EMRA

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Qualifying

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Races

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Race

[steve-e]

well done mate! you kept busy

[mark_d]

Just a tad this weekend

I even checked on the Brands Hatch app, it showed NG there but no live timing, i wasnt too worried as i knew a certain person was there

[ianw]

8 outfits on the grid!!! that is very sad. Why aren't riders supporting clubs like EMRA?
Eventually, we wont just loose the clubs, at this rate, we'll loose the circuits as well, prime housing development sites.

[Big Tim]

To be honest, Ian, while I agree it's a poor turnout; it's actually quite an improvement, given entries in years previous.

There were also meetings at Cadwell Park (Auto 66) - 15 outfits; and Brands Hatch (N.G.) - 19 outfits.

A total of 42 outfits on track over three meetings held on the same weekend. (However, the weekend previous at Anglesey, there was only a paltry half a dozen, or thereabouts - despite being little else to attend). While, from personal experience I recall 30+ outfits (some being reserves), even at unpopular circuits such as Elvington for the first meeting of the year back in the late 80's/early 90's, this, unfortunately, has not been the norm for some time. The same weekend and venue (Cadwell) last year, Auto 66 promoted the same meeting - only six outfits turned up (in fact, one race saw but a single finisher!) - and that was with fewer events clashing.

What is of greater concern, though, is that these clubs will most likely see their grids decline further over the course of the season. Speaking from the experiences of the last few years, more than 50% of those on the grids for these early season events are testing for other events (such as the British Championship/Bemsee etc.), or running round to finish in order to obtain a signature for the "Mountain Course Licence". Hence, why in the early part of the season you often see a greater number of finishers in the first race than the second (one race finish in any position in a single day satisfies the necessary criteria for a "signature").

[ianw]

Hi Tim, just been through the results of all the EMRA classes from the weekend, solo classes were really well supported not like the sidecars.
In the recent past, as you know, clubs have dropped sidecars & I can't blame them with support that bad from sidecar racers.
It seems to me that the majority of "club" sidecar racers don't travel any more, they just stick to their local circuit.
I see this with local riders to me in results. I totally agree with you about the 80's & 90's grids Tim, if you didn't get your entry in at least 2 weeks before the meeting you got put on the reserve list, that would be a luxury for the clubs today!!!
Exception is the Classic Sidecars. for travelling.

[Dan]

Although there has been all winter to prepare outfits for the start of the season unfortunately not everyone is ready for the off. I know of one team who had planned to be at Cadwell but are still waiting for someone else to complete some work on the outfit before it can be put on the track. I am sure there will be others in the same predicament too.

I wonder if the recent Val de Vienne practice days meant a few of the teams that attended there decided to give the weekend a miss.

I agree though that it would be great if we could get a return to the 'good old days' referred to by Tim and Ian.

[Big Tim]

Unfortunately, once clubs drop sidecars (or any class) it's not so easy to convince them to take them back when things change in the future.

Several clubs have stuck by sidecars, despite their membership and grids seriously depleting in recent years, for various reasons, some even running events with six or fewer machines (of varying classes), for which we should be grateful. However, some others have had to resort to running extra solo races or Karts in place of sidecars to be more financially viable in the longer term (the same goes with under-subscribed solo classes - remember all those 125/250 two stroke solos a couple of decades ago, a mainstay of near enough every race meeting? - now you'll maybe get the odd one or two stuck on the back of another grid, unless you go to a specific event catering for them). If things continue this way, where will future sidecar teams "cut their teeth" (or even see these machines in action before finding out more and committing to taking part)?

p.s./edit - I was typing at the same time as you, Dan - so my posting is probably more coherent when considering the points made by Ian.

As for the "Good Ol' Days" these were surely well before the 80's and 90's!!

[ianw]

A lot has got to be down to all racing being "production based" classes Tim, not just sidecars but also solo's. " Real" racing bikes & engines aren't catered for, environmentally unfriendly.
All classes of modern racing are based on road engines, the TT has got to take the majority of the blame for that.
The sidecar fraternity & the ACU need to look at the racing scene on the Continent & what they allow in their classes

[G JONES]

Unfortunately, once clubs drop sidecars (or any class) it's not so easy to convince them to take them back when things change in the future.

Unfortunately - I fear we'll not see a change in the future Tim - there's very little young blood with any interest - other than the few sons / daughters that have seen it for themselves as they grew up - (including yourself)
I fear the "Yoof" of today has found other things to do with their time - few - I fear have the need to get a motorbike to get to work as we did back in the day - their parents have a gleaming 4 wheel box waiting for their 17th birthday - the only 2 wheelers we see on our local roads these days are the odd scoot & the retired rockers re-living their youth (my 68 year old brother is one such having only started riding again fairly recently)
I think maybe the image of racing on the TV doesn't always help - super expensive - very slick - but not something you could actually have a go at yourself.
Back in the day - there was a bit more local racing going on - scrambling / grass track / club racing - when we were younger - it was something we followed - went to the meetings & very often helped out marshalling etc - it was something we all aimed at doing - not sure if that's the case now...

[G JONES]

A lot has got to be down to all racing being "production based" classes Tim, not just sidecars but also solo's. " Real" racing bikes & engines aren't catered for, environmentally unfriendly.
All classes of modern racing are based on road engines, the TT has got to take the majority of the blame for that.
The sidecar fraternity & the ACU need to look at the racing scene on the Continent & what they allow in their classes

You posted that while I was scribing Ian - couldn't agree more....

[ianw]

Got to disagree with you Gordon. There are plenty of outfits & riders out there, they just choose which meetings they want to support.
A couple of years ago, I made the same comment about the Post Classic class, aka Forgotten Era, & I got shot down by a lot of people including steve e, I was living in the past!! I'm not living in the past, this is exactly the state of sidecar racing in the UK today.

[teamradar]

We always used to do the first Emra meeting as it was early March. Now it seems to clash with other meetings. We can't be in two places at once!