ASCAR's new home

[R59]

Originally Posted by ss_collins

That pic is pretty awesome - I aint never seen a stock car fly (intentionally)the grid size looks tiny again and the racing doesn't seem close. There seems to be lots of promises but how long is this financially viable Rob, even you seem a bit down on it now! Would a different club help?



We tried to tell you!

The grid was tiny. But that's Cadwell, even burgeoning championships struggle to get 60% of their numbers to go there, quite simply drivers that can't (drive) don't like it because it shows up inability! (scathing attack!), but they use excuses like "it's too narrow", or "it's too far", but they'll drive past it to go to Croft, or Knockhill!

We ran a conventional grid because it was decided that there was too great a chance of carnage if we ran our usual reverse grid.

While reverse grids are great for entertainment and racing, at some circuits they are not practical. Anyone remember the Eurocar's at Cadwell many moons ago? They tried a reverse grid, and it was a disaster!

You only need two cars for a race they say!

[Rod Birley]

Are the results on line anywhere, couldn't find them on TSL.
It wasn't a dig about Rockingham, it was just than an official mentioned it yesterday and he seemed to think the stock car and hot rod meeting was not happening as well.
What will hurt Lydden is that if prices rise a lot it will impact on drivers, most of whom go there as a cheaper alternative to other venues. The work that has been done is very good, but remember it is only a small grid there so proportionally drivers are going to have to pay quite a bit more.

[ss_collins]

I think what would save ASCAR or whatever you call it this week, could be saved by Rockingham doing a Combe and running in house, putting races on that the locals like. The BRSCC can only be harming the series from what I can see. The Rock needs at least three series running on the Oval to be relevant, Pickups and an open wheel class. I can't see ASCAR ever recovering depite the enthusiasm of some. Is the current series working finacially? honestly?

Snet was low - too early you say Rob
Cadwell was low - because its Cadwell
Whats the excuse for next time!?

[R59]

Rod - the "Motorfest" was canned a long time back. It just didn't work (like we knew it wouldn't!) I agree with what you say about Lydden too.

ss... well, excuse central..... "Because it's Lydden and a mickey mouse place with no facilities". It didn't ought to really what with the number of SS/VSR drivers that are ex-HotRod, probably even Intersaloons that raced there when it was run by Tom Bissett. And the few of our guys who also liken it to racing on an oval, even if it does have left and right turns!

And yes yes yes yes yes, that's exactly what Rockingham needs. Do a Combe. Let's face it, JP does it as well - on a bigger scale. He runs his own meetings, and puts on stuff that get's people in through the gate, he markets it, and has a fair return I'd say. If he didn't, he wouldn't!

Is the V8 Trophy standing on it's own feet - of course it isn't, a series like that needs about 18 cars to have stability. We had to tie up with the VSR's this year because we had no choice. It was VSR's or die. We had an option to run races as part of the Powernights thing, but the VSR deal came along and it made more sense. I don't think we would have got enough cars to do a decent job on a Thursday night.

At the last meeting of 2007, there were 18 cars signed up for 2008 on the oval, with another 8-10 people wanting to do the rookie training, with probably 4, maybe 6 of them having the budget to do a full season. 2004 was the biggest season in terms of numbers for the then "SCSA", and their biggest grid was 24 - with each car being paid £3K start money. For 2008, we were looking at the possibility of matching it, even though we knew we'd be paying for the track time. We had the backing of the man from the County Council, in September 2007, we had the top man at the circuit on our side all enthused. Then in November it was like someone had employed Father Jack as the man dealing with our "account". We got the big .... off. That 18 just collapsed. Most of them just did not want to be "A.N.Other Road Course formula". I can't say I blame them, what would you rather do - a 7 meeting series based at the newest facility in the UK, which was going to be marketed and promoted properly (we had a promoter lined up), with some ground breaking ideas too!! - or a x-meeting series on various road courses that a lot of people don't like going to for some reason with no real hospitality facilities for the sponsors, and in fact no facilities for teams in a National A grade series?

Exactly. Run. Run away!

If I didn't own a car and a half, I would have run away too!

I can only see three ways it can ever recover.

1. Rockingham take it back in house, and promote it properly. I'm not for one minute suggesting a return to the "blow money at all costs" days, but a sensible, well run series. Together with two other formulae, a V6 powered pickup series (anything has to be better than those 2L four pot bumblebee's), and a single seater series - something like Atlantic - fast, but not so fast that it's ChampCar! Though there are quite a few of those chassis' laying around doing nothing at the moment!

2. Brian France decides that Europe is ready for NASCAR plc, and decides that it (ASCAR) fit's the bill like CASCAR, and the Mexican series (composite bodies, fuel injection with spec motors), and takes it over. (Look, over there! A Gloucester Old Spot with Lufthansa on it's tail....)

or 3. Jonathon Palmer takes it under his wing because his boy likes the idea of going to the 'States to do NASCAR and wants a series to practice in over here.

Bring it on I say!

(Gloucester Old Spots is a breed of pig for those who don't understand oooo arrrr countryside English)

[scubie]

Originally Posted by R59

Team Networking have confirmed their new driver to partner Duncan Gray, who is Paul Bowman, formerly known as the paramedic on the Safety 1 truck at Rockingham.

Rumour has it that John Steward is coming out with both cars, which probably means Skid Carerra will be out in the #11 car. Eeek

Oi, get your car ready.

It's going to make a change for me to see where I'm going, Seriously after seeing one of the biggest grins I've ever seen on sunday, I'm really looking forward to getting in the car, and going racing

Skid out in the eleven perhaps I should take my paramedic kit instead
P.S. only joking Skid

[Speedworx]

Its a shame the Motorfest got canned. It was the 3rd best meeting worth attending at Rockingham (behind BTCC and F3/GT)

[Chigley]

a V6 powered pickup series (anything has to be better than those 2L four pot bumblebee's),

Rob, I sincerely hope that you have just suffered a brain flatulence as if you haven't you have just lost a lot of my respect.

[R59]

No, I'm serious Ian, if the Pickups were V6's, they'd sound zillions of miles better, and I *might* consider sitting in one! As they are, I hate the sound of them with a vengeance. Whilst I love the close racing, the sneeze and you go from first to last, or last to first!, the sound "does my head in". One of the reasons I dislike a lot of single seater one-make type formulas (like F-Dallara-Mercedes).

If it sounds good, people are more likely to go "oooo, wossat? I'll watch these", where something that drones and plods around get's the "let's go and get a burger", and see what's on later....

In my ideal cloud cuckoo land world, we'd have our own CTS, Nationwide, and Cup series in Europe, note I say Europe because the UK is too small to handle something as big as that, and there are not enough petrolheads in the UK to make it viable. Which is probably one of the very reasons why ASCAR/DoT/SCSA/V8Trophy has failed as a pure oval formula.

Rob.

[ss_collins]

I'd suggest the no.1 reason was cost then mismanagement.

But how can you say that about the pickups - thats crazy talk

[R59]

It's me, I don't like cars that sound like rasping f*rts. I get enough of them up and down my road of an evening!

[kelvin88]

I have to agree. Have you seen the trucks at Rockingham? I lasted ten laps and had to walk away with a headache. I think an engine swap is a bit drastic,(though iirc, they were designed with a V6 in mind.) I'm sure there must be a way they can change the exhausts to make them sound better.

Great racing though. It certainly wouldn't stop me getting in one!

[ss_collins]

Yeah I loved the trucks at rockingham - brilliant - if a sponsor hadn't pulled out late doors I'd have raced them in 2003.

[R59]

A bit like me with ASCAR in 2001!!!

[Rod Birley]

From the TSL results service, it appears that the pickups are still using the oval circuit, so the previous rumour was incorrect.

[R59]

Yep, as I said, the rumours are oft started by people with axes to grind, or a through dose of chinese whispers.

17 Trucks only though.

[ss_collins]

still a lot more than ASCAR!

but they could do with 40 or so

[R59]

Both of them! Plus that single seater series we keep saying is needed to form a full package for the oval.

Alas, it ain't gonna happen until someone wakes up and realises that this form of racing should be considered an entertainment, and marketed properly as a result. Then the people will come - cars and spectators.

But..... this is Britain. We don't do that sort of thing here. No no. Just not cricket!

[Minicross424]

perhaps some one should buy the champ cars and bring them over as a euro feeder to the irl?

[kelvin88]

We have a Euro feeder to IRL, its called Formula One!

[R59]

oooo *****!

[OVERSTEER]

Originally Posted by kelvin88

I have to agree. Have you seen the trucks at Rockingham? I lasted ten laps and had to walk away with a headache. I think an engine swap is a bit drastic,(though iirc, they were designed with a V6 in mind.) I'm sure there must be a way they can change the exhausts to make them sound better.

They aren't the greatest sounding cars in the world, but i've been many times, and the racing is great, I've never had a problem with a headache though!!

I sure hope the ASCAR/SCSA cars race at the "rock" with the Pickups sometime in the near future, maybe with an open wheel series, like that Formula Initiative series.

What happened to the Formula Initiative series anyway? another idea to hit the wall??

[R59]

Don't you mean the "Challenge". According to one of the other forum, the person behind that is doing bird.

Yes, it would be nice to be back at the Rock, however, the decision for us not being there was made before the end of the season when we had the cars confirmed for 2008.

For the future, ASCAR will be a multi-format series -how it should have been from day 1. I'm sure that had they done a few road courses each year as part of a bigger package, it would still be there now with bigger grids than ever.

Rob.

[kelvin88]

Peter Wardle, Autosport said he had died. Then the next week apologised for it because he hadn't. As i recall, you needed to place a 10,000 pound deposit with him for the chassis and a further 10,000 for the engine, you would end up paying 100,000 pounds a car or something, but it was ok because when there where two full grids you would make a fortune in prize money.

[kelvin88]

I just checked the Challenge website and the domain name is up for sale

[Minicross424]

I just cant see how ascar is ever going to regain what we had four or so years ago, now that was great.
The whole operation looked slick and no mater how they made it happen the big sponsors made the cars great.
to name a few, Learn Direct, Mcdonalds, the TA, Texico etc.
I was going to go and see the trucks a few weeks ago at the rock but the support (with exception to the legends) was so poor.
Ideal meeting (and yes I know theres a thousand reasons why this wont happen) would be Pickups, camso, legends and the trucks!