NZ Herald8:10am 8 March 2014
We are now into the third season of motorsport since the acrimonious split in domestic V8 racing. Both the breakaway V8 SuperTourers and the New Zealand national championship NZV8 Touring Cars are struggling to fill their grids.
It is hard to believe the “he said, she said” stuff is still happening.
As New Zealand has such a small population, both factions had better sort out their respective angst before motorsport fans say “enough” and find a new passion to follow.
You just have to look at the lack of crowd numbers at the two opening rounds of the V8ST 2014 series to note the lack of punters coming through the gate.
Sure, there’s television, but it doesn’t take a genius to realise the fickle nature of TV production, which can change its mind in a nano-second – and it costs money that neither category can afford.
Bums on seats are the lifeblood of any sport. Once people stop coming to events it’s nigh on impossible to get them to return.
It’s time for all parties involved, V8ST, NZV8TC and the governing body to put their personal concerns aside and look at the bigger picture.
The sport is haemorrhaging money, fans and competitors and is slowly dying.
Kiwi great Greg Murphy sat down with Driven to put his views.
The four-time Bathurst winner has been competing in the V8 SuperTourers series for two seasons and is almost at the end of his tether with the dysfunctionality of the sport in New Zealand.
In the first of a three-part look at the parties involved in the stoush, I asked Murphy his thoughts on why there are still huge problems in motor racing in New Zealand.
Over the next two weeks I will contact NZV8TC and the governing body to garner their thoughts on the problem.
“It’s a real concern what’s happening with the sport in New Zealand,” says Murphy.
“There’s so much great stuff in New Zealand motorsport with great champions in the past and great races.
“There seem to be some people … making decisions, doing things and saying things for personal reasons rather than doing things that make sense.
“What we’re trying to do with SuperTourers is provide the best domestic championship and having a dozen or more Supercar drivers coming over to compete in the series and being ignored by the governing body is amazing – I can’t work it out.
“There is so much rubbish and lies being told about the problems in our class that just aren’t true by people who aren’t part of SuperTourers.
“There are a number of us who are trying to make the sport more professional in New Zealand and we’re continually banging our heads against a brick wall.
‘I can’t believe how we’re spending more time putting out fires rather than focusing on providing entertainment for the fans,” he says.
“There’s no question that we [SuperTourers] have made our own mistakes and have been trying to sort the problems out. There have been a number of changes but we are limited by funds to make it even better.
‘We shouldn’t have started the series again so soon after the end of the last one but commitments were made. But we can fix that and make things better,” says Murphy.
“At the moment it’s just so terribly fragmented with people making decisions with no comprehension about what they’re doing.
“The people who are governing the sport should concentrate on the governance of it and not get involved in other aspects.
“There appears to be no foresight or structure in place for the long-term good of the sport
“As a result we’re all struggling and still operating like we’re in the 1970s or 80s.
“The whole thing with all the parties involved have to find a common ideal if the sport is going to be made healthy again,” he says.
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Something has to be done guickly. I am amazed that both factions can not see that they are in self-destruct mode. It will not be a good look at Pukekohe in April with such a small field of V8ST. Come on guys, start acting like grownups and not spoilt brats.
the superborers are one persons dream that has taken all the fun out of it … they have a wish list that not every track or club can follow….. who is going to invest millions into a race track just to accommodate the superborers…. and yes I have watched them live ant the track … and waiting 50 minutes from the time the cars come onto the track until the green light goes out for racing is utter bollocks, watching the crowd around you pack up and leave is not a good look for any sport ….. superborers need to pull their heads out of their asses and come back to reality !!!
As I have said before the v8 Super Tourers bear no resemblance to anything Mr Joe public can buy and run on the road.. Far more interest would be generated by souped up road going cars as was the case in years gone by.. Why cant anyone see that? It is so simple!!
Money now controls the Supertourer Class and the competitors are being treated no better than the Public. They have been dealt to and sadly there is no obvious way out… They are too specialised to be recognised by the public as anything other than curiousities.. No different to watching any other dead boring battle of ego’s with no logical purpose other than ego stroking to be achieved at the end of it!! Does nothing for the sport at all… Potential spectators are car enthiusiasts who need to be able to relate the racing to something they could aspire to enjoy themselves some way, such as an improved road car experience.. Give them that and they will come back!
I have been involved in NZ motorsport as a engieer for around 20 years,(gave up 2 years ago)and have work on cars driven by some of NZ’s best motorsport talents. The reason I finished with motorsport was due to the continuous fighing and bickering and lack of support regarding classes in tier one racing. Don’t get me wrong the Super Tourers are a awesome car….but come on rolling starts……why didnt they put a desent drivline in them so they could have standing starts!!! and another thing how many different racing classes does one country need!!! The best motorsport viewing is the classic racing as those drivers are out there haveing fun.
Whilst I am happy to watch many forms of motor racing on TV, I am well aware that it comes to me at considerable cost to most racing clubs, Like NZST V8’s TV is a business and is there to make money. So too are the supertourers. However having said that, some of the drivers need to realise that Joe public wants to actually talk to them instead of being snubbed,. Yes they have commitments to sponsors etc, but spectators are an essential part of their sport. Treat them accordingly. No fans, no money coming through the gate. No money………….no motorsport. Get your act together guys, before your sport becomes like the dinosaurs. Extinct.
Its good to see so many V8 Classes in NZ, including the Classic ones.
But the two top classes and NZ Motor Sport need to look at the big picture.
The size of the grids do not make for great racing, as stated before – BORING . This infighting I believe is having an impact on other grids like IRC. If we do not get it right at Pukekohe, that good be the one that will destroy MotorSport in NZ, and its driver and fan base. Overseas classes like British Touring Cars, and the now World Touring Cars, know what the racing public want. Their daily runner of now and in the future on the track, with close racing. A major bolt rethink is reqd by all. If Greg with his pulling power can not make traction how can us meer mortal(fans and drivers) make changes happen. Who’s Sport is it?