Do you support your local club at club racing level?

[Chrislong]

Originally Posted by burgie

Maybe the fact that many drivers don't do club meetings because they prefer to race nationals or just regionals is a big pointer to why clubs such as Bury are struggling?

You are right, and it is also because those doing nationals will try to visit the venues beforehand, so the weekends where they could be supporting the local club - they're actually elsewhere because thats where the national is.

Its a shame. We need newbies!

[Evo_Snr]

I usually have two Sundays off running race control each year. Is this dedication or Stupidity ?

[stuartw]

Originally Posted by Evo_Snr

I usually have two Sundays off running race control each year. Is this dedication or Stupidity ?

Eric,
I dont think this thread was aimed at people such as yourself who go above and beyond the call of duty.
ALL Club & Meeting organisors deserve a huge pat on the back for the effort they put in, not only on Race days but all those hours spent beforehand organising things. to you mate.

[Lee]

I dont think Southport as a club should be asked to give up members to help out another club, that is just daft, thats like asking tesco to close down for a weeks so morrissons can get a few more customers

Southport should be commended on their efforts and the facility they have and not criticised for doing a good job. My local permanent track is batley (80 mile away) i actually drive past it and choose not to go to it so i can go to southport for a club day (130 mile) To make someone do that you must be doing something right

[sosidge]

Having been around the NE racing scene in various capacities for quite a while (and I mean the real North East and I mean club racing), I have a pretty good idea why turnouts are low.

Fundamentally, the hobby needs new faces to stay alive. For various reasons there are almost no new electric racers in our part of the NE.

Bringing old racers out of club retirement only goes so far, ultimately the reasons they went into club retirement are still there, and soon enough they will stop again.

So, Jarrow had a boost 6 months ago with a new broom sweeping away the cobwebs, however the boost was only old racers coming back, it sounds like their interest is tailing off again, and Jarrow is back to the turnout it had during the last days as "Oxclose", half-a-dozen if you are lucky.

I have great sympathy for the situation but little surprise. No matter how much work the Jarrow club put in, they will always be fighting a losing battle.

This is probably the case for a lot of clubs across the country.

[Chequered Flag Racing]

voted Occasionally

that's because I work a shift pattern and prefer now to race competitons most weekends when I can get away for a full day or 2.

[turbo_brick]

With you not being for a while sosidge maybe I can clarify where Jarrow really are at. The last days of Oxclose, last few months, there was many weeks only 2 drivers turned up. Currently most weeks (apart from when the tables needed putting out/away) we have usually at least 10 racing, last week I think it was about 12. I am very proud of what the club have achieved as Oxclose was nearly dead when it was handed over to the committee. We have 3 members totally new to the sport recently joined who come most weeks but not others which we don't mind, we have another 2 who joined but due to work commitments haven't been for 2 months almost but they have kept in touch and do plan to return. A big credit must go to our very supportive regulars who help these new people through the early teething stages, we really appreciate the effort put in being approachable and helpful. Between us he managed to get a young guy racing for the first time who arrived with basically half of what he needed a few weeks ago. It's been quieter since the weather improved, wet Tuesdays are busier than dry ones, but being an indoor venue we expected that. I haven't known numbers to fall below 8 apart from the 'tables' weeks.

I think we're the only club planning on doing some promotional work outside the scene, we've been looking for inspiration but so far haven't seen much being done. Once we have the DADLG group set up we'll be looking at going into the schools and youth clubs. We have some very supportive members who are willing to support this, I think they're noticing aswell as we have the lack of new people coming into racing. We aren't saying as a club our current members don't matter, they are extremely important to us but for the club to continue and grow, we need to focus our attention on increasing new members. I hope we don't end up fighting a loosing battle, as a family and a club we're investing a lot of time, money and effort into trying to promote the sport (passing on those who can't make a Tuesday to NERCRs Sunday's aswell as trying to go and support them when we can) but I think we'll have failed if we don't at least try.

I understand completely about costs, travel and other commitments, I have a family aswell. When we moved house last year one of the reasons we moved here was to be a bit closer to the club, we still do 25 miles or so.

[sosidge]

Well I am pleased to hear you are getting 10-12 racers, compared to the rest of the clubs in this region that is a very good turnout. I'm sorry if I caused offence by suggesting you were getting 6 racers, that was not my intention, that was just my calculation of 1/2 to 1/3 of the peak turnout.

I don't club race mainly because of time and finance at the moment.

[turbo_brick]

Our max's then was 28/29 I think we got over 30 once, encouraged by food! No offence taken, it's been a while. Finance is an issue for everyone I think at the minute unfortunately which is why we're looking at buying club cars to encourage the new ones, save the initial cost at first see if they like it.

Fingers crossed eh!

[quincey]

ive got no local club to race at,chester is like a dead zone,i race at southport and bury and enjoy both but as with everything cost and time is the main thing i work 6 days a week and by the time ive been to southport and got home its 7.00 pm and the days as good as over.
theres racing at wrexham but because off certain problems at the club(its on road only)my buggy gathers dust.
whats going to happen to the north west regionals if bury goes??

[chris68nufc]

I havent club raced for as while but i will definatley return when work commitments calm down a touch. Jarrow club is a fantastic place to race indoors and has some cracking drivers(when im there) and im sure when the summer ends(what summer) then numbers will pick back up. Keep up the hard work Peter and the team and i will see you soon.

[Tim Ward]

I think that the post that mentioned people who just like to turn up and have it all laid on had a point! I, for the first time in years, have been going to regionals as well as running our local club. I have also been attending the local RX club on a weekday evening. It is like a breath of fresh air to turn up and just race.

However....

I still enjoy club racing at my own club more! The key problems we face as a club are...

1. People are very busy working long hours, it seems to me. They can't always attend. This means you need about 2 times the number of club 'members' as you you need 'racers' to make a good meeting. Also it means that few parents seem able to bring their children regularly.
2. 'Critical Mass' = the number of racers needed to have a good meeting, with enough drivers at differing levels for a good competition and to fulfill marshalling duties. If you fall below 'critical mass' then the club is in real trouble. Even if you persuade newbies to come and have a look the club looks poor!
3. The 'usual suspects' - even at club level most racers seem to want it all laid on for them! A small bunch of folk do all the work - and eventually burn themselves out, leave the committee (and often the sport altogether) and the club looses momentum!

Having said all this - our club still runs, with the 'usual suspects' doing all the work!

So what can be done? I suggest everyone who attends a local club approaches the committee and asks what they can do to help. Anything would be appreciated - especially in terms of publicity! If 20 people (such as a Jarrow - incidentally I used to race Mardave's at the other club at Oxclose!!) all did some publicity work then it has to have some effect!

Also i think that each club needs a dedicated PRO who co-ordinates (NOTE: this does not mean does all the work!!) all the publicity for the club and is not responsible for any other duties! Perhaps they don't even marshall so they can talk to the onlookers/newbies!

Anyway - I'll keep racing at FMR

Website - click here!

[josh_smaxx]

No

Reason: http://www.oople.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12403 no choice lol

[Jamie B4]

Havent got a local club, I consider a local club to be about 10 miles away and everything relaxed, problem I have is that my local club is about 45 mins away and when you consider the price of petrol and the time you finish work - dont see the point

[cjm_2008]

I think my local club is great, and race whenever I get the chance.

the only things I would change would be the venue and frequency of races - where we race outdoors is great, but it's completely at the mercy of the british summer... just like any outdoor venue.

we've had a few meetings postponed this year due to the weather.

if I won big on the lottery, i'd be building a tiverton-style barn for the whole of south wales to come and race in, with a model shop onsite

[Jamie B4]

Just a suggestion but could it be possible to attach clubs together (like regionals) that are within a 10 mile radius, that way you could race at the club attached one week at a time. I think that if you branch all the club members together then it may be possible to share the duties on a rota system. Ie Wrexham, Oswestry, Mold etc or Bury, Southport, Ellesmere Port etc. I also think that there are plenty of second hand cars on ebay that could be setup and used by any potential new members