So, come on then, what do you all really think of this event?

Personally, we loved the first one. Was a very good event for true enthusiasts. The second year seemed to become very commercialised. I aren't necessarily criticising it for this, but was ALOT different to the first year.

As for this year, to be honest, I couldn't be bothered to rush finishing the car for it as I wasn't particularly interested.

My CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM of the event is that the format has always lacked real organisation. Didn't go this year, so not sure if it improved? Last year it felt as if it was a Skyline day with the others there to make up the numbers. IMO there should be 3 completely separate categories for FWD, RWD and 4WD with their own final. All of these categories feature awesome cars, just at different levels. There is no doubt that 1000bhp 10 Second Skylines are truly awesome, but just as impressive is a FWD Ford doing a Standing Start 1/4 Mile in 12.7 Seconds.

I also feel that the time for the runs to take place is too short. TOTB and TOTB2 both started late and finished early IMO.

So come on, don't just say it was great for the sake of it, be honest. I'm sure it will be to the benefit of those organising it to know what people really think and could perhaps help to make TOTB4 what its predecessors should have been.

 

I liked it, the trade stands were very good, the day did start a bit late but i left at 4:30 anyway to beat the traffic!

the only bad bit was the handling circuit, it started off where you could view the cars and then it went out to a little dot in the distance until the car finished.

apart from that, great!

 

ditto the above comments really. the handling circuit was a bit unviewable and no-one seemed to know what was happening - perhaps a simple programme could have been issued on entry, after all Ł20 a ticket aint cheap

perhaps a few more stands would have been good too?

 

total skyline day as was the 1st , went ot the 1st one , didnt need to go to any other as the 1st was boring enough thanks !!

 

itsa good event, jus with no capacity classes (IMO should be a sub 2.5litre and 2.5litre+) its incredibly hard for the cossies to get anywhere.

and on todays showing, they still quite likely to get a pasting from some EVOs/scoobs/pulsars

 

and ford fair was defo a much better option had i nothing better to do with my time

 

But how about if you get back to the grass-roots of the event, the 10 best cars from each of the major car clubs competing together.

The trade stands and spectator eye-candy is nice, but does the event serve its original purpose?

 

i only went to the first one - i really enjoyed it

I qualified for totb2 - but a 40 tonne lorry put an end to that

i have to say - not sure i would go again cos its a long drive - and entering it takes up loads of time and money.

I think i'd have more fun at brunters or a drag strip

 

Not been to any. Id rather wait and wonder around the concours area at nat day than watch our fave cars being slayed

 

to be honest, aslong as i enjoyed the day (which i did) im not really bothered about the Ł20 entry fee, skylines etc etc etc.

 

I agree with that. If you want to see lots of fast cars then you will get that. I am more referring to the essence of it. I got the impression that this event would become the annual 'Judgement Day' for all of the UK's road cars, but it really isn't. From my point of view, I was obviously worried about a CVH RST raising the stakes for me and also expected, after hearing that there were queues of 400+bhp ERST/FRST's in the original selection list that there would be some really awesome times set.

This isn't intended to be a shoot-down of the event. I would like, as much as anyone, to see TOTB become the absolute highlight of the year and the idea is there, it just needs to be better executed IMO.

 

you have to go once to appreciate just how fast the datsuns are compared to the rest off the line , after that , i think id rather watch concours , and thats saying something for me

 

I tried to start this discussion before and it gets back to lets see the Skylines and Supras go fast, no point in anything slower. Tuners know this, so don't want a roasting when there car gets beaten by a bigger capacity motor in an unfair contest, but not realising most people are interested what the car the spectator drives can ultimately do, or does the DVD of the event just seem to portray this? From a Jap perspective, they are seeing what progression is. The Evos are coming along nicely

 

Despite it being a good day (although I had to "work" rather than wander around getting pics of the cars and chatting with the drivers), I still think it's kind of ironic that an event that is designed to find the UK's best STREET-LEGAL ROAD CARS has some of the top competitors turn up on the backs of flatbed-trucks...

 

If TOTB is becoming commercialised and starting to make cash then I think entrants should be free and cash prizes should be available to winners.

 

agree with dan on this, it should be free to enter 10cars from the offical selected car clubs.

Think it needs a grandstand to be honest cause some viewing is piss poor, i went to totb last year and had a good day out.

 

I totally agree. The event wouldn't exist without the cars and is highly sponsored, so once they have qualified, why should entrants have to pay?

 

it should be paid beforehand and refunded on turning up I reckon.


i didnt go - not sure whether id sooner go ford fair or totb (was stuck at home this year though)

but its always raved as ten of the best... i.e. the cosworths were all supposed to be 500bhp T4 cars this year.... and what 4 turned up? so its 4 of the best the other 6 broke? why did the margins have to be put so high? thus excluding people who may of been able to turn up and put a decent effort in?

 

Well i had a great day thanks

Improvements could be made as follows IMO.
(what follows is constructive criticism and one mans view.. and i hope its accepted as such)

1) Podium seating. I didnt really get to see mahy runs at all. But once on the roof of the Winbago(Thanks Dan ) I got to really see what these cars are about..... everyone should be given the same view to enjoy this event.

2) Garbage bins. Erm... where were they? On a good few occasions i carried my emptly can/bottle/packet for 1/2 a mile cos i knew there was a skip in one area cos i didnt want top drop my crap on the floor!

3) A programme upon entry would be usefull as i could then gauge the format and decide when to barge myself a viewig area on the fence to see the cars i really wanted to see.

4) Times/terminals.. needs a BIG sign up in the air where all can see it.. Ala Santa Pod.

5) Accomodation.
Perhaps a list of local accomodation on the TOTB website? I spent HOURS looking for one and struck lucky at teh 11th hour.. many others didnt.


For me that was about it TBH. The event was IMO perfectly well run and executed with minimal fuss that i saw and its to be congratulated not slagged off.

Well done 200+club and Redline magazine

 

Agreed with Stu there, grandstand seating is a MUST, Ł20 to stand up all day 3 people back from the action is a joke! It costs bugger all to hire some seating compared to what the TOTB team are making on the event!

I also think entry to the event should be free, with decent prizes on on offer. None of the competitors I spoke to/saw looked like they were having any fun. Hours of queuing, baking heat and they have to pay Ł80 for the priviledge. They already spend a fortune on sundries for the event, and risk stupid amounts of money in engines etc. Be a bit less gready please organisers, or people will start dropping out of the event!

Santa Pod style time boards are a MUST! Redline tried by the look of it, but I could only make out the times on their screen standing in one particular place!

Also, I did notice how all the Skylines had their pits marked out right at the front of the queue! This mean they could bypass the queues a lot of the time by driving to their pit then pushing in at the front!

 

The pushing in bit is generally bollocks, Keiths R32 was parked near the front but like the rest (99% of time) he had to go back of the queue like everyone else.

No big deal anyhow, not like RWYB@Pod with 3year queues

 

I Agree with EVERYTHING stu had suggested. I am short so I saw fook all most of the time .

also agreed it should be free to enter. they would of generated over 120k from ticket sales alone,plus all the rest from advertising etc...

 

Agree with stu on this one, also as a small side rant.... I'm sure it stated Ł15 in on the website but when we got there it was Ł20, not a huge amount of money but it would be when spread over every one attending.

Organisation of the actual runs was ace but there seemed no to little thought of the spectators.

 

I enjoyed it, personally I thought it was better than last year.

As Stu said, does need a grandstand, Allthough being 6'6 does help . you need to grow a bit Stu , and better viewing of the times and top speed etc, like the Pod.

Bins, couldnt belive the amount of rubbish about

Im sure they must of made enough profit to cater for these.

 

Totally agree with Dan about people having to pay to enter

Also Stu is totally right about the grandstands being needed and STILL needed a better P.A system in my opinion.

Otherwise thought it was a superb event!! very very cool in my opinion. Loved every minute of it

Great cars, nicely organised, loads to look at, lovely weather... etc etc

 

Maybe with the commercial success that was evident this year, some of these suggetsions will be possible. But it does take a few years for a show to grow to a level where the costs are considerably less than the takings, to allow such investment.

 

i admire you boy's for doing TOTB.

i would be totolly demorilsed going to an advent like that, it's like bringing a sword to a gun fight.

Cant comment on anything on TOTB to be honest as i've never been.

 

Ryan,
Well in the words of Yoda (someone please post the relevant picture up ).

 

 

 

A good point, well made

 

Advanced tickets where Ł15, it was always Ł20 on the door.

 

Is that so!
EVO's First 3 in the handling & a Supra Fastest with a Porsche second if im not mistaken.
Rod

 

what was the overall winner rod ???


wouldnt have expected a skyline to win the handlin by any stretch as ive said previously

ive still not seen the results

 

Some interesting comments.
I've spoken with the TOTB organisers today and they ARE listening to what people are saying.

As far as programs go, I personally spent weeks and Redline spent Łhousands sorting one. The courier firm who decided they would deliver them on Monday (today) instead of Saturday will be getting a VERY large invoice...
Not sure what we'll be doing will the couple thousand full colour 36 page A4 programs that were printed for this year..!

I know little about the finances as it COSTS us money to put our name to TOTB it and we don't make a penny, but I know the first year it made a loss, last year it was level and this year it will have made a few quid. I don't expect anyone to work for free, so fair play if the organisers get some reward for all their hard work. And hopefully they'll have made enough cash to put some money into making next year even better.

Here's a quote from a guy on the SXOC board where there's a similar conversation going on

"Ł20 does sound steep, but I know there are costs you cant even imagine.
I used to help run NAMBS (Northern Area Mountain Bike Series), and we started doing this as we thought NEMBA was wasting far too much money and ripping people off.
By the time we grew to the size of the then bust NEMBA and became the UK's second largest MTB series we had a whole load of new costs, and it was at that point we realised why NEMBA had gone bust, and I was Ł1500 out of pocket total of all organisers being Ł20K.
Things you do "for the love of the sport"

Regards
Renton

 

Fook!!

That properly stinks Dan.... fookin wounder!!

 

The results have been posted in the TOTB forum

https://passionford.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=65092

After a quick look, there are 20+ trophies to be won and I think Skylines took 4 of them.

 

You're not wrong Stu! Proper wounder!
Glad you had a good day. Good to catch up with everyone again

 

Was fookin great Dan, really it was and its always a pleasure to catch up with you guys.. shame its so few and far between nowadays though eh?

Ive made a special "TOTB beer and BBQ" post with a few pics you may enjoy...