Macca

Looked like a great trip Dave. At least your orange long-hood made it home under its own steam after a long work out, unfortunately Dean wasn't quite so lucky!

On HD running "Playdays" style events under their own management, I personally dont see this happening. It completely undermines the membership style system (GT Club) Hamptons are trying to promote/sell (53 memberships as of May).

Depending on the outcome of that membership drive I guess HD may choose to develop a product aimed at the "budget track day attendee" but I highly doubt this will run in a limited group insurable size format like Playdays RSG/Prestige did. Still plenty of water to go under the bridge on this one. i expect we will learn more in 2017 but until then slots for RSG (HD private track hireage) look to be scarce based on the work Pete/I have done to date...

kiwi 911

PCNZ have several events booked through to the end 2017, on all 3 track combinations.

Other than having Gary give the briefing, there is no difference in how the day is run, or the requirements to enter, or one's ability to get track day insurance.

I believe the RSG should still be able to book track days on this basis too - I'm guessing circa $5-6K for a half day arrive and drive during the week, so twenty-something people at $250 a head.

Business as usual..............

Now that Play Day no longer exists at HD, I may look to book more dates for the club circuit over summer.

Macca

Unfortunately I think you miss the point here...

The point of RSG was to have a differentiation to PCNZ. I'm not sure RSG members are prepared to compromise on this. We have created something unique and a real camaraderie - something to this point in time and 18 years of PCNZ membership I have not seen established in this type of event.

You/PCNZ have re branded the formula of Playdays & RSG and re-marketed - that is all as I can tell it. I think RSG members help fill the numbers and that works to mutual benefit of both organisations.

the Playdays format was about low cost entry to enjoying the track to a variety of people both with cars and Bikes. This is likely to change.

P.S. Pete and I have done plenty of work with Elton at HD on pricing and availability. There is no guessing involved to the costs and they are considerably higher than the 6K for a half day you quote. (Happy to take this offline).

....As no one much is on here anymore I doubt it will garner much attention but Id like to think my view here is supported by some. Gary/Tony & Playdays did a great job and I would like where possible to remain loyal to them with RSG. I think all we will see from this is a further hardening of the RSG core with events perhaps a little more Taupo focused in the future but including some new options such as Puke (I like many have not done the new track so that could be fun)....

Macca

Been doing a fair bit of the old Historic Route 66 on this trip in California, Nevada and Arizona. Here we are for lunch at Seligman AZ (often known as the home of the historic route). Lots of old 59s cars in garages surrounded by spares and paraphernalia...worth a visit....

Macca

....

Macca

....,

John McM

RSG may have been born out of dedicated track days at HD but it diversified and moved on a while back for me. Witness the 2,000km road trip just completed with 3 other RSG members.

For me I am happy to do the PCNZ track days if the desire is there at the time. However having been around HD so many times in the last 3 years that desire is not currently that strong that I will get too upset about it. Others may feel differently, not that we can do much about it.

It's the people that make the group for me. I didn't think much of the Highlands treatment in 2014 so don't expect much of Quinn. Happy to spend my motoring dollar elsewhere, not that it will make any difference to him.

Let's face it, there is little money in owning race tracks. This is a millionaire's pissing contest where the outcome is pretty obvious for the grassroots. 2k cup team lets get that entry in for the Dunlop 800.

Leong72

Thanks Paul, Mark and Pete for all the work you guys do to organise these trackdays. Much appreciated.... Unfortunately haven't managed to get to a PCNZ event as yet, and not likely to for a bit either due to date clashes.


This is the main reason for my not buying a membership....

Maxem

Thanks Macca. Ended up taking the SC on the basis of the first weekends weather forecast and a hunch that the gravel could be a bit tricky. GOOD CALL DAVE !.
No drama's for the old girl, massive rock ding on frunk lid, busted both fog lenses, a kilo of dirt and a bit more gravel rash. But it was so worth it. Drove like a dream and didn't hold up the modern (1990) flyboys too much.

Maxem

...I was half way to hatching a sneaky plan to swap the cars over mid week in Napier....first weekend was bad weather wise but second weekend was at times like a world rally stage. From one of the best drives of my life (Tinaroto road, and in and out of whangamomona) to the death drive in the dead of night between Kawhia and Raglan. Nearly binned it twice, once because the oil level gauge went mental with the shaking and I wasn't concentrating on the road. Makes you feel alive though.

Pel

Between HD shutting down and this gravel malarkey, if someone buys my SC it may become a rally car!

Macca

Sorry Dave. I think I knew you took the SC but had forgotten. Staying on top of things on the move confusing at times!!

Sounds like the gravel section was interesting indeed. I've had a few unplanned metal excursions in the 993 over the years including a 17km road diversion and hitting 100m run of road repaired gravel road on the Targa NZ stage (45km) exiting Wongamonoma. I think I've raved about that drive on here before but the 45km stage in and out in the dry at full targa tour pace back in 2012 made this one of the best road drives of my life (equaled only perhaps by the full two way SHW1 to Russell run which is around 100km return also and is a little less twisty but has some lovely straights, elevation and variation in scenery. You really need to make on if those Northland runs when you can. Glad you all enjoyed that road though as its one of my favourites and I'd love to go back....

John McM

Dave, kudos to you for the way you drove, especially after finding out how hard you were working compared to the 964s, after you swapped with Nigel for a few km.

993 Targa

My take on the whole HD thing is a bit of a cautious one. It seems prices will go up for track days there, this was inevitable but such is life. There should still be some options available though if one wants to go on a semi-regular basis which is good. The timing rarely works out for me and getting a chance to head out anyway so I don't really need 2 track day a month type opportunities. It is also nice to have other tracks to fall back upon, although they are not ideal. I'm not a fan of Puke, the facilities are quite poor, the track a bit boring and sketchy (the yump at the beginning of the front straight) and it just doesn't float my boat. Taupo is great but it is even harder for me to get the time to do a run there than it is HD. At the end of the day as many UK and US forum posters seem to point out, $250 is very cheap compared to what they pay and the tracks are a lot closer to most of us than they are to them. So while it was better before, we are still better off now than most.

On a side note, did we find out how much the HD membership was and can it be shared? I'm pretty sure I asked before but I have forgotten!

Macca

someone can correct me if I'm wrong, I have the membership pack but I'm on the road so IIRC its now 10k sign up (once off non refundable) with 5k annual fee. You cannot share the membership and transferring it incurs a fee and cost and will only be granted by management at their discretion (I believe they will be quite resistant to this practice). You get the option of up to 80 days a year mostly a few hours mid week afternoons on National Course and 5 options s year full course. I don't think it's Prestigio approved as race cars are permitted and group size isn't limited.....

Stuart. It's not an issue of cost for most RSG members. $320 vs $250 based on 30 for a half day is manageable for most. However without Playdays "bank rolling" the risk RSG would have over 9k on the line until all members paid. Yes we have done this before but when it was 5k for half a day and we could clear that with 22 heads at $250.

I tried to book National circuit for late Nov and early Dec a few weeks ago, half day week day for RSG end of year run to work in after NITT. From 01 Nov until 07 Dec there was not s single date RSG were offered on the National Track. The 1.1km "Club circuit" was offered but I've walked it and frankly I don't think our members will find it challenging or enjoyable at all...

Right now for someone like yourself the fact remains...there is one option - GT Club or RSG (if we can obtain regular fixtures at acceptable risk - unlikely?), otherwise it's 3-4 fixtures in winter with PCNZ where they wear the risk. Obviously this might change in the future.

As others have pointed out RSG is about the people not the money. We have quite a few members I think who could quite easily manage the GT Cub fees but don't want to turn up as bully no mates on the day or cannot make best use of the fixtures due to distance and mid week afternoon traffic etc. insurance may be an issue for some too.

Personally I think mixing it up a bit between HD and then Taupo & Puke with Playdays is no bad thing.