Junior Drivers + EOS Locations.....

[ben]

Hmmmm just using york as an example here. Maybe a poster could be made which had the info about York off road car club and the website. Then a couple of shop addresses which could be used to buy a B4RS for example. The poster could be then put up in the local surrounding schools. York club offers the first 3 meetings FREE of charge from a club and BRCA license, to see what new racers think to the club.
Maybe each club could also build a couple of cars with cheap electrics in so that if new members arrive on a club night they could have a go?

Ive been to a couple of the batley club meetings this year and i think ive seen 3 or 4 B4 rtr's there which shows there is new people coming into the hobby.

Peace...

[_sleigh_]

Originally Posted by ashleyb4

I think the main reason why young drivers dont know is because of advertising and mis conseptions, when i first started i was 14 i went to club nights and i thought i would only be able to race at club level until i was really good then i could go to regionals and then maybe nationals. I think if we advertised the EOS finals a bit better and regionals. Maybe it could be arranged where a letter with a callender for the year attached sent to all F5 drivers. Exsplaining that every level of racer is welcome at regionals and the EOS finals and its not all serious. There have been a few young drivers at oswestry who have been keen to progress but they only find out about the up and coming event a few days before which in most cases is just to short notice for parents. So maybe a letter to there address with a callender exsplaining that it is good fun and your not going to bethe only 12 - 15 year old there. And its not all about the racing i know that James and Callum at our regionals once they have finished doing bits and bobs with there cars they go and play football and swap football cards. And if they recieve it at home there parent will more than likely see it and say o well if you want to go we can arrange something because there given plent to time to get organised.

A

P.S. I hope that made sence.

Ash, sound like you'll be standing for the PR post at the Mid-West regional AGM.

[bigred5765]

what i was trying to say is, to get more people coming to regional events instead of them all just trying to get in nationals, do what i said in my previous post,so that f3-4-5's would only gain entry to nationals if they finished in the top ten in the regional class,so regionals would be like a qualifier for the nats.

[ashleyb4]

Originally Posted by _sleigh_

Ash, sound like you'll be standing for the PR post at the Mid-West regional AGM.

Am i ?

A

[David Church]

I think a good way to get more kids/people involved in local clubs, leading to things like the EOS Finals, is to make more people aware of the club itself.

I know it sounds easy, but some sort of campaign, either local radio/tv or local news paper, or even more basic flyers at supermarkets or wherever lots of people go.

Now I live 60 miles from my local club so this is not so easy, but some sort of organised push may just get people interested. Alot of people that show up to EPR for a football match say, "I never even knew this was here".

It's worth a go

[_sleigh_]

I know it might be radical, but as far as the introduction of "new blood" why do we get hung up on it being youngsters??

We all know it's quite an expensive hobby to start up (if you plan to compete at a reasonable level) and not many youngsters have the type of cash or a willing parent that can part with the cash.

Plus to run at regional level, you've got the need for transportation to the events. Nationals more oftern than not you'll need accomodation, even if it's just camping gear. Then there's the long Sunday meetings, the day before a school day.

Wouldn't we better looking at targetting the 20+ age group that are going be a better fit to the criteria of an ideal newcomer??

[James]

More meetings (or if not meetings then demonstrations) at car shows is a great way to go i think ...

[niggs98]

perhaps we should do a friends meeting where every racer grabs a mate and loans the gear. make it safe for equipment by making it stock motors or even the old silver can 540's so that the car stays in one piece and see how it goes. that way then as phil says it will be to an age group who can afford to do it rather than reliying on mum n dads bank balance

[_sleigh_]

I think you're right James, we'd have a captive crowd of motorsport/motoring enthusiastic people.

Besides most of which seem to have money to burn on neons and subs.


We used to do this years ago in the Mid-West. Schumacher Festivals/RCP Meetings were often run at Car Shows / Town Festivals.

[AndyM]

Originally Posted by bigred5765

what i was trying to say is, to get more people coming to regional events instead of them all just trying to get in nationals, do what i said in my previous post,so that f3-4-5's would only gain entry to nationals if they finished in the top ten in the regional class,so regionals would be like a qualifier for the nats.

But this would be a problem, for example, in the NE where most of the top 10 is taken up by F1 drivers anyway?

Also, another way to bring more people to the juniors event could be to bring back the U19 class?

I know that at least 4 people that competed this year in the U16 class are now too old to compete next year as U16s.

Just a thought.

[mattym0310]

Andy, the top ten would be once F1's are taken out because they automatically qualify.

I think it would be good to also do demonstrations of it at other events or car shows. For example Yorcc did one at harewood which was a great day of racing because it was fun and it got people talking and asking about the hobby. NERCR club also did one I think or maybe it was teeside club??

Nick's idea about qualifying for the nats is also a great idea as it would make regionals more popular. This might take the numbers down at club meets though because of the concentration on regs and nats.

[_sleigh_]

I think (although not 100%) the U19 class at the E.o.S. finals was only ever a support class to help bring the numbers up. But there' no reason it couldn't be looked at again, and discussed at AGM level..

[paul01ews]

Hi , i do not have the answers but my son raced at Eastrax under 13 in the group of only 6 that were there.
In the east of England he was the only junior to attened the regional series.
He finds it hard to stay motivated when he is racing against grown up's and comming last all the time, so eastrax was great for him to finally get to race with kids the same age.
I ran RC in the eighties and as long as he wants to do it i will support him with time and money , but there is the problem the time and money is not there for everyone.
Suppliers, Teams and producers need to do more to help here.
Sorry only my view.
Paul.

[bigred5765]

Originally Posted by paul01ews

Hi , i do not have the answers but my son raced at Eastrax under 13 in the group of only 6 that were there.
In the east of England he was the only junior to attened the regional series.
He finds it hard to stay motivated when he is racing against grown up's and comming last all the time, so eastrax was great for him to finally get to race with kids the same age.
I ran RC in the eighties and as long as he wants to do it i will support him with time and money , but there is the problem the time and money is not there for everyone.
Suppliers, Teams and producers need to do more to help here.
Sorry only my view.
Paul.

i do think that sometimes teams and manufactures tend to concentrate to hard on the top ten drivers,I'm not saying they don't deserver it because they do, but may be if they got in to the youngsters,people coming into the sport would see a good goal to aim for,thats not 5 years down the line, just mho

[racingdwarf]

I run a club in norfolk, we have held demos at local school fates in the past, I think RC is in for an up hill struggle the 1st thing that struck me is how many kids are realy not intrested in cars now days, I think out of the 200+ kids at that fate only about 2 showed real intrest in a car, we had quite a few parents intrested but once they found how hard they are to drive round a track (very simple track) and then how much they cost they lost intrest.

How many kids now days build plastic model kits, build go carts,show any inerest in how the gears and stuff on there bike work etc etc

Rc is up against some stiff competition these days nintendo,computers and in my area the local youth football clubs, all of these are fare cheeper in the short term and modern kids want a fast result! they don't want to spend months lerning how to drive in a cold field, most loose interest very fast, as do there parents in working on the car. Adults find it hard to find the time and these days even harder to justify the money.

I don't know any other ways to get people intrested in our hobby. But if things don't get better here in the East of England my club has a very short time left