The State of NZ Motorsport.

[AMCO72]

Jim, I'm far too busy correcting my own spelling mistakes to be worrying about yours. I don't care how many times you read what you've written before pushing the reply button, there will always be words missed, or wrong spelling, or comas and full stops missed out. Really you should get someone to proof read it for you, but who is going to do that. As Steve said, we all make mistakes with grammar..... Now, completely changing the subject Jim, I really must take issue with you about your recent postings on this thread. It is NO use going back to the 'good old days', and WERE they that good anyway, about how motorsport used to be. Those days are gone forever. We have to move on, yes there have been mistakes, and if we can influence how things are done today and in the future by lobbying or other means, well so be it. But it is no use getting an ulcer over it all. You had your fun way back when, just like the guys today are having their fun now, and the next generation will have fun in their own way. As I see it, us OLD guys, yes, you and me Jim, would be far better off joining in VCC events. After the Roycroft Trophy weekend, I am more convinced of than ever. The members, well a lot of them, are more our age..... you wont find the 15 year old hotshots that are racing today, because they would find what we like deadly dull. You have your memories, and I have mine, and on a forum like this it is good to share. Some of our tales of derring-do spun here on Y & Y by Bob, Bry, thunder 427 etc, make great reading, and we can relive those times simply by telling the 'new-boys', how it used to be. Some of them of course couldn't care less about the old days, but I like to think that chaps that browse this forum have an interest in the history of motor racing in NZ, and by crikey, hasn't there been a wealth of stuff posted on these pages, which might have been lost forever if Steve hadn't started RS. Now Jim, after you have read this, two or three times hopefully, to get right meaning, you can sit down with a nice glass of rum and think about what I have said. And I can guarantee there will be some spelling mistakes........ Henry Ford said something interesting, which sort of applys to how the modern generation think...........'History is more or less bunk. It's tradition. We don't want tradition, we want to live in the present, and the only History that is worth a tinkers damn, is the history that we make today'....... I know thats not the way you and I think, but thats OK, I'm quite happy just tooling along, glad that I was born when I was.

[Oldfart]

To paraphrase that, my son, now working as a design engineer at Triumph Motorcycles (I am allowed to skite) was discussing with the owner of the company some previous (exciting) projects that did not make the market, and was told "Good to remember those, but we must always look forward, learn from the mistakes, but don't regret the past"

[AMCO72]

......Absolutely spot on. Could have saved myself all that writing, and Jim all that reading!!!.....AND...another Henry Fordism.......'you cant build a reputation on what you are going to do'

[Dave Silcock]

I don't why we are getting into whats happening to modern motor sport, excepting that it shows up what is wrong with the administation we have at the moment, as shown by issues Roger H and Trevor Sheffield among others have high lighted. You have got to ask yourself '' if you were young would you start motor racing to day''? In almost every case I would say the people on this forum would not. Firstly people like Bob, Jamie, Rik, myself and many others are not wanted. Its got to be a level playing field for that nut behind the wheel ! Its Ok to import a top driver but we can't be having any clever engine tuners messing things up can we now. This is why I myself would not race in modern racing today. Interresting to note that formula Ford was one of the first of this type and I am in formed a cross flow Kent for this formula today can cost you $30000!!! Although some of you don"t like a bit of tweaking [they were never this fast in the day sort of thing] if we in this type of old timer racing could not do it, you would not have the Foggy Mini or my Mk2. I think we need a complete break away from the mainstream and do our own thing. If you have been paying attention to my other posts you would realise that MSNZ has no automatic right to tell us what to do . I refer to decision 242 which none of our pro MSNZ members has chosen to refute.

[jim short]

Now Dave after a sleepless night and in spite of myself here i go again,,I know i am sick of me as well .But when an old friend foe? states hes not with Bob Jamie "Rick ",dont know him but sounds a fine upstanding chap are Not wanted!!!,Well years ago I played 1st fifteen both yrs.at high school scored the final try at Dilworth in the rain this is rugby Dave,,then as time rolled on I felt the same,no I was still in the team but peeling the oranges for halftime just felt differant.But life can turn out quite strange at times, now this is not guesswork I have read several books on the subject.being of small build like Tazio, no a bit bigger than him,has meant I can fit into most cars,cant always reach the pedals but once moving am fine.Now I must not go back over the past,not my fault I didnt have a motorbike,At Manfield a few weeks back I was there with the boys ,I have mentioned this before,and over the past yrs. I have taken Carols advice Carol was that sexy sec. at Bay Park Look Jim you just sit in the corner and have the young ones make you cups of tea as you have had your day.And she is dead right you soon get sick of being told watch out dad or leave that alone,you dont understand these computers.But now and again someone actually remembers you .Man its great to catch up again!! and when they{sometimes more than one} are gone you ask who the hell was that,,a classic one this rather nice looking women approx 50///60 ws all over me remembered all the old times the parties the tricks we got up to and she was built to ride motorbikes very streemlined, she even comented how many times she was mistaken for some country singer,after agood ten minutes she took off looking over her shoulder and smiling "good to catch up again BOB!!!! so Dave in time you will have that car running on all the jets and the sun will be nice and warm

[jim short]

Gee hope I didnt kill this site but just sitting in the sun thinking about all the neg{help me Amco}atives ,Form Ford always crops up Yet over the last 5yrs, with small feilds somtime only ten cars NZ at the moment we have three young promising future champs competing at Monaco in a couple of weeks and by the same token I have watched large grids of lets say BMWs, That does nothing for me the same as watching the Breakers, nothing but if involved in some way it would be different,Years ago my boys raced pushbikes Geof was Waikato Bay of Plenty sprint champion,,but the road racing was real boring you saw the start then you waited ages for them to return at times so bunched you didnt see what happend Turn the clock when the Muscle cars were curent,how many felt the same way as when they watched the NZ v8s last weekend.It apears some socalled motor enthusiests went home after 2!!!! 2 laps,It didnt stop thousands of others enjoying themselves ,What was the number quoted one hundred and seventeen THOUSAND paid to watch At the last Teratonga NZ v8s in the rain 3 cars produced on of the best races seen, This all that I have written is not to say i watched the whole lot,but the young ones have to start some place today and the v8s are the muscle cars tomorrow