ROM 2008 off.

[ernysp76]

Given that ROM will not happen this year, as a suggestion could we look at doing all rounds of the VRC in 2009 (including ROM) as the Excel Series. Savings made this year by the loss of Bega and ROM could be put toward doing all rounds next year, just a thought.

[Mooa42]

Given that ROM will not happen this year....

Why is ROM off?

[skypilot]

Author: Event Release

Australian Rally Commission (ARCom)
From the ARC website



Fallout from difficulties in the global economic credit market have been blamed for the decision to cancel the 2008 Rally of Melbourne to allow the organising team to focus on the 2009 event.

Event Director Neil Cuthbert said that the combined effects of a sponsorship shortfall and the loss of traditional lines of funding from the ARC series, left a significant funding gap which made the event in 2008 unviable.

"From today we are starting work on something special for 2009," Neil Cuthbert said.

The Rally of Melbourne has traditionally been the final round of the Australian Rally Championship, and the Australian Rally Commission (ARCom) has already taken steps to ensure that holding over the event in 2008 will not significantly impact on the Championship, with discussions regarding a replacement event already well advanced.

"We have had talks with a couple of event organisers and commercial partners who are in a position to promote a round of the ARC in 2008 and we will be in a position to make an announcement about those plans in the very near future," ARCom Chairman Colin Trinder said.

Neil Cuthbert said that he deeply regretted having to make the decision to hold over this year's event, which he attributed to the simple economics of staging a high standard event without the required commercial support.

"It's an unfortunate fact that conditions in the global economy, which have nothing to do with the viability of our event, can indirectly impact on our sport.

"Instead, we have made the decision to hold over all work on this year's event to focus on something special for 2009," Cuthbert said

[skypilot]

Author: Event Release
Australian Rally Commission (ARCom)
Direct from ARCcom website


Fallout from difficulties in the global economic credit market have been blamed for the decision to cancel the 2008 Rally of Melbourne to allow the organising team to focus on the 2009 event.

Event Director Neil Cuthbert said that the combined effects of a sponsorship shortfall and the loss of traditional lines of funding from the ARC series, left a significant funding gap which made the event in 2008 unviable.

"From today we are starting work on something special for 2009," Neil Cuthbert said.

The Rally of Melbourne has traditionally been the final round of the Australian Rally Championship, and the Australian Rally Commission (ARCom) has already taken steps to ensure that holding over the event in 2008 will not significantly impact on the Championship, with discussions regarding a replacement event already well advanced.

"We have had talks with a couple of event organisers and commercial partners who are in a position to promote a round of the ARC in 2008 and we will be in a position to make an announcement about those plans in the very near future," ARCom Chairman Colin Trinder said.

Neil Cuthbert said that he deeply regretted having to make the decision to hold over this year's event, which he attributed to the simple economics of staging a high standard event without the required commercial support.

"It's an unfortunate fact that conditions in the global economy, which have nothing to do with the viability of our event, can indirectly impact on our sport.

"Instead, we have made the decision to hold over all work on this year's event to focus on something special for 2009," Cuthbert said

[superwoman]

:(Bummer..........It's always a great event.

[watty]

Looks like I might be looking for an interstate event to get a few more events in this year...

[superwoman]

Some are talking about rally SA on BMSC......entries close soon, 8pm Thursday....anyone know about the event?
http://www.rallysa.com.au/

[watty]

Some are talking about rally SA on BMSC......entries close soon, 8pm Thursday....anyone know about the event?
http://www.rallysa.com.au/

I thought about that, but it the weekend after the derrick.... Still unsure if the car would be intact at that point!!!:rofl:

[ernysp76]

There's another rally in Tassie coming up in a few months. There is already a couple of Vic Cars (not Excels) over there, wonder if Luke will be ready for another go by then?

[watty]

There is going to be a replacement event run in it's place called 'Heallesville Stages'. It is going to be run by the HRA I beleive...

[Col Vic]

Vic Excel entrants will recieve an email about this soon.

Col

[taxisvw]

For those that remember, there was a rally running up until about 1994ish called the Healeville Stages. Mr Cuthbert (not Crazy, the other one) and his team took this event, added A to A timing, brought it up to international standards, had it callendered as a round of both the ARC and the APRC and called it the International Rally of Melbourne. It was well publicised and even had a celebrity "0" car driver - Glenn Ridge in an Audi A6 Quattro. It was a privelidge to be involved with this event in even the small way that I was.
What all this is leading to, is the fact that the Healsville Stages is in fact ROM by its maiden name and as such, will probably have the same geat roads as ROM so it should be a geat event.
The only draw back is, I believe that you need to join the HRA to enter any of their events (please correct me if I'm wr...wr...wr...my level of correctness is not as high as I would like). That's not really a bad thing - it's just that I'm not allowed to grow a beard and I don't like sewing patches onto my jacket elbows.
Have a great event.

[watty]

I believe that you need to join the HRA to enter any of their events

Not the case, HRA are running it but you do not need to be a member..