Toyota Nationals 2007 6th-9th April

[Joshstix]

The Toyota Nationals commitee runs the Toyota Nationals. This is not part of Toymods.

Dave, Grant and Danae seem to be it in terms of the organisers.

[Alchemist]

Roscos, firstly just to clarify I'm not on the organising commitee, but I do make the Nationals website and I do have some input on the event.

I think Josh & Rod said enough about the different show 'n' shines and how they are judged, so I won't wiegh into that. All valid points.

I can also appreciate the frustration of a number of people re: trophies, classes etc. I've been in contact with a number of people re: their thoughts/comments/suggestions in person and over PM.

If you want people to go to Dubbo you have to encourage them to go and make it fair because it is a long way to go and to find out they cannot organise a car show or classes.

Rosco

ps, the nationals were started by the celica car clubs, so use the celica as a base.

Whilst I welcome comments and constructive critism, as no event will progress without input from the people that attend to make it better, I feel those comments I've quoted above, just arn't helpful and almost belittle the hundreds of hours spent by the organisers to run an event of this size.

We will learn from this years event, and use all we have learned to make an even better event for 2008! So please keep the comments coming guys.

Roscos, I don't know if you attended this years event, or any previous Toyota Nationals, but I welcome you to attend next years event to see how well organised and fun it is.

[Gypsy23]

Hi all, we had our computer crash 3 days ago and I've been in hospital. We have just finished reading all the comments and promise that Grant will respond over the weekend. As there is quite alot of info and questions to get through, we don't want to miss anything,

Otherwise thanks to all of you that made it to the Nationals, I for one had a fantastic time catching up with familiar faces, thanks Kirsty for the laughs out the front, how nice was it to be children free, if only for a weekend (I'm going to try make it a tradition for easter), and I swear I haven't laughed so much in ages. Especially driving some hungry boys around Dubbo at 2am on Sunday morning looking for a kebab shop, you know who you arel!!

It was great to meet you all and hope to see you all again in 2008. 26th-29th March.

P.S. Our rooms are already booked!!
Cheers Danae

[Andrew162]

Hi all, we had our computer crash 3 days ago and I've been in hospital.

wow, maybe this came across completely the wrong way Danae, but from that it looks like you're saying that you're very much attached to your computer! hehe...

[Gypsy23]

wow, maybe this came across completely the wrong way Danae, but from that it looks like you're saying that you're very much attached to your computer! hehe...

LOL, tres funny Andrew

[bendev]

Hey Danae Baby, How you been?
Now look, this body bellow wasn't built in one day. Lots of years of neglect have got me this way. When a mans gota eat a mans gota eat. Thank you so much for that Sunday night, you’re a life saver. As for next year, I’m all ready there, rooms are booked and all.
For all those people bickering over shit, get over it, there’s always next year. Let’s just thank God, Booda, Jehovah or whoever we got to Dubbo had a great time and got home safely.
Danae, if you guys need any help next year don't be scared to ask.

[Gypsy23]

Ah you know what they say, Rome was not built in a day All good now IB, and what a mighty bod you have. It was a pleasure driving you all around and mighty fun too!! And thanks for the offer of help, we'll know who to ask. mwa to you xxoo

[TheStitt]

I'll be there next year for sure.

I should book eh

[Roscos]

Roscos, firstly just to clarify I'm not on the organising commitee, but I do make the Nationals website and I do have some input on the event.

I think Josh & Rod said enough about the different show 'n' shines and how they are judged, so I won't wiegh into that. All valid points.

I can also appreciate the frustration of a number of people re: trophies, classes etc. I've been in contact with a number of people re: their thoughts/comments/suggestions in person and over PM.



Whilst I welcome comments and constructive critism, as no event will progress without input from the people that attend to make it better, I feel those comments I've quoted above, just arn't helpful and almost belittle the hundreds of hours spent by the organisers to run an event of this size.

We will learn from this years event, and use all we have learned to make an even better event for 2008! So please keep the comments coming guys.

Roscos, I don't know if you attended this years event, or any previous Toyota Nationals, but I welcome you to attend next years event to see how well organised and fun it is.

.[/QUOTE]
Alchemist: No l didn't get to Dubbo this year, car was still sitting on car stands. But the first time l went to the Nationals was in 1982 and the last one l attended was 1987.
l am only trying to give suggestions on how to improve it and if the committee don't like it, don't worry about.


Rosco

[Alchemist]

Hope you get your car finished and off the car stands and out to a Nationals soon

Cheers,

Nath

[6_SPEED]

I swear I haven't laughed so much in ages. Especially driving some hungry boys around Dubbo at 2am on Sunday morning looking for a kebab shop, you know who you arel!!

I cant remember who they might have been
thanks again for the food expedition, it was a blast, although I dont know if my stomach was hurting from laughing so much or the dodgy servo food we ate

We will definately be there next year, we have already booked three rooms out the back

as IB said if you need any help with organising, dont be shy we will do what we can.
we are already shaking down a couple of sponsors.

cheers
Jo

[Grant]

Ok, first I'd like to start by thanking everyone for coming and especially those who helped run the event:

# The judges who spent half the morning scoring the cars (for those who didn't know the judges consist of members of the various clubs i.e. Toymods, Canberra Celica Group and Toyota Car Club of QLD and these people ensure we maintain unbiased scoring).
# Nathan for doing a great job on our website and being our pseudo spokesperson when I'm not quick enough to do it.
# Jerri for being our 'official' Toyota photographer;
# Bec for the artwork seen on business cards, flyers and tee-shirts;
# Adam and Illja for marshalling cars at the drags;
# and all other friends and family who assisted over the 3 days.

Secondly I'd like to clarify once again that the Toyota Nationals is run by the Toyota Nationals Inc and has no direct affiliation with any other car club. The TNinc consists primarily of myself and Dave McNeill with lots of help from my lovely wife when needed. We are not a car club as such, more of in incorporated body set up by Dave McNeill for the sole purpose of running the Toyota Nationals which we have since 2004.

Well it's now time to face the music I guess. There were a number of points raised that I will address each in the order they were raised with the first being the Original and Stock class. Rivers original entry was his 1984 AE71 and this was the only car in the original class. Equally, Jeremy's Century was the only one in Stock class. We decided that since there was only one car in each class it would be better to combine those class so the two could compete together (being that the show and shine is about competition as well as displaying your pride and joy). At the time I also thought the Century was an '89 not a '98 so we figured that an '84 had a more than equal chance against an '89. Even so, the decision to combine 2 classes was, in retrospect, the wrong thing to do. What made it worse was that River arrived with the GT and the Century turned out to be a '98 not an '89 as I thought. I can only but apologise to River for our decision and can fully understand his annoyance at what has occurred. I only hope that this unfortunate incident does not deter him from future events.

Female drag times: Quickest female was indeed Kylie Myers in the 1J Cressida (as shown on the Drag Results spreadsheet) with Vanessa Espinosa runner-up with a time of 9.89. Kylie filled out a form so she was definitely considered as entering the Toyota Nationals. The error will be corrected and a revised sheet sent to Nathan ASAP. As for Vanessa Ford, I didn't see a timecard for 10.49 so I will correct that as well.

Andrew Greens Celica: Andrew's entry form said '85 Celica fitted with mags, front bar and some interior mods. This puts it in Street class. All I can go on is the information on the entry form and from that, I believed Andrew's Celica to be an RA65. If Andrew had a concern with the Celica being placed in the Pre '86 Street class then he could of raised the issue before, or even during the event. At the awards dinner all Andrew asked me was who else he competed against not about the build date of the car. With anomalies such as an ST162 that was built late '85 but released in '86 it’s really up to the owner of the car to talk to me about it or give me enough info for us to make an informed decision. Next year though I’ll add a Model Code box to the entry form to avoid this occurring again.

SNS Classes: As Rod has said, no matter how you define classes you won't make everyone happy. You can't have classes so narrow that there is only 1 or 2 cars in the class and you can't have them so large that older cars are competing against newer ones. In the end it's a compromise. For instance, you simply can't lump all first generation Celicas together as an original RA23 is hardly a fair comparison against a fully modified one. Classes and year model splits have been tested over many years (and well before we took over running the Nationals) and the current split seems to work the best for this event. If someone wants to take the time and email me an alternative then I'm more then willing to consider it but it's not as easy as one might think.

There was also the question about why some classes have second place and some do not. Basically it depends on how many cars we get in each class. You'll see that most classes are awarded first and second but where there are only 1 or 2 cars we do not. In the case of Super Street Pre '86 however there were 18 cars so we felt that a 3rd place was also needed. Best Sleeper wouldn't normally get a 2nd place but since the vote of the judges was so close (1 vote deciding it) we felt that David's supercharged Camry was worthy of a 2nd place trophy. For drags, there were 27 forced induction 6 cyls so a second place here seemed reasonable (note there is an error in the results; Dejan and Andrew came equal 2nd).

All we can do this year is learn by the mistakes we’ve made and move on. People must understand that even though the Toyota Nationals is a reasonably big event it is run by relatively few. We try and provide the best event possible and cater for everyone’s needs but it’s hard to do and we don’t always get it right. We have taken the concerns raised (and believe me I’d rather hear about them now rather then later) and we’ll work on those areas for next year. Nathan is going to set up a feedback forum on our website but in the meantime if anyone else wants to comment on any other aspect of the event then I’ll address that too.

Cheers and thanks for everyones support.

Grant Blundell
Toyota Nationals Inc

[river]

Grant,

Thanks for your reply. I understand and appreciate the time and effort that goes into organising the Nationals, and thank you for your reply.

I certainly hope to make it next year. I also wish there to be more original-class vehicles that will make the event.

If there is any assistance you may require in organising the Nats, please feel free to PM me and I will do whatever I can to help.

seeyuzz
river

[TA-022]

Many thanks again to Grant / Danae and all involved it was great talking and hanging out with you all. Cant wait till next year (maybe Danae wont out drink me this time round )

[Gypsy23]

(maybe Danae wont out drink me this time round )

[/QUOTE]
Outdrink you!!!!! Me!! Never!!!! I just don't do those things . And you never told me it was a competition