2009 off road Worlds

[Nolan BJ4WE]

Originally Posted by Alfonzo

As a Brit who has a lot of SA family and have spent a lot of time out there I can tell you it's a fantastic country. Yes, you do need to be aware of crime in certain areas, but it's not a friggin war zone! It's beautiful and the people are great, the food is great, the beer is great. I'm sure the locals would look after you all, they're good like that. Footie World Cup out there next year too.

Although you wouldn't wisely wonder down town in the big cities late at night after a skinfull, TBH there are certain areas in this country which are pretty dodgy too nowadays.

Those that go will love it.

As a ex South African I can fully agree with Alfonzo. My family still live out there, and to be honest....the media makes it out to be a much worse place than it actually is. Any where you go in the world, there are places to avoid, even in the UK - so therefore....don't knock it until you have been and experienced the place for yourselves!!

[werner1619]

No please don't attend the event, will increase my chances of being WC.

The media does slam SA hard, in 30 years notin bad has ever happened to me or my family. But if you go looking for it, you will find more than you could handle. hehehe

will upload pic of track shortly....

[jimmy]

So, hands up if you're going?

I've talked to a few good drivers and can't say I know anyone who will attend. I think it's a real shame but I wonder how much is safety and how much is a money saving thing though.

Maybe I'm alone in thinking this - but I think part of the problem is companies who don't really want to go are happy to declare it a non-event in their opinion. Maybe money is tight this year?

I'm sure some people don't want to attend because of what they've heard - but the reason I don't think we'll go is nothing to do with security. We're in the camp of people who won't go because of the top drivers not attending - and I wonder how many of those drivers won't attend because of similar feelings/pressures from their team not to go.

With the Worlds going ahead for definite then companies can either attend and do battle for the titles - or slam the event as being a non-event and thus devalue the win, pretend it never happend if you will.
If brand 'X' attend and win both classes then they didn't REALLY win the Worlds did they - because Brands 'a' 'b' 'c'.. .Etc didn't send their best drivers.

If you ask me, a Worlds is a Worlds - no matter the reason you don't attend the winner is the winner. It's a shame we'll not attend but it's nothing to do with the track or venue - it's the lack of interest from companies that has put us off.

[Mrs oOple]

I think the computer says nooooo Jimmy. I'd quite like to be a worlds A finalist though, competition or not that would still be an achievement for me

[nobby]

i remember the onroad worlds in sa 2004 i think.
only 2 people went from the uk dave spash and his pit bitch darren simpson.
dave was racing for trinity at the time and ernie phoned him with his travel info.
when dave asked when ernie would get there he said are you mad i'm not going

as for staying in a nice hotel and not going out.
masami and his dad masaaki were leaving the hotel one morning to go to the track, there car was right outside the hotel door when someone robbed them of most of there car stuff and stuck a knife in masaaki's leg

so who ever goes have a nice time and in the words of hill street blues hay you be careful out there

[jimmy]

I really don't like the idea that people might not consider this a true Worlds - or worse yet, that companies might well put that thought forward. What if a driver from 'XYZ Team' wanted to go to SA anyway off their own back - and YXZ say to him he can't go because it will lend credit to the race and make them look worse if he doesn't win than they would if they could say it's not a real Worlds.
Despite the poor reputation of SA that gets put about a lot - I know of drivers who've either said they are going (and now aren't) or said they wanted to but weren't etc. I've heard it rumoured that some teams have laid down the law and want unity throught their ranks - we don't go, we ALL don't go. Type of thing.

Perhaps it's a big chess game and one or two of these guys who've said all along how dangerous it is over there will suddenly turn up and win.
Oh well.

[Northy]

Are we going boss?

G

[jimmy]

No Boss - I'm hoping to maybe go to the Yatabe international race next year instead boss.

[stegger]

When would the UK be able to get the world championships ? Been so long since we have had them.

[spenner]

Originally Posted by stegger

When would the UK be able to get the world championships ? Been so long since we have had them.

Never!!!!!

For the reasons - This country does not support Motor Racing (Silverstone, Donnington)
The Weather!!!

But mainly cost...

[caneye]

funny ... all these talk sounds like a repeat of 2006 - when the yanks had reservations (fear???) about the 2006 Ifmar 1/8 offroad worlds being held in the country with the biggest population of moslems in the world, indonesia.

those who went had a ball.
and a yank won the worlds too ... .

[ben]

Hmm been thinking about this for a little while. Would i need injections to go?

[Southwell]

Originally Posted by ben

Hmm been thinking about this for a little while. Would i need injections to go?

Yeah

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/travel/af...h_africa.shtml

[ben]

In that case, no then! I HATE them

[Southwell]

Originally Posted by ben

In that case, no then! I HATE them

Chicken. I had 4 when i went to tunisia.
£70 on private, not worth it when i got a chest infection the week i went lol.

[James]

This is actually a serious question, a lot of private households in S.A. use private security firms to protect their property, does anyone know costs/practicalities/effectiveness of hiring private security for personal protection and transport over there?

[Teddy truman]

the UK could host a worlds if they sorted a track... it has rainned at alot of the last worlds... japan.. last years 8th worlds in th US... as for the cost... The B.R.C.A can afford it!!

[Lindsay]

Originally Posted by Teddy truman

the UK could host a worlds if they sorted a track... it has rainned at alot of the last worlds... japan.. last years 8th worlds in th US... as for the cost... The B.R.C.A can afford it!!

It also rained at the 2003 in Minnreg America.

Lets go for indoor @ the NEC in Birmingham.

[GRIFF55]

Now that sounds bloody awesome!!! Hotels close and easy access from airports too

[James]

Yeh, i did a reedy race there in 199?, pretty neat