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Paddock at Speed on Tweed 2008
Close to 30,000 attended this year’s event in Murwillumbah, to watch the historic cars race against the clock, get close to them in the pits and join the round of parties and social functions on the program.
Race director Roger Ealand, who was part of the founding group for Speed on Tweed in 2002, said the intention had always been to develop a great event, but that it had grown beyond the capabilities of the volunteer organisers.
``We wanted to make it a Goodwood with an Australian flavour ... a festival rather than just a race,’’ Ealand said.
``But we’ve sort of created a monster.
``It’s a $450,000 business now. It’s one of the biggest historic meetings in the country.
``We know we can do with the tickets and we know we can get a fantastic crowd.
``We’ve taken it from nothing to that as a charity as a group of volunteers, and it’s more than we can do now.
``We never intended it to be our life mission. We’ve proved it can be done ... the group of volunteers have done a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant job.
``But now it’s a bigger job. It’s a struggle to get sponsorship. What it needs is a group of professional people to come and take it up to the next level.’’
Ealand said a large part of Speed on Tweed’s success was due to the close proximity it allowed the crowd.
``This is a spectator event, where the fans can get close to the cars and talk to the drivers, and see people like Frank Gardner, John Bowe and Jim Richards mingling with the crowd,’’ he said.
``We had an autograph session with those guys and some of our other notable attendees like Ron Tauranac, and we thought the session would go for 10 minutes. After more than an hour, we had to break it off and get the guys off to lunch!’’
Ealand is adamant this year’s event was a `last hurrah’, but certainly no funeral.
``There was no sadness whatsoever. Somebody will pick it up… I’m certain of that.’’