British GT's 2010

[Piglet]

Oh...and grid boys, preferably in lycra

I can't tell you how twitchy that suggestion made the hoards of Powertour marketing staff

[ger80]

I like Rizla Racing Days in Holland. They have
- Dutch Supercar
- Dutch Superbike
- Superkarts
- German F3 Cup

in one race weekend. So something for everybody...

[d.rocky]

Originally Posted by ger80

I like Rizla Racing Days in Holland. They have
- Dutch Supercar
- Dutch Superbike
- Superkarts
- German F3 Cup

in one race weekend. So something for everybody...

in a facebook style.... 'Rob likes this'

[ger80]

some pics here
http://www.theraceforum.com/index.cf...=pa&pa_id=5057

[d.rocky]

ive got a copy of the DSC/Mosler challenge review book from 2008 which by the way is really well produced(very professional, amazing photography) and the rizla racing days look great.

BGT needs to learn from DSC if you ask me.

[RickP:Clio51]

Part of my point in my public debate with the SRO was that they needed to learn from Britcar and DSC... in value for money for entries and quality of tracks/organisation such as the Rizla.

Agreed the Rizla days are great, having won a race on that card I can tell you the fan support is awesome. They give the tickets away for that weekend at the local tobacconists as I understand and it's an annual occurance with other "man in the street" catchers like Jos the Boss waving the chequered flag/ demonstrating his Arrows or the Team Netherlands A1GP car being demonstrated etc.

I'm thinking that the route is probably:

1) One big meet early in the season with free tickets for all. Try and make people get into the series and come back and pay to watch later in the year.

2) Free entry for kids. In this economic environment expecting a family with young kids to pay out for all of them ISN'T going to happen. And where are the fans of the future coming from?

3) Pop concert on the Saturday night with onsite camping available? Try and encourage late teen's/ early 20's to make a weekend of it. The Silverstone Classic racing into the darkness then Santana immediately after was a pretty good combo. Make the first Brit GT race of the weekend a dusk/dark affair? It is after all what GT's is about...

4) As mentioned above, drivers freely available... similarly the cars need to be more accessible, hidden away behind bullsh*t boards in the garages doesn't help the kids who don't have the right to walk the pitlane. Quite how this is done with the trucks in the way etc I don't know, but it's something that could transform the show. After all, people don't want to walk the paddock to admire the trucks?
I guess short term we'd have to settle for a pitlane walk each day for all, but recalling how stupidly crowded that used to be in my Clio days I'd prefer that the teams were made to set up awnings (which they all have) and make sure cars are visible at ALL TIMES that they aren't on the track to people walking the paddock.

At the end of the day. if you have spectators, you have a better chance of sponsors. Nothing worse than organising a glorious day out for the sponsors and their families and have them sat in a hospitality looking out on a deserted grandstand knowing the tv footage will be shown at 3am on a channel they've never heard of.

Right, so we've got our crowd ideas sorted, how do we get costs down?

[Piglet]

Rick, that sounds like Rockingham

On a serious note it does sound like Rockingham (although no camping) and that didn't seem to work. Or did it? It would be interesting to know what their figures indicated. I worked at a number of SCSA meetings for two years (err 2004/5 I think) mainly whilst BARC were running the meetings and they seemed to go pretty well. I then did one year whilst the BRSCC were running them.

The first year I was there it was great, they had all the glitzy stuff by way of a warm up for the racing which I think the more casual fans like (cheerleaders, bands, stunt riders, playing of the national anthem etc. etc. and they seemed to get good punter involvement.

I especially liked the yellow and green pages in the programmes that the kids were encouraged to wave when the track was yellow and then went green - it's a small thing but I bet the kids loved it!

The problem as organisers is that all of this stuff cuts into your track time, now partially that's good as it gives you time to recover the wrecks from around the circuit when you might have down time anyway, but ultimately less track down puts up the costs per competitor. It also takes good organisers who appreciate that the punter focussed activities are important and who can balance the requirements of activities that are aimed at the punters and activities that are aimed at the competitors AND these things need to be funded in some way (BTW do you know that DTM have an official singer who goes to all their events to sing the local anthem )

I think the provision of camping is a great idea, it allows families or even groups of friends to have a decent, relatively cheap weekend away watching racing. The stumbling block is that this would need to be provided by the circuit owner and not the organising club and from what I've seen the circuit owners are (with a notable exception) not especially focussed on providing additional facilities in the hope that they will produce additional punters. As a reality providing camping costs money, it needs security (most of us have been to Le Mans...), a water supply, power, drainage and then either pemanent toilet/shower facilities or these need to be hired in. As has been said many times before the traditional relationship between circuit owner and organising club isn't helpful when it comes to promoting and providing facilities at events.

[Tim the Grey]

OK, thinking aloud, and riding the wave, to use a couple of buzz phrases...
The 'camping facilities' could be part of the SERIES organisers headache? So long as the circuit has an area that can be fenced off, they do the rest.
Yes, it has a set up cost, but it has the advantage of a known number of dates, with known venues, so they can negotiate a bulk deal up front.

Provide large video screens, and/or timing so everyone knows what's happening, all the time?

Same with chucking a radio in with the programme, preset to a frequency for the meeting? That should be a MINIMUM these days, surely? That could even be a freeby if folk booked in advance. 1 for every 2 tickets, sort of thing?

Bring on circuit catering up to a standard, maintain it, and make sure every stand sells burgers, or chips, or steakwich, at the same price. In fact, why not get Mickey D or BK involved, and THEY could act as a series sponsor?

I like the idea of free entry, but charge to get in the paddock. Make it 'Paddock Club' type deal? Maybe THEY get free programme/radio, as well as ability to see cars close up. Make it WORTH what you want to charge.

Emulate Castle Combe? Sunday lunchbreak, cars are parked on circuit, and people can go see them, from anywhere. Excellent idea. Get kids up close and personal, with cars AND drivers.

[RickP:Clio51]

Like the idea of putting cars and crowd on the circuit on the lunchbreak... makes a lot of sense to insist drivers are there suited and booted for autographs at the same time... Also I recall the first time I walked onto a circuit, which was Brands, made a huge impression just being the other side of the barriers for the first time...

Another program I've seen in action is where they pull in the school kids for a guided tour on the Friday afternoon so they can see all the cars, ask questions and then pester their parents to bring them back for the racing on the weekend.

Have we heard officially if the SRO are going to continue with Brit GT's? Or has the chalice (poisoned or otherwise) been passed?

[EastonNeston]

Knowing SRO they will announce it a few days before the first event of next season, having issued a calender for the season where every single round clashes with the BTCC or other attractive event and includes 4 meetings on car parks in Eastern Europe and Asia. All with virtually impossible logistics!

[Graham Goodwin]

It will be SRO-run again in 2010

[EastonNeston]

:-(
Will there be any competitors though?

[RickP:Clio51]

British GT's will be SRO again in 2010 Graham?

[kipper]

Originally Posted by RickP:Clio51

British GT's will be SRO again in 2010 Graham?

According to the BRSCC website. Britcar also expressed an interest in running the championship.

http://www.brscc.co.uk/latest-news/1...ritish-gt.html

[Graham Goodwin]

Originally Posted by RickP:Clio51

British GT's will be SRO again in 2010 Graham?

Yup

[RickP:Clio51]

Well you can understand the wish for continuity, let's see if the SRO take on board some of the issues that have got our flagship Championship to this state of disarray.

I was disappointed that despite the reduced entry fees the number of cars out at Brands was still poor... as I said, we'd have been there to show our support if we'd managed to resolve our power issue in time given the gesture from the SRO.

Let's hope that they find a way to equalise the cars so budgets can be sensible for 2010 and the crowds are given a decent field of cars to watch.

[Piglet]

Is that the right way around?

I thought the SRO held the rights to run BGT but only for a period of time and that they had contracted the BRSCC to run the meetings (with the exception of the MSV circuits where MSVR run the meetings). Not that the BRSCC held the promotional rights?

I'm confused...but it was all a bit cloak and dagger when the whole BMP/BRDC/Octagon stuff happened all those years ago!

[strider]

Originally Posted by Piglet

Is that the right way around?

I thought the SRO held the rights to run BGT but only for a period of time and that they had contracted the BRSCC to run the meetings (with the exception of the MSV circuits where MSVR run the meetings). Not that the BRSCC held the promotional rights?

I'm confused...but it was all a bit cloak and dagger when the whole BMP/BRDC/Octagon stuff happened all those years ago!

I believe you're correct, Piglet. SRO hold the commercial rights but have no affiliation with the MSA so they have to get the BRSCC to obtain the permit from the MSA, so in theory BRSCC has the sporting rights.

Today's quote (slightly shortened) from SRO:

Exciting plans to continue the development and growth of the Avon Tyres British GT Championship are being formulated by the SRO Motorsports Group to take both championships into the 2010 season and beyond.

Following a successful seasonal conclusion to both series at Brands Hatch last weekend, and the announcement by the British Racing and Sports Car Club that SRO remains its preferred commercial partner, SRO Motorsports Group is pressing ahead with team and competitor consultations aimed at improving not only grid sizes but also enhancing the race experience for competitors and spectators.

"I would like to thank the BRSCC for its confidence in SRO Motorsports Group as the commercial rights holder of the British GT Championship and look forward to working alongside the BRSCC again for the 2010 season," said Stephane Ratel, SRO Motorsports Group Chairman. "The Avon Tyres British GT Championship is the UK's most prestigious GT racing series and SRO will continue to develop the championship as a professional environment for the UK's leading amateur and professional GT drivers."

Said BRSCC Chairman Bernard Cottrell: "As the permit-holding club for the Avon Tyres British GT Championship, we are mindful that this is the premier championship in the UK for GT racing. Certainly the grid numbers have declined during the 2009 season and we were obliged to discuss the future of the championship with not only SRO, but also with other interested parties. Having now made the decision to retain SRO as the promoters of the championship, we believe that we now have in place a detailed plan of how we intend to rekindle interest in the championship."

Bernadette Fitzsimons, General Manager SRO Motorsports Group, added: "We have an excellent relationship with the BRSCC and we look forward to building on the development of the past six years, returning the British GT grid to its past successes."

I'm having to bite my tongue to stop myself making a comment on all that.

[EastonNeston]

I thought that development meant that something had been improved and and moved forward from the existing position.

Can someone please explain what development SRO have provided during their 6 years of running the British Gt and F3 series.

[mcreeder]

SRO released details of developements for BGT championship back in July. Think everyone here has missed that.

BGT 2010

New developments include,

More compact race weekends

Reduction to 7 Meetings

Growing of GT4 class (assuming they are just relying on natural growth in numbers that normally happens after the 1st year of a class)

Re-introduction of GT Cup class

I know the link is only to plans and not definate, but loking at other news item on the BGT website, it seems that SRO are moving forward with these ideas.

[Graham Goodwin]

Originally Posted by mcreeder

SRO released details of developements for BGT championship back in July. Think everyone here has missed that.

BGT 2010

New developments include,

More compact race weekends

Reduction to 7 Meetings

Growing of GT4 class (assuming they are just relying on natural growth in numbers that normally happens after the 1st year of a class)

Re-introduction of GT Cup class

I know the link is only to plans and not definate, but loking at other news item on the BGT website, it seems that SRO are moving forward with these ideas.

Absolutely did not miss that announcement - Your assumption on GT4 though is flawed - 2009 was the second year of that class and numbers dropped

[RickP:Clio51]

Did I see on DSC that there a 5 (yes FIVE) Aston GT4 cars entered for the Britcar this weekend???
Surely the SRO should be down at Silverstone talking to those teams about what it would take to have them in Brit GT's next year....

[Tim the Grey]

Well, IIRC Britcar runs a specific class for N24s? It was announced at Autosport International in January. I have a photo of a handshake somewhere...
BGT seems full of inertia, whereas GT Cup and Britcar do seem to have a tad more agility. More flexible, and quicker to react to things.
As I have said earlier, I fail to see why a Porsche 996 couldn't run in BGT, and well driven, should be up towards the front. Most punters wouldn't know the difference between a 996 and 7, so why not? Ditto the various Ferraris out there.
After all, it's an equivalence formula. So you slow cars down to a benchmark laptime. Or let them develop up to that time?