Following an annoucement that the TT Organisers are now running the ZEV Motorcycle Race at TT2010 I make the following comments...

On reflection I believe the TTXGP/Azhar Hussain Event of 2009 was a measured success, yes, I criticised the lack of lead up information and hammered Electrical Safety issues to oblivion and will continue highlighting electrical concerns where appropriate. Maybe we will never know why TTXGP appears to have split with FIM and now the TT Organisers, suffice to say the web is full of inuendos, conflicts of interest issues etc., which in a way is very sad. I recorded a great deal of imagery of the 2009 Event and my electrical safety comments are all featured on my website.

I believe the TT Organisers have done the right thing developing a TTZero Race and note the comment 'It will feature riders who are also competing in the other TT classes'. Hopefully moving the TTZero race away from the Senior/Parade Laps day may allow the top riders to participate on ZEV machinery as well as ICE!! Many posters pursued this issue last year.

The ten thousand pound prize offer I interpret as available to the 'first team to record a 100mph lap during racing', this is a tremendous incentive for TTZero Teams to strive further with the technology. I hope the next 'incentive' is a mandatory pit stop to force a change of batteries or fuel cell source.

We all had doubts at some level about ZEV Racing, I stated early last year that it would be a 'boost to the TT Program' and I fervently maintain that opinion. ZEV is definitely the future in all forms of motor sport and ZEV is the ONLY WAY for the future of all forms of conventional transportation.

NB: Sydney's Oran Park and a very popular Off Road Facility in Brisbane closed late last year, noise, pollution, urban sprawl, whatever. The issue is co-existance of racing in all its forms with the masses. ZEV is the only viable answer in the longer term....

http://www.deejay51.com

Regarding Sydney's Oran Park. I have been attending racing there almost all of my life. I honestly don't think noise was a factor in that venue closing down. No matter how quiet the bikes could become, the locals would find a reason to complain , i.e. the noise from the cars and the congestion that may occur when driving to the track (trust me, minimal). Money, urban sprawl and a few disgruntled neighbours (I know one) would have been a contributing factor. The average Australian is in no way sympathetic when it comes to motorsport. The current state and federal governments could not give a hoot either. We motorsport enthusiasts are only a nuisance and I admire any organisation who succeed in holding a car or bike meeting of any description anywhere in Australia.

Hi Jan,
OK, I concurr with your comments it is all terribly sad. I have covered the Bel-Ray Six Hour in detail, the demise of Oran Park imagery and recent trip images to my fav. 'long gone' circuit, Amaroo Park on my website, maybe have a look some time.

http://www.deejay51.com/six_hour_galleries.htm

(30-01-2010, 09:17 AM)deejay51 Wrote: Hi Jan,
OK, I concurr with your comments it is all terribly sad. I have covered the Bel-Ray Six Hour in detail, the demise of Oran Park imagery and recent trip images to my fav. 'long gone' circuit, Amaroo Park on my website, maybe have a look some time.

http://www.deejay51.com/six_hour_galleries.htm

Thanks, I have visited your site before. Excellent. It absolutely breaks my heart that we lost Oran Park and Amaroo to the urban sprawl. So many memories. In addition to these we also lost the Sydney Royale Showground Speedway, due to a couple of big timers moving into the area who obviously had immense power with the local Council and Government. Strangely the long time residents surround this magnificent venue had absolutely no problems with the regular Saturday summer night noise or road congestion. Same thing happened to the Brisbane Exhibition ground. We motorcycle people are a minority group and only became respectable when we produced our first World Champ for some time, that being Wayne Gardner. We currently have four world speedway champions in different divisions but even this doesn't help save our tracks.