Tyre franchise trashed after race meeting cancelled

By Matt Brogan | March 22nd, 2010

It’s often been said that we should never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups, and if this weekends riot at a Bob Jane T-mart franchise is anything to go by, the old adage still rings true.

A group of protesters angry at the cancellation of this year’s EasterNats race meet were protesting outside the store in Oakleigh, Victoria, when after a two hour standoff with police, grounds swelled to around 2000 people.

The store, a privately owned franchise, was unfairly targeted when a portion of the group began smashing windows and stealing stock from the business. Several cars were overturned with the police airwing and dog squad called to attend the scene.

Franchise owner Neville Smith was called to the scene shortly after 1am yesterday and saw the riot unfold.

“They’ve just smashed everything to pieces,” said Mr Smith.

“They’ve pushed over all our displays and they’ve turned over a car and smashed the windows,

“They were using baseball bats and steel poles, just anything they could get their hands on.”

Mr Smith said the protesters caused about $15,000 in damage.

“People are saying it’s un-Australian. It’s not normal to do something like this,” he said.

“It seems strange to me that you would punish me, I’m just a franchise holder.”

EasterNats promoter, Mr Jon Davison, said Bob Jane had cancelled the event “as a result of our inability to finalise a satisfactory contract”.

“There were a lot of people very annoyed about the event not proceeding, but I don’t know who is behind this,” said Mr Davison.

“I am in no way supportive of any illegal activity. I am staggered this has happened.”

(with News.com)

daan

I dont agree with the action that these people have undertaken, however I do understand why they are so upset.
Hoons have been targeted by media in recent years and with new laws in place to target them. There are only have a couple of places to go and enjoy their cars and easternats (once a year event) has now been cancelled.

yowza

No you dont seem to have “mingled” with these crowd.

Its widely known and expected, that when a group gathering of immature, “young” males are a high risk for causing “wild” behaviour.
It happens in sporting events, in night spots, in the city etc.

I can guarantee you that “some” of the culprits on the vandalism/loot have never even been on a racing car or have part take on a race.

Just YOUNG, IDIOTS who when mix with other YOUNG IDIOTS, is almost set up for trouble.

I’m not even going to use the “cultural background” aqrgument, because its too well known around the streets anyways.

I know some racers who just watched these idiots cause trouble and walked away.

AB

While I dont find this behaviour acceptable at all, I think people should look at the contradictory messages governments are now sending.

For years we have had the media & the Government continually slap Car Enthusiasts with the Hoon tag. They want Hoons off the streets. They say Hoons are a mennace & danger to society.

Then when someone provides Car Enthusiasts with a venue where they can perform legally and safely, but most importantly OFF THE PUBLIC STREETS, IT IS SHUT DOWN BY THE VERY GOVERNMENTS THAT WANT THESE PEOPLE OF THE STREETS IN THE FIRST PLACE!

They say noise was a major complaint for teh cancellation of the use of Sandown, but shouldn’t the question be WHY DID COUNCIL ALLOW RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES TO BE BUILT AROUND A MAJOR RACETRACK IN THE FIRST PLACE and how can someone complain about noise when they moved into the area knowing forwell that there was a racetrack next door!?

It seems that it is easier to tell the public that Car Enthusiasts are hoons and criminals and not provide them with any venue at all.
And now to hear whispers within the media that many of teh rioting people were from a nearby soccer games just makes the whole resulting scenario stink even more!
K F

Violence is often the result of poor understanding, lacking in self control and sadly, violent peopole are often those that are being manipulated by somebody with more calculated and educated minds.
History has taught us violence only bring hatred and vengence, never the
tool for resolving anything in life. But most of us are poor learners in history, and lacking self control at best.
ba g220

This was less of a protest of the cancellation of the easternats and more of an excuse for a bunch of idiots to get together and cause mayhem. I’d be betting most of the people involved on friday night even know what easternats are.

As a car enthusiasts i personally see any connection between this bunch of halfwits and the car enthusiasts of this city as an insult. The real loser here is the owner and the staff of the bob jane t-mart franchise in oakleigh.

One final point, not all car enthusiasts are honns and idiots. Only the minority are complete idiots.
Jig

There is nothing stopping anyone from going to a race track and getting their speed addiction fed. Who cares if an event that allows you to do the same is cancelled? If you feel you need to drive outside what the law allows on public roads, then its as simple as picking up the phone and registering yourself to a drive day at any of our race tracks. If you then use the excuse that you have to pay for race track admissions then that is a small price to pay for an addiction.
Mad Max

Jon Davison is partly to blame for this happening. Many years ago myself and a group of mates attended the first Easternats at Sandown. We displayed our cars and worked as track marshalls helping out wherever and whenever the promoter wanted us. At the end of the meeting we told Mr. Davison that he would end up loosing the event becuase of the noise and the tyre smoke. I have attended nearly every single race meeting at Sandown since 1978 (as well as PI, Winton, Albert Park, Adelaide etc) and yes they are noisey, but the noise is set at 91dba and their is almost NO tyre smoke. However at the Easternats, the promoter carries out virtualy no noise readings (he might say he does but my mates HK runs at 110dba and has nver been stopped) and the amount of tyre smoke drifting over the local residents has to be seen to be believed. Some have photos in the local papers where they look like they are in thick fog. The amount of damage to the race track surface got to the point (together with the other problems above) meant that the track owners just said “no more Jon”! Bob Jane tried to get the meeting up at Calder but the local council was made aware of the problems at Sandown and were not going to give Bob the permit to run the meeting. Jon is aware of all of this and seems blinkered to the reality that you cannot run meetings featuring burnout competitions at a suburban race track. The other point I would like to add is that Sandown had for many years a good relationship with the local residents. That has now been damaged and needs a lot of work to repair. Yes the track was there before some of the neighbours. But thats not the point. The two co-existed at Sandown for 40 years. But thanks to Easternats that relationship has been strained.
noj

If you have an event that attracts BOGANS, what do you expect when you cancel it.

ba g220

very productive comment yet again from noj.
Andrew M

When you make a comment that is “unproductive”, what do you expect apart from thumbs down….

Andrew M

15K in damage??……….And some.

Glass frontage alone would be 15K plus the flogged gear, then those wheels left are probably scratched, then the over turned car.

I think people were looking for an excuse to get tough.
The promoter cant secure the meet, What a kick in the guts for those planning to attend, but Boo-bloody-hoo.

These are the kind of people who went round bashing people in school over a red crayon.

Totally out of proportion. If they were mature and cool headed as a group, maybe something could have been resolved, now they have no hope.