Cancellation of the Superwinch Tuff Truck Challenge 2010!!!

[Jungle]

No point putting off the inevitable I suppose.

The event has been cancelled due to lack of interest/support.

This years series is looking kinda slim!

Jungle

p.s. What happened to all the winch challenge trucks???? Pete Weatherleys event is one of the best around. Ultimate setting for camping and racing!

p.p.s. What about supporting Phil from Traxion? That guy has been one of the single biggest supporters of winch challenging with the Superwinch gear.

Maybe it's just a natural death? Dive in anytime Darin!

[DieselBoy]

Maybe it's just a natural death?

As predicted on the 4x4 Challenge's site last year

[meatc]

p.s. What happened to all the winch challenge trucks???? Pete Weatherleys event is one of the best around. Ultimate setting for camping and racing!

p.p.s. What about supporting Phil from Traxion? That guy has been one of the single biggest supporters of winch challenging with the Superwinch gear.

May have been one of the best around but hasn't been run in 3 years so guess guys are supporting the events that are regular. Nor West and Manukau have pretty good camping as did Whangarei last year.

As for Traxion - Think you will find nearly every truck has Superwinch stickers on them. He suppoerts most events and in return the guys run his stickers / buy what they can from him.

Dan

P.S as one of 2 entries I woul dhave expected to have recieved and email confirming cancellation before reading it ona public forum. When can I expect my money back?

[Jungle]

p.s. What happened to all the winch challenge trucks???? Pete Weatherleys event is one of the best around. Ultimate setting for camping and racing!

p.p.s. What about supporting Phil from Traxion? That guy has been one of the single biggest supporters of winch challenging with the Superwinch gear.

May have been one of the best around but hasn't been run in 3 years so guess guys are supporting the events that are regular. Nor West and Manukau have pretty good camping as did Whangarei last year.

As for Traxion - Think you will find nearly every truck has Superwinch stickers on them. He suppoerts most events and in return the guys run his stickers / buy what they can from him.

Dan

P.S as one of 2 entries I woul dhave expected to have recieved and email confirming cancellation before reading it ona public forum. When can I expect my money back?

Thanks Dan.

Will get your refund sorted. No worries there.

Was the superwinch event part of the national series? I thought these guys would be keen on getting out there and racing rather than picking which event to support. Maybe we should only have one event a year.

I just can't work it out. Before it wasn't enough events to keep everyone happy and now it's possibly too many to chose from. What is the ideal number of events?

Jungle

[smiddy]

In my opinion, having 3 events run fairly close to gether is a huge ask for most competitiors financially, not to mention the time off/away from work. Alot of competitiors are organising to run down in the south island this year, which isnt long after the superwinch, which in turn is just after norwest. throw in to the mix repairs/maintence/modifications etc, all adds up pretty quick. To compete in the south island would cost a couple of thousand dollars once everything is added up, and some people just cant put the cost of that event, plus the cost of the superwinch, rotorua, norwest, normally a whangarei event, possibly taupo at the end of the year all together in one year. It is a shame to see the Superwinch Winch challenge having to be cancelled due to lack of interest because it is a top notch event, but as with all the other events this year/last year, several teams are in rebuild mode, so expect to see them back out on the trail over the next year or so. As for myself, im off overseas for a year or 2 shortly, so mine will be parked up during that time.

[Jungle]

I thought the close proximity of the events could have been the reason. But the Norwest event is not running the same class that the Superwinch event has usually had. We were hoping to have challenge class trucks rather than club class.

How many teams are heading down for the south island series? If it's 15 to 18 teams then we have our answer.

Maybe it's purely down to money and time. Not cheap running one of these rigs for a season!!

Jungle

[monstr]

Hi George ,i really dont know whats up with the comp scene at the moment ,we really struggled to get enough entries to run this year ,we thought we were doing the right thing by running over Easter as it was more tracks and less time off work for the competitors ,had 1 o 2 grumbles but you cant please every one ,we even opened it up for Challenge trucks so they could shake the moth balls out before the Tuff Truck and got 1 entry ,unless there is a marked turn around i would not like to be the one organising a comp later in the year ..Steve

[darinz]

I think we really need to look at the economy as many of the guys that own Challenge trucks are self employed. That is a fair part of why it is taking me so long to get a truck together.

All i can think of at present is keeping the events shorter and cheaper. If we work on,
turn up Friday afternoon / evening for scrutineering
Race all day Saturday,
night stages Saturday night
Race Sunday morning so you can go home Sunday afternoon.

Then in theory a lot of people don't have to take any time off work.

Along side that we need to keep the operating costs to an absolute minimum. If this means nothing is supplied bar tracks, safety and marshals then so be it.

I think we need to sit back and actually figure out what is important. Is it all the flash prizes and the free feeds that are put on? Or is it having somewhere we can race and get together. Do we really need all the bling or should we focus on simple cheap events that don't have any frills?

So simple event that doesn't require time off work and has a $150 entry maybe the way to ensure things happen?

[mike]

So simple event that doesn't require time off work and has a $150 entry maybe the way to ensure things happen?

yup and then hopefully its not just the self employed people who can afford to enter

[DieselBoy]

So simple event that doesn't require time off work and has a $150 entry maybe the way to ensure things happen?

yup and then hopefully its not just the self employed people who can afford to enter

Finally some one that talk's some sense!!!!!!!

Norwest at easter is $210, but at $50 a day, which includes the camp site with basic facilities and 3 days of racing, its all good.

Keep the cost down, its hard enough getting the $$$ together for fuel to tow the race truck there and back, and run it for the event. You don't get much change out of $400!!!!

Add to that the entry fee of $210, food and entertainment $200, plus there are always some hidden costs....

So roughly $800 just to get there ready to race for us.

Any where the cost can be trimmed is welcome

[Jungle]

Just thinking about those last comments.

The RWC event has always been run on a shoestring budget. Our biggest expense ends up being the film crew. Still works out to be around $270 per vehicle and still we make a loss.

I can't see us dropping our costs unless we can get 40 trucks to cover it.

We beg borrow and steal for all sorts of stuff. Forest permits and access fees are also a big cost for us.

Don't really want to do without the portaloo and wash down pump!

When i think about the competitors putting on a new $400 winch rope each comp, the entry fee seems quite low.

Jungle

[monstr]

I agree with george 100% one of our biggest costs is land to run the events on ,if it wasnt for one of our long time sponsors we couldnt run the event without charging double what it is now ,as it is we only just cover our costs if anyone is interested have a talk to me at the comp this weekend ,you will be suprised what it takes in man hours and $ to stage even a simple event ..Steve

[DJ]

Along side that we need to keep the operating costs to an absolute minimum. If this means nothing is supplied bar tracks, safety and marshals then so be it.

Our biggest expense ends up being the film crew.

I think you are missing the point George... is a film crew really nessesary and $400 winch ropes are a organiser's requirements and Im sure that they can do more than one comp. The point being made is that competitions are sinking into the mire thru the huge costs of entry fees, travel, accomidation,loss of income,repairs etc etc...and no (as you know ) I dont do competions as I have weighed up the costs and like others have desided to just do the club thing. With the cost spirling upwards at this rate nobody will be interested in any form of competions and no 'new blood' would be attracted to the sport ...
cheers just my 10 cents worth ( inflation, was 2 cents )

[Jungle]

I'm not missing the point at all Dennis. I don't think there is any value to the event of having a film crew. Personally I feel that it's a complete waste of time, money and chasing people around.

We have always kept the vegas event simple. I would say $270 is NOT a huge entry fee. It hasn't gone up or spiralled out of control since I've been involved.

I remember paying $1000 entry fees for some events. You did get a nice t shirt though. Still waiting for the DVD. Oh well.

Jungle

[darinz]

The key to cheap entry fee is cheap land access, no question about it. I have yet to pay for access and that is the whole reason I can keep costs low. So if I had 20 guys turning up then I could quite confidently charge less than $150 and have money over. But this is 100% because i don't pay for access. This is the joy and of having a lot of land available and a relatively small population.

So to keep the costs low we either need, cheap (or free) land access or 20 + trucks at an event.

The new classes we have ready for next year 'should' allow more people to enter but it requires event organisers to actually listen to what we (4x4 Ch) have developed, the reasons why and how that is better for the events and the event organisers. (reduced liability etc reguardless of WOF)
I know their is a group that think without a WOF you open yourself to liability but they are COMPLETELY WRONG. Most motorsport operates without a WOF and they have accidents and deaths without problems (relatively speaking)
Do they think I would be pushing no WOF that hard if I hadn't received LEGAL advice on this?

[DJ]

is a film crew really nessesary

I'm not missing the point at all Dennis. I don't think there is any value to the event of having a film crew. Personally I feel that it's a complete waste of time, money and chasing people around.

huh ??? you have got me puzzled
Let me put it another way IS A FILM CREW NECESSARY ?? it can only add to the overall costs. $270 by its self may not be a large amount BUT add that to travel , accomidation, repairs, etc etc ( as I pointed out prevously ) then the event becomes a large cost.

if anyone is interested have a talk to me at the comp this weekend

You could discuss the costs on this forum you may be suprised on how constructive others can be in helping to make an event cost efficient.

[Jungle]

is a film crew really nessesary

I'm not missing the point at all Dennis. I don't think there is any value to the event of having a film crew. Personally I feel that it's a complete waste of time, money and chasing people around.

huh ??? you have got me puzzled
Let me put it another way IS A FILM CREW NECESSARY ?? it can only add to the overall costs. $270 by its self may not be a large amount BUT add that to travel , accomidation, repairs, etc etc ( as I pointed out prevously ) then the event becomes a large cost.

if anyone is interested have a talk to me at the comp this weekend

You could discuss the costs on this forum you may be suprised on how constructive others can be in helping to make an event cost efficient.

Why are you puzzled Dennis? I don't think a film crew is necessary! The coverage does not equate to entries for the event or cash to assist with the running of the event.

As I mentioned before the cost of forest access is quite high. We pay for a license to operate in the forest. We pay for a permit to run the event. We pay a bond for the key. We then pay a fee per vehicle that is racing in the event. We also pay another land owner for use of there property.

I'm a bit puzzled about the last quote you referred to. i don't remember saying i was going to the comp this weekend. Infact i'm not going to the Norwest event. Trials instead for this boy!

[Dr_PC]

NOt winch comp related but still 4x4, for the Nationals I work on a budget of $1000.00 per round, and thats without breaking it. Okay I do stay in motels and sleep and eat well. Of that only $40.00 is entry fee. Again a lot of the guys competing are self employed.

When in the speedway and sealed circuit scene most were also self employed. Sealed circuit entry fee was always bloody expensive for what we thought we were receiving until you sat down and worked out what the organizers were having to front up before we turned up

[PeterVahry]

I'm sorry to hear of the cancellation. It may however have some competitors interested in participating at the 2010 Waikato Winter Show from 30 April to 2 May on the special 'challenge' track being created in the main arena. A great way to showcase your sponsors and there's no entry fee. Email access@nzfwda.org.nz