TOTB - Feedback please

[michael]

I already have some ideas to make the event slightly better for the people taking part but I'd be really interested to hear feedback from those who ran and those who came along to watch.

What aspects of the day did you like?

What improvements would you like to see?

Was there anything that you didn't like?

Team folks - did you feel the level of information and support offered prior to the event and on the day was sufficient or are there areas for improvement?

And so on... I won't add my thoughts at this stage as it may steer those of other people

[tonigmr2]

Just a reminder to people who said they didn't go because it costs £20...we are able to (and did this year) arrange tickets at only £13 in advance. You just need to read 'events' and plan more.

I'm sorry I didn't make it this year, but a combination of weather and personal commitments meant I couldn't make it. I would definitely go again.

T

[EarL]

What aspects of the day did you like?

Queues for the quarter mile were much better this year. I got quite a few runs in. also liked being right next to the entrance of the drag strip. Great location.

What improvements would you like to see?

Not so, once again for the handling circuit. Queue was mental once again. Definately needs sorting out.

Was there anything that you didn't like?

...just the queues.

Team folks - did you feel the level of information and support offered prior to the event and on the day was sufficient or are there areas for improvement?

From you Mitch, YES. From Chris, the organiser guy, definately not. His organisational skills are terrible. The event is really big now, and definately needs things like on-line entry etc.

And so on... I won't add my thoughts at this stage as it may steer those of other people

Excellent day despite the queues, and the organisation of Team MR2 was exceptional. Well done once again Mitch.

EarL.

[Rikki]

I was along with keith cowie and co and had a great day. It was very busy, lots going on but having last been in 2004 I noticed that there didnt seem to be as many tuning companies around (didnt see Abbey for instance) competing.

I was really impressed with the MR2 turnout, and you guys made me walk back to my own tubby looking at it as if it were a 950cc Panda

[splashnatz]

i think the day went well. we were lucky in where we got set up (just before the start line, because we were the first ones there on Saturday). Most of the time if you wanted to get on the 1/4 it wasn't too bad, the queues weren't too long. Handling circuit queue looked choc-a-block though, maybe that'll get better if they can get this 2 cars out at once thing going.

TeamMR2 seemed organised and worked well with each other, and we'd of been scuppered if people had lent out tools/manpower etc when needed. would of been easier if we'd managed to get more "support" vehicles in though. Also think the reserves should of been allowed up in the pits with the team. The organisers of the actual event should of done a better job of keeping the guys in charge of the teams updated on how things were going. Maybe they should have a scoreboard of all the different teams up, just to show how they're fareing in real-time. (a nightmare to do though, i'd of thought). How does it run with regards to reserves ? can they actually step in if somebody breaks, or only if someone doesn't get to the event ?

Century's big tent and Rogues mr2 sized tent were good to have there - they would of been packed i'm sure if the rain had started coming down. Maybe have a rep from each of the clubs there all day for next time. try and drum up some interest in the cars and clubs. i'm sure having two 10 second cars in the line up will make people check the mr2's out more next time !

The only thing that i found a bit disappointing about the team was the lack of mk1 and mk3 cars. we were all mk2's out there ... i'm sure a tuned mk3 or mk1 could do really well.

Hope everybody else enjoyed it as much as i did.

[MR2_Turbo]

What aspects of the day did you like?

Watching the MR2's achieving the times we all know they're capable of

Was there anything that you didn't like?

Just the amount it cost to get in, next year i'll get a ticket from on here.


All in all though a good day out with some excellent cars, as splashnatz said it would have nice to see some Mk1's and Mk3's competing especially on the handling circuit, maybe next year

[redeye32uk]

The event is getting bigger with more poeple every year, its now big enough to be a 2 day event.
As a result its also getting harder to see things, the grandstand helps but bigger is better an short ar$es an kids dont get to see much.
Infomation for the public as to whos winning what category ect is none existent, a simple score board would help .

Earl picked me up on one of his returns back to the pits from the car park and i was shocked to see how many people just don't move outta the way to allow the cars to return back to the pits. I'd hate to have spectators removed from the pits as it would spoil the whole event but it must slow things down a bit...... otherwise great time was had. Well done Mitch

[CosmosblueMR2]

picking up on what dave said...

why can't they make a "cars only" lane to and from the 1/4mile and handling circuit to speed up things for competitors / not having to battle the public "loafing about"...

People can still get into the "pits" to chat and look at the cars close up by going "round back" (you know what i mean ) -as there is ample room behind the pits for access and you get to keep the public out of the way of the cars making their way around.

just my added 2p ontop of daves

[redeye32uk]

Its not so much the returns as through the pits themselves . sorry not explained well i've just done a 12hr night..... lol

[EarL]

Agreed Dave. When I came back from a couple of runs, I was called a loonatic bacause I revved my engine to get people out of the way, and even then they just scowled at me and walked on regardless.

The people in the wandering about the pits seem to forget, that area is for the cars/teams, they're privelged to come to such a big motorsport event and have an open pit. Not many places do it.

Still a great day though.

[Quigonjay]

never managed to make it yet but what i would like to see is some sort of effort to make sure the cars are actually road legal - no evo stylee exhaust out of the front for instance

[Rikki]

The organisers of the actual event should of done a better job of keeping the guys in charge of the teams updated on how things were going. Maybe they should have a scoreboard of all the different teams up, just to show how they're fareing in real-time. (a nightmare to do though, i'd of thought).

Hard to do, until I used my web developer head LOL

Easies thing would be to have the details on a totb-live.co.uk website, updated by the guys at the portkabin as they log results of each outing.

Teams could then have a laptop with 3G mobile access polling the website whenever they wanted to check on things.

And before anyone says anything daft about how technical a solution that is ... have a look at the cars people were running on the day

[michael]

The constantly up to date website idea is one I had thought about on the day, you could even strip it back to a basic wireless network on site and a little LAN with a single hosted page that people could visit on a mobile or laptop.

It would probably be easier to do it fully online though, then people who aren't there can get the results as they happen too - Crash.net used to be involved but don't seem to have had much presence this time.

Combine this with more screens, more up to date info on them and perhaps a localised radio broadcast for results (I'm sure some geek would be happy to sit there reading them out all day with the odd bit of banter).

[zak_godsell]

first off make the granstand area bigger and no smoking.they need some bigger speakers to tell us how fast the cars went.they should have put the times up on that big screen.also could they move the event nearer to cheltenham please.it took me 3hrs to get there.very impressed with the times the mr2,s got this year,well done to everyone who competed

[Steve Horrocks]

just to add, would be good to get some clearer clarification of times, a decent screen, bettererer PA system, the guy in the caravan readin times as they happen is fine, untill someone is warming their tyres up at the same time!

better vantage points would be good, don't know how they'd do it, but instead of more seating (i get bored jus sitting there!) maybe some kind of mounds a bit like the side of 'pod but possibly made out of covered artic trailers??

oh, we need FAAAAAAAAAAAARRR better organisation for getting out of there after he event, we were in line for over an hour queueing (*sp)to get out, people jut drive down the left to front & push in which then causes aother queue.

[Rikki]

The constantly up to date website idea is one I had thought about on the day, you could even strip it back to a basic wireless network on site and a little LAN with a single hosted page that people could visit on a mobile or laptop.

It would probably be easier to do it fully online though, then people who aren't there can get the results as they happen too - Crash.net used to be involved but don't seem to have had much presence this time.

Combine this with more screens, more up to date info on them and perhaps a localised radio broadcast for results (I'm sure some geek would be happy to sit there reading them out all day with the odd bit of banter).

A wifi connection would be a pain in the ar$e for most having to hook up their PC's or phones to new LAN link, possible virus spread, distance problems etc etc

I think the website idea could be a winner, wouldnt take too much doing either. I'll offer to write the back end stuff, and each time a new figure is added to the database it will hunt through the previous races and subtract a 1/10 of a second from every MR2 time recorded

[michael]

Do you remember "All EVO drivers have big heads"? I think it's a case of "All Skyline owners like to whinge"

http://www.gtr.co.uk/forum/upload/80322 ... -best.html

[T600]

Voted yes, as it was a great show. The organisers and competitors all put in so much effort making it a lot of fun for the spectators to watch.

....but the tiny raised seating area is inadequate, and was so full all day. You seriously need more than that if you're going to get so many people attending.

As others have said, the entry fee isn't cheap, so people should at least get a chance to see all the action for that.

[Andy F]

The event needs a shoe shop....

[tonigmr2]

Do you remember "All EVO drivers have big heads"? I think it's a case of "All Skyline owners like to whinge"

http://www.gtr.co.uk/forum/upload/80322 ... -best.html

They have a particular gripe though.
T