Ok, lets look properly at tkm and rotax numbers at shenington for 2009:
(I've picked shenny because I know it - I'm sure I could go through this process at other places and find different trends. That's not the point. The point is to show that picking out three selective stats is misleading )
tkm 22, 27, 27, 27, 28, 20, 15, 22, 20, 20, 15 rotax 24, 28, 27, 20, 26, 27, 28, 21, 24, 17, 8!!!
Looks like there was a drop in both classes roughly about the middle of last year. Not the same for both classes and it swings either way some months. Not exactly conclusive and the drop predates any change in regs. All tracks are noticeably quieter this year and it was starting to emerge last year.
Ok so, 2010
tkm 25, 25, 19, 14 ( with super 1 on same weekend elsewhere!)
rotax 22, 9!!!, 11!!! (the death of rotax? ), 22 (oh, maybe not - damn)
Hmm, what could that be? It would be foolish to think that the current financial climate hasn't affected OUR sport. We need to be realistic and realise that farting away large sums of cash may not be possible for a large number of people atm. As someone who has recently been house hunting about 1 in 3 houses we looked at were reposessions or people in desperate need to get rid. It's not a good state of affairs, even if it is good for prices :). Panning other classes in the hope that people will come and join yours is a vain hope. I'll burn my trailer before I go to rotax but I'd quite happily return to the days when both rotax & tkm had b finals as well.
However, some HOPE!
Cadet numbers are still strong, junior tkm numbers remain strong. The new regs will convince more of these to remain with the class in to senior level. The true test of these changes will be in the years to come, not this year.
|
|