Rockingham to cut race days.

[nicol@]

Heard on Anglia news this morning that Rockingham are cutting their race days from 60 down to 18.

Does anyone know why they have done this?
The news mentioned more high speed testing, but I don't know if that was in place of race days.

[scuffham]

Rockingham is now owened by a housing development company...

they are planning something like 12,000 houses round there in the next few years, quickest way to control the noise issue was to buy the cct.

[Piglet]

AFAIK Rockingham is only scheduled to run something like 12 race days this year anyway and didn't run many more than that last year.

I think they've lost the BMW corporate day contract though which I'm imagine brought in much more money than the race days.

Sadly it's living on borrowed time I think.

[micron750]

Well if noise comes into it thae you know what happend at castle combe people will complain and it seem's councils take notice of complaints about so called excessive noise even though it maybe only a few day's a year.

[nicol@]

So houses will be built near the circuit, people will complain about the noise and the place will close down.

Personally I am surprised Rockingham has lasted this long anyway, they must be making huge losses.

(but I did enjoy my last visit there in December)

[scuffham]

nicol@ said:

So houses will be built near the circuit, people will complain about the noise and the place will close down. Personally I am surprised Rockingham has lasted this long anyway, they must be making huge losses. (but I did enjoy my last visit there in December)

yup, Rockingham was doomed from the moment Silverstone and Northants County Council conspired to dig up all the main trunk roads to the cct the last time Indy Cart was there, thus ensuring that the gate was patheric (nobody could get there). supprise supprise, Indy never came back...

[Racylady]

Losing the BMW contract will be a big loss I would imagine.

It will be a great shame if it ends up closing down. I really enjoyed racing there last year - crap amount of spectators but great fun circuit. Unfortunately, the Ginetta's is one of those championships that won't be going back there this year.

[nicol@]

Why has the publicity for Rockingham events been so minimal (regardless of who is in charge)?

The place will never get filled if the average person does not know about the events.

[zumbruk]

Interesting that BaT have just signed up for track days there;

http://bookatrack.com/

[Don]

Its a crying shame.

Took a lot of balls to build a facility like Rockingham to host, basically, one big event a year.

Then to have that big event taken away. I know the track didn't dry out like it should. I know that the UK is a crap place to hold a race that they have to stop if it's wet. Its still a crying shame.

I've only been to one race there as a spectator - but thought it was great. Streets ahead of Silverstone.

Terrible.

[groomi]

Don said:

Its a crying shame. Took a lot of balls to build a facility like Rockingham to host, basically, one big event a year. Then to have that big event taken away. I know the track didn't dry out like it should. I know that the UK is a crap place to hold a race that they have to stop if it's wet. Its still a crying shame. I've only been to one race there as a spectator - but thought it was great. Streets ahead of Silverstone. Terrible.

Agreed. I was there for the indy visit adn it was half empty then. Mind you, the rocket powered hair-dryers used for controling the moisture that was seeping up through the tarmac were amazing!

[mindgam3]

Indeed, the track might not be the best in the world, but its got the best facilities of any track in britain...