NEWS - ITEM 51

2008 was a challenging year for most of us and the current world economy isn't helping matters. Taking this into account we are taking a strategic step back to our two main events, the Sydney Compak Attak and the Brisbane Jamboree.

 The Victorian Summer Slam event is not a viable option at this stage due to the track surface not meeting safety standards and requirements for the performance of our racers. The Brisbane Mini-Jam event has played 2nd fiddle to its big brother, the Jamboree, for many years now.  Racers and spectators alike have found it hard economically to take in 2 events in the same state.

We see this move as a positive one, for our business and the Sport Compact scene in general, allowing for more lead up planning and promotion, creating these events even bigger. The Sydney Compak Attak has moved to the 15th of March to give a good 5 month break between events and to give us a warmer time of year. Those that attended the 2008 Mackenzie's Motor Trimming Compak Attak, would remember how bitterly cold it got sending track temperatures plummeting causing a holt to racing.

In 2008 some of the field sizes barely warranted a class so we have combined a couple of classes going from 13 down to 9 classes. Street FWD, Street RWD & Street AWD have been combined to give us Street Compact. Street Compact is basically designed for street type vehicles running 11sec or slower with either treaded or slick tyres. It'll run on a DYO bases and will be broken into ET brackets depending on the field size. eg. 11sec to 12.99sec and 13sec and slower. By making this class 11sec and slower it will address some of the safety issue we had with 8sec cars racing a 14sec car.

Super Mod and Extreme classes have been combined to give us Modified Compact. Modified Compact is basically designed for vehicles 10.99sec or quicker with either treaded or slick tyres. It'll run on a DYO and will see vehicles with similar safety requirements competing against each other.

We have also introduced a new class called Outlaw 10.5. Similar in concept to Gas Motorsport Street 289 it is a limited tyre size class. Unlike the American 10.5 class our Outlaw 10.5 class will use a measured 10.5 tread width tyre. Outlaw 10.5 is open to any vehicle with a maximum of back half chassis modification with any engine combination. We believe it'll become a new home to the V8 Pro Street V8 guys along with sport compact racers looking to step up from Gas Motorsport Street 289 or Modified Compact. Outlaw 10.5 will race heads up with a Pro Tree and weight breaks will apply depending on engine combination.

The Speed FM All Motor, Gas Motorsport Street 289, Hi Octane Performance Coatings Pro Compact, McKern & Assoc Pro Turbo, Sport Bike & Outlaw Sports Bike class structures have stayed relatively unchanged other then minor rule changes. I suggest all racers click on the above links to review the class you'll be racing and note that changes have been highlighted to blue.