ANDRA Sport Compact National Series

[2rismo]

From the email outbox of Ray Box:

"The Fast Fours Jamboree staged at Willowbank Raceway on the 17th and 18th of September will be the biggest gathering of Sport Compact cars in Australia and will kick off the much anticipated ANDRA Sport Compact Championship Series. If you like what you see at the Winternationals you'll be blown away by the Fast Fours Jamboree!"

A little birdy tells me that Jamboree, Compak Attack and the Sydney Drag Combat events will make up the point scoring rounds with Drag Combat Perth making up a non-championship round.

One word.... AWESOME!

Adrian

[DoughBoy]

That's pretty harsh, considering there's alot more activity on the West Coast. So what are the cars meant to compete in outside of these 3 events? Benchracing? hahaha

[Guest DIRTgarage]

That's pretty harsh, considering there's alot more activity on the West Coast. So what are the cars meant to compete in outside of these 3 events? Benchracing? hahaha

Agree...i think there needs to be at least six rounds per year...say three Jamboree( Compak Attak) ran events and three Drag Combat (Cabin)rounds. With a grand final...to decide the champion at WSID ran by the ANDRA sport compact group. Come on Jason O'Halloran how about giving us racers a return in the investment we have made in you!

[Duncan]

Yeah its funny isn't it? In circuit racing there are very strict rules about what is required to be a "national championship", as far as number of rounds, states, tracks and competitors

It sounds like here someone has dreamed up an idea and stuck a name on it

[2rismo]

Agree...i think there needs to be at least six rounds per year...say three Jamboree( Compak Attak) ran events and three Drag Combat (Cabin)rounds. With a grand final...to decide the champion at WSID ran by the ANDRA sport compact group. Come on Jason O'Halloran how about giving us racers a return in the investment we have made in you!

WTF?!?!? There is only just enough interest in traditional drag racing to run 6 events in a year and have them successful. How small have the crowds been and how poor have the entries been in the sport compact events??

Also, there's no such thing as the 'ANDRA Sport Compact Group'. Sportcompactgroup.com is Ray Box's organisation (i.e. Jambo/Compak). Promoter not sanctioning body.

Also, why can only S.C.Group and [cabin] promote S.C. events and be part of a series? We shouldn't hope to exclude other promoters in the future.

However, if 6 events would make you happy how about this;

Rnd 1/ QLD Jamboree

Rnd 2/ Sydney Drag Combat

Rnd 3/ QLD Drag Combat

Rnd 4/ Compak Attack

Non Championship Rnd Rnd @ Kwinana (D.C.W.A.)

Rnd 5/ Drag Combat Final @ WSID

That's 6 meetings with the prospect of a 'Mini-Jambo" in there somewhere too.

Adrian

[MrBlonde]

Sport Compact is in it's infancy and is fighting to make it's place in the market.

The attendence so far has been dogshit. The events so far have been less than optimum. The only way is up!

[DoughBoy]

Maybe the reason why there's a lack of competitors is actually in the rules? Don't get me wrong, that was a gripping final in Sport RWD between that hot pink WRX and the other bling machine! Heh might have the cars wrong, but that's how much attention we were paying the racing...

[DoughBoy]

p.s. would love to see something like this in Aus:

http://www.theclashofthetitans.com/

Edit: simple rules, multiple classes to cater for a wide variety of cars... and some farkin fast animals!

[Deluxe]

WTF?!?!?  There is only just enough interest in traditional drag racing to run 6 events in a year and have them successful.  How small have the crowds been and how poor have the entries been in the sport compact events??

Also, there's no such thing as the 'ANDRA Sport Compact Group'.  Sportcompactgroup.com is Ray Box's organisation (i.e. Jambo/Compak).  Promoter not sanctioning body.

Also, why can only S.C.Group and [cabin] promote S.C. events and be part of a series?  We shouldn't hope to exclude other promoters in the future.

However, if 6 events would make you happy how about this;

Rnd 1/ QLD Jamboree

Rnd 2/ Sydney Drag Combat

Rnd 3/ QLD Drag Combat

Rnd 4/ Compak Attack

Non Championship Rnd Rnd @ Kwinana (D.C.W.A.)

Rnd 5/ Drag Combat Final @ WSID

That's 6 meetings with the prospect of a 'Mini-Jambo" in there somewhere too.

Adrian

Anyone heard of a couple of states called South Australia and maybe Western Australia?????

[2rismo]

Anyone heard of a couple of states called South Australia and maybe Western Australia?????

[email protected] attn: Jason.

Don't hate the messenger, hate the message

Adrian

[Guest DIRTgarage]

WTF?!?!?  There is only just enough interest in traditional drag racing to run 6 events in a year and have them successful.  How small have the crowds been and how poor have the entries been in the sport compact events??

Also, there's no such thing as the 'ANDRA Sport Compact Group'.  Sportcompactgroup.com is Ray Box's organisation (i.e. Jambo/Compak).  Promoter not sanctioning body.

Also, why can only S.C.Group and [cabin] promote S.C. events and be part of a series?  We shouldn't hope to exclude other promoters in the future.

However, if 6 events would make you happy how about this;

Rnd 1/ QLD Jamboree

Rnd 2/ Sydney Drag Combat

Rnd 3/ QLD Drag Combat

Rnd 4/ Compak Attack

Non Championship Rnd Rnd @ Kwinana (D.C.W.A.)

Rnd 5/ Drag Combat Final @ WSID

That's 6 meetings with the prospect of a 'Mini-Jambo" in there somewhere too.

Adrian

The more events that are hosted, the more entries/spectators you will have.

Doesnt O'halloran work for the so-called sport compact arm of ANDRA...this is what i was talking about.You know the group who the only good thing they have done in the past year is to design a fancy logo and wreck the rules!

Cabin and Jambo were suggested as they are the only promotors at the moment willing to back our sport. I welcome new players with open arms but where are they?

Why does WA have to be a non-championship round?? And yes what about Adelaide....or even...dare i suggest it Victoria.

Adrian...to suggest we are hating the messenger is silly,just having a debate on what people would like to see as part of a TRUELY National series.

Doughboy...spot on about the rules mate. I know a lot of poeple/spectators that went last year, who also came to Compak,didnt go to D.C. because they thought the sport was unentertaining watching the brake pedal brigade!

[DoughBoy]

Tar & feather the messenger, it's always more fun! Especially when he bites oh so hard

[MrBlonde]

The more events that are hosted, the more entries/spectators you will have.

Doesnt O'halloran work for the so-called sport compact arm of ANDRA...this is what i was talking about.You know the group who the only good thing they have done in the past year is to design a fancy logo and wreck the rules!

Cabin and Jambo were suggested as they are the only promotors at the moment willing to back our sport. I welcome new players with open arms but where are they?

Why does WA have to be a non-championship round?? And yes what about Adelaide....or even...dare i suggest it Victoria.

Adrian...to suggest we are hating the messenger is silly,just having a debate on what people would like to see as part of a TRUELY National series.

Doughboy...spot on about the rules mate. I know a lot of poeple/spectators that went last year, who also came to Compak,didnt go to D.C. because they thought the sport was unentertaining watching the brake pedal brigade!

Jason O'Halloran is the Sport Compact director of ANDRA.

Sport Compact is the red headed stepchild of drag racing in 2005. But it will become the main event as time goes by.

Nobody born after 1980 gives a damn about NA carby pushrod V8s. And who gives a toss for altereds? The main ANDRA fare caters only to the inbreds and timelocked old buggers who cannot or will not change. Guess what? They are dying off!

In what way has ANDRA wrecked the rules? What they have done is to actually lay down the Sport Compact rulebook which previously didn't exist. Now people with EFI and turbo 4s and 6s can actually compete in their own arena instead of having to fit up mechanical fuel injection and run in SS/BB or the like. A big step forward. If the rules are 100% spot on first time out, then let's work to tweak them into shape.

Already a rule revision has been announced improving some weight breaks and formalising the OZ MOD class. And the rules will continue to be tweaked as racers give feedback.

You can't be serious about blaming ANDRA for not having championship rounds in states and cities that do not have an ANDRA sanctioned track!

Sure, more work needs to be done to get promoters on board and open up tracks in Melbourne and Adelaide. But I'm sure most people would recognise that it's not easy, especially when dealing with whackjobs like Bob Jane.

Regarding the lack of competitors (or hard core competitors) I totally agree. However this is just the start of this sport and things can only go up from here. The competitors will build as the sport builds.

Regarding the lack of promotors, again I agree. But promotors are also new to this sport and lack of enthusiasm from the paying public doesn't breed increased interest. This needs to build over time.

Regarding the sandbaggers, I agree once more. However if the sport needs to attract as many competitors as possible, then you can understand why all classes below the PRO RWD/PRO FWD have been made DYO. To keep the costs under control and get a larger competitor base as quickly as possible.

Where would the old skool ANDRA meets be without Top Fuellers? Nobody cares about any racing under group one except the competitors and their families. And essentially only PRO RWD is a group one class in Sport Compact.

Now if you compare interest in OZ MOD or SPORT MOD to Super Street or Super Sedan I think you'd find an equivalence.

I beleive Sport Compact is a product that is superior to the pushrod brigade with their ugly altereds and profusion of mind numbingly boring COMPETITION classes, but it takes time.

[2rismo]

Paul, I didn't quote you when I said, "Don't hate the messenger..."

Also, I'm just reporting some VERY early breaking news to you guys - I'm not responsible for the layout or direction the series takes. That's why I gave you all Jason's email addy.

Adrian

[2rismo]

2005/2006 ANDRA AUSTRALIAN SPORT COMPACT CHAMPIONSHIP

September 17-18, 2005

2005 Fast Fours Jamboree

Willowbank QLD

05/06 ANDRA Sport Compact Championship

Round 1

November 27, 2005

Drag Combat New South Wales

Western Sydney NSW

05/06 ANDRA Sport Compact Championship

Round 2

January 22, 2006

Drag Combat Queensland (TBC)

Willowbank QLD

05/06 ANDRA Sport Compact Championship

Round 3

March 25, 2006

Mini Jam

Willowbank QLD

05/06 ANDRA Sport Compact Championship

Round 4

May 21, 2006

Compak Attack

Western Sydney

05/06 ANDRA Sport Compact Championship

Round 5

July 23, 2006

Drag Combat New South Wales

Western Sydney NSW

05/06 ANDRA Sport Compact Championship

Final

[2rismo]

PRESS RELEASE:

ANDRA, in conjunction with the three major Australian Sport Compact External Promoters (Small Car Productions, the Cabin Group and the Sport Compact Group) is proud to announce the inaugural ANDRA Australian Sport Compact Championship.

Commencing in September 2005, this series is a culmination of the hard work put in by all parties involved, and heralds a new era in Australian Drag Racing. This new opportunity opens up the door to the rapidly expanding Sport Compact industry to showcase and demonstrate the level of professionalism and excellence we have on offer here in Australia.

Unlike any motorsport series before it the Sport Compact Series will push the boundaries of performance and driver skill, whilst offering a realistic event schedule to cater for all needs. Competitors will have adequate time to fulfill their racing programs whilst maintaining work and family commitments.

The six round main series will be based at two of Australia’s premier drag racing facilities, Western Sydney International Dragway in NSW and Willowbank Raceway in QLD, but the three associated events will take Sport Compact racing to the edges of the nation. The associated events will become the breeding grounds for future rounds of the series, and in the first year Tasmania, Western Australia and New Zealand will be the locations of those shows.

Kicking off at the world famous Fast Fours Jamboree at Willowbank Raceway in September 2005, the series and associated events will span 11 months and take in no less than 5 different tracks in two countries. Eventually the final showdown will happen at the Western Sydney International Dragway in NSW, as rival vehicles race for glory at the Drag Combat - Ultimate Battle event in July 2006.

No longer content to be apart of someone else’s show, the Australian Sport Compact racers now have a tangible series where they can express individuality through their race cars. Media coverage, ANDRA National Records, huge prize purses, International acclaim and local bragging rights will all be up for grabs as Australasia’s best Sport Compact racers all go head to head to find the ultimate Sport Compact competitor.

Championship awards will be offered for all ANDRA Sport Compact categories, but there will also be one overall prize as well. This award will go to the ANDRA Sport Compact Champion, a racer who takes on all comers and emerges triumphant. This prize is available to all ANDRA Sport Compact racers irrespective of what class they compete in. The overall Champion will be determined on points basis and be awarded a trophy the likes of which have never been seen here in Australia.

ANDRA and External Promoter quotes

“I feel immensely proud of the new Championship Series. It is the culmination of hard work from many of the Sport Compact Industry stakeholders, and it is shaping up to be the biggest thing ever to happen for Hi-Tech Motorsport here in Australia”.

“Ever since we started to formulate the series I have had butterflies in my stomach, so I can only imagine how the hundreds of Sport Compact racers out there are feeling with this new Championship Series announcement. This is an incredibly exciting opportunity to take Sport Compact racing to the next level, and our industry is primed and ready to rock.”

Jason O’Halloran ANDRA Sport Compact Director

“The ANDRA Sport Compact Championship was the next step in the development of this great new motor sport product. In the first eighteen months these categories have been tailored to suit the needs of the Australian market while still maintaining international relevance”.

“Response from the racers and event organizers has been very positive and the concept is being accepted by traditional drag racing stakeholders. Through ANDRA Sport Compact, drag racing is attracting younger people and new technologies, both key factors in continued growth of the sport and the industry.”

Tony Thornton ANDRA CEO

“We’ve been involved in the small car scene for over 15 years, and the announcement of the ANDRA Sport Compact Series has got to be the biggest thing to happen in that time. SCP is very proud to be a part of the championship series with the opening round at the Fast Fours Jamboree in September. We see the series offering enormous opportunities to the racers, sponsors and spectators alike.”

Ray Box, Small Car Productions Pty Ltd

“Following our fantastic Drag Combat shows, we [the Cabin Group] are understandably pumped about the future. Our first two events for 2005 both featured ANDRA Sport Compact classes and combined with great support from both ANDRA and from the track management, I’m looking for new sunglasses because 2006 is sure going to be brighter”.

“When Drag Combat launched Australia’s first Hi-Tech drag racing championship in 2004, it was a huge task but a successful outcome that was highlighted on national television. One of the reasons Drag Combat joined the umbrella of ANDRA Sport Compact was to not only add weight and support, but more importantly stand united with ANDRA and the other major stakeholders. All I can say is get ready because this new Championship Series is going to be something we can all be proud off.”

John Baremans – Drag Combat Manager

"The Sport Compact Group embraced the ANDRA Sport Compact Rules wholly and solely in 2004 with our Sydney event being the 1st Official ANDRA Sport Compact event in the country. We've been working closely with the ANDRA Sport Compact Director, Jason O'Halloran from day one, and it's a fantastic achievement to see ANDRA announce the championship series just 15 months after our 1st event!”

“The series is something the Sport Compact community has been working towards for a long time and we look forward to our Compak Attak event in Sydney playing a major role in the growth of the sport. The Real Deal is here to stay!"

- Lex Cowley, Compak Attak New South Wales

Further details and information regarding the up coming series is available from [email protected]

[GTS-t VSPEC]

I'd be very disappointed if WA didn't get an official round of the championship, but I do realise the logistics and costs of transporting the vehicles over here. We did manage to have the PAC and BAR-B guys come for the last round, and SAUWA helped bring Keir Wilson over aswell.

Hopefully as the sport gains popularity then many other official events will be able to be added, as the sponsorship increases.

Cheers

Paul

[1JZ.747]

Maybe the reason why there's a lack of competitors is actually in the rules? Don't get me wrong, that was a gripping final in Sport RWD between that hot pink WRX and the other bling machine! Heh might have the cars wrong, but that's how much attention we were paying the racing...

that other bling car was my stock looking cressida that top qualified with a 10.7 et

i love people who dont get out and have a go talking crap.

adrian, this sport compact championship is awesome news. great to see you are being involved in some way and getting what people like you and me want, competitive racing.

This sport compact series will hopefully bring sport compact to a new level and maybe one day it will be as big here as it is in the states. i cant understand how we can get 300 cars at a wednesday night street meet, but give the racers an opportunity to win prize money and get photos of their cars in magazines and they dont want to race but instead sit at home and not even watch.

Shane.

[2rismo]

:werd:

[MrBlonde]

that other bling car was my stock looking cressida that top qualified with a 10.7 et

i love people who dont get out and have a go talking crap.

adrian, this sport compact championship is awesome news. great to see you are being involved in some way and getting what people like you and me want, competitive racing.  

This sport compact series will hopefully bring sport compact to a new level and maybe one day it will be as big here as it is in the states. i cant understand how we can get 300 cars at a wednesday night street meet, but give the racers an opportunity to win prize money and get photos of their cars in magazines and they dont want to race but instead sit at home and not even watch.

Shane.  

Couldn't agree more.