Paris Charles from State Racing Magazine - Could This Save SA Speedway Sedans? I am always a glass is half full kind of guy and I love South Australian Speedway with a passion having rode through the decades of the good, bad and ugly. We were there when the numbers in all the classes were thriving, so much so you had to qualify to make the feature and on the other side of the coin when numbers have been at a minimum and people on the inner circle said things were in dire straights when the numbers fell away and for the record that was almost 30 years ago.
One of these times were in the 1990’s when I recall Modified Sedans joining the Super Sedans at Adelaide’s Speedway Park, just to bolster the numbers.
Sadly, in more recent times we have all seen the dramatic decline in numbers across the board, Super Sedans, Late Models and AMCA Nationals just to name a few on a state level have fallen away at such alarming numbers it is hurting our sport on more than one dimension. At this point of time for some classes to run the numbers depend on interstate cars to ensure the number of competitors meet the promoters / clubs barest minimum of cars to get a run.
Competitors want competition, that’s why we race. Sure, Speedway is racing but we are also an entertainment and the fans that sit on the hill want to see numbers they want to be entertained if we are to keep the loyal fans we still have and even more so to grow the fanbase moving forward before that to diminishes to an intolerable level that promoters have to rely even more so on the back gate admission in a desperate attempt to break even.
I am not saying we need to disband the classes we have or reinvent the wheel but we need to understand and look for solutions in order to not only maintain what we have but build it going forward. I have seen a class in Victoria that is alive and well with people embracing the concept, this group is called VSC Unlimited Chassis Sedans. This group is a haven for the budget minded or those with older cars that includes various incarnations of Late Models, Super Sedans, Modified Sedans and AMCA Nationals. The numbers look great and from all reports the fans love it. I think it would be careless for us to sweep this concept or idealism under the table because truth be told we are not going to survive if we continue to venture the road we are travelling. This avenue needs to be explored, even if it is not the answer, we need to continue to grid away with our noses at the wheel to find a way to make Speedway Sedan racing more affordable and accessible for the people here today and people of tomorrow before we become a do you remember when?
If you have already said in your head this won’t work or what a lot a garbage then I ask you clear your mind before you open your heart and soul to exploring this option: https://www.facebook.com/groups/124568291466430
Before you leave here is some food for thought... Who in South Australia remembers V8 Dirt Modifieds? V8 Dirt what? I hear the current generations of fans reply… To which I say, exactly… God bless and have a great day,
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