Hi All,

With the 2008 HVDRA Season due to begin shortly now is the time to start to get your cars ready and give us some ideas to improve the drag racing experience for you.

As the newly elected Public Relations Officer for HVDRA I am asking for your ideas and suggestions to help us achieve this in 08.

HVDRA appreciates all the efforts and the time you spend preparing your vehicles and bikes to come and entertain the people of Darwin every month. But like most Sports Clubs we need your ideas and suggestions.

I would also like to mention we also need you to extend the great work you already do in racing by assisting us with some the 'behind the scenes' operations that need to occur each meeting so you can enjoy regularly racing at Hidden Valley.
Some jobs are minor and can be done on the day of racing, others might even be able to tie in with your current day to day work. Volunteers also get rewarded from the club in a variety of ways.
As the saying goes 'many hands make light work' and these things are required for your safety and ejoyment so you can continue to use the Hidden Valley facilities HVDRA provides.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer please PM me or contact the club via its website www.hiddenvalleydrags.com


Mel

** Just a quick update on the $3million funding, HVDRA has been given approval to start building a proposal including quotes and designs etc for the items to be built at the Dragstrip so funds can be allocated accordingly at the May budget.

^^^^ Thats's awesome Mel regarding the funding!

I'll PM you about being a volunteer

approval for and actually contstucting shit are 2 different things.

how about trying to get some sport compact guys up here from down south

What ideas are HVDRA putting forward for that money?

burn out pad first.... pretty please

first point agreed. But the wheels are in motion and all things need to be done in steps so lets just see how we progress with each step hey before we start getting fired up that we have nothing.

second point - pardon the ignorance butcould you give me more info on the compact cars ie what are they and do they drag race?

The idea of this thread is for ideas for what we can do for local competitiors. We appreciate all ideas but we tend to focus on the spectators for the Titles night and your suggestion of compact cars (if suitable) can well be put on the agenda.

the answer lays here -> http://www.sportcompact.net.au/

burnout pad
return road options
tower relocation options
resurface of whole track
armco to support National events
timing boards
and plenty more but please keep in mind priorities will be given to those things that improve the safety of the track and also improve the facilities at Hidden Valley.

No options have been voted on as yet these are all being looked into.


cheers!
looks good. it is something different for the crowd to get to experience and will target a new audience im sure and we can definately get in contact with them and discuss this option for fututre race meets.

Will the members and competitors be asked to put forward ideas or will it all be done via HVDRA committee members input?

Last years season was very well organised, right from signing in at the gate, to scruitineering, to drag racing and then leaving the venue. Experience was seamless and not much needs improving, except maybe a timing board (which is already mentioned) and if possible or if funds permit tighter security around the pit area? Maybe a secured storage area people could use for valuables/tyres/tools etc..?

Good luck for 2008 everyone!

I like that idea. The one meet i raced at wasn't an issue for me, as I just locked everything in the tow car. I don't think i'd be too confident leaving expensive tools lying around when the wagon is eventually registered though.

your more than welcome to add any suggestions and we can have a look at them.
But the other suggestions have come from members/racers/spectators feedback.
Please also bear in mind there are approx 6 or 7 other clubs, associations etc that use the track and surrounding faciliites, so all ideas need to be discussed with these clubs to ensure we dont encroach on their faciliites and standards etc.

Wasn't for me in particular was just so that everyone knew if they still had an option to put forward ideas

Use to be a regular at the drags years ago. (Some really old people mite remeber my RX3 'Duckula". Ran 12.7 in 1987 and won the Street Class for the year).

Last time we went to the drags early 2001, found out that the place had changed. Not for the best either. People abusing each other over make of car, people not willing to helpe anybody. Overall a very unplesant experience. Have not been back since.

And that admin price ......

But in regards to the Sport Compact, dont brush it aside too quick. In 1992, a few people in NAMSC suggested that we get the V8's up here. And look at it now.

Fast cars bring in the crowds which brings in the local content.

Suggestions:

1. More lighting in pits, staging lanes and the track itself
2. More electrical outlets in the pits
3. Patrolled (security) in pit and staging lane areas for pit passes, glass bottles, thongs etc etc etc
4. The removal of that ugly lighting tower that destroys every photo you take of anyone launching from the line
5. Back on lights, a few towers put up along the road which takes you down to the track (where the girl got hit last year)
6. Uniforms for fulltime staff and volunteers would make the club look alot more prefessional
7. A bigger scrutineering shed (maybe with a mirrored bottom for oil leak inspections etc)
8. This is for the bikes...... the staging lane could be a little wider
9. Timing boards (already mentioned)
10. Burnout pad (already mentioned)
11. Childrens playground (behind the pit toilets on kiosk side of the fence)?
12. Oil sweeper/vacuum
13. Do I dare say..... improved mc's?

Oops... add ons.................

14. Corporate boxes or seating somewhere for sponsors, VIP's etc
15. Taylz knocked it on the head also.... mini grandstands
16. Bitumized carpark so the d!ckheads can't spray everyones cars with stones when they leave and just be that.... d!ckheads
17. Maybe a run off somewhere for the drifters from turn 5 to say maybe turn 8 or 9?
18. Lit signage out on the road for competitors/spectators carpark

I think that's all, lmao

another vote for better mc's
.
is that hard to find someone that knows what the hell they are talking about?

track down trevor scott and get him back in the tower

I dont know hey, I find the MCs to be quite entertaining and sometimes funny. I do agree that they sometimes get car makes/models wrong, but most of the time they're ok.

^ Trevor Scott was back up here for a while, but has since again left for the southern regions and I dare say he won't be back.

Perhaps improving the seating infrastructure on the hill. A full-on grandstand would not really be practical but perhaps an improved version of the concrete block arrangement - similar to Kwinana or Willowbank maybe.

and here we have a Skyline with what must be a big V8 under the hood to be doing them times.........

Timing boards seems to be the popular one, I would have to agree.

Lights are a big thing for me

Better track cleaning facilitys
More electrical outlets in the pits
A few more lights in the pits/ staging lanes.
Get Jordy a new chair
Improved timing/computer systems for the tower.

put the street meetings back to how they used to be. ie no slicks no dropped exhaust systems etc. Run an elimination dial your own bracket that costs $10.00 to enter maximum of eight cars with the winner taking home the $80.00. do this as many times in a night as there are contestants willing to enter but if you win once thats it for that night. At the open meetings run the street bracket the same as at street meetings with street registered cars only on a round robin format. If you want to put slicks on or drop your pipes you race in Super street without the ET restrictions. Put up double or better prize money for the first meeting in all brackets but let everyone know early so they might work a bit harder to make the first meeting. Instead of bringing up the big dollar big name racers (ie Brett Stevens or Victor) bring up cars that can compete with the local cars and or bikes, (There are actually other cars that race there that dont have blowers)

I would say the timing board and lighting are a big thing. But i also say that maybe there should be either a grand stand put in or more of the concrete seating along with better garden car on the street meets it seems we sit in the long grass on street meets but the open meets get fresh cut grass.

ah yes i thought there was a major thing i had missed. The Hill. Yes that is something that is on the priority list and our design is being drafted from WSID's hill. For those who dont know it is tiered grass levels with concrete stair access.

And yes Trevor is sadly missed but hey we must move on. To give credit to the commentators occassionally it is not their fault when they report the wrong vehicle. This can be blamed on the computers and sometimes the operators. Input of the cars/bikes that have lined up can be quiet hard to hear from Al or Jordy so this in turn means wrong data entered. Or the commentators just get a little confussed with all the excitement that goes on.. But yeah if your willinging to give it a crack let us know and im sure we can arrange a little 'work experience' for you..

thats the first thing on our list!

Is there a way of setting up a shade structure as well - this will be beneficially for sunny V8 days and dewy nights.

yep we have taken notice of the different ways we can run the street meets and our Street Members tell us they like it just the way it is. $10 to race is unlikely as the insurance component for each racer is more than that.

And we have also decided to look into other options for the season in regards to interstate cars. But im not going to ellaborate as some things need to remain a suprise!! But yes ideas for other entertainers is welcome.
Look forward to seeing you at the track Ed!

^^^^ What he said! There does need to be something different done on how the street meets are run me thinks! It needs to be more exciting for the crowd and competitors

I think what he meant was to pay the entry and then an additional 10 buck to enter the racing for the money other wise you just race normally. Give you something to race for i guess and would be a good idea

Yeap. Top idea Ed

That way it doesnt matter what you brung, if you can race consistantly you win.

yeah Mel i think you should give it a go will make people wanna race as there is a chance that they will win there entry fee plus some back. I take you on in the micra

MICRA > BUG

mel re the street meet's

i've never been asked about if i was happy with the rules ?

and i made nearly 99% of the street meet's last year

Street meet should be like what it is in brisbane and perth etc

a street meet, as the car was driven on street tyres, not mt's etc, just street tyres no exhaust pulled off

if u car is to dangerous to drive with out mt street's etc, race and the open meets

that's how i wish it was run

fix the stagin lights, oil down sweeper or somthin better????, lightin in the pits an staging area, more security ( not ones that are sleepin or walkin round with hands in pockit goin ohhh look a fast car), better seatin area for spectators, when burn out pad cames it will b handy, as if i sit on the hill one more time an the 20 or 30 people in front of me stand up 2 see burnout they is goin rollin down the hill..grrrrrrrrrrr.try me!

Thats what I meant pay your normal fee do the normal racing and if the racers choose they put up $10.00 or even $20.00 up to whoever wants to race for whatever and have an elimination bracket where the winner takes all. (No racing for pink slips) this will help introduce some of the new guys/gals to dial your own racing so that even if you dont have the fastest car you can still win. Once some of these racers get better at this they may want to come to the open meetings race under the same format (DYO) and slowley progress up the ranks to Super street/Super sedan etc. Not a compulsory bracket but give it a try even if the racers interested treat it like a poker tournament you put in the $10.00 to enter, draw the numbers and lanes out of a hat then if they want the racers can place a bet on each race. Money is held by a club official and the official results are the deciding factor.

The Street Meets are for street registered vehicles. Now without the age old arguement of how to class a street registered car if they have an MVR sticker on their window then they are entitled to run. We simply dont have the number of competitors to set up classes as they do at other tracks.

In regards to not being asked about the rules - we hold regular committee meetings, request to attend part of a meeting and come and discuss your ideas, concerns etc.

we need a better pit area full stop,to many cars with slicks pull the loose stones onto the start line. and as shane found out they end your night very early.( once again sorry mate)

street meets should be totally open.

any zorst,slicks, blowers hangin out...etc....let them run.

that includes allowing all the drag cars to test and tune as well!!!

you will attract more to it that way (as well as spectators)

the only rules should be safety rules enforced by the scrutineers.

hidden valley on a dry season night...methanol in the air.....hmmmmmm




bring a tarp to lie on when your under you ride, and a banister brush to clean your slicks as you are in the staging lanes and then go get stuck into it

nop disagree there ed dial your own racing is for the drag rounds heads up is street and nufin wrong with dropping exhaust and are you talking street slick??? not that there are many street meets this year anyway

2008 calendar

Read what I wrote Im NOT saying run the street meetings as DYO. What Im saying is have a bracket open to whoever wants to participate racing for some money in a DYO elimination format What this would hopefully do is encourage racers to give DYO a try and see that they CAN BE COMPETITIVE at DYO racing which is what the open meetings are. If the street bracket is run the same way (or round robin) at open meetings hopefully some of these street meet racers will start coming to open meetings because they can be competitive and then hopefully progress up the food chain and become the future super sedan or whatever racers of the future. FFS the faster et brackets are not going to get any better if there is no new blood and the future of drag racing is with the new competitiors stepping up ie look at how Benny has progressed over the years thru street to super street to super sedan.

What Ed said, Bloody great idea......... heads up street meet full exhaust, street tyres and if you want to DYO (money bracket) then slicks and no exhaust would be fair...

Get a decent time in the money bracket may encourage guys to race on Sat nights

Win Win situation

they use to do this run the first half of the night heads up then run two lanes for dyo for the second half ended up you would get less runs waiting for the dyo to sort shit out.

Same as they used to run the street meets, 1 side grudge and the other DYO.

At least with Ed's idea, you have a chance of winning something and is a bit of incentive to run. And may sway some of the street meet attenders to attend the drag meets instead of having the same cars every meets.

I know a few ppl that would be interested.

There is no need to do half and half as the cars should be able to turn around almost straight away. so with an eight car first round then a four car second round and then the final that wont take long to finish, the racers who dont want to try the DYO dont have too and can still keep running. In my opinion its probably worth a try it wont cost the club anything and if it generates some interest then thats a good thing. If you look back at the Super sedan and Super street brackets at who was racing ten years ago and who and how many new racers are participating in these brackets now you will see that the growth in the higher levels is not that good

Not that my vote will count but, Vote 1 for time boards, everything else I'd go along with...

Doug pull your head in mate no zorst means you can not drive it on the street with out getting defected so no zorst no running in the street meats You should have to run in street form and that is it. Anything else go to the open meets.

The other way to look at the street meets is that they provide an opportunity to do what you can't do on the street....

i can see that at TDZ any time...............

street meets let everyone get out and rip it up...........

Doug - stop trying to be a shit stirrer and actually contribute sane posts - it's starting to get old.

He does kinda have a point though. I'd like to be able to drop the pipes on the vk when i run at the drags. I like the noise.

But i'd also like to see street cars out there.

I think this needs to be seriously looked at by HVDRA.

Having strict guidelines that are consistently adhered to in regards to what is classified as a Street Car.

This inconsistency was a massive argument continuously last year.

How about all cars have a "rego check" before they can race


Quite happy to help...