Following speculation and unsubstantiated claims regarding The Isle of Man Government’s decision to run their own clean emissions event as part of the 2010 TT races, The Isle of Man Government’s Department of Tourism and Leisure wishes to put on record the facts regarding their decision.

The Department began formal negotiations with the TTXGP Ltd team in July 2009 with a view to running another clean emissions event on The Isle of Man in 2010. On 2 September 2009, the Department formally agreed in principle to run an event and this was confirmed in writing to TTXGP Ltd. A proposal, including a financial support package, was communicated to the TTXGP team on 7th October, 2009. This proposal was rejected by the TTXGP Ltd management team. Subsequent to the original proposal TTXGP Ltd announced in late November, 2009 – without prior consultation with the Department – their plans for an event in Paris which conflicted with the TT period and effectively prevented TTXGP from participating in the allotted schedule in TT 2010.

On 21st December 2009 TTXGP Ltd advised the Department that due to their plans for Paris and their consequent inability to participate in the scheduled race in TT 2010, they proposed not to have a clean emissions race in TT 2010 and would aim to come back to the TT in 2011.

TTXGP were advised that if they could not reschedule their proposed Paris event, in order to attend TT 2010 for the scheduled date, the Department would develop and manage its own clean emissions race. This was confirmed to TTXGP Ltd on 24th December, and subsequently a meeting between the Department and TTXGP Ltd was held on 15th January 2010. TTXGP Ltd were invited to reconsider their position regarding the Paris event to enable their participation in TT 2010 on the scheduled date, but declined the opportunity to do so.

The Isle of Man Government then confirmed its intention to organize its own clean emissions event and would provide a press release to TTXGP Ltd for any comments. At the request of TTXGP Ltd, the Isle of Man Government deferred the issue of its press release. Immediately after 15th January, the Isle of Man Government initiated its contingency plan in order to organise its own clean emissions race. The Isle of Man Government made a significant investment in the TTXGP in 2009, both financially and through officer time across a number of departments. In order to protect this investment, the Isle of Man Government’s Council of Ministers decided that if the Department was unable to reach agreement with TTXGP Ltd that it should run its own event. Regulations for the new event, TT Zero, were issued this week. This race will be run as a stand-alone class as part of the 2010 Isle of Man TT races meeting.

The Department is confident that with the support of the teams and riders, and the experienced third party agencies that are involved with running the TT Races, they can build on the 2009 TTXGP race.

The teams and riders will now have direct access to funds from the Isle of Man Government to assist with their travel and other costs associated with their participation and will also benefit from the integral association with the TT races that the event will now have.

The Isle of Man Government remains totally committed to clean emission motorcycle racing and the development of the technology that is associated with clean emission machines.

(08-02-2010, 04:29 PM)Malcolm Wrote: Following speculation and unsubstantiated claims regarding The Isle of Man Government’s decision to run their own clean emissions event as part of the 2010 TT races, The Isle of Man Government’s Department of Tourism and Leisure wishes to put on record the facts regarding their decision.

The Department began formal negotiations with the TTXGP Ltd team in July 2009 with a view to running another clean emissions event on The Isle of Man in 2010. On 2 September 2009, the Department formally agreed in principle to run an event and this was confirmed in writing to TTXGP Ltd. A proposal, including a financial support package, was communicated to the TTXGP team on 7th October, 2009. This proposal was rejected by the TTXGP Ltd management team. Subsequent to the original proposal TTXGP Ltd announced in late November, 2009 – without prior consultation with the Department – their plans for an event in Paris which conflicted with the TT period and effectively prevented TTXGP from participating in the allotted schedule in TT 2010.

On 21st December 2009 TTXGP Ltd advised the Department that due to their plans for Paris and their consequent inability to participate in the scheduled race in TT 2010, they proposed not to have a clean emissions race in TT 2010 and would aim to come back to the TT in 2011.

TTXGP were advised that if they could not reschedule their proposed Paris event, in order to attend TT 2010 for the scheduled date, the Department would develop and manage its own clean emissions race. This was confirmed to TTXGP Ltd on 24th December, and subsequently a meeting between the Department and TTXGP Ltd was held on 15th January 2010. TTXGP Ltd were invited to reconsider their position regarding the Paris event to enable their participation in TT 2010 on the scheduled date, but declined the opportunity to do so.

The Isle of Man Government then confirmed its intention to organize its own clean emissions event and would provide a press release to TTXGP Ltd for any comments. At the request of TTXGP Ltd, the Isle of Man Government deferred the issue of its press release. Immediately after 15th January, the Isle of Man Government initiated its contingency plan in order to organise its own clean emissions race. The Isle of Man Government made a significant investment in the TTXGP in 2009, both financially and through officer time across a number of departments. In order to protect this investment, the Isle of Man Government’s Council of Ministers decided that if the Department was unable to reach agreement with TTXGP Ltd that it should run its own event. Regulations for the new event, TT Zero, were issued this week. This race will be run as a stand-alone class as part of the 2010 Isle of Man TT races meeting.

The Department is confident that with the support of the teams and riders, and the experienced third party agencies that are involved with running the TT Races, they can build on the 2009 TTXGP race.

The teams and riders will now have direct access to funds from the Isle of Man Government to assist with their travel and other costs associated with their participation and will also benefit from the integral association with the TT races that the event will now have.

The Isle of Man Government remains totally committed to clean emission motorcycle racing and the development of the technology that is associated with clean emission machines.

What a load of tosh why these people in power can't see what they have already have got in the conventional TT beggers believe they should spend the money on what they already have, green power is a world wide con.




Instead of listening to the doom mongers every day, avail yourself of a more balanced view on Climate Change etc HERE

Malcolm

So what is more important, a race in Paris (is it round Disneyland ?) or a race held on the Road Racing Capital of the World ??

http://green.autoblog.com/2009/12/17/emx...-premiere/


See the real option

http://www.imperial-ttxgp.com/index.html

Anyone who think fossil fuel powered vehicles have more than a short term future is living in a dream world, whathever the rights or wrongs of the climate change argument may be. Electrical power is already becoming more prevalent and this can only increase. TTXGP is just the sort of technological innovation we will need more and more in future.

That's an interesting statement from IoMG, I'd be interested to hear the other side from TTXGP.

the other side, but not from TTXGP - MCN today...
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/n...xgp-split/
makes for interesting reading... I would not like to be in Martyne Quayle shoes today (or any day!) what lovely people the TT organiser are?

"In fact Crellin's interview was just the latest in a series of public and private briefings given by members of the TT's inner sanctum – The Department of Transport & Leisure (DTL) and its quango the TT Festival and Motorsports Arrangements Group (TTFMAG) – which (Minister) Shimmin believes constitute a deliberate attempt to smear Hussain and obscure a deep-seated resistance to the event. "

"Scepticism is rife on the island surrounding TTFMAG's ability to run anything so specialised. Juan Turner is a member of the legislative council and until recently worked in the DTL: "TTFMAG will be the death of motorsport on the island. It exists purely to create problems only it can solve – and justify the existence of jobs for its highly-paid members." Perhaps the island's sorest lack is for Hussain's startling power to break down barriers and simply make things happen. Another senior government official, who didn't wish to be named, said: "I would bet my mortgage TT Zero will not happen at all."

Here is a news article that was made on the IOM Newspaper site on the 15th of February, that no one else appears to have referred to.

Leader:-

THE MANX Government has rejected suggestions by TTXGP Limited boss Azhar Hussain that he was 'dumbfounded' to be dropped from this year's zero emissions event.

The rest of the article can be read via this LINK

Full story here

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/n...EPI-122241

TTXGP boss Azhar Hussain has refuted government claims that he elected not to take part in this year's zero emission motorcycle race during the TT Race Week.
A government statement last week said Mr Hussain was not prepared to sacrifice a rival event in Paris during TT fortnight in order to be at the TT, leaving organisers with no option but to organise the event – now called TT Zero – themselves.

But Mr Hussain has told the Examiner he is extremely sorry not to be involved.

Thanking those who had supported his enterprise last year in the inaugural event, Mr Hussain added: 'I can confirm the question of Paris or issues of financial packages were not factors in the decision-making and am disappointed that it is being suggested so.

'We remain surprised about the decision as we did everything possible to make this happen.'


You can read the complete story on the IOM online website HERE

IOM News rehashing old press releases, leaving out the important bits...

From MCN... 17th February
"It was chief minister Tony Brown who finally closed the door on TTXGP – issuing an email to Hussain at 12.34am on 28 January (two weeks after the government statement claimed work had begun on TT Zero) in which in the previously pro-TTXGP politician explained that after a meeting with the head of the DTL Martyn Quayle he had decided the 'window of opportunity to be involved in the event has now closed'.
The government statement – issued "Following speculation and unsubstantiated claims regarding the Isle of Man government's decision to run their own clear emissions event" – cites an irreconcilable difference over timings, with Hussain organising an event in Paris which "effectively prevented TTXGP from participating in the allotted schedule in 2010." Hussain says that at the time he organsised the Paris event – an electric race bike parade promoting the sport and where the following week's TT race would have enjoyed substantial, televised promotion – the expectation was that the electric race would be held on the same day – Friday – as in 2009. When the race was actually scheduled for the Wednesday – a move which again prompted TT organisers to issue a statement, this time to deny it was a downgrade – Hussain says he offered to cancel the Paris event and that by the time the split was made public, TT organisers had privately acknowledged Paris was no longer an issue..."

looks like some-one is telling porkies and given the MCN actually qouted the time of "12.34am on 28 January," the night before the TT zero annoucement, it appears it might have evidence that actually it might be the DLT?? anyone surprised?
Why would a huge promotional event with 100,000 people linin the streets through a major european capital promoting the newest class of the TT and the IOM, be a problem for DTL? Aren;t they supposed to be promoting tourism?

(24-02-2010, 11:45 PM)ev fan Wrote: IOM News rehashing old press releases, leaving out the important bits...

From MCN... 17th February
"It was chief minister Tony Brown who finally closed the door on TTXGP – issuing an email to Hussain at 12.34am on 28 January (two weeks after the government statement claimed work had begun on TT Zero) in which in the previously pro-TTXGP politician explained that after a meeting with the head of the DTL Martyn Quayle he had decided the 'window of opportunity to be involved in the event has now closed'.
The government statement – issued "Following speculation and unsubstantiated claims regarding the Isle of Man government's decision to run their own clear emissions event" – cites an irreconcilable difference over timings, with Hussain organising an event in Paris which "effectively prevented TTXGP from participating in the allotted schedule in 2010." Hussain says that at the time he organsised the Paris event – an electric race bike parade promoting the sport and where the following week's TT race would have enjoyed substantial, televised promotion – the expectation was that the electric race would be held on the same day – Friday – as in 2009. When the race was actually scheduled for the Wednesday – a move which again prompted TT organisers to issue a statement, this time to deny it was a downgrade – Hussain says he offered to cancel the Paris event and that by the time the split was made public, TT organisers had privately acknowledged Paris was no longer an issue..."

looks like some-one is telling porkies and given the MCN actually qouted the time of "12.34am on 28 January," the night before the TT zero annoucement, it appears it might have evidence that actually it might be the DLT?? anyone surprised?
Why would a huge promotional event with 100,000 people linin the streets through a major european capital promoting the newest class of the TT and the IOM, be a problem for DTL? Aren;t they supposed to be promoting tourism?

And then barely a week later Hussain announces a race at Elkhart Lake smack in the middle of TT fortnight. Do you really think that came together in just a few days? That just had to have been in planning longer than that. Hussain's just got his panties in a bunch because he didn't get the Friday slot and in my opinion tried to force the TT organisers hand. All through the build up to last year TTxGP promised high and delivered low. Good riddance to them...

Interesting that MotoCysz state the integration into the TT as a reason why they're coming back. Wonder if it'll do a lap without melting?

I imagine TTXGP got offered lots of circuits since the launch on the TT, they certainly have been showed a lot of love by the media and circuits from a demo point of view... i remember reading that they turned down a number of other races because of the TT timetable ... suppose Elkhart Lake is one of those. I meet the TTXGP bunch, they really are charming lovely people, trying to grow an industry that has been held back by the oil and motor industry - got to give them credit for doing something postive rather than just talking about it ... yet to meet a government type that i truely believed in or liked! I don;t really understand why do you bother reading posts about electric racing let alone posting on them when you seem to be so anti electric and anti TTXGP?

(25-02-2010, 10:04 PM)ev fan Wrote: I imagine TTXGP got offered lots of circuits since the launch on the TT, they certainly have been showed a lot of love by the media and circuits from a demo point of view... i remember reading that they turned down a number of other races because of the TT timetable ... suppose Elkhart Lake is one of those. I meet the TTXGP bunch, they really are charming lovely people, trying to grow an industry that has been held back by the oil and motor industry - got to give them credit for doing something postive rather than just talking about it ... yet to meet a government type that i truely believed in or liked! I don;t really understand why do you bother reading posts about electric racing let alone posting on them when you seem to be so anti electric and anti TTXGP?

Do you mean that I'm not entitled to an opinion? TTxGP has only been touted as a success because their press release got used by a bunch of website editors who obviously weren't there and couldn't see for themselves what a desperately boring farce it actually was. All that it really achieved was to redefine the word 'success'

ummmm, LA times, Wallstreet Journal, New York Times, Discovery channel, The Times of India, Bloomberg TV, The Daily Telegraph... you are absolutely right sticky, a boring bunch of website editors - not!
... I totally understand and respect the fact that it didn't appeal to you - but why would you assume the rest of us don't appreciate it? I'm not arrogrant enough to feel that because i don't like marmite, everyone who claims they do like it, have in fact never tried it. You are entitled to your opinion but i just don;t understand why you always seem to focus on bashing people trying to make a positive difference and insulting people who enjoyed it. I have read a whole heap of positive comments as the results were coming in on the races on this forum - were all those people lying? How is your argument constructive?

Did the TTXGP do something that personally upset you? It was a one lap race, just over 30 mins in two weeks of racing... What harm did it do to try something new and innovative? Is that not in the spirit of the TT and motorsport in general - pushing technology to new heights? Is it a bad thing that mainstream newspapers around the world spoke well of the TT? Perhaps you like to keep all the fun for yourself sticky, don't want a bigger invasion of more foriegners to your beloved TT...

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on whatever topic of discussion is taking place and others should respect such opinions.

When differing opinions result in comments of a personal nature being brought into the discussion, the situation invariably deteriorates with derogatory comments being made that have nothing to do with the original topic.

Please keep to the topic, respect each others opinions and please refrain from making any comments that could be construed as being personal and antagonistic, as such comments will be deleted.


Malcolm.

(26-02-2010, 12:44 PM)Malcolm Wrote: Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on whatever topic of discussion is taking place and others should respect such opinions.

When differing opinions result in comments of a personal nature being brought into the discussion, the situation invariably deteriorates with derogatory comments being made that have nothing to do with the original topic.

Please keep to the topic, respect each others opinions and please refrain from making any comments that could be construed as being personal and antagonistic, as such comments will be deleted.


Malcolm.

I promise to try and behave Malcolm!

To EV Fan (or should I call you grid-iron from tt.com?) I am a member of the media at the TT and if any staff from some of the blue chip media organisations you mention had been present I'm sure I'd have caught a whiff of it - but I didn't... I said what I said because the same basic editorial content was getting repeated ad nauseum everywhere from national dailies downwards and that was being disseminated by TTxGP, who as previously mentioned would have called it a success even if no-one had finished! I think I've just had a belly full of people who weren't there telling someone who was what he knows to be patently untrue.

If I might borrow a line from Harry Turtledove:

"...if you feed me bullsh*t and tell me it's breakfast, don't be surprised if I puke it on your shoes..."

I don't believe I've insulted anyone for liking it although some of the pro lobby have insulted me for not liking it.

It's not true to say that TTxGP takes nothing away from the TT. I like MANY other TT supporters would very much like to see another class (like we used to have until recently) perhaps something along the lines of the new and growing Moto 450 / GP45 class but TTxGP or whatever it turns out to be is stopping that even being discussed. For the life of me I can't see it attracting a bigger grid than last year and it may even struggle to match last year's meagre effort and that for me is NOT the TT. I'm also not of the opinion that battery power is the correct long term solution anyway.

There are schools of thought that suggest lithium is an even more finite resource than oil and frankly the mining of it is so ecologically destructive that I don't think we have the moral right to be doing on the scale needed for EV transport. I believe fuel from algae is the way to go and as long as people keep banging on about batteries all that will serve to do is deflect budget and developmental talent away from where it would be better served in the long term.

Sorry (malcom and) if i caused offence to you sticky - promise it was not a personal attack...

Couple of points:
1. the truth is no-one can say for sure what the answer is... lithuim batteries is today, who knows what tomorrow will hold, i read an article a few months ago about nano batteries which could be made out of a paper like substance... unless people invest in innovation of all sorts, we will have no solutions when we need them.

2. efficiency in electric motors are 93% or higher, no combustian engine will match that whether burning oil or blue algae (btw, how does mass production of Blue algae affect the delicate balance of the local ecosystem?)...I read that many lessons learnt from the TT race last year are already being applied to mark 2 modals - the Motoczysz bike is 90% new, Agni claim to have better motors and batteries... racing improves the breed and this particular this race has proven very effective. In fact the electric bikes are demonstrating a pretty steep improvement curve when Pro Stocks can only eke out incremental improvement.

3. Why does it matter that people who were not at the TT say how great the TTXGP was and how fantastic and innovative the IOM is for hosting it and how wonderful and useful the race has been at driving forward technology? It is good PR for the whole Bike industry. mainstream press only cover motorbikes when some idiot has done something stupid! why knock a good news story?

4. clip from the race - i think it looked awsome, I am sorry it didn;t appeal to you but it was not boring... at least not to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=devfPUUWwjo

grid iron? you lost me.... who? my online name is EV fan...

---

PS. music on the clip is cheesy, but other than i had no complaints during the TTXGP, except that it would have been way better if we had had more teams with more bikes, roll on 2010, 3 crowns, 19 races worldwide!! woooo hooooo

(27-02-2010, 01:43 AM)ev fan Wrote: Sorry (malcom and) if i caused offence to you sticky - promise it was not a personal attack...

Couple of points:
1. the truth is no-one can say for sure what the answer is... lithuim batteries is today, who knows what tomorrow will hold, i read an article a few months ago about nano batteries which could be made out of a paper like substance... unless people invest in innovation of all sorts, we will have no solutions when we need them.

2. efficiency in electric motors are 93% or higher, no combustian engine will match that whether burning oil or blue algae (btw, how does mass production of Blue algae affect the delicate balance of the local ecosystem?)...I read that many lessons learnt from the TT race last year are already being applied to mark 2 modals - the Motoczysz bike is 90% new, Agni claim to have better motors and batteries... racing improves the breed and this particular this race has proven very effective. In fact the electric bikes are demonstrating a pretty steep improvement curve when Pro Stocks can only eke out incremental improvement.

3. Why does it matter that people who were not at the TT say how great the TTXGP was and how fantastic and innovative the IOM is for hosting it and how wonderful and useful the race has been at driving forward technology? It is good PR for the whole Bike industry. mainstream press only cover motorbikes when some idiot has done something stupid! why knock a good news story?

4. clip from the race - i think it looked awsome, I am sorry it didn;t appeal to you but it was not boring... at least not to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=devfPUUWwjo

grid iron? you lost me.... who? my online name is EV fan...

---

PS. music on the clip is cheesy, but other than i had no complaints during the TTXGP, except that it would have been way better if we had had more teams with more bikes, roll on 2010, 3 crowns, 19 races worldwide!! woooo hooooo

The grid-iron thing refers to a guy who has a very similar writing style to you who had a pop at me on another forum. I thought you might have been him (or her...)

I genuinely believe that to properly comment on how entertaining TTxGP was (or wasn't) then you had to be there - were you? I was and actually paid very close attention to the whole thing, just in case I needed to change my mind, but I what I saw was a spectacle (for want of a better word) that had no business being at the TT. My reasons being that the entry was tiny (13) and would have been smaller still but for the rules on qualifying being ignored. Despite the short duration of the race it was a strung out affair with no battles either on track or on timing and it was slow - very slow. One guy managed a respectable lap - everyone else lapped at speeds that a halfway capable driver could probably achieved in an entry spec hatchback car. I'm sure it looked better on the DVD - marvellous what a bit of clever editing can do.

It costs a major chunk of my annual disposable income to do my two and a bit weeks at the TT and that brings with it a certain level of expectation. TTxGP simply wasn't good enough - not in any respect - and I doubt it's successor will be either. I suppose in short from the point of view of someone (ie: me) who was first exposed to the TT as a wide eyed kid in the mid 60s and who's been going ever since, TTxGP was sterile and soulless and even if they ever do get a grid of 80 bikes lapping at 120mph it will never, ever have that almost indefinable thing that made me fall in love with racing. And I know I'm not alone in feeling that way...

(27-02-2010, 02:49 AM)sticky Wrote: The grid-iron thing refers to a guy who has a very similar writing style to you who had a pop at me on another forum. I thought you might have been him (or her...)

I genuinely believe that to properly comment on how entertaining TTxGP was (or wasn't) then you had to be there - were you? I was and actually paid very close attention to the whole thing, just in case I needed to change my mind, but I what I saw was a spectacle (for want of a better word) that had no business being at the TT. My reasons being that the entry was tiny (13) and would have been smaller still but for the rules on qualifying being ignored. Despite the short duration of the race it was a strung out affair with no battles either on track or on timing and it was slow - very slow. One guy managed a respectable lap - everyone else lapped at speeds that a halfway capable driver could probably achieved in an entry spec hatchback car. I'm sure it looked better on the DVD - marvellous what a bit of clever editing can do.

It costs a major chunk of my annual disposable income to do my two and a bit weeks at the TT and that brings with it a certain level of expectation. TTxGP simply wasn't good enough - not in any respect - and I doubt it's successor will be either. I suppose in short from the point of view of someone (ie: me) who was first exposed to the TT as a wide eyed kid in the mid 60s and who's been going ever since, TTxGP was sterile and soulless and even if they ever do get a grid of 80 bikes lapping at 120mph it will never, ever have that almost indefinable thing that made me fall in love with racing. And I know I'm not alone in feeling that way...

I am not grid iron... nor have i knowing or intentionally "had a pop" at you... i was only asking why you seem to have a pop at anyone who did like the TTXGP... or any EV racing for that matter. You explained it well - You will always hate electric bikes even if there are 80 bikes on the grid and they run as fast as the petrol equivilent because ("of that indefinable thing,") you did not grow up with them and are not open to change. Fair enough, but generation Y are hot on your heels and TTXGP was one way the TT could stay relevent in a society that is looking at becoming more efficint and reducing the reliance of oil.

PS, i was there...

(28-02-2010, 03:12 AM)ev fan Wrote:

(27-02-2010, 02:49 AM)sticky Wrote: The grid-iron thing refers to a guy who has a very similar writing style to you who had a pop at me on another forum. I thought you might have been him (or her...)

I genuinely believe that to properly comment on how entertaining TTxGP was (or wasn't) then you had to be there - were you? I was and actually paid very close attention to the whole thing, just in case I needed to change my mind, but I what I saw was a spectacle (for want of a better word) that had no business being at the TT. My reasons being that the entry was tiny (13) and would have been smaller still but for the rules on qualifying being ignored. Despite the short duration of the race it was a strung out affair with no battles either on track or on timing and it was slow - very slow. One guy managed a respectable lap - everyone else lapped at speeds that a halfway capable driver could probably achieved in an entry spec hatchback car. I'm sure it looked better on the DVD - marvellous what a bit of clever editing can do.

It costs a major chunk of my annual disposable income to do my two and a bit weeks at the TT and that brings with it a certain level of expectation. TTxGP simply wasn't good enough - not in any respect - and I doubt it's successor will be either. I suppose in short from the point of view of someone (ie: me) who was first exposed to the TT as a wide eyed kid in the mid 60s and who's been going ever since, TTxGP was sterile and soulless and even if they ever do get a grid of 80 bikes lapping at 120mph it will never, ever have that almost indefinable thing that made me fall in love with racing. And I know I'm not alone in feeling that way...

I am not grid iron... nor have i knowing or intentionally "had a pop" at you... i was only asking why you seem to have a pop at anyone who did like the TTXGP... or any EV racing for that matter. You explained it well - You will always hate electric bikes even if there are 80 bikes on the grid and they run as fast as the petrol equivilent because ("of that indefinable thing,") you did not grow up with them and are not open to change. Fair enough, but generation Y are hot on your heels and TTXGP was one way the TT could stay relevent in a society that is looking at becoming more efficint and reducing the reliance of oil.

PS, i was there...

I don't believe I've 'taken a pop' at anyone who liked it but I'm happy to admit to having a pop at the woeful pre-event organisation and propaganda that turned me away from this event. I'm not so inflexible that if it had been any good my mind could have been changed but quite simply, I saw nothing whatsoever to convince me that it was worth doing - at least not at this stage. I suppose you and I will have to agree to differ on this matter but if this kind of 'motorsport' becomes dominant then for people like me who have grown up with it and spent most of their lives loving it then it will be a very sad day - particularly as previously stated i believe battery power is the wrong tree to be barking up...