Credit Crunch and Alternative energy Speed Series

[Mid life crisis]

1B;s ? So you won't be aiming at joining the other xflow entry cars in "A" then Tim.

[tim]

that was last year,so could well move back to 1a this year,

[tim]

or buy andys car if stu p doesnot want the engine!

[Mid life crisis]

That would be great, possibly a new class for next year on a level playing field !!

[machin]

I've seen the problem; if there was a <150bhp class all the "big boys" would be worried that Stu and Tim would thrash the rest of us every weekend and get maximum points!!!    

....Although if the 'new' Class A were awarded points in the same way as the current class A (i.e. amalgamated with class C first) then they'd still have to beat everyone in C to get the 17 point maximum.....  

...actually that sounds pretty good doesn't it?

[PS, I'm doing this from the pub on my mobile! -honest!!!]

[Mark Stanton]

You gotta turn up first to be thrashed Richard         you should be playin dominoes in pub not surfin          

[machin]

You gotta turn up first to be thrashed Richard      

That's true      Thanks for reminding me Mark  

(For those not in the know I had to sit out half of the 8 events I entered last year as I had an engine blow in P1 at Llandow        The worst thing was I only did Llandow as it was on the way to Llys Y Fran which I was really looking forward to     )

Anyway, I've managed to get another xflow so I'll be out again this year    

[cast iron]

There is also going to be a Battery Powered car competing in the Britixh Hillclimb championship, hopefully this year. But if you think that is going to be cheap motoring think again. It will cost a packet.

As to the number of scoring rounds, I can see where everybody is coming from, but as I reported at the awards Do, the average number of rounds by Speed Series drivers increased from 5.5 in 2007 to 6.5 in 2008, hence no change in 2009. But it will of course be considered at the end of the year, in light of what actually happens this year, rather than just boardroom gossip

The credit crunch is now and raised its head at the end of last year, the entry figures for last year were before this trouble began.

Why can the number of rounds be reduced now to reflect the current situation, or are we going to just bury our heads in the sand, hope we have a good year, then possibly change things next year when guess what, the economic climate may have changed.

How about looking forwards instead of backwards

[John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison]

I expect the regs have been MSA aproved now and cannot be changed but who knows?

[DickieB]

Ultimately, if you don't like the championship or it doesn't suit your circumstances, then you could go elsewhere - I did - to the 750MC Locost Championship.  Very equal cars, low cost, much more on driver ability, and far more time behind the wheel.  Also, my car cost me the same as the upgrades I had planned for my last season in the Speed Series (and we all know that upgrades cost more than you planned anyway).  And I reckon a season cost £4K (well except the 1st season where I crashed 4 times).  You pays your money you takes your choice.  In the SS you can run anything - that's half the fun.  Even in the Locost there were people spending massively more than others - testing, engine rebuilds etc.  That's motorsport.  Competing against nice people is pretty important, and the SS has always had that (especially Tim and Kev :-) )

[cast iron]

A few are questioning the technical regs and I agree find another championship if it doesnt work for you, but my question an I think also from some others is just one of changing the number of points scoring rounds for 2009 down from 10 to 9 or even 8, for each round including entry and getting there you must be looking to save£150 - £200?

As for the MSA from my experience of running the Northern Saloon championship they arent bothered about non technical alterations.

As for energy saving can't we have a downhill championship    

[Mark Stanton]

Even if you reduce number of rounds you will still get folks with more money doing more rounds to ensure they get more maximums with bigger time differentials       reducing rounds could simply give more opportunity for these extra rounds to count     and discard others with less points and smaller time differentials    

[Nick Algar - Competition Secretary]

I expect the regs have been MSA aproved now and cannot be changed but who knows?

I wish John, they are taking ages this year, but latest is they are now at the final hurdle with Technical. Or they were last week when I chased them.

Just so you all know, I have no intentention of changing the 2009 regs. If you don't like them, go elsewhere.

Throughout the year, I and the other commitee members will listen to the comments from people and take these into account at the end of year meeting, when we decide the changes to the regs for the next year. So carry on chatting about it, but no change for 2009.

[Scottish Bloke]

I've got an idea

leave it alone, apart from the 16 stone weight penalty thing              

[Mark Stanton]

Methinks...... Richard "Baldrick - cunning plan" Machin has got a new tag                  

Taxiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii and make it quicker than a X-Flow so give me a 16 valver