This week's Motorsport News
Discussion
I read with interest Matt James' page in Motorsport News about his trip to Arlington Stadium, near Eastbourne to watch Banger Racing. Matt states that thousands packed in on a wet Wednesday evening to watch the entertainment. He goes on to say that some circuit owners might learn a thing or two if they pop down to Eastbourne on a Wednesday night.
In a previous post we have heard what various drivers want; but what do genuine fans want to see?
In a previous post we have heard what various drivers want; but what do genuine fans want to see?
Its the same with the banger racing at grimsby/skeggy
always packed.. ok the holiday camps help but the big differenc is ADVERTISING... a show car driving around all week telling people whats going on. plus its onkly a fiver to get in and the food/ beer doesnt need a bank loan. at one namless race track i paid £1 for a fecking mars bar... and thats normal size not a king size and 1.50 for an instant coffee..
G
always packed.. ok the holiday camps help but the big differenc is ADVERTISING... a show car driving around all week telling people whats going on. plus its onkly a fiver to get in and the food/ beer doesnt need a bank loan. at one namless race track i paid £1 for a fecking mars bar... and thats normal size not a king size and 1.50 for an instant coffee..
G
Arlington is (was) a good circuit. We used to race there, Wimbledon, Aldershot and had a 3rd in the british stock car championships in our first year at Ipswich.
Aldershot used to be like a farm track, Wimbledon 6 inches deep in shale but Arlington and Ipswich were great, good surface to race on and good facilities for teams.
However, for the fans circuits could learn a lot from Wimbledon, good stands, good boxes if you wanted them, and most of all a PA system that you could understand.
I'm going back a few years now so it could all have changed!
Aldershot used to be like a farm track, Wimbledon 6 inches deep in shale but Arlington and Ipswich were great, good surface to race on and good facilities for teams.
However, for the fans circuits could learn a lot from Wimbledon, good stands, good boxes if you wanted them, and most of all a PA system that you could understand.
I'm going back a few years now so it could all have changed!
James, the things I love to watch are close exciting racing, overtaking and at circuits with good viewing.
Anybody who wants to know how to run a popular race meeting only needs to go to the revival at Goodwood.
The radio they hand out at the revival with the programme is great and with the video screens the view is unrivaled.
Anybody who wants to know how to run a popular race meeting only needs to go to the revival at Goodwood.
The radio they hand out at the revival with the programme is great and with the video screens the view is unrivaled.
Goodwood is a very popular event, but how many people go home from it thinking "ooh now i have been to a Goodwood, i really should think about going to mallory park on a cold weekend in March!" A problem lies in getting people through the gates at regular meetings and thus the MSA have to try harder to justify putting racing fees up!
Goodwood is a succesful event but has become a bit of a celebrity parade rather than a race meeting, dont get me wrong, the cars are driven hard, but only by a small majority of the drivers. A guy in Octane wrote about the Festival of Speed and people kept asking for his autograph as he had a race suit on. He told them he wasnt famous and he was just a journalist but they still gave him programmes and things to sign....
Sorry, I just get fed up at those meetings where people have no interest in the cars but want to get a shitty cap signed by someone they think is famous but have no idea who they are or why everyone else wants their autograph...
A lot of the same cars at Goodwood are at many other events in the UK throughout the year but some clever marketing has people think that goodwood is the only event they will see such cars.
I turned up to a clubbie event at castle combe this year and it turned out to be a classic race day. Jackie Oliver was there in a lairy Mustang and "CUT 7" was also being raced. And thats not even mentioning the VSCC race days, the HSCC racedays, hillclimbs, the excellent "top hat/cloth cap" races, the "See Red" festival..
Goodwood is a succesful event but has become a bit of a celebrity parade rather than a race meeting, dont get me wrong, the cars are driven hard, but only by a small majority of the drivers. A guy in Octane wrote about the Festival of Speed and people kept asking for his autograph as he had a race suit on. He told them he wasnt famous and he was just a journalist but they still gave him programmes and things to sign....
Sorry, I just get fed up at those meetings where people have no interest in the cars but want to get a shitty cap signed by someone they think is famous but have no idea who they are or why everyone else wants their autograph...
A lot of the same cars at Goodwood are at many other events in the UK throughout the year but some clever marketing has people think that goodwood is the only event they will see such cars.
I turned up to a clubbie event at castle combe this year and it turned out to be a classic race day. Jackie Oliver was there in a lairy Mustang and "CUT 7" was also being raced. And thats not even mentioning the VSCC race days, the HSCC racedays, hillclimbs, the excellent "top hat/cloth cap" races, the "See Red" festival..
I think marketing is part of it, but also a lot harder for the tracks that are essentially in the middle of nowhere. And yes, the refreshments tend to be stupidly expensive. But to my mind there are a few things that really make life hard for most tracks:
1) there are few venues which offer a good view of most/all of the track. If they do it is only from selected positions.
2) lack of grandstands - as a result they often charge (often stupid money)
3) many circuits get pretty cold even in the summer
4) in most race series, the idea is to avoid the other competitors - much of the public can't appreciate racing that doesn't involve cars hitting the scenery.
1) there are few venues which offer a good view of most/all of the track. If they do it is only from selected positions.
2) lack of grandstands - as a result they often charge (often stupid money)
3) many circuits get pretty cold even in the summer
4) in most race series, the idea is to avoid the other competitors - much of the public can't appreciate racing that doesn't involve cars hitting the scenery.
I saw some truck racing at Thruxton earlier this year and the drivers use the post-chequered flag lap to play-up to the crowd, doing power slides through the complex and doing doughnuts. Most entertaining. They seem to realise they are putting on a show for the punters, rather than just racing for results.
You're not comparing like with like though guys. Arlington is a 1/4 mile oval, from anywhere inside the stadium you can see the whole curcuit, the other thing that makes it worthwhile watching is the amount of cars racing - perhaps up to 30 at a time, the racing is closeand sometimes there is contact. The key is you can see 'your' car for the duration of the race and keep tabs on it's progress. It's also reletively cheap to get the whole family in.
Goodwood/Thruxton and the others are completely different as you only get to see a smallportion of the track, the circuits are long so once 'your' car has passed it's another minute or so before you get to see it for 2 seconds. Also you can't get your whole family in as you would have to have sold your granny at the gate to buy a family ticket.
Goodwood/Thruxton and the others are completely different as you only get to see a smallportion of the track, the circuits are long so once 'your' car has passed it's another minute or so before you get to see it for 2 seconds. Also you can't get your whole family in as you would have to have sold your granny at the gate to buy a family ticket.
V8 Archie said:
I think marketing is part of it, but also a lot harder for the tracks that are essentially in the middle of nowhere. And yes, the refreshments tend to be stupidly expensive. But to my mind there are a few things that really make life hard for most tracks:
1) there are few venues which offer a good view of most/all of the track. If they do it is only from selected positions.
2) lack of grandstands - as a result they often charge (often stupid money)
3) many circuits get pretty cold even in the summer
4) in most race series, the idea is to avoid the other competitors - much of the public can't appreciate racing that doesn't involve cars hitting the scenery.
I understand your points, but even if they reduced prices, ex-airfield circuits will always be exposed to weather, in the middle of nowhere etc. I mean, i've never stood at Becketts during BTCC events at silverstone and not been chilly! Unless i have real bad luck with the weather...
Of course this is why Oval racing took off in the US. Rockingham over heare s a fantastic facility but its not been a runaway success, has it?
jimmyc412t2 said:Precisely my point. The traditional circuits cannot compete with some aspects of oval circuits - mainly in areas that make (the ovals) more family friendly and comfortable. What is more they will never be able to compete in these areas.
I understand your points, but even if they reduced prices, ex-airfield circuits will always be exposed to weather, in the middle of nowhere etc. I mean, i've never stood at Becketts during BTCC events at silverstone and not been chilly! Unless i have real bad luck with the weather...
jimmyc412t2 said:I got the impression that Rockingham was doing pretty well.
Of course this is why Oval racing took off in the US. Rockingham over heare s a fantastic facility but its not been a runaway success, has it?
The notion that oval racing "took off" in the USA BECAUSE it was crowd pleasing is not quite right. In fact, that rather puts the cart befor the horse.
Oval racing in America goes right back to the dawn of motor racing in that country - and is mainly a reflection of the more commercial approach the Americans brought to motor racing right from the beginning. After WW1, most American racing was done on wooden or dirt fairground type sites - the drivers were travelling showmen and the whole set up was more like a travelling circus or carnival than a motor race. Most of the drivers were poor and scrabbled a living out of their racing. Putting on a show for the public was vital to make sure they came back the next time the "good ol' boys" were back in town. It has to be seen in that context.
In Europe, motor racing was mainly the preserve of wealthy amateur gentlemen racers (usually from European aristocracy, often Royalty) with the odd factory run professional. The racing was for the sake of the drivers and entrants - not so much the spectators. Publicity was important but mainly took the form of trumpeting victories after the event.
I think that part of F1's current dismissive atitude to the motor racing fan is really just a continuation of the old "snobbish" atitude so perfectly exemplified by the Brooklands motto, "The right crowd...and no crowding".
Oval racing in America goes right back to the dawn of motor racing in that country - and is mainly a reflection of the more commercial approach the Americans brought to motor racing right from the beginning. After WW1, most American racing was done on wooden or dirt fairground type sites - the drivers were travelling showmen and the whole set up was more like a travelling circus or carnival than a motor race. Most of the drivers were poor and scrabbled a living out of their racing. Putting on a show for the public was vital to make sure they came back the next time the "good ol' boys" were back in town. It has to be seen in that context.
In Europe, motor racing was mainly the preserve of wealthy amateur gentlemen racers (usually from European aristocracy, often Royalty) with the odd factory run professional. The racing was for the sake of the drivers and entrants - not so much the spectators. Publicity was important but mainly took the form of trumpeting victories after the event.
I think that part of F1's current dismissive atitude to the motor racing fan is really just a continuation of the old "snobbish" atitude so perfectly exemplified by the Brooklands motto, "The right crowd...and no crowding".
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