York raceway

[marT350T]

Involved in a discussion on another forum and I thought I would get some views off here.

Why is York not as popular as it used to be.

Is it just most people are closer to the pod or shakey or is there some other reason ie track, facilites etc etc

Views please.

[Furyous]

Combination of things would be my guess.

The sport has moved onwards and upwards in the last few years, and the pro stuff is now only based at the pod.

York to me is a locals rwyb track and nothing else really.

[kissmyrs]

York has very little in the way of facilities, but it does have the best atmosphere of just about any UK track (in my humble opinion).
Very reminiscent of Santa Pod in the early 80's.

Problem lies with cash I think. The track isn't well prepared and has very little run-off. The return road is rough, so any low/hard car is shaken to bits!

It's catch 22. To get better facilities you need more racers & spectators, but to get more racers & spectators you need better facilities.

[kestral]

[quote=kissmyrs]York has very little in the way of facilities, but it does have the best atmosphere of just about any UK track (in my humble opinion).
Very reminiscent of Santa Pod in the early 80's.

I could not agree more. I hope it never gets like the Pod has.

[v8 jago]

Ive found out that murt doesnt own the track, its just leasd of the farmer who also lets rally stages take place there so thats why there is pot holes and lots of gravel and rough ground on it.
There are buying new timing equipment and im not 100% but i think they are getting timing boards too. On there work party they are going to resurfice the burn out area. It may be the most they have done in years, BUT i suppose you have to start somewhere. I saw the supercharged outlaws last year and they were the buisness to watch. Lets hope they keep coming every year and it would be good if some more similar classes decided to come and race up north too

[WB Sid]

not sure what the wild bunch are doing there this year but ill be up (sorry across)there a couple of times this season.


ill be fitting an off road sump to my car but ill be there!..

there would be a lot more people who will moan if it wasnt there at all.

support all tracks while you still can.??

sid.

[cougarracing]

yeh hopefully ill make it up there this year too, ive always wanted to race at york, plus i can enter the sportsman et championship up there so it adds a little more competition to my rwybs

[johnthan]

its not to far from me so will be doing some rwyb,
also if wb guys are runnign prob eb there to see the car sid, thats if your sid from destiny, i work with dale haha

[MotorPsycho]

kestral said:

kissmyrs said:

York has very little in the way of facilities, but it does have the best atmosphere of just about any UK track (in my humble opinion).
Very reminiscent of Santa Pod in the early 80's.

I could not agree more. I hope it never gets like the Pod has.

you hope it's never successful, well facilitated - the best in Europe and better than a vast majority of non NHRA US tracks, events running pretty much every weekend between January and November. How odd.

A bit like saying I hope my car is never as fast as X's car

Edited by MotorPsycho on Tuesday 29th January 11:41

[Flying Toilet]

kestral said:

kissmyrs said:

York has very little in the way of facilities, but it does have the best atmosphere of just about any UK track (in my humble opinion).
Very reminiscent of Santa Pod in the early 80's.

I could not agree more. I hope it never gets like the Pod has.

These were found on the Bank at Santa Pod in 1981, are they yours?

[cougarracing]

ROFL.....i do see your point though, shakespere has more character than santa pod, that said i wouldnt want santa pod to be like shakespere,its nice to have a bit of both

[CRR]

v8 jago said:

Ive found out that murt doesnt own the track, its just leasd of the farmer who also lets rally stages take place there so thats why there is pot holes and lots of gravel and rough ground on it.

Steve Murty never has owned the facilities which is a popular misconception. I remember him telling me about 15 years ago, he only had a "gentlemans agreement" with the farmer to use the track.

[v8 jago]

CRR said:

v8 jago said:

Ive found out that murt doesnt own the track, its just leasd of the farmer who also lets rally stages take place there so thats why there is pot holes and lots of gravel and rough ground on it.

Steve Murty never has owned the facilities which is a popular misconception. I remember him telling me about 15 years ago, he only had a "gentlemans agreement" with the farmer to use the track.

Its a shame that he couldnt buy the place as i think it could be made very popular again if he owned it then he might of concidered doing work at the place to make it everyones standard.
Like people say ! Make the most of the local (for some), freindly track and enjoy it while we have the use of it.

[kissmyrs]

Flying Toilet said:

kestral said:

kissmyrs said:

York has very little in the way of facilities, but it does have the best atmosphere of just about any UK track (in my humble opinion).
Very reminiscent of Santa Pod in the early 80's.

I could not agree more. I hope it never gets like the Pod has.

These were found on the Bank at Santa Pod in 1981, are they yours?

No......But I'm prepared to make you an offer!

[BB-Q]

In my humble opinion, the fast and furious generation are possibly the catalyst that could eventually drag (sic) drag racing back towards the mainstream. If that does happen then we'll need every strip we can find to satisfy demand. I was thinking the other day that an advertising campaign with someone like Frosty (the most publically prominent guy we have) in it to show that his car has bonkers hp but that he doesn't race it on the road would be a good bit of road safety stuff to keep the suits happy but also a massive promotion for drag racing.

I'm no promotor so it's just an idea, but I do think the sport could gain in popularity and mainstream image with just a few important promotional demos. I've though about trying to organise something on Blackpool's prom (Blackpool is seriously interested in anything that will raise it's profile and millions have been spent re-doing the sea front) but the road is in no way smooth enough and the promenade area is an unknown until completed.

Given todays congested roads and travel times, it would be a crying shame if York ever had to close due to lack of support.

Sorry- I'm rambling again.

Edited by BB-Q on Tuesday 29th January 21:53

[peterwalters]

Kissmyrs how can you say that?

if someone put a lot of money into it, it could be amazing....no sound curfews for a start!

its a shame its so far to go for us cider boys!

[marT350T]

BB-Q said:

In my humble opinion, the fast and furious generation are possibly the catalyst that could eventually drag (sic) drag racing back towards the mainstream. If that does happen then we'll need every strip we can find to satisfy demand. I was thinking the other day that an advertising campaign with someone like Frosty (the most publically prominent guy we have) in it to show that his car has bonkers hp but that he doesn't race it on the road would be a good bit of road safety stuff to keep the suits happy but also a massive promotion for drag racing.

I'm no promotor so it's just an idea, but I do think the sport could gain in popularity and mainstream image with just a few important promotional demos. I've though about trying to organise something on Blackpool's prom (Blackpool is seriously interested in anything that will raise it's profile and millions have been spent re-doing the sea front) but the road is in no way smooth enough and the promenade area is an unknown until completed.

Given todays congested roads and travel times, it would be a crying shame if York ever had to close due to lack of support.

Sorry- I'm rambling again.

Edited by BB-Q on Tuesday 29th January 21:53

Yeah I think that would be a great idea of increase the awareness of drag racing.
I have been to Blackpool a few times with the TVR car and I agree this would make a good place to do it !

[CRR]

BB-Q said:

I've though about trying to organise something on Blackpool's prom (Blackpool is seriously interested in anything that will raise it's profile and millions have been spent re-doing the sea front) but the road is in no way smooth enough and the promenade area is an unknown until completed.

Blackpool has been done before. Back in the 1960's, there were both motorcycle and car sprint meetings held on the promenade. Not sure when or why they ended, but they obviously ended for a reason, so it's very unlikely that they would ever be reinstated, particularly in today's H & S concious society.

[johnthan]

there is still a big rally in blackpool on the promenade, dont think theres a prob with the h&s

i think a campaign to promtoe drag racing would be good.
this fast and furours generation (btw im admin and run a modified car website, the fast and furious geneation, we are big and repected www.kroozinnorthwest.co.uk)would benefit, there are alot of people who spped, race etc on the public road. if somewhere liek york was to push a campaign alongside with someone, say police or whatever, but and heres the but, cost were affordaable, as lot of people cannot keep spending the fuel, then 30 quid to race etc, i think it would be a success.
a series with classes for example, alot of people ahve 1.2, 1.4 engines etc, i have thought about a series like this but i will never be able to do it, but something like that could bring the generation to yourk.

my 2p anyways, proba load of crap tho haha

[CRR]

johnthan said:

there is still a big rally in blackpool on the promenade, dont think theres a prob with the h&s

A rally is completely different to 2 lane quarter mile drag racing on a seafront promenade. With respect Johnthan, I don't think you have much idea of what you are proposing.