What a downer

[Crash Test]

What is the worst event you have ever been to?

Be it the track and its facilities, the weather, the action, the food, other spectators, what is it that has ticked you off most at a race meeting?

[Mackmot]

Mine is not the worst eventive ever been to its actually the best event im cant go to.

I was going to go to Mondello park for the BTCC whichpromised to be great fun cos its Ireland (which was good when i went to Kirkistown) and at the same time all my friends from ToCA championships and my Irish friends were all gonna be there then the evil people at ToCA cancell it.

[TimD]

I've had some pretty dreadful days on the spectator banking at Snetterton, when the wind is blowing the rain in your face, and the drivers are creeping around so slowly they don't even give you the excitement of a spin.

The worst day I ever had, though, was a British GP at Silverstone. Off the top of my head, I can't remember if it was '88 or '89. It poured with rain, and Prost won. Anyway, the rain got into everything, the tent leaked, the camera got condensation in it, and to cap it all, I was on the old earth spectator bank at Woodcote when some jerk jabbed me in the face with the umbrella he was putting up, I went a - over - t backwards off the banking, and wound up in a muddy puddle, with a sprained ankle.

I've never been to a GP since.

Strangely, one of the most pleasurable days I ever had at Silverstone was one which got rained off after a lap of racing. Last year's Aston Martin OC StJohn Horsfall meeting was well attended, had some fabulous practice action, and a real fellowship spirit. When the rains came, it took a single lap for a Porsche 911 Carrera and an AC Cobra to rearrange their panelwork, and the clerk of the course called a halt.

Some of the best race stories I ever heard were told in the pit garages that afternoon, as we all clubbed together to try and rescue boxes of tools and spares from the torrent of water that was coming in from the paddock.

Bizarrely, it was a really great day out. I will cherish it.

[TimD]

Blast! Double post.

Well, I'll use it to simply add that the final reason given for cancelling the racing was the lake that had formed at Luffield.



[This message has been edited by TimD (edited 01 March 2000).]

[Dan Friel]

Worst event easily was - BTCC at Thruxton two years ago..(marshalling).

Practice day, rain, cold, half hour practice session for six Renault Spiders - started to really rain and watched all the cars (yes all six), disappear into the scenery when they hit the wet bit - spent the next 25 minutes swearing and vowing never to attend a BTCC meeting again.

Going to Brands on the 8/9 April, so it better be good!!!!

[elephino]

I haven't really been to any motorsport event that I would call bad. There have been bad aspects (such as 40+ degree heat and no shade) but the actual meeting was interesting, if only as I was competing.

The bad weather I have been in I have enjoyed as I get some nice photos of spray off the tyres. Bad food is normal at Australian tracks. The worst other spectator I have come across was at Rally Australia, he was standing about 6 feet away from a fence, so I stood in front but slightly to the side of him. He then made a comment to someone else about me, and then when the car was coming he tried to push me out the way. I still took the photo (you can't stop me taking photos ). If he had asked me to move I would have. Obviously I moved on, but damn it was a good photo, I really wanted to take more. It is actually in the gallery here, it is of the Focus from head on with a large amount of dust behind.

[Invader]

Hednesford....bangers....hypothermia....made Silverstone BTCC 1999 look like Tenerife!

[TimD]

If that was this January's "Civil War", Invader, serves you right for being anything at all to do with the killing of that Jaguar XJ-S Eventer Estate.

Was that really you being cruel to a Riley 4/72 last year?

Naughty boy. We classic car fans have long memories.

[Liz]

Fontana this year when Greg Moore was killed. Even before that, Fontana was a thankless, rotten, grasping and greedy track (100 degree temperatures and no water fountains - and the water they SOLD was $3 US per bottle) and boring as it could be, compared to Toronto. But then came Greg's accident. I will never go back there again.

[Carrie]

I wouldn't say any whole race event was a complete disaster, but here's my list. 1996 British GP, got there early, but still couldn't find anywhere where I could actually see the track. I ended up watching the GP on a TV on the Coys stand at the back of the Pits grandstand along with a lot of other people who'd found themselves in the same situation In terms of getting soaked to the skin at a race I thought the 1998 British GP would take some beating, but standing at Abbey for the final rounds of the BTCC last year beat that easily!!
In terms of events at the track then the worst has to have been getting home from a great day Oulton Park to hear on the radio that Neil Shanahan had been killed in the FFord race

[Carrie]

I'd forgotten the sweaty barmaid from hell at Thruxton - now she was frightening!!! Maybe a warning about that needs adding to the Thruxton circuit guide
And to think, people took the rip out of me at Snetterton for not having the barbeque food

[This message has been edited by Carrie (edited 05 March 2000).]

[Mackmot]

I agree with Carrie about the Neol Shanahan race, it made me feel real bad cos i said to my mates beforehand that it would be good if the Van Diemans crashed out.

It was also bad at Oulton later in the year when i heard that Gonzo had died cos he was such a friendly driver.

I dont like Oulton anymore.

[Invader]

Very luckily I have never been at a meeting where anyone has been killed...thanks for that.

I can only agree with Carrie and Fatbloke, food poisoning and de-hydration at Snetterton and the bloody weather at Silverstone Btcc last year.

Civil War 'twas Tim but I don't drive them...the name is a coincidence.
I did comment on the XJState

[This message has been edited by Invader (edited 05 March 2000).]