Dear All..
Unless you haven't realised, since the TA was linked up to D1GP Malaysia this year, TA has been relegated to "2nd-class citizens", for which Faisal, Gary, and myself have contested against. We have fought very hard to even get any ounce of respect from the organisers and promoters.
This goes to explain why we were shoved to Carpark N for the last 2 rounds in Shah Alam. This explains why in Rnd1, Time Attack prize giving was not given the respect of a proper podium and quiet by the D1GP organisers.. do remember that? Do you remember that they didn't even want to let you guys into the kart track compound for prize giving, and Faisal nearly got into a punch-up with the jokers at the gate.
This is why the course in Danga Bay was what it was, as we had to negotiate around the D1 course. And this is also why there no longer are any companies that, althought they showed support to sponsor prizes earlier this year, did not materialise as the pomp and glamour went to D1GP and TA has been left with the short end of the stick.
Admittedly, we haven't even delivered on last year's voucher on the racing suits to last year's champions..
For this year, R3 ourselves have sponsored the championship prizes and and managed to get approved: Vouchers for R3 parts worth almost RM 10,000 in total to the top3 in all the classes. Alas, other sponsors are no longer interested, having taken their $$$ elsewhere.
It is for this reason that next year we will take back the Time Attack and hold it close to our chest: we started it, it got taken away from us and butchered, but now it is ours again and we will make sure it runs properly for 2007. There is no more association with D1GP and it will be wholly organised and managed by R3 again.
This is why, the entry fee will remain at RM 100 and won't go up. Also, we have committed and submitted to AAM 6 dates for next year's championship.
We aren't getting anything from running Time Attack: it does not make any money, nor does it get much mention in magazines and papers. We don't get any extra pay, and in fact management do not want to support it next year. We do it because it's a good event which everyone looks forwards to and wants to participate in.
However, we will still run it on it's own, whether or not it's officially called "R3 time attack" or just "time attack by the R3 boys"... if you get what I mean. Time Attack is in danger of dying, but we're going to do our best to ensure it runs.
The entry fee literally covers the cost of the event. As other organisers of similar events will attest, it is not cheap to run.
If we promised "bigger better prizes" for this year, then we were lead astray. As I said above, unfortunately it didn't work out and the support didn't materilise. The regulations however, do not state any promise by us that there will be any prizes save for trophies, as these are the regulations for a Club-level event.
The saving grace is that as R3 is so involved in all sorts of things, usually Time Attack champions always get first choice of preference when it comes to special occasions ie when the MME selection drive was created from this year onwards, we opted to push for selection from Time Attack Champions. And we will continue to do the same. Time Attack Champions will always get top priority for special gifts and niceties from R3: because they have earned it and deserve it!
I cannot promise you anything now on this, but you can trust that something special will materialise as long as we are running the show.
As for the other competitors, I beleive that everyone joined for the spirit of competition ie to see who was the bigger kahuna. In that respect, you're all champions for making the effort!
