FAST FORWARD

Dinner & Dance--Raffle Update
The event, via the "Arm up the back raffle" and the uncollected Marketing Machine cash awards, managed to raise over £500 which was donated to Demelza House. This is a children's hospice in Kent in desperate need for cash. Long gone it seems when the raffle, small as it was, was the easiest way to make the Dinner Dance break even, and Amen to that.
 
Ultimate Xmas Prezzie!
An Action Man F1 driver in full kit.
Yep! I got one. No crash helmet though, only the obligatory baseball cap. Apparently the crash helmet comes with the car.

Club of the Year
  We didn't win overall, that honour went yet again to some potato planting club in the ASWMC area, but we were again nominated as best ASEMC club. I not quite sure how these clubs do it, but they must be bloody good at it!

Venues
  Our search for venues continues and to update the last report, we were close to a venue at Ditcham on the Sussex/Hampshire border in partnership with the Goodwood Supporters Club. Planning problems however, and the road being adopted by the Local Authority made the project a non-starter. Older members may recall this venue from the 60's which was run on this road, it turns out, illegally!!

Yah Boo!
  As you may have heard, or even read elsewhere, the sprint meeting at Crystal Palace is no more. Bromley Council have decided that all events in the park are to be cancelled and the whole area is to be redeveloped into a Victorian Heritage Centre, reflecting the golden age of the Glass Palace. This means ripping up the road and various other parts and replacing it with a scheme resembling the original gardens. This development was heard as a rumour by us some time ago, but even the park staff were sceptical, and in the best tradition, the council have steamrollered through the idea. I can only imagine that some excess of money was available, and you can bet it has something to do with the hotel/cinema complex. (Allegedly). Quite how this sits with the rusty stage and speakers erected for the musical shows, God only knows. These have all been cancelled as well.
  I think we could have lived with the decision a little better if Bromley had honoured their commitment to the hire of the park for this year. We now have no way off signing off motor sport from this great venue, especially as they will remove the road itself and destroy the last section of track. Still, it makes the souvenir tee shirt presented to all competitors and marshals last year a potential collectors item of the future, and I believe that we still have a few left at an exorbitant price!
  To all of our club members, helpers, and supporters from other organisations, thanks for your support, it was good while it lasted.

One door closes..............
  Just prior to the news of Crystal Palace, I went to a meeting with Colin Billings to discuss the Barretts Stages along with the Bexley and Maidstone clubs. This was with a view to a co-promote this event into a bigger and better format for this year and beyond.
  Essentially, it will become part of the national RallyMasters series as well as the current clubman event. This will entail the event going from a single venue stage to a multi-venue event with possibly 8 venues including a stage at Brands Hatch and including full national media and TV coverage.
  As you can imagine, this will need a considerable input from you, the membership, to help make it work. Colin is the main link to this event at the moment, so if you feel the urge to contribute, please contact him, before he rings you! The club should also benefit from the publicity this type of event will bring, as well as financially, potentially replacing the lost Crystal Palace.
  More news as it breaks.

Change of dates
  The Rochester MC Lydden sprint to be held on 20^th October has now been changed to 27^th October. This was due to a number of date clashes with other events. (Ours!)

Eurostar
I have made contact with Jim Giddings' French Connection and expect some information soon. They were quite keen to see us attend as a club and help in achieving this would be forthcoming.

Local Rules for Local People...........
  As predicted the new class to be introduced this year is for the local regional championships will be Class 0 (zero) for Budget Cars. Vehicles listed in Parkers Guide up to £3,000 in average condition will be eligible for this single class whatever the capacity or engine type. Problems are already being highlighted with queries over mileage, condition, etc. Some people just don't want to play fair do they?
  Eventually I predict that the Standard Production Classes will be phased out and be replaced with something like this. It is becoming increasingly difficult to check on what is actually a Production Car with the advent of many limited specialist cars and ease of electronic modification to many vehicles. These classes were originally introduced to encourage newcomers to the sport, but it has been increasingly taken over by high cost limited production cars with drivers who see this as an easy option to win championships. Note the increase in TVR's, Porsches, Lotus and Honda sports cars, none of which are exactly standard production. Controversial?
  Come on, someone must have something to say!
 

Marketing Machine Speed League 2001
  With the cancellation of Crystal Palace, I have now replaced the event with Lydden on Saturday 2^nd  June organised by Rochester. Regs should come through in the normal way.
  New stickers look great, and thanks to Rik Lee and his team for producing these. If you haven't got them yet, watch out for the post.
  You'll also notice that the double header round has been omitted for this year. I thought that this was quite a simple concept based on that used in the BTCC, but too many have applied rocket science to it making things a little cloudy and complicated.
  The other major change is that you can now register on line!! What a result!! So far Ian Crocker has received 21 registrations in this way from the Web Site. What are you waiting for?
  Ian is doing a fantastic job in compiling the results and posting them on the website. It means that you can get up to date information fairly quickly after each event which makes things a little more interesting.
  One other major change for 2002 will be for me to step down as Championship Co-ordinator for this series.
  I took this over from Chris Judge in 1988, then as The Bristol Street Motors Trophy. The format was much the same, the prize fund was £500 and the series was thriving on 40 or so registrations, really the only thing to change is that we now have over 100 registrations.
  I need to move on, and I think that a fresh look at the whole thing may benefit the series. A volunteer is therefore required to get involved this year, and to compile and organise next years calendar, usually around September or October time. As you know, Ian is compiling the results and is happy to continue with this, which removes quite a large amount of work. I will also be available to help, guide and advise to get things going smoothly.
Now there's a challenge. Give me a call if you feel inclined.

"E-ba-gum…….
  Part of my 5 year plan published some time ago was to investigate the use of e-mail as a method of producing and distributing Acorn. This is now a real possibility, however it needs the willingness of the membership to accept it. Several possibilities exist such as a straight forward e-mail which you can download, publication on the website that you can download, (check out the Web Site for back issues of edited Acorns as a trial run--ED) and of course retaining the existing paper and post system.
  Each have their respective pluses and minuses, which need careful consideration and I would like some feedback and opinion published in Acorn and at the AGM on Wednesday 18th April. We now have the technology, and the willing hands to put the systems in place. I would like to see this happen.
  Again, your thoughts please.

Dribble
  Enough of this, see you at the AGM!

Steve Medhurst

Back to April's Home Page