Mondello Park....

homer simpson

Seen this posted on another forum, and saying there are a few guys here with connections at mondello it'd be interesting to hear their thoughts? I say fair play to them, i really hope it works out, i think everyone has their thoughts on MSI (i always thought it was just MI though) and i dont know too many who would have positive things to say about them. Fingers crossed and hope you's get there...

Taken from the Irish independent

indo wrote:

Mondello Park has announced that they will run race meetings without approval from Motorsport Ireland (MSI) this year as attitudes harden in the dispute over club affiliation.

Mondello have applied to the governing body to have their club, Mondello Park Sports, affiliated so they can run some meetings entirely in-house but they are still a few signatures short of the 75pc approval from all MSI clubs which would rubber-stamp the process.

Motorsport Ireland have said they are unwilling to go against their own rules to approve Mondello's club affiliation without the three-quarters support of the clubs, most of whom have little interest or association with the venue.

As a result, Mondello CEO John Morris has decided he and his club will go it alone and run events for the usual classes this year and, subject to insurance approval, will accept entries from drivers with 2010 or 2011 Motorsport Ireland licences.

The situation threatens to further undermine a branch of the sport that is already suffering in the current economic climate, but Morris has said he has no choice and there is little chance of going back on the decision.

"The plan is that we will run open race meetings in 2011," said Morris. "We've met with class representatives and there was very positive feedback from that meeting.

"We've offered them an entry fee structure that will allow the well-supported classes to benefit from lower entry fees and may encourage some other class to amalgamate on race weekends.

"That will allow us to run one or two other classes at each meeting. We will look after safety scrutineering and the classes will police eligibility. We've written to Motorsport Ireland to let them know our decision and we're waiting for a response."

To that end, the Motorsport Commission of MSI is due to meet this evening when the Mondello crisis will be high on the agenda. The outcome of that meeting is sure to have significant implications for the future of racing on the island.

Mondello already undertake the vast majority of administrative procedure attached to each race meeting at the Kildare circuit, including entry processing and track safety, while the clubs arrive on the day to head up the process, taking a significant percentage of the competitor entry fees.

The circuit's new club had planned to run three meetings this year, with the remaining five run by existing clubs, and the nub of the argument would seem to be that certain clubs supply very little manpower to run meetings but still get a significant cut of revenue, regardless of whether the event runs at a profit.

Competitors seem broadly in support of the Mondello club and many seem non-plussed that a number of clubs who have no connection with racing have blocked Mondello's affiliation.

Now the row appears to have moved beyond club affiliation and Mondello have upped the ante by challenging the authority of MSI.

Mondello's plan to go it alone in running race meetings is sure to raise hackles in MSI's Dawson St headquarters and the viability of the proposed calendar of racing events at the Kildare venue has to be questioned if the current impasse continues.

- Declan Quigley

Irish Independent

homer simpson

LIGHTNING wrote: »

To be honest MI doesnt give a hoot about circuit racing, they only care about Rallying in this country. As both a Mondello employee and a MI license holder (and coach) I find it quite annoying that we are left out. If Mondello run the event will be cheaper and hopefully better run.

And here's the funny thing, the majority of the rally community think the other way round, MI have no interest in Rallying and only care about circuit racing!

I see a common problem here

se conman

I heard that MI was advised to use a "broker" who could have averted this stalemate but "pride" resulted in them (MI) refusing the brokers services and now we are in the mess that we have.This sort of thing did not happen a couple of years ago.

Robbo

It's strange to see Mondello in the dominant position, it's still fresh in my mind the administrative basket case the place was in the mid 90s. I'd love to have a look again at some issues of the Phoenix back then.

Anyway, I predict an accommodation will be reached and everyone can get back to the main business of their usual internecine squabbling.

And just to stoke things, MSI introduced the HANS device in rallying because it allows them to control peoples thoughts from their hollowed out volcano deep below Dawson Street.

De Hipster

LIGHTNING wrote: »

To be honest MI doesnt give a hoot about circuit racing, they only care about Rallying in this country. As both a Mondello employee and a MI license holder (and coach) I find it quite annoying that we are left out. If Mondello run the event will be cheaper and hopefully better run.

I would have to say that the perception amongst the majority of MI Competitor Licence holders is completely the opposite.

se conman

Too many politicians and not enough diplomats.

Kersh

Meeting on Wednesday just gone and MSI agreed to affiliate the Mondello Sports Club.

No word on any update since.

Robbo

Anyone know how the Mondello club is to be constituted?