard, Tony, Tim and the crew for doing a Grand job. Some of us remember what santa pod used to be like when the toilets was a hole in the ground (that was a joke), the food is ok and yes there should be no funfair rides. We know times are hard for people and money is tight but they still bring there cars show them or race them that is a fantastic achievment well done to you guys bring on next year.

as for Mr Runner its all about a reaction and he got it at least he's got us throwning a few things in the Box.

Dave999 · Post by **Dave999** » Tue Jul 31, 12 1:40 pm

Jim wrote:I can’t believe some of you complain about queuing to race. Yes during peak periods the fire-up road is full, but in the three days we have the track open very often I can see just a handful of cars waiting to race. There is plenty of time to get as many runs in as you want if you plan it right.

i agree with everything you say apart from this bit....

and this bit gets right up my nose

complaining about queueing to race....i don't mind queueing.... i queued last year 20-40 minutes, an hour tops from the top of the fire-up lane to the line
i'll happily take my turn with everyone else

it was mind numbingly slow this year on saturday 2-3 hours on 2 occasions and an hour the other two times
granted some disasters that can't be planned for happned..glad those involved are ok.

but

plan it right...?

Replace that with

if you can afford it
if you can get friday off work
if you live really close and don't have to leave mid morning on sunday
if you are not RWYB

no planning on saturday....just sitting...... that doesn't take planning,
but when ya stuck there there is nothing you can do...my plan was 3 or 4 runs and then get out across the site and see all the people and cars

that went by the wayside, i wasn't going to pay 25 quid for one dire race...

everyone pays 25 quid to race....damn cheap in motorsport terms
however not everybody has to queue up

i guess its a balance

if i was watching, that is a different matter.

I wouldn't want to see me race, i'd want to see something fast and exciting.....

but i wasn't watching

i was in a queue going nowhere and the temptation just to dump the car where it stood and not come back was huge.

from 10:30 on saturday i managed to squeeze in 4 runs and a burger

thats all i did

the rest of the time i was in that queue

until i finally gave up at 7:45 and drove down the pedestrian crossing to get out.....

i do this once a year...so maybe i don't understand how things work
maybe if ihad a bike or some dollybirds i'd have been able to go round a bit quicker

i have no issues with anything you do at the NATS if it was a burning oil drum in a tescos carpark i'd still turn up...

but having to wait so long you forgot what you did wrong last time
got up my nose

more cars queued up last year and i manged to fit in about 10 runs on the saturday afternoon and thats was with it queued up to the exact same level as this year...

apologies but this is one time i take exception

Dave

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Tue Jul 31, 12 1:53 pm

Just one little complaint from me that kind of adds to Dave999s.

Like several other people I decided to have another run once the air had cooled. It was advertised that the track would be open until 9pm.

I got in the car just after 8:30pm to try and make the most of that cool dense air and found that the fire-up road had been closed.
No way were there enough cars already in the fire-up road to take us up to 9pm. There were a few of us in our cars wondering WTF?

Apart from the long waits to get on track I thought the rest of the weekend went very well.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Tue Jul 31, 12 1:55 pm

Strange that, last year the fire up road was half empty for nearly all of the weekend. some people were driving around and aroujnd again, I don't think it was ever full. This year it was busy again. All we can do is get the Pod to allocate as much track time as possible. The best time is definitley Friday. It's worth taking the day off if at all possible.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Tue Jul 31, 12 1:59 pm

I do take Friday off. It takes a full day to get there!

In fact I had to come down on Thursday to make the most of Friday.

I am glad I got three runs in early Saturday morning. After that it was impossible and I am very glad I didn't get stuck in the fire up roaf for 2-3 hours like a lot of people.

It didn't help that having taken over an hour to clear the track, the crew then took an hours lunchbreak.

phil442 · Post by **phil442** » Tue Jul 31, 12 2:09 pm

Most of the long Saturday delay seemed to be due to the Monaro side swiping the wall & ending up right outside the lounge window (of Rich's RV). Not sure why it took so long as the driver seemed OK (confirmed later) & there didn't seem to be anything leaking on the track.

latil · Post by **latil** » Tue Jul 31, 12 2:47 pm

A quick lift jack,some wheel skates and a tow rope would have cleared that Monaro off track in 5 mins. We followed that car on it's trailer on Gypsy lane,at least twice he had the motorhome off the road edge with the trailer bouncing up on the verge,quite thought he was going to turn it over in front of us.

mad machs · Post by **mad machs** » Tue Jul 31, 12 2:57 pm

phil442 wrote:Most of the long Saturday delay seemed to be due to the Monaro side swiping the wall & ending up right outside the lounge window (of Rich's RV). Not sure why it took so long as the driver seemed OK (confirmed later) & there didn't seem to be anything leaking on the track.

& there I sat watching, after waiting for an eternity in the fire up road, I had a good view of proceedings....

Then my errant assistant phoned me up to inform me that he was watching the whole drama (

) unfold live on Eurodragsters webcam, so I signalled the the amount of hours I had been waiting back towards the cam

R.RUNNER · Post by **R.RUNNER** » Tue Jul 31, 12 4:18 pm

Firstly, may I say to ALL of you that don`t know my sense of humor by now............Lighten-up. Secondly, may I say to ALL of you that don`t know my relationship with Tony "O"........................Lighten-up we`ve known each other for at least 40+ years

(we all know his work stopped him being there!). Thirdly, at least this topic has urged people to voice there likes and dislikes, which is a "GOOD THING"

.....................................................And finally, It was, IMHO, nearly as good as last year, only the weather on Sunday letting it down, but even the "COMMITTEE" can`t control that,!!!!!!! or can they?

Looking forward to next year

PS. Great to see Steve Gorringe there, for those who don`t know Steve it was him and Tim Fennell (way back before most of you were born) that started the MOPAR movement here in the UK