Motorsport NZ does Historic Racing need them.....

[ERC]

It crops up every year or two! As recently as Saturday, the question was raised at Pukekohe in a group that included one or two posters from this board.

The feeling is that with classic and historic meetings raking in the levies from over 200 competitors for a two day race meeting, plus many one dayers attracting over 100, we must surely be contributing rather a lot to the MSNZ pot? Add race licences, permit fees, roll bar homologation fees etc and it must add up to a fair proportion of the MSNZ overall income.

What most of us are then asking, is what does the classic really movement get in return? We already organise and administer our own meetings, series, championships, etc., so MSNZ does very little more than apply rubber stamps and red tape!

I am not sure that with running older cars, any technical changes are really necessary, particularly if the cars are as they were in their day or are covered by series technical rules. (HMC, Alfa, BMW, ERC, Classic Trials etc.)

So why not an alternative movement? Probably, it comes down to circuit owners running a mix of of MSNZ events and any Outlaw meetings and not really being in a position to have a foot in both camps, without some form of sanctions being applied.

Maybe we need circuit owners to comment?

Then it comes back to who or how to administer it, given that if we adopt the Issigonis theory of "a camel is a thoroughbred horse designed by a committee", on the one hand; or, you get the strong, dictatorial leaders, who get off their chuffs and actually create something, such as Mike John with Targa and Mark Petch with Super Tourers, both of whom have their critics, but also their supporters and who have challenged the establishment head on.

What is quite clear is that the Classic and Historic movement has several strong personalities and groups, who have seen what the movement needs, particularly in the north island. This includes Tony Roberts and Chris Watson with the whole Hampton Downs project, plus their affiliated club, HRC and the various series regularly running at their events. Add in other classic meeting organisers who are now running a mix of "pure" CoD classics and non-conforming series, and the support is much stronger than the traditional clubby meetings.

The south island also has a its own very strong classic movement, with several drivers happily crossing the ditch whenever they can.

Yes, open the discussion...