Phoenix Park Motor Races 2010

khennessy

Just released on ppmr.ie

"Following the highly successful running of the 2009 Phoenix Park Motor Races, Motorsport Ireland in conjunction with the Phoenix Park Organising Committee, are delighted to announce that the date for this event in 2010 will be 14th. & 15th. August.

The circuit to be used for the 2010 races will be the Oldtown Circuit, with a change to Mountjoy Corner. The Office of Public Works, to whom we are very grateful for allowing us the use of the Park, are making some changes. These changes have been made in consultation with Motorsport Ireland and the Organising Committee.

The arrangements for the Paddock in Farmleigh proved very successful and after some discussion with the management in Farmleigh, extra facilities have been offered.

We now invite all those who are interested in racing in the Park to contact us."

EvilMonkey

LIGHTNING wrote: »

I hate to rain on their parade but every single person I talked to hated the new paddock location. They also really have to drop the prices for the race entries too 500e is far too much considering you get no testing and only a few laps for qualy and your races may be canceled without notice.

+1
They obviously didn't listen to any feedback from anyone that went last year.

Robbo

I wasn't competing but from a spectating point of view the paddock in Farmleigh was a disaster.

se conman

Although the paddock was a long walk for spectators , they were not the people who were paying an entry fee and in my opinion are of secondary consideration .The main reason for having the paddock where it was is the ease of access for compition cars which cannot travel over the humps and bumps of the grass paddock .I speak with experience as both a past compeditor and helping to run cars for several years .We had a truck , awning and 2 single seaters this year and found no congestion in the paddock which was run very well .

khennessy

2010 Entry forms and assosicated regs are now availble to download from www.ppmr.ie

SouperComputer

se conman wrote: »

Although the paddock was a long walk for spectators , they were not the people who were paying an entry fee and in my opinion are of secondary consideration .The main reason for having the paddock where it was is the ease of access for compition cars which cannot travel over the humps and bumps of the grass paddock .I speak with experience as both a past compeditor and helping to run cars for several years .We had a truck , awning and 2 single seaters this year and found no congestion in the paddock which was run very well .

So basically ***K the spectators, they don't pay entry fees?!? Nice! Great way to throw away one of the best opportunities during the the year to promote the sport and bring it to the masses.

The cars traveled over the grass for decades without a problem. Ideal? Of course not, but clearly the paradigm has changed for these races from the looks of things.

se conman

There was ALWAYS problems with most cars travelling over the grass especially if there was any rain.I personally know at least 20 competitors who will not bring there cars to the park if the paddock is on grass because there is a big risk of damaging the cars.I have seen in the past that muck has been brought out onto track on wet days and with some cars hitting speeds in excess of 160 MPH , that is just a major safety issue and I see no reason why the competitor , having paid a lot of money for the privilege to race , should then have to drag his car , worth anything between €5,000 -€150,000 , through the muck , if it rains , in a rough field , just to please people who are not paying.

BarryM3

First off the Park would lose a big part of its appeal if it weren't for the thousands of spectators so dismiss them at your peril would be my view. I would agree with SC that the Park is the ideal opportunity to showcase our sport in front of a audience that we would be unlikely to see elsewhere.

In relation to the Paddock location, I personally hated it being in Farmleigh, I think it takes away hugely from the weekend....that said however, I know for a fact that the reason it must be held there is down to money, or rather the lack of. To have the paddock in its 'old' location requires a lot of heavy plastic matting, which is very expensive to obtain and lay down. So, coupled with entrants who will sit at home rather than find the entry fee and thus support the event, is it any wonder that money must be saved and therefor the paddock located somewhere that is the right facility, albeit in the wrong location

se conman

Just to clarify , I did not say "f*** the spectators".I said that they were secondary so please don't put words in my mouth.
To simplify my point , as competitors are part funding the park , they should be accommodated in preference to spectators wishes.At no time did I say spectators should be ignored completely.

khennessy

@SouperComputer
"So basically ***K the spectators," Surprised at a mod posting this!!!

As BarryM3 says its down to funding, the organisers are not allowed to charge entrance fees as the races aare held in an open park, to charge a fee they would have to section off all the park they are using, and as the event runs over two days this is impossible. The OPW always want the roads reopened in the evenings.

On the paddock, it is down to finances, having the paddock in farmleigh saves a 5 figure sum, so no Farmleigh = no races.

So, dont give out onless you know the reasons why, then go to the Park & support it any way you can, buy a Program guide, then it won't be a "Great way to throw away one of the best opportunities during the the year to promote the sport and bring it to the masses."

khennessy

Ficus wrote: »

Firstly, he didnt say that, that was his interpretation of comment posted before him.

He did, he was the first to use it, see post #9, interpretation or otherwise Mods should set the standard for the board!!

Anyway roll on the Park

se conman

This is hurting me (LOL) but I have to agree with you.
Expencive entry fees , crap circuit and drag your pride and joy through a field just to race in "The Park"
Everything is wrong but I STILL LOVE IT.
At the end of the day , the only way to change anything , good or bad , is to become one of the organising team and help out.

BarryM3

Ficus, with all due respect I think you are in a dreamland. You want the paddock in the expensive place and also lower entry fees! Both of those are quite obviously mutually exclusive.

Do you think the organisers are making a profit on their €500 entry fees ??? Surely not !!!

se conman

The bottom line is someone has to pay for it.The spectator is paying nothing and the competitor is paying a large entry fee , therefore who should be better looked after , the spectator or the competitor ?

SouperComputer

se conman wrote: »

Just to clarify , I did not say "f*** the spectators".I said that they were secondary so please don't put words in my mouth.
To simplify my point , as competitors are part funding the park , they should be accommodated in preference to spectators wishes.At no time did I say spectators should be ignored completely.

Thats true, you did not say ***k the spectators. What I posted was my interpretation of what you said and I stand by it, to me its a distinction without a difference. The result of your statement is the same either way. I could have made my statement more eloquently I guess, so I apologise. It reads a little like a personal attack and it wasn't intended to be.

khennessy wrote:

@SouperComputer
"So basically ***K the spectators," Surprised at a mod posting this!!!

Mods have opinions too. Theres 100's of mods on boards.ie, its nothing special. I'm not part of some cult or elite group, I simply moderate a single forum, thats all. I'm a user of boards like anyone else.

khennessy wrote:

So, dont give out onless you know the reasons why, then go to the Park & support it any way you can, buy a Program guide, then it won't be a "Great way to throw away one of the best opportunities during the the year to promote the sport and bring it to the masses."

If I put my spectators hat on, I don't need to know, or care why it was moved. What irks me is a lot of this thread just reads like the oldschool "us vs them" (drivers v spectators) attitude that is the cancer of the sport IMO. It just bemuses me that for what is (and should be) a spectator event so little emphasis\priority seems to be on their experience, simply because they don't pay entry fees. You cant tell me that the thousands of people who turn up cant be turned into some sort of revenue stream, and no I don't mean charging to spectate. Circuit racing has played second fiddle (by a long way) to rallying in terms of popularity and I think this is mostly why. I have nothing against rallying BTW, been there and done that I'd just like a little more interest in circuit racing.

This thread struck a nerve with me a guess. I'll step down off the soapbox now

se conman

If everyone steps down of the soapbox , then there is no exchange of opinions or discussion.So , although I might not agree with you , you get right back up on that soapbox.

SouperComputer

se conman wrote: »

If everyone steps down of the soapbox , then there is no exchange of opinions or discussion.So , although I might not agree with you , you get right back up on that soapbox.

Haha, what I meant was I'd get down so someone else would have a rant . One of these years I'll get home and race "The park".

khennessy

26th. July 2010
Press Release
PHOENIX PARK MOTOR RACES
14/15th. AUGUST 2010
It is with sincere regret that Motorsport Ireland announces that this year’s
racing event in the Phoenix Park is cancelled.
The funds required to build the circuit and run the event are a fine balance
between Sponsorship and Competitor Entry Fees and, unfortunately, in the
current economic environment, both elements have failed to generate
sufficient income for the event to be viable.
Motorsport Ireland wishes to thank the Office of Public Works, National
Historic Properties and the management of Farmleigh, for all the assistance
and support given towards the running of this year’s event.
Sincere thanks also to those sponsors and competitors who were committed,
and to all of the volunteers who were ready for this year’s event and without
whom it would never run.
-ends

khennessy

28 confirmed and 20 un confirmed

last years event ran with over 90 entries, which was considered low