BTCC @ Donnington

[darren9]

The next round of the touring cars is at Donnington this weekend, what is the new layout like for spectators? Sunday will be my last day of a period of leave so I'm tempted to go along is it worth the 25 odd quid each to get in?

[danmon]

Viewing is not bad considering the recent termoil.
The infield is out of bounds so no viewing at the new bend.

The areas from Mcleans onwards on the outfield are closed also.
(mainly due to the unstable tunnell and surrounding land!)

The viweing areas at Redgate, Hollywood, craner curves and Starkeys are all open (on the outside only) and all as they was in the Simon Gillett era.

There was even litter bins by the Sunday of the Masters Meeting, although the grass needs a cut, it's about 2 foot long at the moment.

There is 3 burger bars at Redgate, and 1 at Hollywood.

There is a toliet block at the Craner Curves, plus 1 at Mcleans that are open at the moment.

There is also some toilets in the paddock

[The Wookie]

Any word on the changes to the track itself? I've found it difficult to find details

[touring fan]

The Wookie said:

Any word on the changes to the track itself? I've found it difficult to find details

There are no real changes - or at least nothing that would make a difference to where you should spectate.
They shifted the esses leading into the pit straight to be a couple of hundred yerds earlier, thats all.

[danmon]

There is non noticable from a spectators viewpoint, the only change being that the chicane has been relocated back to where the G.P used to join the national circuit. The new chicane is tighter on the way in and less tight on the exit compared to the orginal.

There is no viewing at this area whatsover at the moment.

The trenches that DVLL dug across the circuit have been filled in and smoothed over.

All run off areas and gravel traps are as they where, apart from there is now an earth bank to hit at the N/S of the craner curves, where DVLL where going to build the new circuit, although this is a long way from the actual race circuit and there is now a barrier close to the circuit edege between Mcleans and Coppice to provent cars running off where the land is constantly subsiding around the famous DVLL tunnell.

[The Wookie]

touring fan said:

There are no real changes - or at least nothing that would make a difference to where you should spectate.

Sorry I should have added that I mean from a driving perspective

danmon said:

there is now a barrier close to the circuit edege between Mcleans and Coppice to provent cars running off where the land is constantly subsiding around the famous DVLL tunnell.

Thanks for all the info! They'd slung in a fairly unforgiving (and temporary) looking concrete retaining wall on the left hand side of the track before Coppice last year, does this sound like the item you speak of or have we got a proper barrier this time?

[mybrainhurts]

It's DONINGTON, you 'tard...

[danmon]

It's a brand new metal barrier this time at less of an angle than the one that caused trouble last year.
It's on the inside between Mcleans and Coppice and comes short of about a foot to the circuit edge.

[The Wookie]

danmon said:

It's a brand new metal barrier this time at less of an angle than the one that caused trouble last year.
It's on the inside between Mcleans and Coppice and comes short of about a foot to the circuit edge.

Great thanks for the info!

[darren9]

Thanks for the info everyone, turns out I'll be watching from home as my mates working anyway.

[footsoldier]

The only difference to track is moving if chicane 100m closer to Coppice. The exit kerbs are in the wrong place though - they have put new kerbs further back on pit straight, to line up with earlier chicane exit, then there is a gap of narrow rumble strip and earth, then there is the old kerbing. The racing line takes you nicely between the two sets of kerbs and along the rumble/dirt! There will be lots of running wide/sideways there.

It means you would need shorter gear on 'dunlop straight', but will be going into Redgate quicker than before.

The new bit of tarmac at the chicane is relatively grippy in the wet. Exit of coppice is lots of earth, and I wouldn't want to go off there and dig in...

I'd be interested to know what the new chicane has done to lap times. Was there on a track day, so not much chance to get flat out times to compare.

Edited by footsoldier on Monday 13th September 21:24