Is Motorsport going the wrong way?

[ERC]

Sad isn't it? Brighton Speed Trials went back to 1905, but 'rising costs' as well as the council closing the viewing area.

Rising costs. That is gradually killing the sport and why are they rising? According to Mr. Quinn's CEO, and I believe one of the hierarchy at MSNZ, 'the sport is too cheap in NZ'.

Probably why when I went to HD yesterday, despite the loss of Pukekohe, no race meeting, on a date that used to be one of the busiest of the year. Why no meeting? It used to cost about $12,000 to run a 1 day meeting not so long back. I gather the cost is more than double that, not to mention an additional $25 'safety levy' per driver.

When Tony Roberts and Chris Watson had HD, the track was booked out for about 340 days a year - and that was before the extended or additional 'Club' track was built.

We thought that with two tracks on site, clubs would be flocking to the venue to run events.

This isn't Brooklands, nor the time when most households didn't even have access to a family car. So cars are now the relatively cheap part of the sport.

If HD doesn't even have an income generating meeting (for the track) on a summer holiday weekend, what does the future hold?