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  1. #11
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    Apparently the UK Asphalt Championship has gone nuclear and the organising committee have departed. Watch this space I guess for news/updates

  2. #12
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    UK Rallying never helps itself; I saw reports of stepping down due to abuse in social media....absolutely appalling.

    Is there a better sound than that of Porsche engined Flat-6 ???

  3. #13
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    Just because there wasnt going to be a round on the military ranges amongst other factors it would seem. We dont deserve success sometimes on this little rock..

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sal yet again View Post
    Just because there wasnt going to be a round on the military ranges amongst other factors it would seem. We dont deserve success sometimes on this little rock..
    I'd say it was more to do with the massive horlicks that was made of the class structure (and subsequent back-pedalling), the casually racist emojis in their social media post announcing the rounds (which the Irish in particular were not impressed with), and two of those rounds then pulling out as a result of conditions imposed by the championship, that did for them.

    They had a rough time of it online, and I certainly don't condone a social media witch hunt. But it's 2022, and they seemed to be hell-bent on alienating just about all of the rallies and competitors that made the previous incarnation of that championship popular, backlash was inevitable.

  5. #15
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    Wasn't aware of the emoji issue which is non-excusable. The class structure was a debacle but thought that had been sorted out.

    My thoughts were that at least they had tried to bring the series more into line with the lure of closed roads rather than its traditional haunt of military ranges which in the current climate are likely to become even more off limits than before. Hopefully it can be turned around and some semblance of a series put together. There is a glut of top level machinery that should be seen at least at National level which otherwise will be causing even more whinging at MSN/Single venue events otherwise.

  6. #16
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    I think the spirit was correct, perhaps it was a bit 'too much too soon' for some in terms of going away from the traditional UK tarmac rally venues, but it's a change that needed to be made.

    It would only have worked, in terms of bringing existing competitors along with them away from the Epynt and Otterburn rallies, and attracting new ones, if there was stability and clarity in other areas. Unfortunately, it is apparent that there really was not, and the straw that broke the camel's back, seemingly, was losing the two of their rounds.

    I'm sure they meant well, and that they had the best of intentions, but it's been an utter shambles from start to finish. Let's see if any lessons will be learned, though it seems more likely that the championship will have to grab together a couple of Epynts or Otterburns and struggle through 2022.

  7. #17
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    Trying to drag the sport kicking & screaming into the 21st century is proving to be a real problem. Those that try, end up giving up as it's too much hard work. And we wonder why we've lost our WRC round...

    Is there a better sound than that of Porsche engined Flat-6 ???

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by AndyRAC View Post
    Trying to drag the sport kicking & screaming into the 21st century is proving to be a real problem. Those that try, end up giving up as it's too much hard work. And we wonder why we've lost our WRC round...
    I'm not sure we can put this particular debacle down to some general 'resistance to change' in British rallying. Change can be made to happen fairly easily if it's packaged and delivered properly - for better or worse.

    In this case, serving up a complete change of philosophy (rightly so) from mostly boring military range events that every competitor has done 1000 times, to an all-closed-road-event championship wasn't the issue. It wouldn't have taken much effort to get competitors to go along with that or even attract some new blood - indeed the consensus was that it was a good (if a little more expensive) calendar.

    The way that so much of the negative "this will never work" rubbish that a minority were prophesising before the first closed road events ran in 2018/2019 was completely and utterly disproven, is proof enough that if things are done right, competitors are ready and willing to try something new.

    No, what did for the team was the tone-deaf announcement, nonsensical car regulations, and difficult relations with event organisers. They started off not just on the back foot, but practically on their backside, and it only got worse.

    Organising anything in motorsport is a thankless task, and I'm grateful there are people out there willing to have a go at it. The point of this post isn't to be rude about Darren Spann and his team. However, even a cursory glance at the class structure of a successful national championship (in the UK or abroad) would have given them a clue what theirs should look like - not the tone-deaf dogs dinner that was published then swiftly withdrawn. A gentler approach with organisers of new championship rounds might have borne more fruit. And the most pointless bit of aggro they received, over their entirely tactless championship launch on social media, might have been avoided by googling "do the Oirish mind being called 'potato'" before hitting Tweet.

    It's regrettable, no doubt about it. Their intentions may have been good. But it doesn't seem fair to put it down to being 'too much hard work', more that the team ought to have worked smarter...

  9. #19
    Senior Member Fast Eddie WRC's Avatar
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    I see the other thread has disappeared so I guess we use this one...

    I'm looking forward to start of the ITRC in Galway this weekend. A good Irish entry and the BRC Champion Matt Edwards there to take them on.

    Hopefully a good battle and some live coverage from On The Pacenote FB page.

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC View Post
    I see the other thread has disappeared so I guess we use this one...

    I'm looking forward to start of the ITRC in Galway this weekend. A good Irish entry and the BRC Champion Matt Edwards there to take them on.

    Hopefully a good battle and some live coverage from On The Pacenote FB page.
    https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid...50188156790770

    Unfortunately looks like Matt Edwards won't be able to make it.

    Great entry otherwise though and looking forward to spectating at my local event. Will be unusual for me not to be competing but very glad to see proper rallying back in this country!

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