Open letter to the BRSCC (Castle Combe FF1600)

[darcym]

After speaking to the BRSCC over last week, I felt a great deal happier about the way the Castle Combe FF1600 championship was being run by the BRSCC. However while I appriciate the F3/GT event this week is out of their hands to a degree, I felt the need to draft this letter as once again the FF1600 race is bottom of the list.

I would appriciate thoughts, am I being to harsh on the BRSCC ? or is this fair comment.

I will send them a letter, and I must thank the member of the BRSCC who took the time to personally contact me - that is a great attitude and it was appriciated. While I understand his hands are tied on this event, I do feel this needs to be said.

To BRSCC Southwest Chairman,


The purpose of this letter is to highlight my personal views on what I consider a genuine loss of focus to the BRSCC clubman, in particular the Castle Combe Formula Ford 1600 championship. This years efforts by the BRSCC to make the UK’s Formula Ford 1600 championships more available and effective, is northing short of excellent and the attempt to setup a national “King of Kents” championship is a real credit to the BRSCC. There are certainly things to improve on, but the BRSCC appears to be listening and taking note, which is an excellent attitude to take. Keeping this in mind I feel I must pass some comment to what I personally see as second class treatment of the regional Castle Combe Formula Ford championship. On two occasions this year the race has been cut short after five laps, while Marshal / Competitor safety is the most important thing, the reluctance to restart these races for what is in effect the shortest races on the Combe championship is becoming extremely expensive and annoying to both the regular and visiting drivers. After speaking with a senior member of the BRSCC, I was extremely happy to hear that this situation had been noted and being looked into.

On Friday I received my final instructions for the F3/GT race meeting at Castle Combe on the 20/21st June. I am appalled to find the treatment of the Castle Combe Formula Ford Championship. After being not involved in the meeting last year until the very last minute and the other Castle Combe championships having a main race day place. The Castle Combe Formula Ford championship was invited to take part when the Seat championship refused to turn up. The Formula ford race was seen as one of the best races on the day, and is regular crowd pleaser, because of the full grids and some exceptional drivers and close racing. Last year we where told that at the F3/GT meets one of the local championships would not be racing each year, taking it in turns. Last year the Formula Ford championship was not included (although as mentioned above invited at the last minute to fill the gap). This year I am disgusted to find that the Formula Ford race is racing on the Saturday when all other championships (including the Castle Combe Saloons and Special GTs) are qualifying. The day’s timings look like this for the Formula Fords.

Sign On 7:00 / 7:30
Qualifying 8:30 / 8:45
Race 16:30

So to race we have to turn up on the Friday and set up, be up before 7:00 qualify and then hang around all day (although there are some good cars qualifying) race second to last event of the day and THEN pack up and get out of the paddock as there is not enough room for us to stay there on Sunday. So pretty much the whole of Saturday is taken up with watching the F3/GT’s have free practice.


Keeping this poor planning of the time table, and the reluctance to start races, the fact that we where off the race last year until last minute does this sound like the Castle Combe championship is getting a fair run ? More so after you consider that the Special GT championship runs with approximately on average a 12 car grid?

So one of the fullest grids in the country with some of the best racing is treated log dirt on the BRSCC’s shoes (even though it stepped in to cover gaps last year and provided one of the best races of the season), the Formula Fords are the first to get up, and the last to race, and then kicked out of the paddock after sitting around all day??

I ask what justification do you have for a.) The poor impression the Formula Ford drivers have of the way they are being treated of late, and b.) The second year in succession (despite being told that the race day calendar would be rotated yearly) the Formula fords are not on the race day calendar.

I invite a response.