Big trucks bring big crowds

Monster truck Freakshow.

Jerad Williams

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Monster trucks visit Lismore

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LISMORE Showground was at capacity on Saturday night as it hosted nearly 6000 spectators at the Monster Truck Rally.

While the crowd was appreciative, organiser Alan Ryan said the biggest problem at the showground on the night was visibility for the large crowd.

“In terms of accommodating people we could have done with a better arrangement for visibility,” he said.

“We could have brought in more grandstand seating, but with shipping and setting up costs it would have beenextremely expensive.

“We would have had to charge an extra $12 per ticket, making it unviable.

“The problem with Lismore would be finding an alternative venue as the showground is in a geographically good spot.”

Simon Cass, of Lennox Head, took his two boys, William, 5, and Harrison, 2, to see their first monster truck rally, and while they enjoyed themselves, they couldn't always see the action particularly well.

“I had Harry on my shoulders and William stood on the fence line,” Mr Cass said.

“But there wasn't muchvisibility at all.”

Lismore Speedway organiser Dave Lander said on average that the speedway, which also was held at the showground, attracted about 1500 spectators.

“Seating is adequate for the crowds we get,” he said.

“If we got 3000 to 4000 people it wouldn't be as good as the ground is flat.

“We did a crowd surveyrecently and the toilets wereactually the main issue at the showground.

“They need a bit of rejuvenating and cleaning.”

The North Coast National A&I Society manages the showground and president John Gibson said that, aside from the two permanent grandstands already there, mobile tiered seating had been available and was placed around the ground for the monster truck event.

“If another event like that was held again, we would talk about the seating with the promoter,” he said.

Spectators who wanted grandstand seating paid an extra $10 on top of the entry fee.