Britcar At Rockingham

Britcar At Rockingham

Author
Discussion

Chris Patey

Original Poster:

189 posts

205 months

Thursday 2nd August 2007
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Just realised that rockingham isn't on the Britcar calender, has britcar ever visited rockingham?

pauljc

520 posts

238 months

Thursday 2nd August 2007
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No

Henry-F

4,791 posts

246 months

Thursday 2nd August 2007
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Not sure why though, we were there a few years ago and great paddock facilities, amazing grandstand, you see the whole circuit and fairly central to the UK. I would have thought they were keen to get meetings there as well. A large combination of circuit variations available, also quite interesting as not that many people have raced there so very much an even playing field, no one`s "home" circuit.

An idea for 2008 possibly.

Do they allow camping on the circuit? (Don`t worry I`m only joking) smile

Henry

Chris Patey

Original Poster:

189 posts

205 months

Thursday 2nd August 2007
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yeah the oval probably wouldnt be very good for britcar as its far to short a track but the course they used when the touring cars where there was preety good and yeah the stands are great for seeing the whole circuit.

teamHOLDENracing

5,089 posts

268 months

Thursday 2nd August 2007
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We are there this weekend with the TVR Car Club's celebrations of 60 years of TVR. We are on the same circuit used by BTCC

Don't tell anyone, but TVRCC have pre sold some 135 camping pitches within the circuit

andy97

4,704 posts

223 months

Thursday 2nd August 2007
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Thought Rockingham was now limited to the number of days racing it could hold now - and its a very restricted number.

Chris Patey

Original Poster:

189 posts

205 months

Thursday 2nd August 2007
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I was looking at there website have lots of track days but not many events, do they have a limit then? Wouldn't it be brilliant to see britcars huge grids on that oval!!

Piglet

6,250 posts

256 months

Friday 3rd August 2007
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teamHOLDENracing said:
Don't tell anyone, but TVRCC have pre sold some 135 camping pitches within the circuit
Have they? I'm not sure there is that much grass at Rockingham that would be suitable for camping on so it might be a bit cosy!

If you're camping take rock pegs, lots of them, the ground is solid under the top layer of grass!

thunderbelmont

2,982 posts

225 months

Friday 3rd August 2007
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andy97 said:
Thought Rockingham was now limited to the number of days racing it could hold now - and its a very restricted number.
As I understand it, for 2008 there will be seven race weekends at Rockingham. That's allowing 1 for BTCC, 1 for F3/GT, 4 for BRSCC, and 1 for "Motorfest".

With the tie-ups between the BRSCC and Britcar, if I were James, I'd be talking to Iain Brown now.

The BRSCC events actually have spectators (on the Sundays), thanks to the V8's and Pickups. Though Britcar would probably race on the Saturday when there is more track time available.

Don't forget, it's twisty, it's technical, and if you have a good car and can drive, you'll go well. If not, it's book of excuses time (blame the track!)

Rob.

Graham

16,368 posts

285 months

Monday 6th August 2007
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seven race weekends ffs thats criminal.... Rockingham is a cracking place.. They really do just want to build houses on it dont they...

why the restriction if you look on google earth its surrounded by a power station and fields... or are there max noise regs that free range chickens can be exposed to these days

madmadfurious

thunderbelmont

2,982 posts

225 months

Monday 6th August 2007
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Graham said:
seven race weekends ffs thats criminal.... Rockingham is a cracking place.. They really do just want to build houses on it dont they...

why the restriction if you look on google earth its surrounded by a power station and fields... or are there max noise regs that free range chickens can be exposed to these days

madmadfurious
AFAIK, it's a local agreement between the council and the circuit as to how many weekends racing they have there. There could be more if they ask, I'm sure.

There is to be more development around the area, much of it will be industrial, but there will be a lot of houses, and if they are true to their word, those houses will be sold with a covenant that "The circuit was there first - live with it of move somewhere else!"

Rob.

Scuffers

20,887 posts

275 months

Monday 6th August 2007
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thunderbelmont said:
AFAIK, it's a local agreement between the council and the circuit as to how many weekends racing they have there. There could be more if they ask, I'm sure.
more to it than this, Rockingham is owned by a housing developer, they want to build 30,000 homes around there in time...

they can't shut the cct as the deeds state it had to hold X number of events per year for some 30 years..... so, they are running to the letter of this.

it's a long way from Peter's dream.....

kenthardy

143 posts

206 months

Tuesday 7th August 2007
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Scuffers said:
thunderbelmont said:
AFAIK, it's a local agreement between the council and the circuit as to how many weekends racing they have there. There could be more if they ask, I'm sure.
more to it than this, Rockingham is owned by a housing developer, they want to build 30,000 homes around there in time...

they can't shut the cct as the deeds state it had to hold X number of events per year for some 30 years..... so, they are running to the letter of this.

it's a long way from Peter's dream.....
There is a village over in the direction beyond Turn 3-4 which (as legend has it) Guy Hands and Co who developed the circuit didnt know was there (and which also part of the legend - they tried to buy!) and the combination of their noise objections and the objections of the many companies in Corby's industrial area who operate 24/7 and who can't stand the disruptions to access (there is only one way in and out) forced the Council (who were not onside with the project anyway) to enforce limited use.

The possibility of more events 'if they ask' is frankly a pipe dream.


Scuffers

20,887 posts

275 months

Wednesday 8th August 2007
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kenthardy said:
Scuffers said:
thunderbelmont said:
AFAIK, it's a local agreement between the council and the circuit as to how many weekends racing they have there. There could be more if they ask, I'm sure.
more to it than this, Rockingham is owned by a housing developer, they want to build 30,000 homes around there in time...

they can't shut the cct as the deeds state it had to hold X number of events per year for some 30 years..... so, they are running to the letter of this.

it's a long way from Peter's dream.....
There is a village over in the direction beyond Turn 3-4 which (as legend has it) Guy Hands and Co who developed the circuit didn’t know was there (and which also part of the legend - they tried to buy!) and the combination of their noise objections and the objections of the many companies in Corby's industrial area who operate 24/7 and who can't stand the disruptions to access (there is only one way in and out) forced the Council (who were not onside with the project anyway) to enforce limited use.

The possibility of more events 'if they ask' is frankly a pipe dream.
that's NOT the issue (Gretton is the name of the place BTW, and they have been bitching on about it from day 1)

The cct was the brainchild of Peter Davis, who invested almost 10 years of his life to create it, only to have his leggs cut out from under him just before it was completed.

it's basically been on a downward spiral since then, (not helped by Northants CC (and Silverstone??) sabotaging the Indy-car visit (they dug up every main trunk road to the cct on that weekend)).

It’s was then brought by BMW, then sold to Corby Developments Ltd (CDL).

CDL are a housing development company, they have several high profile housing applications in for the area around the cct (and we are not talking small, most are 5000+ house plans).

Do the maths….

Henry-F

4,791 posts

246 months

Wednesday 8th August 2007
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Isn`t it a shame that we let a facility like this wither away. The local area was / still is blighted when the steel works closed down and here is / was a chance to put the place on the map. As an entertainment venue it is almost unique. From a financial perspective, from a local amenity perspective and from a pride in the community perspective it has the potential to hit the moon.

Say Wembley and what do you think - state of the art stadium which will re-ignite regeneration in the area. (When in reality the place is a shithole).

Say Corby and what do you think - a shithole of a place with a huge scrapyard as you enter on the left hand side. You ought to be thinking a European entertainment venue that excites you every time you think of turning up to a function.

Henry

Graham

16,368 posts

285 months

Wednesday 8th August 2007
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It'll be a huge pity when it gets pulled down. The TVR event last weekend was great and I really like the track... this was the 5th time i've raced there and the 5th different layout!!!!

cant we get it listed ? as a site of historical importance?


thunderbelmont

2,982 posts

225 months

Thursday 9th August 2007
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Simon, and others.

CDL is a company wholly owned by Bee Bee Developments - which is owned by Alfred Buller, the Irish property developer & race horse enthusiast.

Alfie wants to see the circuit thrive, we know that (those of us who race there regularly).

The Gretton issue is a bugbear, yes, and initally the council were not over helpful, yet they have seen the benefits of the place since it opened and have thawed towards it. 30 days of racing is quite a lot, that's 15 weekends, which is a lot more than the current 7 that are "used".

Henry - the scrapyard - no, that's GEFCO's UK distribution depot. Those Renaults, Peugeots and Citroens are not scrap (yet). Oh, you didn't mean there? Sorry!

Corby is the arsehole of Northamptonshire at the moment, and the council (CC and town) is spending piles of cash to try and turn it around. When the steelworks shut, that put a lot of fine Scotsmen (and women) out of work, and Corby Council is bending over backwards to get long term employers into the town to provide work.

The regional development agencies are more likely to pile money into Corby because of it's social problems than they are to spend ten bob on Silverstone, regardless of what the BRDC thinks, wants, needs, or deserves!

Now, BMW didn't own the circuit. The became a major investor, and piled more money into it. When they backed out, that left Joe Dickinson with a big hole in his finances, hence selling up.

Alfie paid a pittance for the circuit, and the first developments, on the side of the Phoenix Parkway, will probably cover that cost in one hit, with quite a lot more to come. I forget how many hundred acres of developement ground came with the circuit, but it is plenty of space for lots more.

Henry-F

4,791 posts

246 months

Thursday 9th August 2007
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I do hope the place thrives. Mr Palmer clearly thinks a race circuit is a good place to base industrial units on (and he doesn`t go throwing money around with the gay abandon you might expect for a man with a hellichopter). I think it could encourage some quality employers into the area. Imagine getting an F1 team to locate there - wow that would be handy.

We`ll see.

Henry