Cobra Nats 2017!

[Wazza]

Firstly....huge kudos to the NSW Club for hosting the Nationals every year....a VERY difficult task, performed by a great group of hard working members.

In saying that...we also understand that some changes are inevitable to give the Nationals their best chance to be an ongoing event.

I've spoken to a few of the NSW committee and arranged to pool some of the best suggestions/ ideas from our club and do what we can to help.

Off the top of my head....
I think we could consider the following observations /ideas when plans are made for the Nationals.
(and please understand that these are just MY thoughts / ideas..so not necessarily the best and brightest.....I'm sure not all will agree.. But i hope it opens discussion)

I think we should do whatever we can to keep control of the three day booking of Wakefield Park....but sub let the Sunday to another club,organization for their own event.
Perhaps HSV vs. FPV Track day......Or any other large car club?

The Sunday should be very desireable and should "sell" for quite a good fee...because the next day being a Public Holiday, makes it ideal for any large car club to use it as their annual special event/Nationals etc.
This would erode a big piece of the $40,000 it currently costs to hire the place for three days.
This would mean then ,that all track events would be compressed into the Friday/Saturday .
I.e. Practice day Friday....and with some adjustments to the organising of the track events...all competition on the Saturday.

A few simple changes to get the most out of a FULL day on the Saturday , would see all of the events covered in the one day.
Plenty of time if we use it constantly through the day
With a few more volunteers for the track marshals there would be no need to stop for a "lunch hour ++".... Two "shifts" of helpers out on the track would be best...or deliver drinks and Sandwiches/ coffee to those who are happy to stay out there.

The track is costing approx $2,000 for every "useable" hour, so making the most of the Friday and Saturday would get everything done...and let someone else pick up the tab for the Sunday....saving maybe $12,000 .
Of course, this would also mean that the entry cost per car could be substantially reduced, but with this reduction, and some of the following additions, the numbers of entrants would be much higher.

As much fun as all the track events are....from talking to everyone over the weekend, there was also keen interest in the idea of doing all the track stuff on the Friday and Saturday, and then using the Sunday for other Cobra activities....

A "Show and Shine" for perhaps a full 3 hours Sunday morning.... held in town,to combine with the markets and annual carnival held in Goulburn on that long weekend.....with a "top 10" cars chosen at the show and shine,with the top 3 , including the overall winner announced at the presentation ceremony that night.
The Show and Shine could be followed by a 200-300 Klm scenic organised run through the beautiful local countryside....including a burger/ sausage sizzle arranged with the local lions/rotary club....and back to town for the presentation dinner.

With the Friday and Saturday at Wakefield park....given enough lead time...these two days could also have a number of additional things arranged.
A Dyno ???.... Great fun, and very interesting as a spectator sport.
Product displays ?... Tyres? Mags? Performance parts?
Promotional girls ?? Just sayin'

Other money making ideas ?
Given enough lead time...there could be a big increase in donated prizes for the major raffle.
A list of good quality prizes
( some donated by those businesses that we invite to set up displays at the track ?)
Would generate a lot more ticket sales.
Excellent support by the Baume and Mercier group this year really helped with raising valuable funds.

Most importantly....next years Nats should be planned out ASAP ....it's too hard to change anything in the last few weeks or a month before the event.

I'm doing this on my iPad at the local coffee shop, so I might wait until I get in front of a computer to write down some more ideas.....but hope that some of this might be of interest.

Again....these are just some random ideas, which might be of some use.

Cheers,
Warren