Update on events at the Club

[DianneH]

Just to put you in the picture re events at the club and hopefully dispel any myths about the club closing and yet another club being lost to the north-east drivers. We have had a very bad outdoor season to date - as you all know the weather has been atrocious and, although we had hoped to run a full calendar of events this season, we have been unable to do this and on the days when we have been able to run we have only had a handful of drivers - at the last meeting we had 12 and the previous one we only had 6.

As I have said before, if the club is to keep running we need your support. We were hoping that with a full calendar of events that the club would build back up to what it used to be but while drivers stay away from the club, this will never happen.

We will continue to race outdoors while we can but with an indoor rent of nearly £200 per meeting we are unable to put on indoor events when we do not know whether we will get sufficient drivers to cover the cost - we need at least 40 drivers per meeting and the numbers at the outdoor meetings do not give any indication that we could attract the number of drivers required. We need more drivers to attend the outdoor meetings so that we can get the club back on track, enabling us to plan for indoors.

Regarding the point made re giving something back to members, I would like to point out that many meetings in the past have been subsidised due to lack of attendance - especially when touring car meetings were being held on Saturday evenings. In addition, there are many costs involved in running the club - replacement equipment, repair of transponders, fuel, track repairs, rent, insurance etc. We also still have to pay the annual outdoor rent even though we have had insufficient meetings to cover the cost and all this when we are not able to hold meetings. I must be old fashioned in my way of thinking - I thought it was more about what we give to the club, not what we can get out of it - should the priority not be about the racing experience - if the club does not survive then local drivers would have to look elsewhere - surely you do not want that to happen?

I would ask you to spread the word that club meetings will be held whenever possible and if we can rely on the attendance of drivers then this will enable us to offer a good indoor series.

I would also like to mention the Interclub which was planned to be held at the Batley venue. Teams need to be formed in order for this meeting to be organised beforehand and if drivers do not attend meetings - how are we supposed to select a team?

I believe that the weather is going to be good on Sunday - so why not call on everyone that you can to come and join us and we could have a really good meeting and get a few names for Interclub teams at the same time. We will be tryi8ng to race on as many Sundays as possible - weather permitting.

I look forward to seeing many of you on Sunday between 10 am and 10.30 am!

Dianne

[Jez]

not wanting to start a debate or anything just saying a few words what several club members have mentioned recently.understand and appreciate financial help when i ran touring car club,and your help with rent.i thought the clubs funds were communal?whats yours is mine and vice versa?
i seem to remember paying almost £400 of my own money to keep things running.who else offered to chip in?no one.it broke my heart to stop saturday nights.i had the most fun ever,helping people,mc ing etc.i put up raffle prizes with proceeds going to cancer charities in rememberance of a young racer who died barely a teenager.the equipment we used was tired,the monitor went up in smoke,the printer didnt print and so on.
i am saddened by the lack of numbers recently and cannot see future meetings being much better,particularly inter club which i think is same day as worksop rd1.
would it not be possible to ressurect the commitee[is there still one?]and have meetings,say quarterly and an agm where the matters of interest and finance can be discussed openly.just like the old days.
sorry for going on a bit.see you sunday.
many thanks jez.

[Ted Maul]

I think for potential new members like myself, I have been put off by the fact that the racing cannot be guaranteed and I would have to leave home before any cancellation notice was posted on here. Family commitments mean that if the racing is not 100% on, then I won't risk going - no point in earning brownie points and spend them on a wasted trip. Other parents of multiple toddlers will know what I mean.

I fully appreciate it is no fault of anyone at Batley that the weather has been dreadful last two years and that racing can't be guaranteed. Having said that, when I was a young lad (ok this was a very, very long time ago) we raced every weekend, regardless of the weather. In fact, us young-uns loved it when the track was covered in snow or an inch deep in mud as it was a great leveller so we could compete with bigger budgeted adults. Is there anything that can be done to the track and facilities to make them more weatherproof and guarantee racing, even when the weather is bad?? We never raced indoors ever, we thought that was the preserve of 1:12th drivers and we were told they had webbed feet...

Apologies if I'm speaking out of turn as I'm not a club member (yet) but that is what puts me off

Regards

Mike

[andyr]

when i used to race at the club we would turn up as the time said and we would set about doing the jobs required. the problem we found was when we helped with the track someone woiuld come along and change everything to what they wanted and allso they would wait till it started raining then start the meeting. i remember when bally wanted to do the touring cars they werent intrested in him doing that seems that it is only buggies that mean anything to the club i came back to racing buggies last year with a mate of mine and we would rather drive to york than go to batley

[Oscar]

Sorry to hear you feel this way Andy.
Sadly we cannot control what time the rain starts:thumbdown:, club meetings will always start at around the same time, except in unusual circumstances, such as the last meeting when the flood debris had to be cleared.
I'm a little suprised you feel your help was unappreciated, I think now all regular attendees would be more than happy to have someone help set out the track, or contribute in some other way:), (as opposed to people sitting in the pits and watching the same few people do all the work:thumbdown:)

The touring car issue is a separate debate, and in fairness not relevant to this thread. They simply ceased because there wasn't the support. I'm sure Jez would still be more than happy to run these meetings if he had 40 drivers turn up every Saturday evening ;)

[Oscar]

I think for potential new members like myself, I have been put off by the fact that the racing cannot be guaranteed and I would have to leave home before any cancellation notice was posted on here. Family commitments mean that if the racing is not 100% on, then I won't risk going - no point in earning brownie points and spend them on a wasted trip. Other parents of multiple toddlers will know what I mean.

Regards

Mike

Mike, this is a very valid point, which I personally understand all too well;)

Working on the basis that if we announce cancellations by around 9am, That gives people at least one and a half hours before they need to be at the track. In fairness, not many people travel more than 90 mins to a club day, so this should be ample time in 99% of cases.

The reason we dont run in the rain is simple, generally as soon as the first spots appear, 80% of people immediately pack up and leave :D

Oh, and your not speaking out of turn;)

Hope to see you at a meeting soon:)

[andyr]

i do hope batley keeps going it would be ashame to see it close i think if it was'ent for dianne doing all the work she does it would have closed along time ago and the same goes to all those same people that do build the track and all the jobs that need doing. :thumbsup:

[super sparks]

well said andy... so come on all you members get down there a little bit earlier and help out for a change and give us regulars a hand it would be very much welcome................... tomorrow not only will the grass need cutting , but the container will need clearing out after being under 3 feet of water yet again !

[Ted Maul]

Mike, this is a very valid point, which I personally understand all too well;)

Working on the basis that if we announce cancellations by around 9am, That gives people at least one and a half hours before they need to be at the track. In fairness, not many people travel more than 90 mins to a club day, so this should be ample time in 99% of cases.

The reason we dont run in the rain is simple, generally as soon as the first spots appear, 80% of people immediately pack up and leave :D

Oh, and your not speaking out of turn;)

Hope to see you at a meeting soon:)

90 mins? Ahhhh I think I have missed a trick.. Reading the fixture list properly, it says track building starts at 10am, not racing starts at 10am.. So what time does the racing start, or more importantly, what time does booking in close? Perhaps this info could be dropped on the website as it would give people who wanted to come along and watch a rough idea when to turn up too?

Regards

Mike

[ssg]

With regards to supporting the outdoor racing. I live in Doncaster around 40 miles from the outdoor track. If there is any sign of it raining at the track i dont tend to set off as with it costing me £10-12 in diesel it can turn out to be an expensive few hours in the car. I will on the other hand be going to the indoor racing as often as i can (asuming that there will be some)as i am guaranteed racing. I am sure i am not the only person who looks at it this way.

stef

[Lee]

I came to batley a few times last year for club days but this year due to nationals and regionals i havent had a lot of time, and the time i have had was spent at southport getting some practice, even though i did crap :woot:

I live in durham and i actually have to set off before the cancelled meeting is announced, i did turn up earlier on in the year only for the meeting to be cancelled once i got there even though there was very little rain. This put me off.

Im sure batley would see the numbers increase 10 fold if they applied or got a national event next year, i know its a big ask and there is a tiny committiee right now but its the only way i think this slump can be turned round :thumbsup:

[Oscar]

90 mins? Ahhhh I think I have missed a trick.. Reading the fixture list properly, it says track building starts at 10am, not racing starts at 10am.. So what time does the racing start, or more importantly, what time does booking in close? Perhaps this info could be dropped on the website as it would give people who wanted to come along and watch a rough idea when to turn up too?

Regards

Mike

Website now updated :thumbsup:
Please Note: Track preparation (club meetings) will start at
10am. Racing is expected from 11:30 & will finish
by 4pm.