MX-5 Club of QLD 2020

[plohl]

Yeah, fair call. At least you're up front about it

[Magpie]

Thanks Shane, too scared.

Same here, at least till I have the second car built.

[project.r.racing]

Take this from a non MX5 owner, but a regular Monday sprint runner from years ago.

Break it all back down and begin again. Monday sprint days were done as that is want the majority wanted. But 10 years later. Less people are retirees or willing to take a day off work. So time to adjust to what people want.

I haven't attended a MX5 event for many years. But judging from the comments in this thread. It looks like no adjustment to peoples wants and/or needs have been done. For whatever reasons, lack of effort, lack of communication, lack of entrants just voicing their needs, etc etc etc. I don't think any one person would be to blame.

Start all over, begin little and build up to your clubs requirements. Decide on which events you wanna piggy-back off, and which events you wanna do stand-alone. I don't think hill climbs are a great idea for stand-alone. Many clubs already do these events, and many are scared to run there cars at the unforgiving mt cotton track. I think you'd get limited numbers and be replying on non-MX5 entrants. Sprints days although club level stuff are still huge days to organize, cost a bucket load to run. Motorkhanas and autocrosses are cheap to run, but require a few extra hands than other events.

If I was compsec, the rebuild process would be:- 2020 - I would piggy-back all sprint days with the BMW club. Run the autocrosses at the Lakeside Park DTC like SCMSC does, as stand-alone events, once every 3 months, so 4 in total for 2020. Reassess in September 2020 for what you wanna do for 2021.

But to be honest. If nothing has been booked for 2020, then this might need to be the 2021 plan, as a lot of events at venues would have been booked already for 2020 this late in the year.

[Magpie]

2020 - I would piggy-back all sprint days with the BMW club. Run the autocrosses at the Lakeside Park DTC like SCMSC does, as stand-alone events, once every 3 months, so 4 in total for 2020. Reassess in September 2020 for what you wanna do for 2021.

My suggestion a few years ago to the club was to do what the 86 club has done. Run club events in conjunction with an existing event at QR/Lakeside. Minimal organisation required and the entries can be capped at a single grid (20 cars). Also a lot cheaper! But they went with regularity on week days with the BMW club.

Correct me if I am wrong, but at DTC do you need your own timing equipment.

Another solution is sprints like the 86 club does and then run in the interclub challenge. The interclub runs at DTC, Morgan park and elsewhere so it has the variety.

[project.r.racing]

I did the interclub stuff once when it first begun, say mids 2000s. It was held over a few weekends to get every discipline in. I don't think it is for every one as there is so many different disciplines involved. It is probably a half step up from club level. And to run in it properly, you really need to commit to almost all events.

Yeah you need your own timing gear if you run your own event. You can go as simple as sports stop watches, or proper laser timing equipment. I think from memory the SCMSC borrowed/hired theirs from the NBCCC until they had enough money to purchase their own system.

[JBT]

Well guys, you can join BMWCQ as an associate member - no need to own a BMW.
BMWCQ has full CAMS sporting affiliation and a full program of sprints, skid pan etc. each year at all SEQ track venues.
Fully involved in ICC.
Also runs some weekend events as "grid" bookings.

My observations based on trends over the last 20-40 years:
1. Car clubs are slowly dying and the demographic of all is moving north.
2. Some may survive longer with respect to motorsport if it is the main reason for existence - e.g. MGCCQ with Mt Cotton hill climb and HSCC with motorkhanas.
3. It will soon become socially unacceptable to be involved in amateur motorsport or to be seen participating in car club drive events.
4. MX-5 Club Qld has become a lifestyle club.
5. Social media is more convenient, easy to arrange, free for participants, a quick sugar hit and then you go home.
6. "Younger" people (broad description) have little interest in motorsport and joining clubs - particularly car clubs (other than social media clubs). They have zero interest in managing a club.

From my perspective...I'm 70 next April and I'm rapidly losing interest in driving. The roads are choked with d!ckheads doing everything but driving, they are in cr@p condition and speed limits are being dumbed down to a crawl in almost every place where it was once fun to drive. I'll still be doing a few club sprints and regularity events in 2020 but, only a few. My hillclimb days finished a few years ago and motorkhanas don't do it for me anymore.

I'm a life member of MX-5 Club Qld and it saddens me to see the motorsport element withering. I've tried hard to push this aspect and support all competition secs but, apathy at all levels remains. I've given up. Sorry you've hit a wall so early Keith.

Oh, and I'm Treasurer and Drive Coordinator of BMWCQ and absolutely nobody is interested in taking on either position. I'm only doing it because nobody would put their hand up for either spot! Will those positions fall to those few who remain on the BMWCQ committee after the AGM in April? Probably, and then everyone not on the committee will bitch and complain when things don't happen/get done.

[Magpie]

Probably, and then everyone not on the committee will bitch and complain when things don't happen/get done.

And that about sums it up

[Red_Bullet]

3. It will soon become socially unacceptable to be involved in amateur motorsport or to be seen participating in car club drive events.
4. MX-5 Club Qld has become a lifestyle club.

Point 3. Yes, that is a real threat. That's why it's a good idea for clubs to give something back to the community. The happy laps with a few seats for people with a disability is maybe a good idea. Need all the browny points we can muster.

Point 4. Yes.

It's not a good look to be me. I'm worried that what I've done may hasten the demise of the motorsport component of the MX-5 club. If it does die then maybe it was a mercy killing, rather than a long lingering passing. I hope it picks up somehow and flourishes,maybe what has happened might wake some folks up in the committee and create some thinking and consideration. Maybe, maybe not.

[CrazyRacer]

Well guys, you can join BMWCQ as an associate member - no need to own a BMW.
BMWCQ has full CAMS sporting affiliation and a full program of sprints, skid pan etc. each year at all SEQ track venues.
Fully involved in ICC.

I've been pretty impressed with the way BMW club organises their events. Dennis does a great job. Hopefully he is continuing in the role. Seeing as we have a couple of Beemers I guess I should join!

4. MX-5 Club Qld has become a lifestyle club.

Unfortunately this seems to be true. I've been doing the Sunday runs for a couple of years now and could count on one hand (and have several fingers to spare) the number of people I've met at them who have ever competed in or have any interest in motorsport events.

6. "Younger" people (broad description) have little interest in motorsport and joining clubs - particularly car clubs (other than social media clubs). They have zero interest in managing a club.

I've seen a few "Younger" people turn up to an event, but when they realise that the average age of members is about 65 they tend to lose interest and not return.

Oh, and I'm Treasurer and Drive Coordinator of BMWCQ and absolutely nobody is interested in taking on either position. I'm only doing it because nobody would put their hand up for either spot! Will those positions fall to those few who remain on the BMWCQ committee after the AGM in April? Probably, and then everyone not on the committee will bitch and complain when things don't happen/get done.

I don't think this is a recent phenomenon. I've been involved with car clubs for 30+ years, often on the committee, and its always been the case that few were willing to give their time to do the work of running the club, but many were willing to complain about the way in which it was done.

There is already an Facebook group for "MX5 Motorsport Australia" but it is largely NSW centric, probably because few of us contribute to it. It might be a good idea for us to set up our own "MX5 Motorsport Queensland" group to organise which events that MX5 racers are planning to attend. If people think this is a worthwhile thing to do, I'm happy to set it up and adminster it. Would probably want a couple of other volunteers to co-administer/moderate it....?

[Red_Bullet]

I'd be happy to help out with helping to administer it.

FWIW I've republished the FB page that I set up for the club, comments? Ideas?

https://www.facebook.com/MX-5-Club-of-Qld-Motorsports-104992544326533/?modal=admin_todo_tour or https://www.facebook.com/MX-5-Club-of-Qld-Motorsports-104992544326533

This will only be up for a couple of days, don't want to tread on any more toes in the committee. But that is where I was going with it. I set this up as a "club" page FB is making it clear they can reach more people if I was to pay them. Maybe would be best to set up the FB page as an "individual" it'd be free that way.

[JBT]

Excellent RB!

[JBT]

If people think this is a worthwhile thing to do, I'm happy to set it up and adminster it. Would probably want a couple of other volunteers to co-administer/moderate it....?

Yep, good idea. Happy to help moderate etc. as I am presently doing that on the BMWCQ FB page.
There's plenty planned for BMWCQMX-5 2020, including some night sprints/regularity.

[Red_Bullet]

OK, here we go https://www.facebook.com/SEQ-MX-5-Motorsports-104992544326533

Just renamed the page that I set up for the club that nobody was interested in looking at.

[Red_Bullet]

Sorry tech fail. Was trying to post up a link to the messenger part of the new FB page. I wasn't successful in this instance. duh! So now you have to see this message instead !

[CrazyRacer]

Before we get to invested in this, would it be better set up as a facebook group rather than a page?

I think they tend to be a better place for the sharing ideas and information.