Legends Fight For Kids' Tracks

[Trackman]

Legends fight for kids' tracks

 

Geoff Chambers August 1st, 2009

 

HOMEGROWN world champions Mick Doohan, Jason Crump, Wayne Gardner, Alan Jones and Sir Jack Brabham have backed a cashed-up motorsports group fighting to save junior tracks on the Gold Coast.

 

The Place to Race campaign will be launched today by influential businessman Terry Morris and motor racing identity Brett Murray, to force action from the city's politicians and bureaucrats.

 

Mr Morris said recent Gold Coast City Council decisions were a direct threat to the future of junior champions.

 

He said he feared for the safety of the city's youth, predicting the road toll could jump if tracks were frozen out.

 

A fighting fund, website - www.placetorace.com.au - Twitter account and Facebook page have been set-up for the campaign.

 

Mr Morris and Mr Murray have donated $10,000 to kick-start the campaign, which will culminate in a public rally later this month.

 

They have called on all junior motorsports enthusiasts and their parents to visit the website and register their support.

 

"If you think the road toll is bad now, keep closing down these facilities and see where we are at in five or 10 year's time," said Mr Morris.

 

"I sure would not like this on my conscience."

 

Have your say on the feedback form below

 

Mr Morris said the Gold Coast Motocross Club at Reedy Creek and the Mike Hatcher junior motorcycle club at Labrador were running on borrowed time since their leases lapsed on June 30.

 

The Gold Coast Kart track and Darlington Park raceway have already been shut down by the council and State Government.

 

City councillors last week openly declared they did not want motorsports tracks 'in their backyards'.

 

Mr Morris, who runs wine company Sirromet and has invested heavily in V8 Supercars teams, said Place to Race would provide a unified lobbying voice.

 

"It would seem the councillors of this city only hear from the minorities -- well, that is about to change," he said.

 

"We are putting together a plan which we will roll out in force and keep rolling out until every young karter, motorcyclist and driver has somewhere to enjoy their sport in a safe environment."

 

Despite establishing a motorsports taskforce last year, senior councillors and bureaucrats have failed to discuss future plans with the city's biggest motorsports stakeholders.

 

Planning for a dedicated motorsports precinct has been bogged down by council in-fighting.

 

Mr Murray, who runs the motorsport communications company BAM Media and is involved in the Nitro SuperGP event, said the city needed to provide world class facilities to cultivate future world champions.

 

"Enough is enough. The attitude towards all these clubs and young riders and drivers is an absolute disgrace," said Mr Murray.

 

"This city has an amazing motorsport heritage ... but our motorsport venues are disappearing."

 

Mayor Ron Clarke said he backed the campaign and suggested pressure should be placed on the proponents of the i-METT motorsports centre at Norwell.

 

Cr Clarke said the city must follow in the footsteps of other regional centres, including Ipswich and Warwick, which have established world-class motorsports precincts.

 

"I'm behind these guys 100 per cent," said Cr Clarke.

 

"The problem is we don't have a location. "If they can find us a location, we'll be backing them all of the way."

 

Visit placetorace.com.au to read about the campaign