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rodb
New Zealand
260 Posts |
 Posted - 25/04/2012 : 06:08:45
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As a comparison in New Zealand we have just had the second annual Roycroft Trophy meeting at a new race Track called Hampton Downs. A Vintage Car Club of New Zealand event.
Cost just under 70 pounds for two days of racing, six, six lap races and two practices for each entrant. No parking issues.
http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?583-Roycroft-Trophy-this-weekend
Have a look at all the pages, currently 10 and growing, lots of images after all the blogging.
4 mmm cars racing, J2 s/c, K1 s/c, J2 and C type s/c. Also a TC and a TF s/c. over 70 different cars all older than 1960, racing.
RodB NZ
This image is from last years event 2011. |
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Dolts
United Kingdom
1129 Posts |
Posted - 25/04/2012 : 09:27:06
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HI all, I guess we have the same with the VSCC entries in the UK. Much reduced entry costs as highlighted but not as good as those prices down under, wow! On Sat at the Spring start around 10 MGs were out. various C's, J's, P's, K reps and an M. An entry in many of the races.
Is the MG VSCC race still held on the calender, wasnt it a challenge with the Austin 7s??
It would be a huge shame not to be at Silverstone. I m targeting competing in the race in the future, hope i dont miss the opportunity. However the GP circult must be pretty tough on our cars flat out pretty much the whole way round.
Real shame there is no sprint, I think we had 15+ Triple Ms last year and its was a great event. We certainly need to decide which events will be our targets, Like MGCC Wiscombe. It would be nice to have a focused gathering on the Hill and Sprint calender this year. I will host a BBQ etc at Wisc but I ll start a seperate thread for that.
Mark Dolton
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etlanpa
United Kingdom
560 Posts |
Posted - 25/04/2012 : 10:06:57
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Agree about the GP circuit - pretty tough on our cars, and not much fun for the spectators either...
Yet to get the car on the rollers, but I'm aiming for Brooklands and Prescott (if I get an entry!) at the very least  |
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Mike the M
United Kingdom
481 Posts |
Posted - 25/04/2012 : 23:03:16
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As a relative newcomer to the Triple M scene, and following on from John Reid's observations I would also rather see the "racers" sooner. I timed the first lap last year at about 3.5 mins with nothing to see!If my maths is correct (!) and from Peter's figures, the the VSCC lap time at 50 mph (!) is about 2 minutes (1.6 mile lap), but the triple M is about 4 minutes. It all raises the question of who is the racing for, the racers or the spectators? I vote we move MG live to Donnington, where the spectator used to be able to see the cars from Redgate through the Craner Curves up to the top of the hill at McLean's Corner, i.e. half the lap.(Have not been since the modifications.) I was told that we would not move there as there was no room for the sprint or the traders or registers. This year no sprints, and last year no room for the registers!!I was also told that the racers like Silverstone better that Donnington! What say you??
Mike Dalby |
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Dolts
United Kingdom
1129 Posts |
Posted - 26/04/2012 : 08:16:37
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I guess another question is.....where have all the other racing cars gone!!!?
We seem to have a good core collection that are out and about regulary but where are the single seaters, the R's, Q's and hairy specials. Have they all gone abroad or locked up in museums and garages?
Be fab to see them even if they were on static display
I d be more than happy to help if anyone needs a driver
Mark Dolton
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Edited by - Dolts on 26/04/2012 08:17:50 |
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etlanpa
United Kingdom
560 Posts |
Posted - 26/04/2012 : 09:01:28
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I d be more than happy to help if anyone needs a driver
I'll second that |
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Cathelijne
Netherlands
744 Posts |
Posted - 26/04/2012 : 12:54:22
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I'm with Mike on this one; move the lot to a smaller, friendlier and no doubt cheaper circuit!
Cheers,
Cat
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David Allison
United Kingdom
665 Posts |
Posted - 26/04/2012 : 13:59:01
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The problem in the UK chaps is that all of the venues are much of a muchness in terms of cost.
Historically Silverstone was the venue of choice because it was large enough to cope with the number of visitors - plus it was close enough for the most of the European visitors to make the trip within a weekend.
Also it was closer to Heathrow for the visitors from the far reaches of the MG world.
The MG Car Club has had the International weekend at Silverstone since the early 1960's and it has been the MG Mecca (sic) ever since.
It used to be held over the Whitsun weekend (in my youth) and the weekend used to be much more about racing on Saturday and the concours and California Cup on the Sunday.
Other venues were considerably more expensive to run and offered less space than Silverstone.
Brands Hatch always used to insist on us having a race for Formula Ford? - Plus it was a swine of a journey pre M25 for anyone living north of Watford.
Castle Coombe - Thruxton and Goodwood had silencing restrictions which cut out the racing cars.
They also had even in the early 1960's restrictions on the number of events they could hold.
Goodwood closed in about 1967 to club events anyway - although the SE Centre ran a sprint there until recently.
Castle Coombe now only has about 11 weeks a year - Thruxton about the same.
Cadwell Park was like Olivers Mount principally an ACU circuit.
Snetterton was just a long way away from everywhere.
Croft shut in about 1970 and was similarly a long way away.
Silverstone it stayed.
The club has run meetings at Donnigton but with a +2 minute lap for the MMM cars, plus it is another circuit which is pretty much flat out all the way around in anything but the quickest MMM cars.
Donnigton is a comparitively new circuit (I think it opened in about 1980), plus the paddock is very small and the weather can be Arctic.
The circuit has been improved by the alteration of the Goddards Chicane, but it is far from perfect - as a driver I think it is better than many, but Silverstone is actually more of a challenge.
Silverstone is far from perfect - but it is difficult to think of a better venue.
Sure I hate the concentration camp fences - but it is a much better facility all round than it used to be and certainly better than any other UK venue.
My biggest issue is that with everything in the middle there is no room for competitors - I fail to see why the concours and camping have to be in the centre though - these always used to be behind the main grandstand?
I also prefer the club circuit rather than the full GP circuit - in a standard road car of any age it is simply flat to the floor all the way around - in a standard J2 or M type you will only get around 5 laps to the leaders 8 - that saiid on the Club cicuit you would probably only get 4 laps to the quicker cars 8 so you do get 1 more lap and it is longer!
The paddock should in my opinion be restricted to competitors and that should include trailers and tow cars which should be parked elsewhere.
There also needs to be provision for tow starting for cars without self starters.
The current trend for people making camp within the paddock is not in my opinion acceptable - barbeques being lit next to you when filling a racing car up with methanol (it happened a few years ago) is NOT something that we need - plus the guy had the cheek to take offence at me for filling the racing car up with fuel while he was trying to enjoy lunch with his family.
Maybe time has come to bring back the "trailer park" - plus tow vehicles and other cars should also be parked away from the paddock.
The area around the pit garages is particularly bad - never enough space and I have seen competitors unable to get their racing car out for a race.
The "displays" are frankly a complete WOMBAT (Waste Of Money Brains And Time!) - but that is (like all of the above) just my opinion!
Another rant from David!!!
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etlanpa
United Kingdom
560 Posts |
Posted - 26/04/2012 : 14:46:12
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quote:
Originally posted by David Allison
Silverstone is far from perfect - but it is difficult to think of a better venue.
err, no it isn't!
Mallory Park - the most 'club friendly' circuit I know
Spectators can see almost the entire circuit from wherever they stand/sit, and the Mallory breakfast fry-up is legendary  |
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David Allison
United Kingdom
665 Posts |
Posted - 26/04/2012 : 15:07:43
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Come off it Adrian - agreed it is the BEST Breccy in the country and still at 1980's prices - but the circuit is boring to drive - narrow and fiddly.
The paddock is too small even for a VSCC meeting and the facilities ar ummmm - BASIC!
Ok the spectators can see all of the circuit from the Shaws bank - but although it is great if you have a slower car in a quick car it can be scarry.
Plus the speed differential between the slower cars and the quicks is an eye opener - it can be really terrifying as a slower car reverses towards you in a braking area as confined as Shaws or the Elbow.
In a modern car the circuit is really quite boring too - flat out all the way to Shaws one line all the way around and the only interesting bit is the Elbow and you need the other guy to let you by there because the camber is all over the place.
Mallory is fine for bikes but too short and fiddly in a car unless the entire grid is well matched.
Honestly I did think very carefully before I typed.
:) Regards David |
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etlanpa
United Kingdom
560 Posts |
Posted - 26/04/2012 : 15:12:39
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But my car is narrow & fiddly David 
And what's wrong with 1980's prices?
Agree about big speed differentials - I was once in a scratch race with ERA R4D amongst others.... now that was scary
But it's jolly good fun if the cars are well matched, or the handicappers have got it about right |
Edited by - etlanpa on 26/04/2012 15:17:37 |
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Cathelijne
Netherlands
744 Posts |
Posted - 26/04/2012 : 15:14:37
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What about Oulton? I hear good things on Oulton!
By the way, didn't Donington have its first car race on March 25 1933? It may be that the new track is newish, but Donington Park as a racing venue certainly isn't  ! Plenty of M.G. history there too: The first car ever on the track was an M.G. as was the first car to win a race there! Both C-types. Of course.
Cathelijne |
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etlanpa
United Kingdom
560 Posts |
Posted - 26/04/2012 : 15:20:08
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Oulton is FAB!!
It's just a horrendous trek for us 'Southerners' |
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Dow
United Kingdom
490 Posts |
Posted - 26/04/2012 : 15:37:35
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Would be interesting to know a bit about the finances of Silverstone. What is the rental for the circuit for 2 days. How much is taken from the racers and also from the displays, traders and also the paying public. ie the income and who does it go to. All this comes down to money.
I suppose we could have a one day race meeting somewhere for mainly MGCC members, and rent a field (Bath and West Showground or North of Watford) for the displays traders motor bike demonstrations etc.
This would be the end of the MGCC major weekend event but it seems we will be given the push soon anyway. They apparently asked for so much to run the sprint on Sunday it was not cost effective and that was that. I doubt we will get the sprint back.
Regards
David D |
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David Allison
United Kingdom
665 Posts |
Posted - 26/04/2012 : 15:40:24
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Us southerners dont go north of Birmingham without oxygen!
Oulton Park is indeed one of the best circuits in Britain - however the facilities make Mallory Park look like Silverstone and Silverstone look like paradise.
Things might have improved - I havent competed there for a while now but the paddock is not the best and the loos were awfull.
Cath
Donnigton Park indeed first opened in 1933 but the current layout opened in 1980 ish (might have been 78-79) following a closure of some 40 years.
The last time I competed at Donnington was a sprint in June and it snowed!
Regards David |
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