Bob Pearson wrote:
I had a long chat with Ken on Monday on this and related subjects, and he made a very valid point regarding allowing newer cars into the URS Series. He said, and he is correct, that there isn't a shortage of cars, there isn't even a shortage of owners, there is a shortage of owners who are prepared to race the cars, in some cases, at all, in others more than a couple of rounds.
This situation all ties into the question of where are we hoping to go with the formula, once that has been established then all efforts must be thrown at that route. To me, there are only two alternatives, BARC as a stand alone formula and HSCC with the Historic FF2000's. Running with anything else is damaging our chances of survival, doing the odd race with Mono, CF3 or DBT then thinking that used this months supply of racing money and I can't do the meeting of the chosen route is simply hammering another nail into the coffin of this series and contributing to a further fall in the value of our cars.
So what will be the chosen route? The idea of being with what used to be the B class of URS again is attractive, but let's be realistic, why would they want us, they don't need us, they aren't short of entries, they may have experienced a drop, but Alan M is more than dynamic enough to counter that over a period of time. They left us for a reason when we parted ways some years ago, and I'm sure that reason is still valid to them. It leaves the BARC route as the obvious and maybe only choice. It is the only route which, if we focus our efforts and money, can give us a stand alone formula.
It will mean Alan M being asked to not include us in the GP circuit Brands and Silverstone events, which is a shame, and I am the first to admit I will miss them, but surely......the future of the series and its chances of return to a formula must be seen as more important than our enjoyment on a couple of single days.
I know Ken doesn't read this forum, so I will e mail this tirade to him, and offer my support with a meeting with BARC, which, as a pair we have done in the past. Given how this year has gone, it may be debatable whether the BARC will want us next year, our strongest point is that, as far as I know they only have one single seater formula left at the moment, which will help our position, although some kind of a new plan on our part will be needed.
In summary, and I apologize to Steve Connor, but I have known him for years and I'm sure he understands my logic, anyone who runs in Mono, CF3 or DBT in preference to the chosen route ( be it begging to the HSCC or URS with BARC) is cutting all our throats including their own. Harsh words I'm afraid, but I think we are well past the point of tarting up a web-site or producing spread sheets, something positive must take place or we are finished.
I agree entirely with most of what you say here Bob. In particular that once we've established the best direction for the formula then all efforts should be thrown at that route. I'll support any plan that gives a future of good close racing for the cars. I'd also hate to see the cars spread across several unrelated series.
A couple of questions however:
Are we certain that rejoining the HSCC FF2000 cars is closed off to us? Perhaps the reasons that split the series originally can be resolved in a mutually beneficial way? Perhaps it is unrealistic, but it has to be worth exploring alongside the other options.
Either way, would it be necessary to throw out the concept of a combined event once or twice a year? Plenty of different series successfully come together for blue riband events to ensure big and economically viable grids. I don't think it damages either series to do that. After all, previously the HSCC cars had to combine with CF3 to race on Silverstone GP and URS simply didn't race on the GP circuits. Win, win and it raises the profile of FF2000 cars generally.
It's good to hear though that behind the scenes there are plenty of people keen and willing to take action to ensure we are all out racing next year.
I have no definite knowledge of how an attempt to unite the URS with the HSCC FF2000's would work out. What I wrote is the simply the product of applying logic to the situation. It would have to be done formally by Ken, Alan and probably someone else from the HSCC.
The problem with the combined events are they are held on really attractive circuits, and some drivers, inevitably will do them in preference to entering for events which are in our main thrust for rebuilding the formula. If drivers have enough cash and time to do all BARC events ( or whatever the main thrust is) plus the GP circuits HSCC events then it wouldn't matter. But, inevitably there will be those who will choose the GP circuit events in preference to a BARC event, and so another nail is driven in. Hence, I believe it is best if they are not even offered to us.
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