Symmons Plains

[NISMO]

Here we go again. Cochrunt is now threatening to pull Symmons Plains off the V8 calendar.

Article says it's related to saftey issues which must be met for the v8's to go back, as well as Tassie gov subsidising travel for all teams.

You read the article and to be honest it doesn't sound to unrealistic for him to ask these things, but in the back of my mind i wonder if it's just another stop in his march to shut down all forms of motorsport other than the taxi's by denying essential money's to yet another permanent circuit.

Or am i reading too much into it

JAMES BRESNEHAN

May 26, 2009 08:05am

TASMANIA will lose its biggest sporting event next year if the State Government cannot guarantee funding for V8 Supercars.

V8 officials say the Government will need to guarantee safety upgrades to Symmons Plains and travel subsidies for the 19 V8 Supercar teams.

Officials and the Government will meet this weekend to try to work out an extension to the five-year deal that expires next year.

V8 boss Tony Cochrane said yesterday the cost of travelling to Tasmania was double that of taking the supercars to most other Australian rounds.

But the deal-breaker would be an unwillingness by the Government to commit to improving track safety at Tasmania's 2.4km supercar circuit.

"There's no way known we could do a new contract without having those safety upgrades put in place," Cochrane said.

"I don't want to get into the specific details, I'll leave that for the discussion next week."

The Australian Vee Eight Supercar Company committee has compiled a report on safety issues at Symmons Plains -- as it does with all championship tracks -- which will be presented at the meeting.

Body: "We would want a guarantee of those safety issues being addressed to strike any new contract," Cochrane said.

The cost of staging the Tasmanian round was magnified by the Bass Strait crossing.

"That's for two reasons," Cochrane said.

"The teams' trucks are tied up for an enormous amount of time because they have to wait, then cross, and wait to come back.

"The second aspect is the crossing costs, the expense of shipping all of the equipment and all the costs associated [with being] away for extra time. It all adds up."

The Government was aware of those expenses.

"Symmons Plains is an important part of the Tasmanian calendar, after all, it does deliver the biggest weekend sporting event to Tasmania each year," Cochrane said.

Last year, 28,171 attended the main race day (Sunday) and 59,892 over the three days -- slightly up on the previous year's turnout of 59,785.

"In a perfect world we all want to see Tassie stay on the calendar," Cochrane said.

"Our guys have put quite a bit of effort into trying to ascertain what sort of deal we would need to move forward into the future."

The supercars abandoned Symmons Plains after the 1999 race meeting and returned in 2004 after the State Government spent millions upgrading the track.

"They have invested some money there -- no question it's a lot better," Cochrane said.

"But it's not just for the benefit of us.

"We are the catalyst for circuits to be improved and upgraded, but safety changes . . . help every other person using that track for the 51 weeks we are not there."

This weekend's meeting will decide the future of the supercar series in Tasmania.

"We enjoy the fact that we go to every state of Australia and that's important to us," Cochrane said.

[PHaT MR30]

Hmm there was an article in the local paper today saying this:

V8 SUPERCARS Australia has denied there are concerns about safety at Symmons Plains. The organisers of this weekend's V8 Supercar round said they were satisfied with the track... (thats as miuch as they give you online, without paying)

[NISMO]

I just find it a bit odd, especially since it was updated only a few years back. and they were all happy with it.

Have the cars become that much quicker, has the track deteriated that badly over the last couple of years?

My conspiracy theory brain also says, sighting saftey issues is a very easy way to pull the race without him looking like a pr!ck.

"There's no way known we could do a new contract without having those safety upgrades put in place," Cochrane said.

[Rhys9]

I just find it a bit odd, especially since it was updated only a few years back. and they were all happy with it.

Have the cars become that much quicker, has the track deteriated that badly over the last couple of years?

My conspiracy theory brain also says, sighting saftey issues is a very easy way to pull the race without him looking like a pr!ck.

"There's no way known we could do a new contract without having those safety upgrades put in place," Cochrane said.

After i Read that article i was thinking the same thing was it not updated 2-3yrs ago??

[sav man]

I'd like to know what those upgrades are, the track was 90% resurfaced a few years ago, and alot of the tin barriers were replaced with concrete ones.

[benm]

The upgrades required are traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and the track being renamed to "the streets of Hobart".

[evil_weevil]

V8 boss Tony Cochrane said yesterday the cost of travelling to Tasmania was double that of taking the supercars to most other Australian rounds.

If they want the tassie government to chip in....what do they do for China and UAE rounds?

Does China and UAE make money for the V8's more than tassie round?

[JAS-25T]

The China and UAE markets are much, much larger and their governments have alot more money than the Tasmanian government.

One has the largest population in the world and the other has the most of the oil.

[Marlin]

The China and UAE markets are much, much larger, and their governments have alot more money than the Tasmanian government.

One has the largest population in the world and the other has the most of the oil.

Fixed.

Bro.

hehe

[JAS-25T]

[evil_weevil]

How do they make money for the V8's more than a local round?

shipping would cost 11ty times more!

just askin!

[NISMO]

Being new tracks mate, the govt's of both countries would be paying big dollars to get any form of motorsport on the tracks to promote the track and the country.

They go for the largest form of motorsport from each country and in turn get a huge TV audience in said country. Kinda like advertising.

Another example is the Japan GT in malaysia coming up. Have seen footage of a few rounds of the series held at Sepang and other than a small portion of people in the main grandstand it's empty! But they go back every year.

[JAS-25T]

They (the countries) pay for the shipping.

having around 110,000 people go through the gates*, as opposed to 50 odd thousand is a huge difference.

*figure released by AVESCO

[evil_weevil]

O I C

I learn something new each day!

[sav man]

They (the countries) pay for the shipping.

having around 110,000 people go through the gates*, as opposed to 50 odd thousand is a huge difference.

*figure released by AVESCO

Yes, that's why there is only 5 people in the grandstands.

[JAS-25T]

That's why I made a point of noting the AVESCO quoted figure.

just incase you missed it? There have been doubts of these figures in many media reports.

[sav man]

na i saw it

[DJRIFT]

i read the article tonight or skimmed it, had better stuff to do.

basically they are not happy with dirt filled tyres that still line some parts of the track. thay are concerned that they rebound the car off with way to much force and can cause more harm than good. general gist.

as far as my mate and could think there isnt even that many places around the track that is still lined with them.

its all gay anyway it will just force track hire ect up and we will all have to pay.

[Duncan]

bottom line is they don't get the crowd numbers, merch sales and support category entry fees like the do in mainland rounds. so cockrane just keeps making up a plausable reason to cancel it andmove to a famous track like "PERTH CITY TELSTRA 300!!!11ty"