[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by v1p3r

Actually, I've seen this figure touted for people whose worth is over 1 million USD, not including their primary residence. Also known as high net worth individuals.

Look, fact is, manufacturers are doing their bit. Maruti, Hyundai, Chevy are all giving free engines. Costs are being kept as low as possible. Things haven't been this active in years. Hopefully, it's getting better.

things are sure getting better, but a very important fact remains that just "Passion for a game" cannot be enough.
Unless there is a carrot of the monetary benefit in front of the players, things fizzle out.
Second point is that a game should be affordable atleast to the middle classes. Or atleast they should be able to relate to it.
A sport where only somebody with big sponsorship can set foot is doomed to be in the shadows.
Hopefully with rising incomes and rising car ownership, coupled with public interest in F1, things will change.
If viewership increases to a level that it makes sense for the industry to feed the racers, things will go better. But currently its too slow.
Very few people will be willing to put in their own money into the sport.

[paharino1]

whatever be the millionaire numbers...whenever I am able to afford a 10+ lakhs car in India....99% chance that i'll be driven around by a driver...
& i'll watch races in a air conditioned 3 bedroom penthouse in Delhi on a 50+ inch flat screen TV !! so there goes my love for motorsports...

on another note...me & my wife watched the Indy F1 in 2007 (3 day pass+ parking) for both costed $180..which I thought was pretty reasonable based on Cost of Living here...

My guess-timate is that whenever there's a F1 race in India....tickets for race day will be in the range of Rs 2000-5000 - how many people can afford that !!!!!
& I can bet that a F1 race in India will be a Page 3 event for the rich & the famous....not sure how even a normal car driver will connect to that..except bear the brunt of traffic jams/diversions on Race day !!

[renamo]

invite the Pakisthani A1 team to India and have a round each in Kari and Chennai tracks, plus may be a road race in delhi this will sure raise the profile of motor racing in India.. Just imagine the TV coverage this will attract.. Return the compliments by sending the Indian A1 team to you know where... The possibilities are endless.. like a drag between these in each metro.... wow..

Originally Posted by v1p3r

What you need is for people to stop giving out gyaan and put their money where their mouth is. I see some 25 people voted on that track day thread, and like 5 showed up. I hear ridiculous excuses like 'I don't want to spoil my car'.

Interesting comment.. I am assuming that you have taken YOUR car to the track for the last track day at Kari..

Can you pls give an idea how much was spent on your car? this should include money spent making your car track worthy according to your tastes in performance and damages after the track day ?

[renamo]

There was a time when I was in school, used to rush back after tution classes to catch the DD highlights of "Himalayan Car Rally" this was in the eighties, when you had lots of foreign participants in it.. my favorites were the lancias if I remember correctly...
unfortunately there is not enough coverage in TV for indian motor sports nowadays..

The role of MAI and FMSCI needs to be made more accountable and professionally managed.. as UNfortunately they are the ones who seems to have authority for anything to do with motor sports in India.. Whatever good points which may come out of this discussion will not be effective until this happens..

For tracks to come up in different places, they have to be operating in profit.. for this there has to be regular income for them by way of races, drags etc..

but I am hoping that things can only be better.. the discussions which are happening (like here) are in the right direction.. The track days will have better attendence in the future.. and it can have regular "you race what you brung" US type of races... and track owners can make some money..

Hopefully the so-called authorities on motor sports will stay away from enforcing a license-raj on track days...

It will take time... But for sure will happen.. hopefully in our time...

I for one, am thinking about a weekend car for fun, which I couldn't have thought about couple of years back.. Since its only in thinking stage, I do not have any details now..

[v1p3r]

Originally Posted by renamo

Interesting comment.. I am assuming that you have taken YOUR car to the track for the last track day at Kari..

Can you pls give an idea how much was spent on your car? this should include money spent making your car track worthy according to your tastes in performance and damages after the track day ?

No, my car was not on track. I was waiting for a replacement bumper, and since all Baleno OE parts come from Japan, the wait is a long one.

But yes, I have taken my car on track thrice. So far I have worn out one set of tyres, in 50,000 km. Pretty decent, considering the various track days, innumerable drag launches while practicing, and all those Nandi Hills drives. My clutch is still stock, and it still holds. As does my suspension. I have just replaced my front brake pads, the first time after 50,000 km. Other than that, the regular engine oil changes at 10,000 km, and I think the spark plugs were changed at 40,000 km.

It is a common misconception that track day is a car-killer. I think it's safer, both on you and the car, than a fast highway drive, or a street race. And Kari Speedway seems to be kinder on the tyres than MMST.

ps. vikram_d has managed 40 odd thousand km with his 15" tyres, including atleast 3 track days, and he complains he will never be able to throw them away, because they just keep lasting.

[1100D]

Its not very tough to make motorsport more appealing. Yes its true having a racecar of your own is a pricey proposition but what if we take the go-karting model to bigger cars. Totally commercial endevour, supported by component makers like tyre manufacturers. maybe cars like the Esteem or even weight reduced padminis. The difference will be that,the facility owner will own the track, the cars and he will rent out these cars to people. People will be classified based on times they put after they have had thorough practice. There can be races under each class to bring winners graduating to next level.

However who will put that huge investment upfront?

Go-karts never worked, because the karts themselves did not appeal to a lot of auto enthusiasts. However some people were simply amazed to get behind the steering wheel for the first time and their demographics never allowed them to return to something that is not so cheap.

[streetsdisciple]

There should be more events like the Speedrun.
Its appeals to everyone ,imho track days are not for everyone.
Its a shame that Delhi is never on the Speedrun`s venue list.

[im_srini]

Something like the Isle Of Man TT would be great here in India, wouldn't it ?

Sigh...

[GTO]

There should be more events like the Speedrun.

I was waiting for someone to bring that up. There is a lot to learn from how speedruns are marketed and presented. Everyone (alongwith their mothers-in-law and dogs) turn up!

[Mpower]

If you really need to take motorsport to the masses, you have to focus on motorcycles. They are cheap to buy, modify and enter. Contrary to popular beliefs, they can be pretty safe. (safer than driving on our roads)

[mclaren1885]

Originally Posted by GTO

I was waiting for someone to bring that up. There is a lot to learn from how speedruns are marketed and presented. Everyone (alongwith their mothers-in-law and dogs) turn up!

Something similar is being planned up. Though still in its nascent stages, I have hopes on this one. Lets see how it goes. Now with the fall in the Govt Bangalore could once again be able to witness drag racing.

[raghuram.cg]

Hello guys!!

Just wanted to revive this thread as the Indian Motorsport is certainly going to the next level. With the ASN conflict resolved and FMSCI coming into power with some promises, this is quite a relif to all Motorsports enthusiasts who dedicate their time, money and life to this wonderful sport.

Need of the hour is the more and more people getting involved in one way or another and ecourage the sport in our country. The promises of FMSCI came into reality at the Rally of Coimbatore, with state of the art Timing Equipment from TAG HEUER (like WRC) and APRC TV coverage and overwhelming response from the Rally Drivers and Co-Drivers. There were as many as 61 Entries in the Coimbatore Rally and everyone of them could see the change.

We also had quite some participation from the media especially APRC TV covering the whole event talking to all the Drivers and Co drivers through out the event. Overdrive also did their bit by being a major sponsor for the event and published a booklet with all the current Indian drivers. The event highlights will be aired on TEN SPORTS Saturday July 11th at 6 pm and July 15th at 9:30 am.

If anything is lacking now is the involvement of motorsport enthusisasts and the people, who need to come and watch / encourage Drivers and Codrivers and make the sport popular in any which way they can.

Hoping to see some change....

-Motorsport Enthusiast.

[amit V8]

Originally Posted by streetsdisciple

There should be more events like the Speedrun.

that is always not possible, because of road/track, popularity, sponsorship etc. let me tell you, kolkata had the biggest rallies ever till the 1980s, some of the rally cars are still here. but now that rally car culture is total history, and the kind of rally that is held is equivalent to a long drive with friends.

my opinion is small road races among groups in a particular safe place which will start the initial enthusiasm.

[raghuram.cg]

Originally Posted by amit V8

that is always not possible, because of road/track, popularity, sponsorship etc. let me tell you, kolkata had the biggest rallies ever till the 1980s, some of the rally cars are still here. but now that rally car culture is total history, and the kind of rally that is held is equivalent to a long drive with friends.

my opinion is small road races among groups in a particular safe place which will start the initial enthusiasm.

Amit,
if you are unaware... There is a INRC Kolkata rally happening this year in September, thats the reason I said that Rallying in India is definately going through a change. Its time now we change the way we look at things

[amit V8]

Originally Posted by raghuram.cg

Amit,
if you are unaware... There is a INRC Kolkata rally happening this year in September

oh, i never knew that. can you give me the details