AMAZING to say the least!
author: Leon Botha
To say that I am upset this morning will not nearly do justice to my feelings.
On the one hand I should be happy to have received numerous letters from the rally fraternity regarding several aspects of the sport and some excellent suggestions as to how the problems could and should be solved.
Why then be upset?
If I could show you all I have been able to read you would probably understand my mindset better. You will soon be able to read a summary of what have been written - but you will unfortunately never experience it first hand. It is mind boggling to see how much have been cropped up over the years!
Did I say, "upset"? Add to that "surprised, amazed, frustrated" and a few more before you will get an idea of how I feel.
It is sad to see that so many people who truly have a much better idea of what is going on than many other only now say what needed to be said.
A number claim that they would be very happy if only they "could find out, who is looking after their interest" or even "who the hell is running the show?" and still they have not been more involved in the past?
We seem to have been (including me in many cases) caught up in such a rut with eye blinkers on that we unwittingly have left the road happily navigated into a dead end?
This is not the place (yet) to start summing up all that have been said, suggested or proposed, and I will not do that before I truly have formed a clear picture of the "real needs" and "real demands" of those who practice the sport.
What I can tell you is that I have seen many more intelligent and practical ideas over the past few weeks in writing than I have seen on the table, in all the motorsport meetings I have attended over the years.
I am upset with some of the people who only responded now!
Only a real idiot would have believed that everyone was happy and that things were on track - but if some of what now came out have been said in public - and I mean out in the open - things would have been different!
An interesting fact is that a number of people compared our sport - rallying - with other types of sport and the comparisons depended on whether it was about money or management.
Before I start giving away some of "my" current secrets let me say that although we do touch some mutual points - the approach to them is different.
There are some interesting things that I have to admit I never really thought about seriously. So I am not as good as I thought myself to be? I also missed a hell of a lot!
What is interesting though is that so far not many of the "I am OK - so stuff you!" people have responded and I have a feeling that, that may be the start of some of our bigger problems?
Oh sure, they comfortably hide behind the fact that they are not "allowed" to say anything - but no one asked them to say anything that may or will be used under their names.
All we want to know is how they feel about the situation?
Do they believe that their secluded participation right there at the top and the fact that a selected one or two make the rules are acceptable and will make the sport grow?
Even a short letter from them to say "what to do to achieve what I have achieved" - will be better that the smug silence we had to get used to over the years?
The only time you hear anything from them is when they eventually lose their drives due to poor eyesight or because they start forgetting what they are in the car for?
You believe the previous paragraph comes from me? Big mistake buddy - you have no idea how this worries those who aspire to reach the top and how some of the previous Top-Guns feel about the way things are developing?
Oh, some of us have no doubt that one or two positions will be filled by other people next year - but we also have no doubt that we can name them now already - and believe me when I say that nothing will change.
One mutual thing that all seem to appreciate is that the activity at Rallystar draws more and more people to, if not into the sport. We may add that this caused the readership to grow which in turn make more and more companies aware of the fun and excitement as well as the value of the sport as promotional medium?
You still think someone else said what you wanted to say?
Don't believe that - say what you have to say, we need to get it on the table this time and prevent anything to be swept under the carpet and forgotten.
Let us not have this same exercise again two or three years down the line.
Use this opportunity to allow us to look at your opinion and to use whatever it is that will contribute to the well-being of the sport NOW - so that the young stars of today will all be able to participate without going bankrupt? This need not be a "rich man only" sport!
Please let us have your suggestions and possible solutions or at least opinion. Use this mail facility to contact me confidentially.
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Your input is truly appreciated and again, don't think all has been said yet.
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