Fans go full throttle to see Stoner ride like a two-wheel champion

CALL it the Stoner effect: Melbourne is hungry for motorcycle racing.
Extra grandstands and extended VIP areas will be built at the Phillip
Island race track to cater for increased demand at this year's
motorcycle grand prix as the performances of Australia's Casey Stoner
create soaring interest in the sport.

Organisers of the MotoGP events have been forced to increase
grandstand capacity after selling out all seated tickets. With almost
two months still to go before the October race, grandstand ticket
sales are up 153 per cent from last year and have already outstripped
the total number sold last year.

The ticket rush comes after Stoner, the 21-year-old Gold Coast native,
has dominated the sport this year — relegating Italian superstar
Valentino Rossi to second position and racing to a commanding lead in
the overall championship. Stoner, who began riding a motorcycle at the
age of three and won his first national championship just three years
later, has collected six victories and two more podium finishes for
his Ducati team from 11 races this year.

Adding to the local hype, Suzuki rider and fellow Queenslander Chris
Vermeulen has been a regular on the podium and is fourth in the world
championship standings.

For the past five years, Rossi has been the high-profile marketing
face of the Phillip Island event but this year promotional materials
have instead featured the two Australians. Television ratings also
tell the story of a sport that is enjoying something of a Stoner-led
renaissance. Broadcaster Fox Sports says ratings for the MotoGP races
are up more than 7 per cent on last year.

Because of the increased interest, all four temporary grandstands at
the island circuit will be expanded, increasing the number of
grandstand seats by almost 40 per cent. Sales of VIP and corporate
tickets have also already exceeded the total sales from last year and
a new VIP area — to be called The Red Line — will be built to house
the extra patrons. The facility will offer corporate dining and an
outdoor seating area, television screens to watch the racing as well
as free parking.

General admission tickets still account for the bulk of the attendance
and growth there has also been astounding, according to race
organisers. Sales are up 171 per cent on the same time last year. Most
general admission tickets are sold in the days leading up to the race
and it is possible that the fans are merely getting in earlier this
year. But race organisers say they are expecting a monster crowd.

Last year, the three-day event drew 93,531 people, a substantial
increase on 2005. The highest attendance since the race returned to
Victoria 10 years ago was in 1998 when there were 103,700 spectators
present.

"There's no doubt that the performance of Stoner and Vermeulen is
having a big impact on ticket sales for this year's race," said Drew
Ward, chief executive of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation.

"With Casey leading the world championship and Chris in fourth place,
we're seeing the emergence of another golden era in Australian
motorcycling and this is translating into strong interest from people
across the country. Not since the glory days of (Michael) Doohan and
(Wayne) Gardner has there been so much hype around the Australian
Grand Prix."

 

What a bastard! the queue's to get a beer a long enough as it was. The
yabbie burgers will sell out early, and they have already pinched the best
view on MG corner with a bloody beer tent. Instead of having breakfast on
The Esplanade and arriving at the track around lunch time because there is
**** all happens before then, will have to get a spot first thing in the
morning and it will be for sure that some tall streak camps in front of me
and blocks the view.
Shouldn't wish ill on anyone(?) but... if it's a wet day, the aussie riders
should do ok and all the glory seekers who just come for the hype might
suffer some discomfort.
Have you got yours yet Betty? might boost the %'age up some more.
Rockit
Oh yeh, I do feel for the campers.

 

I'm glad we got in early at the Full Throttle Club. "Hey, Garcon, beer sil
vous plaise. And my pie floater is cold. Merde!".

For Betty - Garcon is French for beer boy or something.

Theo
Je ne parlez pas Francaise, but I learnt it in high school.

 

: What a bastard! the queue's to get a beer a long enough as it was. The
: yabbie burgers will sell out early, and they have already pinched the best
: view on MG corner with a bloody beer tent. Instead of having breakfast on
: The Esplanade and arriving at the track around lunch time because there is
: **** all happens before then, will have to get a spot first thing in the
: morning and it will be for sure that some tall streak camps in front of me
: and blocks the view.

not to worry - the beer I'll enjoy is on the house
- so is lunch and after race refreshments
- and the view is unobstructed
- AND I get to play with riders bikes

: Shouldn't wish ill on anyone(?) but... if it's a wet day, the aussie
riders
: should do ok and all the glory seekers who just come for the hype might
: suffer some discomfort.

bring on the rain - I'll get to meet even more of the riders ...

go Vermeulen and Westy if he rides

: Have you got yours yet Betty? might boost the %'age up some more.
: Rockit
: Oh yeh, I do feel for the campers.

don't worry about us trackies we have our own camping area



-----

barry j taylor < >
Motorcycling Australia Official Licence 187613
Ulysses #25871: netrider 549
Skype: ursus_australis
__ __ __ _ __
/__/ / /__/ /_ /_\ /_ /
/_ / _ / /__/ /__ / \ / \ ...Vrroooom!

bear on a Kawasaki Zephyr -------> ----------->Vroom!!

 

No I haven't got mine yet..... eeek, should I have? I was advised by some
experienced old hands that there was no hurry..... ;-)

betty

 

This year may possibly be the exception to the rule.

Cheers,
Dale.

 

And he won again - go you bloody mountain of a man - see you at phillip
island at the andy straps stand.

 

Hope Andy's not paying you to endorse his Strapz.

Nev..
'04 CBR1100XX