Friday, 16 December 2016
Thursday, 15 December 2016
Better Late than Never... the Calendars
Hello Again….
It’s time for the Stoxradio Charity Calendars 2017.
Sorry for the delay folks, but this year it has been a proper challenge! We've made this online store for you to purchase.
Over the past 4 years
you have enabled Macmillan Cancer Support to continue their fine work,
and your funds have enabled them to build the Cancer Support centre that
Cornwall needs so badly. The Cove
has its own little tribute to the calendars in the foyer of the new centre –
this makes us immensely proud and humble.
Once again, we cannot thank you enough.
Special thanks go to the team at A to Z Signs and to our excellent sponsors once again. Without
these guys, it simply doesn’t happen.
Thanks again…
Jonny Hoare and Sammy Brenton
Some things are best
kept under wraps…..
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| Buy the Drivers Calendar |
 |
| Buy the Drivers Calendar |
The profits from this calendar go towards the Merlin MS Centre.
Our very own Sammy has been diagonsed with this disease, but it has it struck
her down? Has it hell! She has been poking and proding our drivers to get it
done
£8 including post and packaging. Full A4 Colour and in detail, (although some which you might not wish to see again!)
Here come the girls again...
 |
| Buy the Calendar with Ladies |
 |
| Buy the Calendar with Ladies |
£14 including post and packaging. Full A3 Colour
Just the cars...
 |
| Buy the Cars Only Calendar |
 |
| Buy the Cars Only Calendar |
£12.50 including post and packing
How do you buy? You can pre order these using Paypal, and once they come off the presses they will be sent out to you recorded, so giving you enough time to wrap it up if it is a Christmas Present....just click the photo of the one you want and you'll be taken to the relevant check out!
Tuesday, 29 November 2016
Tuesday, 15 November 2016
Saturday, 12 November 2016
Piow Piow!
Consider me a John Wayne, ready to take on allcomers. Like the best Westerns, our season should end with a darn good shoot out.
The F1 Shoot Out conclusion at Belle Vue, underlined furthermore, with red pen and boldened font, that F2 would benefit greatly from a Shoot Out. The sheer nature of a grand finale, where the outset and destination of the season is completed at the season end. Climaxing at just the right time.
Moves are well afoot, indeed imminent about the much talked about F2 Equivalent
Let's get one thing absolutely crystal clear. It's not a slight on Gordon. Not in the slightest at all. Count how many times in its 57 year existence that the National Points Silver Roof has gone to the wire. You won't need a second hand, and certainly no need to take your socks off. The showdown engineered last year by Gordon's ban saw that there was a need for an end of season pick me up. Everyone was talking about the Geo vs Eddie show. But the need to do nearly 100 meetings to win it? No Need compadre. Bankruptcy brinkmanship for a piece of silver? Again, no need. A sensible solution is needed, and although it won't be right at the first attempt, it is to be persevered with and not jetisoned at the first attempt. The last three years for F1 has seen it go right down to (and often in) the wires, giving even a hardcore F2 fan like me excited!
WHAT IT SHOULDN'T BE.....
1. As is. The Status Quo. Lessez faire. As mentioned before, a season long title shouldn't be all over and done with and destined to be won by the end of the season. A Grand National Championship isn't run in June, but we know who's won the points by then. Dull to watch and ultimately it's available to all those who want it so badly they can do the meetings, which are conveniently on their doorstep.
2. A top dozen, like F1. With the distribution of points not fairly geographically spread and with less meetings on one surface compared to another, it will need to be fairly balanced to reflect the nature of the sport, racing from the north to south on all surfaces on all different kind of tracks.
3. An end of season qualifying round series then closed grid final. Makes it far too random, and its too much like the other big race of the year, you know the one with a gold roof.
4. This is a controversial one - it shouldn't replace the National Points, however it should still have the silver roof. Silver cheques should be in place for the person who ends up with the most points all told at the end of the season. Rugby fans of both codes and those of American Sports know that the Grand Final is the big deal. Who knows who wins the AFC and NFC? All that matters is the Superbowl... However like the rugby league folks have the league leaders shield and an easier path to the playoff final
THE JHo SHOOT OUT PROPOSAL
Here's my idea of a fair reflection and exciting conclusion to the season.
ENTRANTS
Automatic Entries
National Points Champ 2016
World Champ 2016
World Champ 2017
British Champ 2017
Points Leader as of September 20th 2017
Shoot Out Champion 2016
Entries That Have to Qualify
Top 3 in Shale points chart (as of September 20th 2017)
Top 6 in National Points Chart (as of September 20th 2017)
Top 3 in a cumulative ranking system, based on attendance and positions finished of the other championship events prior to the cut off period (and the events that occured post "cut off" the previous year).
Driver with most amount of race wins
Dominator Champion (ok that one might need persuading)
If any of the auto entries occupy these positions, then it will transfer to the next in the list.
So 20 drivers qualify for the shoot out. A fair number reflective of the nature and active amount of drivers.
ROUNDS
1 per promotion. Sensibly scheduled. Cowdie/Barford, King's Lynn and Mildenhall, Northampton and Skegness, Bristol and Taunton, Buxton and Startrax. Final last meeting of the year, be it Brum or wherever. Drivers can double up one round, and drop another. Promoters to co-operate and provide a sensible renumeration for travellers.
POINTS
National points remain as is, so that we keep the prestige of the "National Points" title.The Jho Shoot out version would have a separate scoring system.Points would be scored as per normal. However come the end of the meeting, the points of the Shoot Out drivers would be placed into rank order and points would be scored 20 for 1st, 19 for 2nd and so on. If you don't show- then you get nothing, nada. If you show and score nothing, you still get points. Why? Keeps it exciting and stops one driver running away with it....
To the neigh sayers - its a new idea and well look at most sports, they are all moving to the end of season creschendo. American Football has it's superbowl. Rugby has its playoffs and so on. The top point scorer gets awarded a trophy, and in the team games, often an easier route to the final. Yes, teams who finish 6th can win, but it can be harder for them to do so. Something has to change for the good of the sport so we can go out
Guns at the ready - who's quick on the draw!
Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Sunday, 11 September 2016
Mildenhall Malais
I knew it would take something cataclysmal for me to fire up my blogging mentality, but I feel so appalled that the biggest day of the year, the BriSCA F2 World Final was ruined by a promotion that did not seem to care and had a "like it" or "lump attitude".
This isn't the musings of a keyboard warrior, but a "super fan" come official who has had seen plenty of these in the past. I know what works and I know what I, and every fan, driver and official wishes to see from the biggest day of the year for their formula. Weddings days, Christmas and Birthdays all pail into insignificance when it comes to World Final day.
Quite simply, in my near on 30 years of watching world finals, that simply was the worst I have seen. I've seen some dire presentations (Barford 04), some incredibly dull ones (Ringwood 95, Buxton 99, and NIR 05) and controversial ones (Bristol 08, Newton 89) which have left bad tastes in the mind. But last night truly was the worst of the lot - poorly promoted from start to finish. No disrespect to the eventual winner Wim Peeters (H124), he drove magnificently and certainly deserved the title and certainly would have been in the shake up regardless of conditions.
Yes, the weather didn't help, but the promotion simply didn't help themselves, or the drivers
Directions - simple things help those who have traveled miles. Don't assume, when you have people traveling from all parts of the country that they know where you are, especially if they haven't been to the track before. It's not the most easiest to find - even with a sat nav or Google maps. The common conversation was "got lost on the way here" or "sat nav took me round the houses". You should never assume - it makes an ass out of u and me. How much would it of cost for a few folk to go out on Saturday morning/friday night on the main area with a few signs - they didn't have to be printed - just a piece of wood with WF and an arrow would have done...
Opening time - Wasn't clearly advertised that opening times, and again with element of people travelling up and down, who wanted to get into the stadium, get set, and go and have wonder. It was also an opportunity missed to maximise revenue. If the gates had been opened at 12 or 1 - it would have been an excellent opportunity to those visiting folk to get some fish and chips, and a pint or 2. Instead, people were already pissed off as there were no clear turnstile directions and people either queueing for hours or looking for a queue to join....
Time Trials - The promotion spent all week hyping up a different method of time trials for Johnny Foriegner and Seamus Irishman, with initial laps, then the top 5 getting more laps to play with. Those waiting outside the stadium heard the sound of engines racing, and yet could not get in to see.
Atmosphere - Where was the pre meeting entertainment? There was ABSOLUTELY nothing - no dodgy ABBA cover band, grid walk, meet the drivers session or gee up. The feint playing before of some happy hardcore and death metal (neither suitable for a public PA) before the booming distorted voice of a commentator who certainly likes the sound of his own voice, as we the paying punters twiddled our thumbs for the meeting to start. (Before anyone says it, I do like the sound of my voice, but I know how to do levels now!). Although we very sad to see the scattering of ashes on the track, and our deepest sympathies to those involved with the departed, many were left wondering whether it was appropriate to have it at the beginning of the meeting, or indeed at the meeting at all.
Track preparation - It's extremely ironic that the nutters of Stoxnet moaned like billyo about the time it took to prepare the track at Coventry. Anyone who did both, would have much rather preferred the situation presented for the ones. For a world championship, the track should be like a creme brulee, smooth on top and without lumps (Guess who's watched too many cooking shows recently). What was presented for the time trials, consolation semi and world was a total disgrace. I've been to many tracks, and the grader and water butt (although that was not required yesterday) were often out in force to give those drivers the best surface to race. No attempt was made was grade the track all day, which for what is potentially the biggest meeting of the year is shambolic. Sammy Brenton (our very own) asked whether the track would be prepared "This is Mildenhall love. We don't do any of that shit". I shook my head then. Then a few drivers asked about the grader... "the grader is broken". That just doesn't wash! Other promotions spend weeks preparing for the big one, with the stadium getting a tidy up, everything looking spic and span - this simply wasn't present. Lo and behold on the Sunday morning - the track was prepared - long after the horse had bolted, been shot and turned into a Findus Crispy Pancake.
Scrutineering - Well with the scrutineering, and the trumpeting of the fuel checks prior to the meeting from BriSCA F2's BDF and Chair, it was apparent that memo hadn't reached Mildenhall. Sticky tape was the tamper proof solution. Yes, many confused drivers came back with cars, and the much agreeable parc ferme was not implented, thus defeating the object!
Organisation - It was a nightmare lining up the grids. In the pits it was bedlam. The pit marshalls didn't have a grid, someone was parading up and down with a battered Mondeo doing the driver calls.
Nearly every track has someone in the pits for a big meeting, usually borrowed from another promotion to sort out the grid into some kind of order. In the past, some tracks have even parked in grid order - which certainly helps. Then at the last minute, the world final was raced over 25 laps instead of the advertised 30.
Weather - sadly, the British weather makes running a shale world final more risky of a ruined race, where the conditions can play too much of a part. The last 2 Shale world have been wet, but look at the difference in how the two were run.
Sadly guys, this meeting underlines why some tracks shouldn't have nice things
Blaming the weather for me is a non starter. King's Lynn in 2011 being a case in point, run in similar conditions, but the track was A1 before the downpour, but for your money you got a half decent show, on a well presented stadium. King's Lynn cancelled their domestic meeting on the grounds of the forecast on the Wednesday. This simply wasn't going to be the case for Mildenhall, due the gravitas of the meeting, and the fact that people were travelling and had accommodation and the like booked months in advance. But an amount of "damage" limitation could have been done to offset any potential problems.
Now, I understand the family dispute currently ongoing between the owning family over the future of Mildenhall, but if one (it has been alleged) bitter and twisted side of the family has sabotaged this meeting on the count of being a flop for the incoming, then they shouldn't be in the game of promotion.
I felt genuinely embarrassed for all those drivers who had raced all year to qualify for the World. The pinnacle, the nerves, the build up, to see a frantic first corner which ended with many of the favourites scrambling around as if they were novices like Bambi on ice. But mostly, I feel embarrassed for those diehards like myself, who got up at silly o clock to get ourselves ready for action, only to be presented with a half arsed effort.
But heh, lets finish on a positive note. We have our first second generation World Champion and third overseas winner, in a truly dominant display worthy of a world champion.
Plus the chips were exceptional. Long may they reign, even under Spedeworth's no chips on their own policy! Although they have somewhere to plant the spuds for the next batch....
Right, nurse, the sedatives please....
This isn't the musings of a keyboard warrior, but a "super fan" come official who has had seen plenty of these in the past. I know what works and I know what I, and every fan, driver and official wishes to see from the biggest day of the year for their formula. Weddings days, Christmas and Birthdays all pail into insignificance when it comes to World Final day.
Quite simply, in my near on 30 years of watching world finals, that simply was the worst I have seen. I've seen some dire presentations (Barford 04), some incredibly dull ones (Ringwood 95, Buxton 99, and NIR 05) and controversial ones (Bristol 08, Newton 89) which have left bad tastes in the mind. But last night truly was the worst of the lot - poorly promoted from start to finish. No disrespect to the eventual winner Wim Peeters (H124), he drove magnificently and certainly deserved the title and certainly would have been in the shake up regardless of conditions.
Yes, the weather didn't help, but the promotion simply didn't help themselves, or the drivers
Directions - simple things help those who have traveled miles. Don't assume, when you have people traveling from all parts of the country that they know where you are, especially if they haven't been to the track before. It's not the most easiest to find - even with a sat nav or Google maps. The common conversation was "got lost on the way here" or "sat nav took me round the houses". You should never assume - it makes an ass out of u and me. How much would it of cost for a few folk to go out on Saturday morning/friday night on the main area with a few signs - they didn't have to be printed - just a piece of wood with WF and an arrow would have done...
Opening time - Wasn't clearly advertised that opening times, and again with element of people travelling up and down, who wanted to get into the stadium, get set, and go and have wonder. It was also an opportunity missed to maximise revenue. If the gates had been opened at 12 or 1 - it would have been an excellent opportunity to those visiting folk to get some fish and chips, and a pint or 2. Instead, people were already pissed off as there were no clear turnstile directions and people either queueing for hours or looking for a queue to join....
Time Trials - The promotion spent all week hyping up a different method of time trials for Johnny Foriegner and Seamus Irishman, with initial laps, then the top 5 getting more laps to play with. Those waiting outside the stadium heard the sound of engines racing, and yet could not get in to see.
Atmosphere - Where was the pre meeting entertainment? There was ABSOLUTELY nothing - no dodgy ABBA cover band, grid walk, meet the drivers session or gee up. The feint playing before of some happy hardcore and death metal (neither suitable for a public PA) before the booming distorted voice of a commentator who certainly likes the sound of his own voice, as we the paying punters twiddled our thumbs for the meeting to start. (Before anyone says it, I do like the sound of my voice, but I know how to do levels now!). Although we very sad to see the scattering of ashes on the track, and our deepest sympathies to those involved with the departed, many were left wondering whether it was appropriate to have it at the beginning of the meeting, or indeed at the meeting at all.
Track preparation - It's extremely ironic that the nutters of Stoxnet moaned like billyo about the time it took to prepare the track at Coventry. Anyone who did both, would have much rather preferred the situation presented for the ones. For a world championship, the track should be like a creme brulee, smooth on top and without lumps (Guess who's watched too many cooking shows recently). What was presented for the time trials, consolation semi and world was a total disgrace. I've been to many tracks, and the grader and water butt (although that was not required yesterday) were often out in force to give those drivers the best surface to race. No attempt was made was grade the track all day, which for what is potentially the biggest meeting of the year is shambolic. Sammy Brenton (our very own) asked whether the track would be prepared "This is Mildenhall love. We don't do any of that shit". I shook my head then. Then a few drivers asked about the grader... "the grader is broken". That just doesn't wash! Other promotions spend weeks preparing for the big one, with the stadium getting a tidy up, everything looking spic and span - this simply wasn't present. Lo and behold on the Sunday morning - the track was prepared - long after the horse had bolted, been shot and turned into a Findus Crispy Pancake.
Scrutineering - Well with the scrutineering, and the trumpeting of the fuel checks prior to the meeting from BriSCA F2's BDF and Chair, it was apparent that memo hadn't reached Mildenhall. Sticky tape was the tamper proof solution. Yes, many confused drivers came back with cars, and the much agreeable parc ferme was not implented, thus defeating the object!
Organisation - It was a nightmare lining up the grids. In the pits it was bedlam. The pit marshalls didn't have a grid, someone was parading up and down with a battered Mondeo doing the driver calls.
Nearly every track has someone in the pits for a big meeting, usually borrowed from another promotion to sort out the grid into some kind of order. In the past, some tracks have even parked in grid order - which certainly helps. Then at the last minute, the world final was raced over 25 laps instead of the advertised 30.
Weather - sadly, the British weather makes running a shale world final more risky of a ruined race, where the conditions can play too much of a part. The last 2 Shale world have been wet, but look at the difference in how the two were run.
Sadly guys, this meeting underlines why some tracks shouldn't have nice things
Blaming the weather for me is a non starter. King's Lynn in 2011 being a case in point, run in similar conditions, but the track was A1 before the downpour, but for your money you got a half decent show, on a well presented stadium. King's Lynn cancelled their domestic meeting on the grounds of the forecast on the Wednesday. This simply wasn't going to be the case for Mildenhall, due the gravitas of the meeting, and the fact that people were travelling and had accommodation and the like booked months in advance. But an amount of "damage" limitation could have been done to offset any potential problems.
Now, I understand the family dispute currently ongoing between the owning family over the future of Mildenhall, but if one (it has been alleged) bitter and twisted side of the family has sabotaged this meeting on the count of being a flop for the incoming, then they shouldn't be in the game of promotion.
I felt genuinely embarrassed for all those drivers who had raced all year to qualify for the World. The pinnacle, the nerves, the build up, to see a frantic first corner which ended with many of the favourites scrambling around as if they were novices like Bambi on ice. But mostly, I feel embarrassed for those diehards like myself, who got up at silly o clock to get ourselves ready for action, only to be presented with a half arsed effort.
But heh, lets finish on a positive note. We have our first second generation World Champion and third overseas winner, in a truly dominant display worthy of a world champion.
Plus the chips were exceptional. Long may they reign, even under Spedeworth's no chips on their own policy! Although they have somewhere to plant the spuds for the next batch....
Right, nurse, the sedatives please....
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