M & O Sports and Racing

[admin]

I am very pleased to see that M & O sports and racing has been consolidated into its own grouping once more for next years Phillip Island meeting. This years grouping ( and that for 2006) of " M,O,Q & R sports cars" was in my view, allowing too broad a speed range into this group, thus introducing dangerously high passing speeds. Please don't do this again.

I feel that the arrangement outlined for next year is a very sensible move and congratulate the race committee for reverting to this original race grouping.

Tony Burrage

[raltman]

Which has resulted in the complete exclusion of another group of racers so clearly a retrograde step. More consolidation not less is required. The issue of slow and fast cars exists for more reasons than the evolution of cars in different groups. Drivers are responsible for driving and need to deal with it and in real terms it is a problem that is mostly isolated to practice and qualifying not racing given the length of historic races generally.

[mgd1]

PI mix in Sports cars was not safe and it turned into a very difficult situation when more than a dozen vehicles did not make the 130% and there wasn't any other place to put them. I think Dso KB and Ian T worked very hard trying to make sure no one was excluded but some competitors in small cars pulled out voluntarily. I like you Tony am very happy that M & O sports and racing are together because the mix in 2007 didn't work for competitors or organiser. Mike

[Tiga]

This problem also occurs in Groups PQR, but i think history has proven that sports cars and open wheelers dont mix. Speed difference is only a problem when you have a fast car of the back of the grid. this can be fixed by starting this car in a realistic position on the grid or the drivers need to be advised there will be a potentaly faster car behind. This happened to me at Phillip Island last year with a F1 off the back of the grid, it went past like i was standing still, but i knew it was coming! The problem with sports cars is there lack of visability below the door level. There has be an incidence of sports car hitting or running over an open wheeler at every race meeting this has been combined over the last few years, just ask the Robsons!
This concept of mixing these 2 groups was aborted on saftey grounds about 3 years ago when Kevin Bartlet came on board as an observer so why are we back doing it again. May be we are just waiting for someone to get killed.

[mgd1]

The problems with vehicle mix are size, speed and vision and these issues need to be looked at individually. Large Can Am type sports cars and enclosed sports cars are very difficult to mix with other cars and we know that there is on going debate about what can mix. that is why the HCC asked Michael Henderson to do a risk assessment on vehicle mixing and develope a guide for promoters and club on what can mix. The Sandown incident was most disappointing and we all feel for the Robson crew but I will say that when we sorted through the cars at close of entry and looked at vehicle mixes Noel had the oportunity to not have this car run and I did remind him of the issues from last time they ran. Noel being the nice guy that he is and always trying to keep people happy decided to accept the entry.It was a hard lesson to learn but next year I will cerntainly put my case a bit stronger. Small sports cars like lotus 11 and lotus 7 type cars have traditionally run with race cars and most cars in M&O are very compatable and should run together.From my point it is much safer to run a small Lotus 7 in M&O as it is not the vehicle to mix with enclosed or big sports cars. I unfortunately was cleaned up by a porsche at Winton who couldnt see me!