Absolutely seething at Knockhill but news about Crail

[zeolite]

Just got some news that has made my blood boil. The Scottish Tarmack Rally Series had arranged to do 3 rallies at Knockhill in return they were going to arrange to tarmac a couple of sections of the outfield.

"It has been agreed with Knockhill that the money that would normally have been paid for the venue WILL be reinvested into tarmacing the outroads, eventually giving us a full tarmac venue that we can use and considering we are losing tarmac venue's all the time, we have to do something" AML-strc organiser

"Right, I have been up for another meeting at Knockhill this morning with Knockhill and the tar guy, the bit we need to tar is around 800m2 so the cost is around £18k and the cut from the back straight to the rally school will be a bit more (£2k-£4k).

As time is marching on and we need this to work, we have moved the November date to March 11th, so the events will now be as follows;

1. December 27th

2. February 4th

3. March 11th

The mileage has yet to be worked out but the entry fee will be £200 per event which includes a £5 donation to the marshal's fund as per normal, we need at least 80 cars to make this work and if we can prove to Knockhill that this can work and that we really want to do this, maybe we can do the same next year and get even more done.

I have now cancelled my holiday over the festive season, so now it's up to you guys, so get in touch please. " AML-strc organiser

As you can see a lot of work has been put into this and I know people were planning to compete. the cars were being prepared and the money found for entries.

However this morning Angie (AML) received a phone cal saying that Knockhill have cancelled the series. No reason was given. everything was in place and they just decide to arbritrarily cancel.

So tell me is this the way to run a business? Is this a way to support scottish grassroots motorsport? Just who the hell do they think they are?

I am absolutely livid and I am about to state my displeasure to the Knockhill website.

Absolutely incandescent!

[zeolite]

Just sent a email and I would ask you to do the same.

Knockhill contact

[st3ph3n]

Outrageous Ian. Grassroots motorpsort in Scotland needs all the help it can get. We'll not produce people like Colin McRae, David Coulthard etc. with events being cancelled all over the place. If Knockhill wants to improve, and I know we'd all like to see it improve, then surely it needs all the money it can get?

I shall write them an email this evening when I get home.

[col666]

You would think they would be happy with more people coming through their doors?

The place seriously needs a revamp too, it is a tip. The perimter road is shocking and the covered areas (sheds) arent up to much, especially the ones with the bloody great big fences on front of them so you can hardly see! and dont get me started on those loud speakers player techno tunes at 150db!

Rant over

[johnnyr6]

That is not the way to run a business, if there was another track running a race series or two in scotland knockhill would go bust.

[zeolite]

Lots of unhappiness in the world oF Scottish Tarmack rallying.

We have been trying to get some info from KH but the silence has been deathly. I have resorted to posting on their website. knockhill forum

[yoshi]

Knockhill bitch list

- pot holes on the route from track to the car park

- nearly crashed several times due to crappy marshalling http://www.scottishcarclub.com/closeones_admcnov05.mp4

- no storage area for slicks

- whole pit lane and car park non-flat so a pain in the tits to jack your car up.

- the worst tea in the world served at the Knockhill cafe

- no one knows where signing on for track events is

Anyway, I'll stop moaning before I get banned...

[zeolite]

Knockhill have issued a news statement

news

Not sure of the veracity of the statement yet. Will post when I know more.

If they had made this statement at the time of the cancellation perhaps they could have avoided some of the bad feeling. It is not a way to run a business.

[zeolite]

This is the statement from Angie (AML) who is the prime mover in organising the Scottish Tarmack Rally Series. and president of the Dunfermline Car Club.

"Sorry for the delay in replying but I am on Mull and have been unable to get internet access until now.

Firstly I would like to say I am stunned and amazed at the statement released by Knockhill and whilst it has some true points, it is not all correct and as most of you know me, you know the reply you get will be the truth.

1. MSA Insurance

Knockhill have had an enquiry in with John Symes at the MSA regarding the outroads at Knockhill as the MSA refused to pay out on a claim we made, stating that when we hire an MSA recognised circuit, we are covered by circuit insurance. We as a club did pay out from club funds, what we deemed to be a fair and acceptable percentage of the claim, a percentage that was accepted by Knockhill. The claim was for just over £500, we paid them £250.

This enquiry has been ongoing with the MSA for a couple of months and I also have spoken with John Symes and he is still awaiting word from the insurers........fair enough and I am sure that the matter would have been sttled prior to running the first of the three events.

What I can assure you of is that we at DCC have never and would never knowingly put you the competitor or any official at any risk of any kind and it is very unprofessional of Knockhill to make the statement that they did.

2. Financial terms.

I as you will be aware, have praised Knockhill for allowing us to run these three events that form the Winter Series with no payment to them, allowing all the money normally paid for the venue and some, to be put towards tarmac. Never at any time have I or anyone at DCC said that Knockhill were getting the tar "laid for free" as they put it.

What I can tell you is this, I met with a contractor at Knockhill and was quoted £22.50 mer m2 and as we needed 800m2, it was over £18k and I assume that would have been +VAT. On informing Stuart Gray of this, he informed me that they were about to have the circuit resurfaced and that he could problay bring that cost down to £10 per m2 and would ask their contractors for a price accordingly.

A week or so passed and he contacted me in forming me that he could have the same bit tarmaced for £12k +VAT but would only be looking for £10k +VAT and that they would contribute the rest. I then said that we as a club were not VAT registered and as we had no way of claiming the VAT back, would they accept £10,500 in total. A few days later I recievd an e-mail accepting the £10,500.

The Thursday night before Crail, I again spoke with Stuart Gray on the phone and asked to pay £3500 per event as we would not have the money for each event un til at least the closing day of each one and he accepted that proposal.

Great I thought as I had just spent 18 hours straight at the computer writing the regs for the Winter Series and the events, ready for the MSA.

On Friday morning at 9.30am, Stuart Gray rang me to inform me that Knockhill were pulling the plug on the Winter Series, giving no reason at all.

On thinking that it must have been because they expected to be paid up front for the tar, a very kind member offered to go guarentor for the club or pay the money up fron for us, after an emergency meeting, Knockhill still said no.

Because of what has happened, one of the event sponsors has pulled their sponsorship and a second one is considering the same. I am not best pleased with the way things have happened and am looking into matters further and will not let this go until it is resolved, so please be patient and as soon as I know something, you'll know.

I would like to thank you all for your support for the Winter Series and for your continued support.

Angela Luke

PRESIDENT

Dunfermline Car Club"

Angie is unpaid and organises the events on a voluntary basis. What money there is in rallying gets put back into events. It would seem that this is not good enough for Knockhill who see little or no profit in rallying. I for one (and I am sure that there will many others) believe Angie on this and on that basis is seems Knockhill are being less than truthful about the whole situation.

Therefore until there is a change in the situation (and I am not sure what can help this) I will be boycotting Knockhill. I will be advising new drivers NOT to take their BARS course at Knockhill. They are no supporters of rallying but still expect to make money out of potential rally drivers. I propose that all car clubs in scotland do the same.

They have a monopoly here in Scotland being the only track and I know track days are a core event of SIDC. This puts many enthusiasts in a difficult position if they have any sympathy for Scottish Rallying. So I just ask you to think about this the next time you are at knockhill and consider what you are buying when you are there. Unfortunately I won't be there to advise you.

Centre of Scottish Motorsport? My Ar**

[zeolite]

Latest news!

After Knockhills nonsense we now have an offer to run the winter series at Crail.

If this happens who would want to come and support the events?

[Johnny50]

Ian,

If i'm available, i'll certainly come along and support the serires.

Scottish Motorsport could do with some backing.