Today is the day Mazdarotaryclub.com was founded 5 years ago and was the start of the Rotary community that I am pleased to say many have enjoyed and been assisted by over the last 5 years.
But how did it all start?
Pre MRC there was the old RX-7 Owners Club that I felt really did not cater for all Rotary cars or seemingly people under pensioner age and had no wish to become part of any type of the new internet World that we were all starting to enjoy.
By now FDUK was in existence and I was part of it and enjoyed it, but at the time this was really just a mates e-mail list and whilst there was nothing wrong with that I felt it was a shame that there really was not any thing in the UK that catered for a complete Rotary community for all ages and all types of car from Old Skool to the new rumoured RX-8 that Glenn and myself was convinced Mazda was going to make.
A couple disenchanted RX-7 Owners Club members had badgered me to think about starting a new club. So one evening whilst sitting in the Dog and Duck pub somewhere in the Midlands, I agreed to start something totally new and exciting, for the at the time very small Rotary World here in the UK to help owners get the maximum out of ownership of their Rotary powered cars.
I also had a very clear vision of what I felt was needed to make this new club welcoming to both old and young people along with old and new cars.
However I knew that to achieve this I could not conceive this new club by myself and so on the way down the M1 I phoned someone who had by now become a friend, some chap called Glenn Butcher who I knew worked in I.T.
Without Glenn, MRC would never have even been formed because I knew that without the internet I could never put the ideas in my head into practice because at the time I had only just about mastered plugging the computer into the wall let alone building a web site to be a vehicle for this new club.
I was very clear in the knowledge that this new club needed to attract people from all over the World in order to assist our forthcoming new members with the information required to maintain and modify their Rotaries and so was very insistent that we need to have dot com on the end of the name of our new club otherwise people from around the World would never visit our new club web site as they would have known at the time that nothing Rotary really occurred here in the UK and Europe!
So what have we all achieved in five years that evolved from a conversation between Glenn and myself?
Well first and foremost we have all created a Rotary community for all types of people and cars where none existed before and through it assisted many people with their cars.
Became only the second Mazda club in the World to receive recognition and assistance from Mazda themselves which became evident in 2002 when the RX-8 was being launched in Detroit when we were asked for our views on the new RX-8, and then these comments were used as a backdrop on the launch of the car, something which to this day the club should be very proud of.
(See the attached questionnaire and image of the backdrop used)
We have also become the Worlds Number One Mazda car club in the Top 150 sites on the internet and also as you all know we are much much more than just another internet forum and are a proper day to day car club serving its community.
In addition to the above I am also proud of every owner of a Rotary who has been part of making our very own Rotorstock meeting such a huge success, a meeting put on not only for our own cars but all the Japanese car community and today I am pleased to announce that there will be a Rotorstock 4 and it will be bigger and better that ever as it will now be held next August at Europe’s Premier Drag racing track, Santa Pod.
Santa Pod will be assisting MRC to put Rotorstock on and ensure that Rotorstock will maintain its own unique feel and will not become “just another Jap car event”.
I am pleased to say that Santa Pod actually jumped at the chance of working with us to take Rotorstock to their venue.
I feel that we are also unique in that MRC have also now made a proper documentary DVD which is now on sale here , see http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=27&products_id=65 but will also go on general sale around the World that tells the story of Rotorstock.
Lastly I would like to Thank YOU the members of Mazdarotary Club for making your Club into what it is today because without all of our paying members we would not have been able to achieve anything like what we have to date. :Party :Party :Party :
(Below are images from Mazdarotaryclub\'s first ever meeting at Brooklands in April 2002, The image up on the stage at Detroit at the launch of the RX-8 and the questionare and my answers that let to it)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MRC:Party :Party
Many congratulations and thanks To Clive, Glenn, and all the people behind the scenes who have made MRC the success it is today, Where would we be with out it?
Well done Guys,:Thumbsup!
Bob
Clive congratuations to you and Glenn damned good site converted me from evoland to RX7 world (and empty wallet ).
brilliant news rotorstock is on and at santa pod,cant wait hope weather is good - we loved last year at SCR despite a few hic cups and rain,sure will be miles better 2007,roll on
That is brilliant news about rs4! And brilliant that the club has gone from strenght to strength over the past 5 years. A true credit to all involved in the hard work behind the scenses. The future of the rotary scene in the uk seems like it getting more exciting every week. And this club is assuring that it will!
cheers, michael.
Happy Birthday to MRC and everyone thats contributed their time and effort!!!
I don\'t know what I\'d have done without the support and help from the people here - Thanks Clive and everyone else over the years!! ;) :)
I share a birthday with MRC, what an honour :cool
Happy B-Day MRC :)
Excellent on all counts :)
Happy birthday from member no 004 !
Brill news about RS4 looking forward to it already, might even try to get back into a rotary by then :eek:
Without this community i would deffo not have been confident owning the rx7 i had, so many friends made and so many people i\'ve met through the club its been a privledge being involved, long may it continue,
Many thanks to Clive, Glenn, Lisa for all the work that goes on behind the scenes that we never hear of, please continue the excellant work,
Gurj :Party :Party :Party
nice write up clive :D
and RS4 - thats superb news - it really is :D :D :D
maybe we cant expect decent weather by then !!
Stu / Grinder
Proud to be a part of MRC
:Party :Party :Party
Happy birthday MRC and well done to all who make it happen...
Cant wait for RS4, and look forward to buying myself the Rotorstock DVD as an early Xmas present. :Thumbs-up
forgot well done lisa and all mods
Happy Birthday!!!
good news about RS4
hopefully only Jap cars are aloud to run, no other makes bar Jap
A big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to MRC and well done to Clive, Lisa, Glen and everyone else that has made the club waht it is today. Lets hope theres many more years left in it :D :Party
Great news about Rotorstock IV! :D:D Really gonna have to start saving to get me a car for the show :)
Adam
It\'s a privilage and pleasure to be a member of such a well organised and friendly club. I know there is unlimited help, support and advice out there if required which adds a new dimension to RX ownership.
So a big thanks to Clive and the team for the insight and bloody hard work which has gone into making the club what it is. Cheers all
happy birthday all......
i just ordered my DVD!
Great news for RS4, thank you to Clive, Lisa, Glenn and any others for all their hard work in making it possible. :Thumbsup!
Bulla
It makes very good reading Clive ! :Thumbsup! :Typing ....having been told all the history of the club before,but it makes real sense when you read it.:)
Congratulations and celebrations :Party to all concerned in the making ! :WaveBye
ROTORSTOCK 4 here we come,...........great news on that front.At least we have a professional outfit as a hosting partner,so things should all go well.!:Typing
Nice write up Clive.
Happy birthdat MRC!!
Happy Birthday MRC :Party :Party :Party :Party :Party :Party :Party :Party
To Clive, Glenn and Lisa and all those who have worked so hard over the years to make this a fantastic club.:Thumbsup!
By Royal Appointment --- His Royal Hoggness. :2eek
Quote from: BlitzBoyHappy Birthday!!!
good news about RS4
hopefully only Jap cars are aloud to run, no other makes bar Jap
Mark, Glenn will tell you that when we were negotiating if the meeting would be going to Santa Pod I was very forceful in telling them that if this event went to Santa Pod it had to be for Jap cars only with Jap engines, No Jap bikes and No Jap body shells with V8 American donkeys under the hood !
Also we may not even have a Jet car as we want this as a pure Japanese car event and have made it clear that by having these other "side shows" it keeps our enthusiasts waiting longer than need be in the fire up lane.
Also with Rotorstock R4 we will have another first for the Japanese car community, R4 will start at 4pm on the Saturday to make Rotorstock the only Jap Night Drag Meeting with the meeting continuing again on the Sunday :Thumbs-up :Thumbs-up :Thumbs-up .
Quote from: cliveMark, Glenn will tell you that when we were negotiating if the meeting would be going to Santa Pod I was very forceful in telling them that if this event went to Santa Pod it had to be for Jap cars only with Jap engines, No Jap bikes and No Jap body shells with V8 American donkeys under the hood !
Also we may not even have a Jet car as we want this as a pure Japanese car event and have made it clear that by having these other "side shows" it keeps our enthusiasts waiting longer than need be in the fire up lane.
Also with Rotorstock R4 we will have another first for the Japanese car community, R4 will start at 4pm on the Saturday to make Rotorstock the only Jap Night Drag Meeting with the meeting continuing again on the Sunday :Thumbs-up :Thumbs-up :Thumbs-up .
Sounds like the perfect event to me !
Bulla
Congrat MRC on your birthday, thankyou to you all, we know you have all worked so hard to make this club, THE BEST!
:Party Great news about RSIV - and happy birthday to MRC ! :Party
Give me penty of time to get the car sorted for it !
Well done to Clive, Glenn, Lisa and all the others that make this a great club to belong to ! :wiggle :Thumbs-up
Quote from: cliveMark, Glenn will tell you that when we were negotiating if the meeting would be going to Santa Pod I was very forceful in telling them that if this event went to Santa Pod it had to be for Jap cars only with Jap engines, No Jap bikes and No Jap body shells with V8 American donkeys under the hood !
Also we may not even have a Jet car as we want this as a pure Japanese car event and have made it clear that by having these other "side shows" it keeps our enthusiasts waiting longer than need be in the fire up lane.
Also with Rotorstock R4 we will have another first for the Japanese car community, R4 will start at 4pm on the Saturday to make Rotorstock the only Jap Night Drag Meeting with the meeting continuing again on the Sunday :Thumbs-up :Thumbs-up :Thumbs-up .
So NO VW with ROTOR power ? :eek ...Thanks Mr Pres :WaveBye :2Rolleyes
Quote from: oldoneSo NO VW with ROTOR power ? :eek ...Thanks Mr Pres :WaveBye :2Rolleyes
Sorry Mister but we have had more complaints about non Jap cars over the last three years from lots n lots of people than anything else and this must be a pure Jap meeting to make Rotorstock a success, so you will just have to slum it for this one and climb back in your Mazda powered Mazda.
Quote from: MartinyHappy birthday from member no 004 !
Thanks Martin,
Without support from Guys like you MRC would never have got off the ground :Thumbsup! .
Here you are at our very first AGM one year on from the start, also in the picture sitting next to me with the Rotor T shirt is one of our other founder members that we sadly lost earlier this year, John Helps.
Quote from: cliveSorry Mister but we have had more complaints about non Jap cars over the last three years from lots n lots of people than anything else and this must be a pure Jap meeting to make Rotorstock a success, so you will just have to slum it for this one and climb back in your Mazda powered Mazda.
First keep your head still so I can speak to you !!!!!!!:evillaugh ,....What is the MRC complaints dept number ?....:rollin will have to address them a letter as a matter of urgency as I have publically announced my new project.!!!:2Rolleyes :3Confused :cool
Quote from: oldoneFirst keep your head still so I can speak to you !!!!!!!:evillaugh
I take it you like my cat avitar now it moves :rollin :rollin :rollin
Quote from: cliveI take it you like my cat avitar now it moves :rollin :rollin :rollin
Does it count if Kev tows me down the strip with the Cosmo ?:Thumbsup! May I then bring a non Jap car ?......tried to phone the complaints dept but the phone is off....:( have you paid the bill ? :WaveBye :Talking1 :wiggle
Quote from: cliveAlso with Rotorstock R4 we will have another first for the Japanese car community, R4 will start at 4pm on the Saturday to make Rotorstock the only Jap Night Drag Meeting with the meeting continuing again on the Sunday :Thumbs-up :Thumbs-up :Thumbs-up .
Oh joy joy joy joy joy!!!!!!! :Thumbs-up I was only saying last weekend that I wish we could have some night drags!!!! Really glad RS4 is back on :D I have enen started posting up elsewhere! :D
Happy Birthday to the MRC! (and ScuttleRX!) :Party
Hello all!
5 years - who would have thought hey!
Clive helped me refresh my poor memory telling me that we had met once before \'that phonecall!\' - it was at JAE in 2001...
...anyways, \'that phonecall\' - I was on my way to the RX-7 Club meeting that Clive had mentioned, I was lost and running late (dumb Aussie! :) ). Clive asked me if I would like to start a new club over the phone - and I said yes?????
As far as I knew there was no club that existed in the UK for Rotary Powered vehicles other than RX-7\'s - turns out I was right. Actually when I first joined the RX-7 Club here, I didn\'t even have an RX! and they wondered why I wanted to join! For interest one of the First posts on the Forum was for my brothers JC Cosmo: http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9 (http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9)
For those of you that have been around rotors (I have since the late 80\'s), know they are very hard to live without. Moving over from Australia in 1998, I had been completely starved of Rotary Power for a few years on arriving here! In Australia - every schoolboy knows what Rotary Power is, I think it just may be getting that way here in the UK :)
I am so happy to have said yes to helping establish a new club here in the UK 5 years ago. We have come so far, Clive\'s ideas and mine have worked really well. BUT - NONE OF WHAT WE HAVE TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT LISA!!! She does so much behind the scene\'s: New Member Packs and all that is involved with them!, Accounts, organising events and car passes, Merchandise, you name it!!!!!! So a HUGE personal thanks and hats off to Lisa!
One amazing fact is that when Clive started out with MRC he didn\'t even have a PC. Clive - Internet? huh???!!! which I think is a great personal achievement by him.
Something that I am amazed by is that the whole scene has changed here over the years. I think out of all people interested in cars 5 years ago - hardly anybody knew anything about the Mazda Rotary. But now - I think everyone who knows about cars - knows about the mighty Rotary! I\'m hoping that the Club has helped progress the scene here in the UK to what it is today. But everyone who has stuck in there like all our Vendors, Members, supporters and the Club itself have played a major role - so thanks to you all!!!!!!
Events like ROTORSTOCK started really as a bit of a dream for us, essentially the aim of the club all along has been to raise awareness of the Mazda Rotary - and to show people how strong the Rotary Community is, even though it is small on the worldwide scale. I think that if you asked any Rotary enthusiast around the world - \'What is mazdarotaryclub.com?\' and they would tell us that it is a huge UK Club! :)
Our Internet Forum is and has always been and will be! one that is for the family. That may not be what everyone wants, but it is what we want - to help progress the Rotary here in the UK and the world as much as possible.
Maybe one day we will even get some serious recognition from Mazda themselves. We have always had strong connections with Mazda, but not in the UK - it would really be something to get Mazda more involved and maybe - who knows!!?!?!?! 1991 Le Mans winner to one of our Club Events - like ROTORSTOCK! :) There really aren\'t that many Car Clubs in the world that can hold such an event - so we should be all very proud!
My personal vision has always been to promote the Mazda Rotary as much as possible, and I\'m very fortunate to be in the position I\'m in to help do this.
For ROTORSTOCK 4 - it is simply sensational news! Clive and I met with David and Jo at Santa Pod last week. They were very aware of ROTORSTOCK and were keen to host the event which was great news for us. Lots of work to do of course, but Santa Pod have a great infustructure in place - all going well we may even be able to get some International Racers coming over/up etc.! :)
Thanks again to all of you for supporting the Club over the years!
Best REgards,
Glenn
what dates in august is it so i can put it on my calendar ?
Quote from: cliveMark, Glenn will tell you that when we were negotiating if the meeting would be going to Santa Pod I was very forceful in telling them that if this event went to Santa Pod it had to be for Jap cars only with Jap engines, No Jap bikes and No Jap body shells with V8 American donkeys under the hood !
Take it from this I won`t be welcome. OK fair enough. Have a good event & happy birthday.
Mar71n
Hi All,
I have just posted the results of the Club survey and a full explanation of how MRC went took Rotorstock to Santa Pod in the Members section http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31808:Thumbs-up
A BIG BIG thank you to all involved with MRC , if it wasn\'t for the advise and support I got from this forum 2 1/2 years ago I may not have bought an rx
Great news about RS4 , can\'t wait , hopefuly I\'ll keep the car on the road at least till the end of the event ( something I aint managed to do yet )
Happy Birthday MRC :Party Thanks to all involved..:)
Brill news about RS4,can\'t wait!!!:Thumbs-up
Night Racing whoohoo!!!!!!
night racing + flaming rotaries - gonna look cool as feck!
Great news - can\'t wait for it.
Si.
Such great news, night racing especially...
:flamed
Happy Birthday MRC! 5 years and still going from strength to strength! excellent work from Clive, Glenn, Lisa and the full admin and moderating team!
Happy birthday MRC, congrats to all who have helped make this club what it is :Thumbsup! :Thumbsup! :Thumbsup!
Bring on RS4... I might even own a rotary by then ;) :D
Chris.
Well done guys, thanks for all your effort over the years. Excellent news too about RS4, can\'t wait.
Well done and congrats to everyone. Know exactly what it\'s like trying to start a car club!
Happy B\'day MRC !! An excellent club with excellent members ! A true library of information on the Rotary engine :)
Great club going from strength to strength only made possible by the hard
work and time given up by Clive ,lisa, Glen, moderators and other helpers.
2007 looks like its going to be a great year with some new events/meetings
not to mention R4 which now sounds like a winning formula.
so Happy birthday MRC
Paul
Happy Birthday !!
WOOHOO :o)