Before all the venues disappear...
Discussion
Ok so maybe I omitted a couple of words. The access at Santa Pod allows you to get up close to every single car. I’ve been to various different circuits for BTCC and you can’t do that with the main attraction, same for the British GTs.
The support paddock your can so maybe it’s an issue with garages.
Either way, they are not the same levels of access.
The support paddock your can so maybe it’s an issue with garages.
Either way, they are not the same levels of access.
LukeBrown66 said:
Lol,so 1 pound cheaper than I said, it is easy to put a positive spin on events when you love them, but the fact is 50 quid on the day to watch drag racing iis pretty dear.
I used to be able to go up there on Main Event Friday evening for a tenner less than 20 years ago, that is not long for a massive increase.
I realise all events have gone up in price, but my limit for most things is about 30-49 quid.
Also last time I looked buying online made the ticket price exactly the same as paying on the gate so was utterly pointless.
But if you enjoy it fine, it is something I do once every 5 years or so, and that is enough for me, I find the cars interesting, i find the racing less so.
I’m agreeing with you. £49 plus a booking fee is too much for me too.I used to be able to go up there on Main Event Friday evening for a tenner less than 20 years ago, that is not long for a massive increase.
I realise all events have gone up in price, but my limit for most things is about 30-49 quid.
Also last time I looked buying online made the ticket price exactly the same as paying on the gate so was utterly pointless.
But if you enjoy it fine, it is something I do once every 5 years or so, and that is enough for me, I find the cars interesting, i find the racing less so.
Anyway…
Silverstone was a bit disappointing on Sunday. Very small turnout of cars overall, the prototype races were 6 Pragas and a lone open top thing, 25 minutes and 50 minutes of 7 cars in the International circuit was not worth watching.
It was also freezing (expected), wet (expected) and there was very little access available around the circuit. It was limited to the inside of maggots/beckets, outside the old pit straight or two grandstands, one at Copse and the BRDC one.
I tried to walk around the outside of the circuit, the pedestrian tunnel and footpath at Bridge were padlocked shut.
The Supertouring entries were 2 Primeras which didn’t complete the single race on Saturday and were not present on Sunday, and a Vectra which I only saw on the back of a truck.
I should have known better for the time of year I suppose.
Silverstone was a bit disappointing on Sunday. Very small turnout of cars overall, the prototype races were 6 Pragas and a lone open top thing, 25 minutes and 50 minutes of 7 cars in the International circuit was not worth watching.
It was also freezing (expected), wet (expected) and there was very little access available around the circuit. It was limited to the inside of maggots/beckets, outside the old pit straight or two grandstands, one at Copse and the BRDC one.
I tried to walk around the outside of the circuit, the pedestrian tunnel and footpath at Bridge were padlocked shut.
The Supertouring entries were 2 Primeras which didn’t complete the single race on Saturday and were not present on Sunday, and a Vectra which I only saw on the back of a truck.
I should have known better for the time of year I suppose.
covboy said:
coppice said:
You should have gone to the Pomeroy and CSCC the next day . An amazing amount of spectators - considering - and free for the Pom . Obviously , it being Silverstone , strangers to customer care , the main cafe was closed on Sunday .
Or the BRSCC Meeting 18/19th - 350+ entries over the whole weekend 350 entries is an excellent turnout though, I bet it was a great meeting.
Truckosaurus said:
On the subject of free entry, one of the perks that competitors gets is a number of free tickets, so they'd lose that value from their entry fee if everyone gets in for nowt (plus the slight increase in price to cover the lack of ticket sales).
I do think that circuits are perhaps missing a trick by not having one meeting a year with free entry to encourage the fair weather punter - perhaps at the start of the season, make the Saturday of a weekend meeting free and sell tickets for the Sunday.
(every time I read this thread I think I need to work out my plans for this summer, perhaps visit some venues I've not been before or haven't visited for a while)
The BARC Midland Sprint at Cadwell this Saturday is free to attend. I’m working or I might have made the effort.I do think that circuits are perhaps missing a trick by not having one meeting a year with free entry to encourage the fair weather punter - perhaps at the start of the season, make the Saturday of a weekend meeting free and sell tickets for the Sunday.
(every time I read this thread I think I need to work out my plans for this summer, perhaps visit some venues I've not been before or haven't visited for a while)
Was at Croft and Knockhill last weekend and have mixed opinions of both.
Croft wasn't too busy as it was a CTCRC event, albeit one with Supertourers which normally draw a bigger crowd. Parking was great, the spectator banking around the circuit was brilliant too, way better than the banking at Santa Pod, for example.
The only problem for me was that the areas you are allowed to spectate from are not particularly interesting IMO, I really wanted to be at the fast sections of the circuit but could only view from Clervaux/Hawthorn or between Sunny Out and the complex.
Still not bad for a cheap entry fee though.
Knockhill on Sunday was a different animal. I'm glad I went, the setting for the circuit is amazing and I don't think I'll ever go to another circuit quite like it. However (...dramatic pause...) access was horrendous, it took me an hour to get from half a mile outside the gate to where I was eventually parked, then when I was in the circuit because it had been raining, all of the 'spectator banking' was wet, muddy grass or wet slippery astroturf. I walked around the whole circuit and couldn't get a decent spot to watch from, wherever I stood, I was 3 people back from having a good view.
Honestly it felt like a banger racing circuit which had been outgrown by the crowds. It's too busy for what the place has to offer the spectators.
All that considered though, it was still a great place to experience, like I say, there's nowhere else I've been which was like it for views and it definitely had a different atmosphere to other circuits.
Getting there with the list now, I've got Thruxton, Anglesey, Lydden (and Pembrey) left for the circuits...
Croft wasn't too busy as it was a CTCRC event, albeit one with Supertourers which normally draw a bigger crowd. Parking was great, the spectator banking around the circuit was brilliant too, way better than the banking at Santa Pod, for example.
The only problem for me was that the areas you are allowed to spectate from are not particularly interesting IMO, I really wanted to be at the fast sections of the circuit but could only view from Clervaux/Hawthorn or between Sunny Out and the complex.
Still not bad for a cheap entry fee though.
Knockhill on Sunday was a different animal. I'm glad I went, the setting for the circuit is amazing and I don't think I'll ever go to another circuit quite like it. However (...dramatic pause...) access was horrendous, it took me an hour to get from half a mile outside the gate to where I was eventually parked, then when I was in the circuit because it had been raining, all of the 'spectator banking' was wet, muddy grass or wet slippery astroturf. I walked around the whole circuit and couldn't get a decent spot to watch from, wherever I stood, I was 3 people back from having a good view.
Honestly it felt like a banger racing circuit which had been outgrown by the crowds. It's too busy for what the place has to offer the spectators.
All that considered though, it was still a great place to experience, like I say, there's nowhere else I've been which was like it for views and it definitely had a different atmosphere to other circuits.
Getting there with the list now, I've got Thruxton, Anglesey, Lydden (and Pembrey) left for the circuits...
Ticked something of the page one list today, a forest rally. I posted on Twitter about how it's hard to find info about rallies because they're organised by various different clubs and you need to know the names of each and every one of them to work out what's on and where.
Turns out I was wrong and someone posted a link to a website which just gives you all the events and dates in one place.
So, last week I booked a hotel in Shropshire for Friday just gone and today I stood in the scorching hot sun in the Ceri Forest.
Other than the complete lack of shade in the freshly deforested spectator area it was brilliant. Friendly marshalls, chatty spectators and an all round great atmosphere. I even managed to stick my camera on auto and grab some fairly decent shots of the 2wd stuff. The 4wd cars were too fast for me to pan my camera round.
So, while "never stood in a forest in the rain listening to a mk2 Escort in the distance" might still technically be true, it's only because of the weather.
It was also technically free. I paid £10 to park at the Ceri stage but stopped by the Haye Park stage on the way home and although there was a £10 charge according to the website and program, there was plenty of opportunity to park elsewhere and just walk into the forest.
Turns out I was wrong and someone posted a link to a website which just gives you all the events and dates in one place.
So, last week I booked a hotel in Shropshire for Friday just gone and today I stood in the scorching hot sun in the Ceri Forest.
Other than the complete lack of shade in the freshly deforested spectator area it was brilliant. Friendly marshalls, chatty spectators and an all round great atmosphere. I even managed to stick my camera on auto and grab some fairly decent shots of the 2wd stuff. The 4wd cars were too fast for me to pan my camera round.
So, while "never stood in a forest in the rain listening to a mk2 Escort in the distance" might still technically be true, it's only because of the weather.
It was also technically free. I paid £10 to park at the Ceri stage but stopped by the Haye Park stage on the way home and although there was a £10 charge according to the website and program, there was plenty of opportunity to park elsewhere and just walk into the forest.
Edited by Robmarriott on Saturday 9th September 21:20
Robmarriott said:
But I've never been to a hillclimb, or a BRISCA F1 event, or Rallycross, or Speedway, never stood in a forest in the rain listening to a mk2 Escort in the distance. Then there's the one off events like the Brighton Speed Trials, VHRA on Pendine Sands, plus the museums I've not found time to visit. So much still to see and it would be a shame to miss them before they're gone.
Went to a BRISCA F1 event at Brafield last night so that’s another one done.Sadly though, Brighton Speed Trials is no more, an event I’ve wanted to go to for years but never made it to.
Got a hillclimb in Germany on my radar for August, plus a big drive across Europe to see some circuits amongst other things. On the list of hope is Spa, Hockenheim, Monza, possibly Imola and Fiorano. I’ll be passing the Norisring too but that one feels weird.
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