Not sure how right it is, but I heard that for every entrant in a National round something like $220 or thereabouts is paid directly to CAMS, which I guess covers insurance, etc.
I think travel woudl be a fairly substantial part of why people don't compete in the full Championship. I know when we raced, we went to as many of the close Nationals as we could, but we could afford the time and expense to travel to Finke, Goondiwindi, etc from Melbourne. Along with the cost, when you only get four weeks annual leave a year, it is hard to use all of that and then some to go racing. The family want some time there as well for holidays. A race such as Finke or Hyden would each use up an absolute minimum of one weeks holiday, so there is half of your years annual leave gone for two races. When you then add the costs of the travel to egt to the events, it is difficult to explain to the family that you have used all of your holidays and all of your holidays funds to go racing. There isn't really a solution to that, it is how it is as it is a National Championship, but it makes it hard.
I feel the 'tri-series' was a good idea, and will improve entries.
We cant do much about entry fees, CAMS take a BIG slice, but the clubs pretty much run 'not for profit', if they do make a profit, it is used for the next race/improvements.
Anyone who wants to race nationals can, otherwise they do state, otherwise they do club.....there is only so much money/time/entrants available.
Why is it so important to want people to run nationals anyway? State/club has always been the most fun for me in my off road time, and we all know nationals would'nt exist if it were'nt for club level racing!!!!
My reasons are as follows. Me & my old car are not what you would call fast, given the speed of the top guys late running time is an issue. The "three day event" is difficult given we run our business. It would suit us much better if scrutineering was at say 10 o'clock on the Saturday & prologue only Saturday arvo. It is difficult to do things this way bucause of reconnaissance issues. My view on reconnaissance is that if you can't do it in your race car then there is not much point. The system we have now also assumes that everyone has a 4wd. I know you always get a lift but it is not the same as driving yourself. Entry costs. The main problem I have with entry fees is the lack of consistancy. AORCom/ CAMS require the same things at all events, this cost would be consistant you would imagine. The only other factors could be distance, (cost to transport required things to the race track) & track grading fee. I can't see why AORCom can't set a national maximum fee. Clubs that wish to run a national would have to be able to conduct the event within these cost or not bother applying.
Can someone list the entry fees for all National rounds last year, and maybe the total entries as well if the info is available. It would be interesting to see thre spread. I know people have complained forever about the cost of Finke but the event costs $500 000 to run each year.
Hyden - Early Entry $450 Late Entry $550 Entries 64
Donald - Entry $520 Entries 75
Finke - Early Entry $660 Late Entry $770 Entries 66
Mildura - Early Entry $700 Late Entry $800 Entries 43
Pines - Early Entry $400 Late Entry $500 Entries 72
Goondiwindi - Early Entry $500 Late Entry $550 Entries 68
I have not listed the state round costs for those events that offer both, as we are discussing the national scene. With the entry numbers, I have included all competitors for the event, regardless of if they only entered for the state component or not as I couldn't be bothered sorting through the lists.
With regards to the even running costs, I can't comment on how much each even costs, as I don't know. With regards to Finke, the running costs also are helped by having a couple of hundred bikes run as well. Just from this year, each bike for an early entry cost $460, and the cars early entry was $680. This year they had 469 bikes entered and 77 cars. Just going by early entry costs, that is a total of $268,100. Obviously not everyone would have entered early, so that would probably be a little higher. So, if the event costs $500,000 a year to run, that means the club has to find around $200,000 a year in sponsorship..... Is that even possible?
-- Edited by Trekka273 on Saturday 18th of July 2009 01:32:55 PM
Some interesting data. Thanks for going to the trouble Trekka. Most interesting Mildura, highest entry fee, lowest number of cars. Millicent lowest cost, second highest cars. Only beaten by Donald which has fairly high entry cost, still nobody can sell an event like Owee.
Interested in the entry fee difference between bikes & cars at Finke. Is the cost directly related to what CAMS charges compared to what the Bike insurance mob charge. You would guess that the bike insurance would be more expensive given their greater risk of injury.
im sure the last couple of state rounds we did were around the $200 mark ,if you add up all the early fees for all the nat rounds its $3230 before you even fire up the tow car
Interested in the entry fee difference between bikes & cars at Finke. Is the cost directly related to what CAMS charges compared to what the Bike insurance mob charge. You would guess that the bike insurance would be more expensive given their greater risk of injury.
I think you will find that bike insurance might be cheaper (dont quote me) then what CAMS buggy equivalent insurance might be? I have done a couple of bike events and the entry fee is considerably cheaper, but the risk is higher..........but then again, the event would be cheaper to run!
My reasons are as follows. Me & my old car are not what you would call fast, given the speed of the top guys late running time is an issue. The "three day event" is difficult given we run our business. It would suit us much better if scrutineering was at say 10 o'clock on the Saturday & prologue only Saturday arvo. It is difficult to do things this way bucause of reconnaissance issues. My view on reconnaissance is that if you can't do it in your race car then there is not much point. The system we have now also assumes that everyone has a 4wd. I know you always get a lift but it is not the same as driving yourself. Entry costs. The main problem I have with entry fees is the lack of consistancy. AORCom/ CAMS require the same things at all events, this cost would be consistant you would imagine. The only other factors could be distance, (cost to transport required things to the race track) & track grading fee. I can't see why AORCom can't set a national maximum fee. Clubs that wish to run a national would have to be able to conduct the event within these cost or not bother applying.
Different events would have different associated costs, so to set a maximum fee would only lead to cost cutting some events, causing distress to competitors! I know the Griffith event is planned on being more compressed into a possible 2 day event to minimise employment disruptions (but you might miss presentation). Unfortunately, sometimes reconnaisance involves public roads, on a different day to the event, so unregistered vehicles could present problems to organisers (but I do agree with your view, as I dont have a 4WD either!)
