QLD EVENT IDEAS 2013 and beyond?

[spookypt]

Further to Boxheads questions raised on Tenroccas topic, I thought I'd start a new thread to generate feedback/comments in relation to what event style they'd like to have as an event in QLD.

Running events is no easy feat and certainly what the Vic Club does with Shelby and the NSW Club with the Nats is a HUGE effort and we are lucky as QLD's to be invited and able to enjoy it with everyone else in the Cobra community. I think based on sheer numbers attended historically we are always committed to these events and we have a great time.

I've raised this topic off my own bat so its not a reflection or motivation of QLD Club views etc its just a way of generating ideas etc.

To help put the wheels in motion. Here's some clarifyers.

1. I'm putting my hand up to help run the event in whatever capacity suggested.

2. The interest registerered on this topic will no doubt go along way in seeing whether such an idea is viable up here. So if we see 10 pages on this topic we know we have a winner.

3. Interstate participation is welcome and the idea is to attract as many as possible. So in essence if we see keeness from other states we'd hope to see you come and join in to make the event a success.

4. I'd be keen to see of those making suggestions who woould also be keen to form part of the organising committee. More help makes a hard job easier.

So there you go...open book. The interest/numbers and quality of suggestion will answer Boxy's question. Certainly everyone's time these days are limited and finances are always an issue. I can think of a 1000 things I'd commit to before I committed hairy carey and put my hand up for this....but in saying that the Cobra community is a great bunch of men/women and if there is a niche to fill for an event up here I'll do my best to fill it.... (with the help of others raising their hands as well.)

Over to you all.

Spookypt

[spookypt]

P.S. I just noticed that great new club banner advertising on the Oz Page there Craig. How do you feel like sponsoring/helping to run an event up here.....? Well beaten drum mate I know...but had to ask.....

[boxhead]

Cheers Spook,
Most guys from interstate have no idea what facilities are available in QLD, so it may be hard for us/them to make suggestions?
But I reckon it is hard to go wrong with a "circuit" day at a track.
Again, I have no idea what tracks are available nor do I know the cost to hire these tracks.

[spookypt]

Boxy, we really have 3 to choose from...

1. Lakeside. Say 40 mins north Brisb CBD. Great historical track and awesome fun but doesn't have the forgiveness of tracks like MP or WP. You have an off there and it wil cost $'s...Getting a weekend booking on it would be near on impossible I'd suggest at this early stage of discussions.

2. QR. Say 50mins west of Brisb CBD. Good track, good parking etc. Multiple configs but most likely would run on the Clubman Circuit. Close enough to accommodation if required. A weekend there again would be difficult and I dare not think about costs?

3. Morgan Park. 2 1/2 hours west of Brisb CBD. Very familiar with Cobra Guys as the A series rounds are run there. Various tracks to choose from. No enclosed pits. Yve and Chris (Mrs Flatchat) are locals and could help with swooning the owners. The QLD Club has run a few track days there over the years... But once you get outside April to Nov it GETS FRICKEN HOT!!!!!!! Finding an available weekend may be difficult but perhaps not impossible.
Its a fair drive for a 1 day track day...

Hope that helps a bit...

[400TT]

It's great to see Spookypt stepping up to the plate.

I would love to see a QLD event organised. It's truly impressive how the NSW club is able to organise the Nationals. Same goes for VIC club and ShelbyFest.

You can definitely count me in for financial assistance.

[LJ47]

Organise it and they will come. I am shore there would be some Vic boys that would love a holiday in the sun.
LJ

[sideshow]

who needs to organise an event
just come for a drive up thru muwillumbah and up to nerang
and up towards and around mount tamborine which is a stones throw away from me
bloody wicked roads as i found out last weekend
pity i had the kids asleep in the back seats so couldnt do much
or ill have to put up with the misses nagging heheheh
they had a big old school car show which was called garters and gasoline hehehe
all early cars

i think QR might be up the ass especially after paying too much to go see the v8s
any track that runs v8 supercars thinks they can charge a million times more than the not so popular tracks

[Towmaster]

As has been previously noted here before........
Lakeside is a spectacular, historic track that saw Ken Miles race a Cobra around in 1963. It is however, very unforgiving and if you crash not only do you have to repair your car but you also pay to repair any armco etc that you damage.
Queensland Raceway is a big wide race track that favours horsepower. It is basically a Nascar Oval with squarer corners.... Not very exciting... The back straight, however, is probably the fastest of all the tracks around here.
Morgan Park at Warwick would be the best place to hold something. They have something like 26 variants of the track and apparently you can run 3 events on the track at the same time. There is a proper 1/8th mile Drag Strip right next door and plenty of accomm available in Warwick.
The problem I see is participation.... It would need to be a 2 day event because I don't think people would travel for a 1 day event. Maybe they might have a 'practice' day the day before which would allow possibly for 3 days.
the other thing is maybe some would like to come to the Shannons Muscle car shootout this year. Friday practice on the 'V8 supercar' Big track then Sat and Sun. Problem is we only get about 5 or 6 20 minute sessions on Sat and Sun.... Great atmosphere tho and a pretty cool event.

[schipps]

When I was building my Cobra, I noted with great interest that the QLD club ran quite a few track days. As I built, i thought how great that was going to be, to be able to circle a track with the other club members once I had finished the build.
Since I finished last year there have been no track days. The only option is to go straight to the Sprint series at morgan park, but ideally it would be good to sort the car out and see what the track days are like prior to jumping in to that. Same goes for the Shannons muscle car event. Be nice to get on a track without thousands of people seeing you spin or off into the sand traps...

So I vote for some track days. I also put my hand up to help out on the day

Mick

[Mrs flatchat]

Why we'd be happy to help out
I'd suggest Easter time at Morgan Park -- we need positive interest and we need to book the facilities now !
Check this at GT40s Aussie GT40 Get together - GT40s.com

Note to Schipps and the like -- no point in waiting for all the ducks to line up with perfect conditions --JUST DO IT !
There's plenty of us oldies around that have done all these events and gained valuable experiences that are available for coaching and mentoring
(SE Qlders) Morgan Park is available for practice every Wednesday www.morganparkraceway.com.au/index.html

Paul Stokell (recommended) runs plenty of training events http://drivingevents.com.au/

[spookypt]

Thanks to everyones comments thus far....some good input...

Some potential ideas...

1. Expand the opportunity/involvement in the Shannons Musclecar event to really develop our part of the event further with Cobras and GT40's. Its a great event in that if you like the track you can run in that or if you like the show and shine they have a HUGE dispay on the Sunday with trophies etc. We could even go all out and theme it like the 60's and you dress in period costume or something. Dunno..just a thought! But its an awesome event to attract all commers both racers and waxers... I like this idea as alot of the major issues with track booking/marshalling etc is already done... And helpers in events like this can be a scarce commodity. Perhaps a group of people could pull together on behalf of the Qld Club based on Wazzas and the committee's OK and we could try and expand the event in co-ordination with Shannons and QR... We'd need an outline as to exactly what we want to achieve but its an idea.

2. An event with the Flatchats at MP is also worthy of further discussion. being event specific it will require more organising and effort to make it a success but if that's what people want then fair enough.... (Chris we need to
thrash out ideas...)

3. Schipps, I understand your comments and I'd suggest there are a few guys who potentially feel the same way with dipping their toes into track days. I'm sure the guys are watching the topic with interest and picking up on ideas and suggestions.

4. Paul Stokell is a very approachable guy and he's been helping me get my head around this racing caper. If I can get the interest and its OK with the club I'd like to see if he will come and do an hour chat with anyone who's keen post a Sunday breaky or any other time suitable to discuss what we do, and how to do it well and how to do it safely... I think it'd be an hour well spent for all levels of car enthusiast and I'm sure he'd be keen to do it. He knows cobras pretty well and to quote him..... "they scare him"! LOL
I've spoken to him already about doing a club day in his Lotus track cars as well which would be great if we got the numbers and people were keen and had the $'s to throw at it? The little Lotus's are nothing like cobras but any seat time around a race track is good seat time imo...

5. Thanks Craig from Absolute Pace for your pre-committment. With a bit of work I can see about a dozen potential sponsors being prepared to chuck in a trophy or two...

6. LJ.. It'd be great to have you and Ross Millar and co up here for June 22. The event is built so please come.. I've been harrasiing Ross for years about thsi so he has no excuses. We'll even make sure its sunny for you! Best to chat to the event co-ordinator about it to get the specifics... I'm not sure who that is this year as I haven;t seen any correspondence to date but I'd say its Pete Chunky Hancock...Tuff427 on the forum.


At the end of the day a club and its committee can only do so much and all clubs rely on their members to actively launch and create ideas and then help its committee implement them. They are only human and running a club is a full time job on top of their already full time jobs and families etc. With enthusiasm some great events/ideas can happen.


Spookypt

[boxhead]

Organizing an event is something the QLD club needs to sit down with there members and figure out what style event suits there needs best.
The only exception I personally would add here is that the QLD members I have met are pretty hard core racers and will need to be mindfully that not everyone is in the same mind frame.

But as has been mentioned, it really is a case of creating the event and letting everyone know, and then just hope they come.
Give us plenty of warning and I will try my darnedest to be there (I like the idea of a track with plenty of run off space)

[Merv and Sharon]

Mick there are also hill climb tracks, for example the one at Mt Cotton is available to the public and also for instruction.

MG Car Club of Queensland

[spookypt]

Originally Posted by Merv and Sharon

Mick there are also hill climb tracks, for example the one at Mt Cotton is available to the public and also for instruction.

MG Car Club of Queensland

The 2nd last left hand corner under the trees shadow on a hot day spits out more cars than hungry corner at Lakeside....

[Merv and Sharon]

Is that from experience Matt? I was thinking that the instruction aspect could be good there. Others have said it was.

[spookypt]

Originally Posted by Merv and Sharon

Is that from experience Matt? I was thinking that the instruction aspect could be good there. Others have said it was.

Hi Merv... years ago I used to help a mate run his Fiat 124 hill climb car out there. The problem was always that the overhanging trees on that corner left a nasty slippery residue on the track as it never really saw the sun. It may have changed in the last 10 years but it was THE corner to get right out there back then.

I know the guys that run Noosa Hill Climb see the same effect on that run too.

But like most places any instruction is invaluble.

Spookypt

[Donunder]

Do they still have the Queensland nut shells there?
I remember once running my old 100/6 there while the grille was off being re-chromed, and submarining into them. I never knew so many nut shells could fit around a Healey radiator.

[spookypt]

Don, its been a loooong time since I've been back there. Good fun though. Some of the guys take it all pretty seriously I have to say. The guy that crack tested and rebuilt my PS rack races there often and runs Noosa in the top 2 outright for the last few years... Crazy buggers.

So are you suggesting you want to organise a hill climb event???????????
Did you have any thoughts for the thread topic? I'm surprised more QLD's haven't put forward ideas and suggestions.... Even the forum regulars haven't posted any ideas.

Looks like thread will die a natural death.

Spookypt

[Merv and Sharon]

The Mr Cotton or Noosa hill climb tracks could be booked maybe?

[spookypt]

Originally Posted by Merv and Sharon

The Mr Cotton or Noosa hill climb tracks could be booked maybe?

Hi Merv, I don't have any real insight into these particular venues except that I think Noosa is pretty much a 1 off event. I think in November?? Mt Cotton is a purpose built track but I'm not sure as to its availability for club use.

I'd be thinking that perhaps a gymkana event might be organisable in a dedicated area like what used to happen in Broadwater carpark on the GC against the Corvette Club many moons ago. It was a regular yearly super fun day around Indy but it hasn't happened again since about 2009 or so?

Not sure the reasons it ceased but that carpark is gone so perhaps thats part of the reason why?

If we ran an event of sorts in Brisbane would you and the members of the Sunny Coast Chapter to participate?

Spookypt