Racetracks - Unidentified Revenue Streams

[motorhole]

Bear with me on this - I'm not a club cyclist and I don't know much about it tbh, but a couple of my colleagues are and I just thought about this. Open time trials take place on the public road, I was horrified to find. And marshalled races require closed roads and the general rigmarole that comes with it.

Given that many racetracks have limited times at which they can operate due to noise limitations - to the point where some are struggling to break even - and they hardly spend 12 hours a day every day operating - why not open the track to cycling clubs for open time trials, racing and the like?

Track wear would be negligible. You're not taking track time away from motoring related activities if you run at times where noise would be anti-social or disallowed. It's a safe environment for cyclists to push as hard as they like and for once they can use the full width of the road.

Could a few hundred cyclists at a time paying reasonable entry fees result in a profitable income when otherwise the track is sat around doing nothing?

I await the flaming...

[ewenm]

Castle Combe circuit already do this. You'd need to get the local cycle clubs (racers rather than recreational) to buy into it as they will understand the requirements far better than motorsport people. I suspect they'd be keen on a local traffic-free venue.

[PanzerCommander]

Personally I think it’s a great idea, more revenue for the track and a safe environment for all. I believe there are cycle events/races at the Nürburgring.

[Toaster Pilot]

Great idea - I imagine there's some kind of health and safety requirement that would mean it'd end up costing as much to run as a motor event though

[marshalla]

ewenm said:

Castle Combe circuit already do this. You'd need to get the local cycle clubs (racers rather than recreational) to buy into it as they will understand the requirements far better than motorsport people. I suspect they'd be keen on a local traffic-free venue.

Croft do it too.

Bear in mind, though, that *some* of the locals will complain about increased traffic volumes on cycling days & the excessive noise from the spectators' sandwich wrappers.

[Toaster Pilot]

marshalla said:

excessive noise from the spectators' sandwich wrappers.

[Presuming Ed]

Circuits tend to be twisty in their nature which doesn't lend itself to time trialling. Rockingham on the other hand.

[TobyLaRohne]

I dont think it is an uncommon practice, you can even do this kind of thing out here in Qatar at Losail, every trackday has a pushbike, motorbike then car session.

[ewenm]

Castle Combe also hold running and duathlon events as well as regular cycling events.

[JQ]

Oulton Park have duathlons and Donnington also do open evenings for cycling which are free.

[P-Jay]

Presuming Ed said:

Circuits tend to be twisty in their nature which doesn't lend itself to time trialling. Rockingham on the other hand.

Yeah, but TT bikes can be steered, it wouldn't be the end of the world.

[motorhole]

Thanks for the responses Now I need to convince my buddies to get themselves to Oulton I guess...

[ExPat2B]

This is a total non starter, cycle clubs relish holding up other traffic and displaying their lycra clad junk to the general public.

To put them somewhere safe and pleasant for everyone runs totally contrary to their aims and ambitions.

[ewenm]

[Sensibleboy]

Me thinks a bike can handle corners on a track nicely. It might be twisty at 90 mph but at 30 mph it's no problem. Just a shame they are relatively flat.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

biggest problem i'd imagine would be everyone wanting peak times-saturdays & sundays so to speak.

i'd also be wary of giving the tossers an inch as well if i'm honest-before you know it our circuits will be the sole prevail of the lycra clad ones & we'll be booted out.

i'm only half joking by the way-if local nimbys get used to the near silent clicking of freewheels rather than tortured slicks & V8s how long will it be before they try & push for even more reduced loud days?

[P-Jay]

ExPat2B said:

This is a total non starter, cycle clubs relish holding up other traffic and displaying their lycra clad junk to the general public.

To put them somewhere safe and pleasant for everyone runs totally contrary to their aims and ambitions.

I know you're joking, but even as a dyed in the wool cyclist the actions of some of my fellow-riders defies logic.

Ajax Cardiff riders, why on earth do you insist on riding around Coryton Roundabout - supposedly the largest roundabout in Europe and more like a 4 lane motorway on a 5 mile oval than what most people would think as a 'roundabout', there are signs clearly showing cycles are banned, it's verging on suicidal AND there's a bloody lovely network of cycle lanes than run in every convincible direction underneath it.

[anonymous-user]

ExPat2B said:

This is a total non starter, cycle clubs relish holding up other traffic and displaying their lycra clad junk to the general public.

To put them somewhere safe and pleasant for everyone runs totally contrary to their aims and ambitions.

Aww, did the insecurity bus drive into you today?

Thruxton, Coombe, Rockingham all have regular races.

[ewenm]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

biggest problem i'd imagine would be everyone wanting peak times-saturdays & sundays so to speak.

i'd also be wary of giving the tossers an inch as well if i'm honest-before you know it our circuits will be the sole prevail of the lycra clad ones & we'll be booted out.

i'm only half joking by the way-if local nimbys get used to the near silent clicking of freewheels rather than tortured slicks & V8s how long will it be before they try & push for even more reduced loud days?

Mainly weekday evenings at Castle Combe, with some weekend events. The circuit plans its motorsport calendar and can then offer free days/evenings to other groups.

[mad4amanda]

Brands used to have a regular race night for cyclists (I used to go in the 80s) but I think the cyclists objected to paying for it so it died.
There are still several charity events every year the next is this:
http://news.brandshatch.co.uk/cycle-brands-hatch-f...