"Survey" Calder Park & AIR

[SLY LS1]

Originally Posted by v8capri

I have filled in the survey before reading all these posts. sounds like they are still not really interested in pure drag cars, which is a pity, I was going to dust off the capri !
It is fine to say nice and relaxed like heathcote, however It really has to have a good safety system and scrutineering safety checks on the cars. As much as I hated it, that was a good thing with Andra. ( before they became a money hungry company !!)
I know people are going to disagree with me, but it is the big drag cars ( not mine ) that bring in the real crowds. This in turn brings BJ in his much needed $$

I to like most other people would luv to see the top fuelers etc etc back at Calder, but that's up to the powers that be...

Here is the AMC Mission Statement which should explain a little what the future is for Calder Park & Virginia Raceway

As of 1st July 2007 all of Calder Park Raceway's activities and dealings operate under the auspices of the Australian Motorsport Club Limited (AMC)

AMC - Our Mission Statement

To expand and promote The Home of Australian Motorsport (AMC) at Calder Park Raceway and Virginia Raceway as versatile entertainment venues. To provide a venue for community events at little or no cost and, through activities to be conducted at AMC Calder Park, to raise funds for community projects and other charities. To continue to promote Legal Off Street Drag Racing at a low cost. This activity has been promoted for 27 years without a single injury to any competitor. AMC will continually strive to develop this major activity as an alternative to racing on the public roads of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and lead the world in promoting and providing an outlet for young drivers who have the urge for speed!

To promote the AMC venues for Motorsport Club racing and ensure that the spectacle of motor racing - the noise, smell, colour, people and speed - can grow again and provide excitement and entertainment for competitors and fans alike, with the highest regard for the safety of all motoring enthusiasts, with the same low cost objective.

To provide a safe venue for 4WD and Motocross activities for young people to train and contest events, thus keeping young riders away from farms, recreation areas and the streets of Victoria, assisting Local Governments and Police to curb this dangerous anti-social behaviour.

To provide a racing facility and promote training for bicycle clubs and community groups in a safe and friendly environment for families, friends and bicycle enthusiasts, mindful of the dangers facing bike riding on our roads.

[paddy351]

Wayne It's nice to have a plan like that , but how about fix the track open the gates. Thats what people into racing would say.

[SLY LS1]

Originally Posted by v8capri

As much as I hated it, that was a good thing with Andra. ( before they became a money hungry company !!)

All good, but I think you pointed out the issue rite there... - theres a change in the wind....


If all goes to plan over the next few months the track will be back to ANDRA/NHRA/FIA specs then will be up to the individual racers ANDRA and NON ANDRA to come check it out for themselves.

But in saying that I doubt you will ever see any ANDRA sanctioned events at Calder "ever", but you may see other major drag racing events held there in the very near future.

[XRQTR]

Just seen this thread and personally I think any survey is pointless.

I would think that every single person that has ever been to Calder more than once either as a competitior or a spectator has tried to give advice to staff at the venue with regard to making changes for the better. The seating for example I suggested about 2 or 3 years ago, the return track only took a few more years to get something done about it, as for the pit lane when I was their a few weeks ago it had a coarse grade aggregate job done.

Wayne don't think I'm having a personal go at you but mate you really have taken on a job that many would not envy you for, these surveys have been done in the past with little to no real change. When the Derrimut Motor Sports Complex was looking at opening a few years back Bob dropped the pricing by about $10 to try to get people back and it worked for a while, until he managed to get the project shut down, then things went back to normal and so did the prices.

As for the price hikes, I'm sure Bob will blame fuel prices during reconstruction for the new pricing when it re opens.

[SLY LS1]

Originally Posted by XRQTR

Just seen this thread and personally I think any survey is pointless.

I would think that every single person that has ever been to Calder more than once either as a competitior or a spectator has tried to give advice to staff at the venue with regard to making changes for the better. The seating for example I suggested about 2 or 3 years ago, the return track only took a few more years to get something done about it, as for the pit lane when I was their a few weeks ago it had a coarse grade aggregate job done.

Wayne don't think I'm having a personal go at you but mate you really have taken on a job that many would not envy you for, these surveys have been done in the past with little to no real change. When the Derrimut Motor Sports Complex was looking at opening a few years back Bob dropped the pricing by about $10 to try to get people back and it worked for a while, until he managed to get the project shut down, then things went back to normal and so did the prices.

As for the price hikes, I'm sure Bob will blame fuel prices during reconstruction for the new pricing when it re opens.

Hmmm..

So you think the survey was pointless... hmm how do i explain this...

Ok what the survey has achieved so far..

We had over 650 survey replys so clearly people were interested and had something to say... some good some bad, I sat down with Bryan & Bob and we went through every one line by line looking at what the people who filled it in had to say...

Over 80% of the survey replys said they would rather have the Legal Off Street Drags on Saturday rather than the current Friday Night

So without any hesitation the move was made and from the reopening date in September the LOSD will be run on Sundays in winter and Saturday in summer.

People said they wanted more racing time - from September racing will be from 12noon till late - we are licenced till 11pm so thats up to 11 hours racing.

People suggested a membership / discount - this has been brought in with the new AMC membership - $150- a year gets you 10% discout to race and FREE spectator entry all year and heaps of other discounts.

People said they didnt want to sit on the grass and concrete - the thunderdome seating is now being moved to the drag strip.

People asked for communication, wanting to know what was going on etc etc - thats what im here for and also the new website.

People asked that the timeboards be put back to mph and show the 60' times - thats is being done for the September opening.

People asked for begginers days - this we are looking into - learn how to drag race

Probably the biggest one was get rid of the burnout comp - so with the new day/night schedule starting in September the burnout comp will be moved to the tea break and hopefully on a new burnout pad on the infield as suggested by many on the survey.

People asked for a better prepped track - as anyone would have seen if they had been out in the last 2 friday events, the prep has been A1 with all compditors happy with the new track prep guy we fly over from SA each Friday.


So to say the survey is a waste of time is a touch sad...

Again people can sit around and winge and wine about the past and crap they have heard from uncle johnys cousins brother who overheard something about Calder Park or you can have your say and get your issues off your chest, i can garentee you Bob Jane will personaly read every one of the survey comments, whether he acts apon them is his choice.

And if people really want the facts give Calder a call or drop them an email and ask away.

[XRQTR]

Originally Posted by SLY LS1

Hmmm..

So you think the survey was pointless... hmm how do i explain this...

Ok what the survey has achieved so far..

We had over 650 survey replys so clearly people were interested and had something to say... some good some bad, I sat down with Bryan & Bob and we went through every one line by line looking at what the people who filled it in had to say...

Over 80% of the survey replys said they would rather have the Legal Off Street Drags on Saturday rather than the current Friday Night

So without any hesitation the move was made and from the reopening date in September the LOSD will be run on Sundays in winter and Saturday in summer.

How many of the people surveyed are actually racers or even regular spectators, this is why an internet based survey is pointless you don't know who goes and who just likes to sit at home and fill oiut surveys.

In reality this should have been done at the track, a form could have very easily been given to all competitors and spectators as they went through the gates and this would have given a much more realistic response from people you know actually do get there bums down their. Having it based on the net on some forums does not assure any kind of real response, as I said you don't know who of them are doing it to better there own personal experience and how many are doing it just to pass some time and feel needed.

Originally Posted by SLY LS1

People said they wanted more racing time - from September racing will be from 12noon till late - we are licenced till 11pm so thats up to 11 hours racing.

That's one way to look at it but half the reason there wasn't enough time was the poor track prep and oil down clean up times as well as the burnout comp. Running the place from midday till late won't be much of a difference as most people still work even on a Saturday so won't actually be able to get their till almost 3 or 4 in the arvo if you factor in there prep and travel times. All this will achieve is for management to turn around and say "What a failure this was" so maybe they need to look at opening around 3, maybe 2pm, but not earlier.

Originally Posted by SLY LS1

People suggested a membership / discount - this has been brought in with the new AMC membership - $150- a year gets you 10% discout to race and FREE spectator entry all year and heaps of other discounts.

When you do the maths dude this only equates to a 5% discount, and that's if you ge every week so gets lesser with everytime you don't or forget to go. They really should have made the same as it was about 5 years ago with the "pre-registration" allowing for a $10 discount if you registered at certain speed shops. Also what they used to have with Forum members running a list at the gate also giving a discount.

Having to pay in order to get a discount is very shrewd on there part as this guarantees them a certain income regardless of wheter or not those members turn up to events.

If they wish to charge this then the membership should also allow for further discounts during other events held at the complex, not really very well thought out concept, actually it is but for there own gain.

Originally Posted by SLY LS1

People said they didnt want to sit on the grass and concrete - the thunderdome seating is now being moved to the drag strip.

This is about 15 years overdure, this should have been looked at a few years after the Blunderdome stopped being used on a regular basis, they didn't have to pull all the seats but could have started slowly and that way guaged a response as to whether or not this got more people in.

Originally Posted by SLY LS1

People asked for communication, wanting to know what was going on etc etc - thats what im here for and also the new website.

People asked that the timeboards be put back to mph and show the 60' times - thats is being done for the September opening.

People asked for begginers days - this we are looking into - learn how to drag race

Probably the biggest one was get rid of the burnout comp - so with the new day/night schedule starting in September the burnout comp will be moved to the tea break and hopefully on a new burnout pad on the infield as suggested by many on the survey.

People asked for a better prepped track - as anyone would have seen if they had been out in the last 2 friday events, the prep has been A1 with all compditors happy with the new track prep guy we fly over from SA each Friday.

People have asked for a lot of tings over a long period of time, I'm certainly not going to thank there collective greedy butts for something that is long overdue by anyones reckoning.

With regard to the track prep guy, mate this is not something that's come about due to any survey if it started when you say it did, timeline doesn't fit I'm afraid, this has been brought about more by people "whingeing" at the track waiting for a track to be re-prepped in the middle of an event.

Originally Posted by SLY LS1

So to say the survey is a waste of time is a touch sad...

Again people can sit around and winge and wine about the past and crap they have heard from uncle johnys cousins brother who overheard something about Calder Park or you can have your say and get your issues off your chest, i can garentee you Bob Jane will personaly read every one of the survey comments, whether he acts apon them is his choice.

And if people really want the facts give Calder a call or drop them an email and ask away.

The only thing that's a touch sad is that this seems quite a coincindence for two reason:
1. Bobs ex wanting more money, seems he found a way to get it
2. Heathcote could end up in the hands of racers who would end up turning it into a world class track and thus kill off any chance Calder has to survive.

I'm not whingeing and this is not anything I've heard from others but things I know to be fact, sure it's mostly from the past but that's how you judge someones future performance. Had he been an axe murderer asking to get a job at a library full of people do you think he would be successful in his application for work? not likely, why? because of there past record. Same could be said here Wayne, too many times too many promises have been made with no real progress made.

I am getting my issues off my chest and I know for a fact that I speak for quite a few people when I say the things I say, some have voiced there opinions already.

Rather than reading surveys maybe Bob needs to get his grey old butt online and read the comments left in many of the forums by people who actually go to these events. It might even be an idea if he get the same butt down to the track occasionally and talks with the people who help support his classic car habit to see what they want rather than taking the word of people you don't even know how regular they get their if even at all.

Now, to finish off you seem to put alot of "we" in your responses, is there something you're not saying?? get it off your chest

[Mr. CVE]

It wasn't a dig at anyone, but does kinda seem like calder are trying to get maximun return for minimal cost/ responsibility.
Back in the top fuel days, Calder was packed, jet BJ claimed he lost money on those events.

[yift]

i went to calder park late last year for the first time in 10 years and all i have to say is, it's still a f***n s***hole no matter what they try and do. bj has to open his a**l passage up and spend some dollars (alot of it) otherwise i cant wait untill they bulldoze it so i can buy another house. whether this survey is for off street drags or not the best way to solve the problem with calder is to flatten it and start again, and that includes the thunderdome. make a first class facility for all types of car events, drags/club circuit/f1/v8 supercars etc, and get a decent management group in the place for when any kind of event is held there so it is all run smoothly. calder park will die on its in a big way if they dont give the paying public value for money.

thats my 2c worth

[SpoolMan]

Originally Posted by yift

i went to calder park late last year for the first time in 10 years and all i have to say is,

thats my 2c worth

Go For another look some big changes for drag racers in the last 6 months..
The start line has been so good, records are falling every week.

[Jason[98.EL]]

i for one will not run at calder again till they make more family friendly for people with families ( that includes just going to watch fellow car club members)

the last time we went as spectators it cost us nearly $80 just to watch

not a cheep night out

jason