BTCC Rockingham
Discussion
Dan_1981 said:
jonm01 said:
Have they ever come close to filling those huge stands at Rockingham,?
First time I've been to Rockingham.... How on earth does the place keep going?Who decided a 55000 all seater stadium was s good idea?
No big screens for spectators
No access in field
Who funds the place? Surely it's running at a loss?
Decent days racing but can't say I'll be rushing back to Rockingham
style.
It wasn't.
Dan_1981 said:
First time I've been to Rockingham.... How on earth does the place keep going?
Who decided a 55000 all seater stadium was s good idea?
No big screens for spectators
No access in field
Who funds the place? Surely it's running at a loss?
Decent days racing but can't say I'll be rushing back to Rockingham
Their £££ will come from corporate events, as well as things like track days, driver training, etc. It's also regularly hired out for filming by shows like 5th Gear and is used by a number of car clubs for their shows too. Who decided a 55000 all seater stadium was s good idea?
No big screens for spectators
No access in field
Who funds the place? Surely it's running at a loss?
Decent days racing but can't say I'll be rushing back to Rockingham
I think the lack of screens infield is due to the fact the seating in the main straight stand pretty much allows you to see the infield clearly enough.
The banked seating was designed around the circuit intending to host yearly overseas visits of IndyCar from '01 onwards and in the hope a UK based series would take off as a result. IndyCar didn't return after '02 due to the costs involved and the UK based "ASCAR" series (launched with the intention of being based around the circuit) had consistently low interest and was canned in '07 (it left Rockingham in '06), so all the extra seating was then closed off and no longer accessible for viewing to the public.
Edit - from the Wiki page:
The circuit is operational 357 days a year and the majority of events that take place at the venue are not motorsport competitions. Events range from manufacturer product launches to dealer training, track days and testing, and corporate and experience days.
Edited by AlexRS2782 on Sunday 28th August 23:19
fivefive said:
Several drivers: Howard, Ollie Jackson, Alex Martin, Ash Sutton, Josh Cook, Scott all driving/nudging into the back of others at Tarzan, Turn 1 and onto the oval making the series a joke - and these are only who I saw with my own eyes.
Should point out that the only person I gave a meaningful tap to was zig zagging down the straights to block me, and I've been making a point of being a doormat by BTCC standards after Snett. Also there's no point singling people out, it happens through the field, I was tapped in that manner countless times yesterday by drivers you haven't named. In fact I was nearly spun round on 4 occasions yesterday by people doing it clumsily, two of them by top drivers who I would expect more finesse from.
That tapping has been part of BTCC for as long as I've been doing it and there's no sign that they're going to start penalising for it so nothing will change.
Fair enough, you are the one driving the car, whereas I am just the paying punter in the stand. The incident I was referring to when mentioned your name was what looked like a punt into Tarzan under braking which sent the car off its line and you gained an advantage.
So my question is..... If someone had done this to you, would you be saying it's touring cars, or would you feel aggrieved?
So my question is..... If someone had done this to you, would you be saying it's touring cars, or would you feel aggrieved?
Dan_1981 said:
First time I've been to Rockingham.... How on earth does the place keep going?
Who decided a 55000 all seater stadium was s good idea?
No big screens for spectators
No access in field
Who funds the place? Surely it's running at a loss?
Decent days racing but can't say I'll be rushing back to Rockingham
Why would you need big screens when you can see all the track? I like Rockingham, the atmosphere is terrific and the roar and cheering from the grandstand when someone makes a skilled move is wonderful.Who decided a 55000 all seater stadium was s good idea?
No big screens for spectators
No access in field
Who funds the place? Surely it's running at a loss?
Decent days racing but can't say I'll be rushing back to Rockingham
We can't all like the same things, but Rockingham is one of my favourite circuits.
fivefive said:
Fair enough, you are the one driving the car, whereas I am just the paying punter in the stand. The incident I was referring to when mentioned your name was what looked like a punt into Tarzan under braking which sent the car off its line and you gained an advantage.
So my question is..... If someone had done this to you, would you be saying it's touring cars, or would you feel aggrieved?
It was indeed and trust me he returned the favour afterwards and hit me for the sake of it as it wasn't tactical and he didn't gain a place!So my question is..... If someone had done this to you, would you be saying it's touring cars, or would you feel aggrieved?
It's not a question of if, it happened several times! I don't mind as long as it's done tactically in a safe place.
Some hit you too hard and damage the car, some hit you going into the faster stuff, I get unhappy about that. Fact is if someone has caught you and is close enough to do it then all it's doing is facilitating a pass, and you can still predict it and shape your line so that you defend against it
Edited by The Wookie on Monday 29th August 11:14
The reason the outter 2 grandstands are always empty is because they aren't safe to us both are sinking and haven't been used since indy car. Ive been there several times to watch the btcc and ascar also been on the track twice you wouldn't believe how slippy it is when its wet skills take to stay on the track is incrediable.
I like the track but does always look empty but even with 15-20k specatotors it will always look quiet heck Silverstone looks empty all the time even with wec there it looks empty.
As for contact haven't seen race 2 or 3 dam sky box only recored the first 2 hrs there has been bad driving since ive been watching back in 2002 and looking back through the 90s the contact was worse back then than today.
I like the track but does always look empty but even with 15-20k specatotors it will always look quiet heck Silverstone looks empty all the time even with wec there it looks empty.
As for contact haven't seen race 2 or 3 dam sky box only recored the first 2 hrs there has been bad driving since ive been watching back in 2002 and looking back through the 90s the contact was worse back then than today.
There wasn't anywhere near 20k people there. Even in the main grandstands there were plenty of gaps that were easy to see. I went to Rockingham maybe 7 or 8 years ago and the GA area was far busier than it was yesterday.
I disagree about the 90s - yes there was contact but there was also a higher standard of driving. I don't remember TV towers being taken out back then.
I disagree about the 90s - yes there was contact but there was also a higher standard of driving. I don't remember TV towers being taken out back then.
Crafty_ said:
There wasn't anywhere near 20k people there. Even in the main grandstands there were plenty of gaps that were easy to see. I went to Rockingham maybe 7 or 8 years ago and the GA area was far busier than it was yesterday.
I disagree about the 90s - yes there was contact but there was also a higher standard of driving. I don't remember TV towers being taken out back then.
Didn't someone pole volt the barriers in the 90s with a Toyota at donnington. Driving standards haven't changed much there used to be some shocking driving during the 90s. As for snetterton there been many a bad start line shunt there including the 90s was just unlucky the way the car rolled and the position of the tower.I disagree about the 90s - yes there was contact but there was also a higher standard of driving. I don't remember TV towers being taken out back then.
My point with rockingham was even if I did have 15-20k people there it still look empty not that it did, very much like Silverstone with anything bar f1 heck wec event looked empty in the grandstand.
No it was the late Keith O'dor who made it into the empty spectator area at Donington Park, all on his own.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIvr3L9L8wE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIvr3L9L8wE
Fonz said:
No it was the late Keith O'dor who made it into the empty spectator area at Donington Park, all on his own.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIvr3L9L8wE
That's the one I was thinking off.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIvr3L9L8wE
Crafty_ said:
I disagree about the 90s - yes there was contact but there was also a higher standard of driving. I don't remember TV towers being taken out back then.
Give over.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM0noqUOcHs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ext9IhsRZM8
While I agree that driving standards are always worth discussing and looking at, I do think there is a lot of looking back with rose-tinted glasses going on. I have been watching the BTCC since the mid-80s, and there has always been hard and sometimes reckless racing. There have always been lots of big incidents and deliberate contact, and often including the biggest names in the sport as well as the back-markers; Plato, Neal, Soper, Cleland, Hoy, Muller - they've all had their moments of notoriety. For all the criticism of the current season, my opinion (and that's all, just an opinion!) is that there are just three drivers who should not be allowed in the championship for their own and others' safety; it seems like there has been at least one incident involving Howard, Martin or Lines in every race and qualifying session (although in Lines case, he rarely seems to hit anyone else - he just tends to leave the track a lot). Outside of that, there have been plenty of incidents for sure, but nothing so outrageous that it marks it as much worse than past seasons.
Sebring440 said:
Looking forward to Rockingham. Plenty of frustrated drivers looking to get back on the rails and increase their championship point.
Rob Collard has vowed to "attack at every opportunity", so who's he going to punt off the track next?
Hopefully Jason (RWD cars need to be penalised, but apparently not now he has one - what a CRob Collard has vowed to "attack at every opportunity", so who's he going to punt off the track next?
T) Plato first, Matt Neal next and then all the other "no brakes going into the corner" tw*ts who just use the rear bumper of the car in front to slow down! I'd actually be wondering who was going to punt Rob off next TBH! I spent many years watching Rob (and his Dad) on the short circuits and he always treated non-contact races as non-contact - unlike about half of the BTCC field!
The way BTCC is going now I am looking forward to the figure of 8 demolition derby BTCC "event"........!
Mr Tidy said:
I spent many years watching Rob (and his Dad) on the short circuits and he always treated non-contact races as non-contact - unlike about half of the BTCC field!
I spent half of a lap of the first race side by side with Rob, if you treat him with respect then he returns it but he's not frightened of giving it back if he feels he's been wronged!Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff