What are we doing for the 20th Aniversary

[TVR_owner]

Well,
20 years ago, around now, a certain Mr Wheeler was developing an idea for a race series. One that would see its first race later the following year at Donington Park won by Jeff Allam. It was at the time, the most powerful one make series in Europe and a real crowd puller. A race series I was proud to be associated with from the first year as an engineer doing some development working with the team that ran the winning car.

Next year is the 20th Anniversary of the series, albeit in a different form with a 3 class structure, but to all intents and purposes, it’s the TVR Tuscan Challenge (whatever its called it will for me always be that, and a series I’m proud to now be able to race in ).

The 20th Anniversary year and we will probably start the year on a yellow card threatening our BRSCC championship status…....

What can we do to promote the series in its anniversary year – a round at Donington to celebrate?

Try to drum up support from the car club - as they did to support 1 car in Britcar)?

Anyone got any ideas, or does no one care anymore…

One to discuss as part of the drivers meeting??

Edited by TVR_owner on Monday 6th October 09:22

[Graham]

TVR_owner said:

Try to drum up support from the car club - as they did to support 1 car in Britcar)?

[mini rant]
the TVRCC have put about 4.5k into the series over the last 3 years ( ok only about 300 this season)
and lots or work ( I am the car club representative - so when they say the tvrcc has done nothing for the series they are saying ive done nothing !!), put up the annual trophy, provide us with a great magazine to put reports in ( when someone can be persuaded to write one!!) but or some reason this year seem to have got a lot of negative feedback from the racers, to the extent that Jeremy ( club chairman) thought he was persona no grata at the awards doo this year.


So comments like that seem to confirm their thoughts that we are an ungrateful bunch of bds..


The Britcar support with all the campers is part of support for the 24hr that I've been trying to build up for the last 3 years, and Nick has now taken on as one of the national events.


I've worked very hard to try and raise the profile of the series with the club, but the racers all seem to be working against my efforts and pissing them off...


This is part of the reason I couldnt get the club to donate the 1k required for the trophies was their perception that were not getting any credit or value.. the opposite in act.. and with concerns over income figures they didnt feel they could invest that money in us. Unfortunately I couldn't attend that meeting so may have been able to talk something through, but I was unaware of the damage had been done or our cause, and assumed we would be ok.

I have a lot of bridges to build with the committe and I dont know who burnt them !!!!

[/mini rant]


As for the 20th anniversary its something I've already raised, and have at least been scheduled some time in sprint for an article.. and Im going to push as that to be the main feature of the NEC classic car show next year..

but any ideas on what we could do would be great...


G


p.s. or 2009 the club will again offer to sponsor the roundels ( that alone comes to 250-300 quid) and with work we are hoping to get them to sponsor the trophies again.

[teamHOLDENracing]

As you know I have not built my car for Sprint races but I would support a special occasion.

If something special could be organised - and to me that means getting a guest slot on a weekend long meeting, with a bash on the Saturday night, I think a lot of semi retired cars would be brought out, and even more ex drivers. I suspect that the BRSCC would be very supportive too.

The Tuscan Challenge is one of the best loved and longest running series the country has ever had. A dinner for former drivers, teams, supporters etc etc could be very popular. It would be fabulous to have a reunion...

I'm sure Richard Hay (Hayfisher) could be persuaded to compile a 20 year review video - not to mention the traditional Black Betty. For those who don't know, at the end of season dinners a 'crash video' was always played - spectacular Tuscan smashes from the years (everyone walked away) set to Ram Jam's 'Black Betty ' (bam-a-lam).

I'll float the idea on the Facebook Tuscan Challenge driver's group ....

[NTEL]

Graham said:

I've worked very hard to try and raise the profile of the series with the club, but the racers all seem to be working against my efforts and pissing them off...

Graham, how are all the racers working against your efforts

If that is the case what can we do to help you?

[Obiwonkeyblokey]

how about using the 20th anniversary as a lever onto the Britcar 24hr card?

two birds with one stone and all that....

[Graham]

NTEL said:

Graham, how are all the racers working against your efforts

If that is the case what can we do to help you?

Im trying to figure that out !!! for some reason our stock with the club has crashed... and someone has really upset jeremy.. A lot of the guys do seem to moan about the club, probably without realizing how much effort is put in and how much the financial contribution has been. I think this has filtered back to the committee, and marked us all down as a bunch of ungrateful wingers... which in a time of general belt tightening doesnt help much.

I did wrap my response with a [rant] marker.. :-) just getting a bit peed off i suppose with how easily a few loose uneducated words can undo a lot of hard work ....


ho hum... still next year is another budget...

cheers

G


[sorry for the thread hijack... monday morning and all that <LOL>]

Edited by Graham on Monday 6th October 12:14

[NTEL]

Well, as JB will be at Oulton, why not take the opportunity to ask what the exact problem is? Anything arising from his answers could, possibly, be addressed at the drivers meeting.

[Gaffer]

Are you going to invite the old racers..?

Off the top of my head:

John Kent
Steve Cole
The little french man (buggerd if I can ever remember his name)
Rod Gretton
Nick Cresswell
Klaus Zwaart
Giles Cooper
Martin Crass


Thats all I can remember from way back in the day - Steve and John used to do the pre-runner to the tuscan challenge of the sprint runs up the blackpool prom.

Claire

[HUI]

teamHOLDENracing said:

I'll float the idea on the Facebook Tuscan Challenge driver's group ....

Andy, what Facebook Tuscan Challenge driver's group is this?

Mrs Hui

[Graham]

a bit left field but is Grant Wardrop still at Top gear? maybe suggesting a topgear tuscan special <LOL>

as long as we dont get the hamster in a tuscan... can you imagine the damage !!!!

G

[GBRM]

Gaffer said:

Are you going to invite the old racers..?

Off the top of my head:

John Kent
Steve Cole
The little french man (buggerd if I can ever remember his name)
Rod Gretton
Nick Cresswell
Klaus Zwaart
Giles Cooper
Martin Crass


Thats all I can remember from way back in the day - Steve and John used to do the pre-runner to the tuscan challenge of the sprint runs up the blackpool prom.

Claire

Sure you can do better Claire!!

Andy Purvis, Chris Maries, Richard Cabburn, Colin Blower, Bob Sands, Simon Wayne....
I've run out now!!

Edited to add Chris Hodgetts and Jimmy McRae.

Edited again to add Tim Harvey, Frank Sytner and Anthony Reid.

Edited for the last time to add Peter Wheeler!!

Edited by GBRM on Monday 6th October 13:35

Edited by GBRM on Monday 6th October 13:36

Edited by GBRM on Monday 6th October 13:36

[Gaffer]

Ahhh Colin and Bob - how could I forget.

'twas so long ago and I was just an ickle child...

Claire

[GBRM]

Me too, to think I was an 11 year old when I first saw the beasts on the loose!!

[Graham]

There is also a certain Mark Hales and even Nigel Mansell...

and didnt Colin McRae <RIP> do a race or two as

[TVR_owner]

Graham said:

just getting a bit peed off i suppose with how easily a few loose uneducated words can undo a lot of hard work ....


ho hum... still next year is another budget...

cheers

G

Graham,
My words were neither loose nor un-educated, if you are that close then I thought you'd be aware of the friction and the source. I must expect I didn't a rant or an instant hijack of what was intenmded as a positive thread.

I would like people support and a buzz back in the series (not 300 quid for stickers that associate the series with the car club when clearly there is a disconnect). Good reports in the magazine and on the web pages, points tables - basic things are a start. If we want to see how it can be done well, look no further than the Sprint Championship web based reports.

See how it can be done poorly, look at our info. It should not be down to the same person to provide reports, its something that can be delegated. Similary, I dont exepct to have to look on Andys Monster site for the info that is similarly out of date. But if we as a series appear less than enthusiastic, why should anyone else be anything but...

If you've lost intrest in the position, maybe its time to move over and give someone else the oppurtunity - there is still some enthusiasm there and its only 6 meetings, it's not a life's work .

[teamHOLDENracing]

HUI said:

teamHOLDENracing said:

I'll float the idea on the Facebook Tuscan Challenge driver's group ....

Andy, what Facebook Tuscan Challenge driver's group is this?

Mrs Hui

Not sure if this will work Maureen, but here goes:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20884560168

[HUI]

teamHOLDENracing said:

Not sure if this will work Maureen, but here goes:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20884560168

Thanks, Andy.
It does!
Maureen

[GBRM]

Graham said:

There is also a certain Mark Hales and even Nigel Mansell...

and didnt Colin McRae <RIP> do a race or two as

Oh yeah, I forgot about Hales and Tony and Peter Dron and also Paul Chudecki and Tiff Needle whilst on the journalist theme.
Colin did race - there was a black HR Owen car (that Anthony Reid and Tim Harvey) raced too and also there was Derek Higgins, Julian Westwood and my late father but I didn't mention him as I think he's having more fun on the big racetrack in the sky and won't be able to come along!!
I did read somewhere that one of the guys originally in the Challenge passed away very shortly after the first season but I can't remember his name; I will have to watch the '89 DVD to refresh my memory.

[TVR_owner]

Jeff Allam the winner of the 1989 series.

[Obiwonkeyblokey]

Matt Doman - Car No 34,one of the Henley Heritage Cars.

ETA - Steve Gugliemi, Ian Flux, Ben Samuelson,

Edited by Obiwonkeyblokey on Monday 6th October 14:23