Autosport International 2009

[Neil.P]

Hiya Scotty, I haven't heard Stuart say any negative comments about the karting or anybody that was involved in it. So I think you are safe for now

Can't wait for the next time.

Neil.P

[Scott]

Neil, send me an email so I have yours too.  I tried tp PM you, but it wouldn't find your name for some reason.  Maybe I can pop over for Goodwood or a track day this summer.

[Steven Roy]

I think if it happens next year, we should really set up teams representing their websites (yes, Steven would have to choose).  Although after they were solidly whipped this year, they may not show up next year.

The only way anything like this is going to work and grow is with everyone pulling together and not by creating division.  I have no intention of aligning myself with any single website.  I regularly comment on a range of sites and that will always be the case.  I know some people like to see themselves as being on one side or other but that is not how I see it.  I would like to pull in more people form more sites for any future event.  We had interest expressed on at least two other sites this time but it did not materialise in the end.

The only way to make these events work in future is for those who took part and enjoyed it letting the others know what they missed not by trying to create division and animosity amongst the few who turned up.  If someone wants to be anonymous why not let him be anonymous?  What possible difference does it make to anyone else?

I would love to think that the next time we have a similar event we will have twice as many participants and then double it again for the one after that.  If however people set about creating division and splitting into us and them out of a group of 7 what hope is there of ever having another event.

I enjoyed the event as it was and I know everyone who attended felt the same.  I also know of a few people who couldn't attend or didn't attend who feel like they missed out.  The best thing that can happen is that we have more of these events and that they are better attended that gives people a better chance to get to know one another and in the end that will strengthen every site involved because people will want to visit the various sites to see what the people they have met are saying and to srgue their case.  That is what I believe we all want.

[Scott]

Um Steven - racing is about teams and competition and bragging rights (yeah, yeah, comradare and all that stuff too).  Makes it more fun when you are pulling for a team as opposed to just yourself.  We could have two or three car teams with 6-7 people from each site.  More sites would make more teams equalling more fun.  I only mentioned you because you have such an apparent interest in both of the sites that showed up.  Not trying to be divisive, I was just teasing you.  I absolutely want it to happen next year.

I will be back to defend barring financial strife, and I think there maybe some that want my title...including you. 

If someone wants to be anonymous, why not TELL us (there were only 7 of us don't forget and 3 already knew his desire to be), and give us the option of also remaining so?

I think the event was fantastic aside from the poor turnout.  I would like it to expand into an all afternoon/evening event with multiple heats and a ton of people.  However next year it should be full pre-payment, no getting out of it unless personal family crisis (which didn't stop me).  If there are no-shows, there are more laps for the rest of us.  As for Christine and co., they should be welcomed back absolutely, but maybe they come a wee bit earlier and meet and talk to everyone instead of just chatting with their old friends (she could even ask us to bring mini-bio's or something that she could read from).  She said it herself, she wished she had more information to talk about.  Maybe she could have said Hi to Neil...he was on the podium after all.

[Steven Roy]

I have already suggested to Alianora that there should be no deposits the next time.  It should only be full payment with a clear cut off date several weeks in advance so everyone knows what is happening.

The reason no-one mentioned the anonymity is that it is just accepted fact on sidepodcast and it never crossed my mind to mention it.  Again it is something Alianora and I have discussed and both of us are so used to it we never thought to mention it.  We should have done.

I can see the advantage to the team event but I think it is important to build it and pull everyone together first especially as a lot of the people likely to be involved don't know each other.  I agree that the more people we can gt involved the better because it gives people off track time to get to know each other.

I can imagine some interesting mini bios.   That might just work.

[Alianora La Canta]

ScottyD, hopefully there will be more people next year, so that there's time for Christine to go and interview everyone who wants to be interviewed. I have a plan for preserving anonymity next year (now that I've seen the venue I think it would be possible to allow everyone except myself to be anonymous if they so choose). This will include the important step of me* telling people who would rather not have their real names all over the internet...

The teams thing would probably work best on an informal basis rather than by billing it as "Us v Them". I'm sure Sidepodcast kept a mental tally of who of their sites came where just like we did**. Also, people who are not affiliated with either Sidepodcast and GPWizard can come without feeling as if they're missing out on anything. I would like there to be lots of people from lots of different sites represented when the event reaches its full strength. I wouldn't want to remove the team element completely because it helps cohesiveness among those in each team. As far as I'm concerned, next everyone is pulling for every site in which they have an interest, whether it's as a site owner, moderator, commenter, reader and/or friend

Stuart's friend probably weighed less than I did despite being taller, but I think you were being polite in not mentioning it Also, if he was over 2 metres, I'm glad the organisers didn't notice, since the official height limit is 6 foot 3 (which is just under 2 meters).

After consultation with my organisation expert (Dad), there is definitely going to be another karting event at Teamworks on the Saturday evening of next Autosport show (unless people feel strongly that it should be on Friday evening of that show instead). Other karting events at other venues are under consideration, but it could be a while before they come to fruition (as in, possibly not this year unless I spot something really good and I can get enough people interested in going - for instance because it coincides with another event; the possibility of arranging a Donington Park "preview visit" combined with karting somewhere nearby appeals to me, but I'll have to play it by ear). 

Mini-bios sound like a great idea (and if the anonymous ones end up faking ones, potentially very entertaining).

The reason this event isn't all afternoon is because it would clash with too much of Autosport. But making it all evening would be a great plan - there is supposed to be an option to have the bar open and I will be happy to exercise it in future years. Pre/post-race meals are also an option, and if I can help co-ordinate their occurrence, I'd be happy to do so. Though given what happened this year, I think you are good at it already

Future events will be full-payment with the deadline 6 weeks prior to the event - I've learned that particular organisational lesson now. The deadline is six weeks because I have to pay the balance to Teamworks a month before the race.

* - that's myself me, not "me" me (unless he wishes to reinforce the message in his own case).

** - For the record, I'm like Steven - I consider myself part of both sites' membership. By doing "site teams" only informally, we can have our performances counted towards both (and, if other sites we comment upon join in, we'd count for theirs as well).