[tomcat racing]

Originally Posted by 750hp

I have no right to comment on the way the Nationals are run because I haven't been to one since West Wyalong. It's always been very easy to say that work is busy at that time of year, but the incentive hasn't ever been there for me to drive down to a track event.

I love that Cobras continue to have a presence on race tracks around the country, because that's such a big part of the reason for the original Cobra's existence. It's not for me though. I don't have the skill, nor the inclination to spend hours tweaking, maintaining and repairing the car before, during and after a race meeting. I like it to make the right noises, but out on the open road.

Taking the focus away from racing for a moment, the type of event that I would take my annual holidays to attend would be something like many other clubs do; to put the focus back on the drive and encourage as many club members to meet at a different location around the country each year.

Imagine all states arranging to drive to Noosa when the weather is right, then to meet the next year in the Barossa Valley or even Margaret River. Then Tenterfield, Grampians, Toowoomba, Kangaroo Island (no idea what the Ferry costs...), Alice Springs. Anyway you get the idea.

The home state could treat it the same way as any of you who have had an international visitor stay over, and plan different events that involve numerous scenic drives, food, drinks, days for passengers to go on day trips away from the Cobras if they wish.

For me, the drive to a destination is actually the biggest part of my Cobra experience, regardless of where I end up. A racing focused weekend means that the majority of entrants will tow to the event, and with suspension settings adjusted, sticky tyres fitted and the possibility of breakages, it makes sense.

Just my thought, but for a truly national event with year on year variety and no risk of financial loss for any of the clubs, I'd love to put track hire fees towards fuel and sunscreen and go and see some of this amazing country in our Cobras.

Thats why i do the Australia classic rally in cairns, over 600 ks of rallying over 2 days in beautifull countryside from Innisfail to Port Douglas and the Atherton Tableland, time trials, navigation and observation and the chance to run up and down the four major mountain passes, the Palmerston, the Gillies, Kuranda, and the Rex and full noise on some of the back roads, great comraderie, lunch beside waterfalls, vineyards, coffee plantations and alacarte dinners at night all included, a really well run event and obviously within a days drive for me, last year some entrants drove their cars up from Sydney and Melbourne to attend and make a holliday of it, great for husband and wife teams and the women love it. For me personally it beats standing around a freezing cold racetrack for 3 days trying to lower my times by a tenth, but to each his own, and i wont rule out attending the nationals again.