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Old 23 Oct 2018, 12:28 (Ref:3858603)   #55
VIVA GT
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Join Date: Apr 2005
England
Leicestershire
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OK, time for me to wade in with my opinions!
I think I could be classed as losing the passion for motorsport due to the way my viewing patterns have changed/decreased over the years, but I don't think that is necessarily an accurate way to judge things.
Until I got my own motorised transport what motorsport I could watch was generally limited to that on TV (Grandstand & World of Sport), and I watched everything I could. I did also manage to persuade my Dad, and my sisters boyfriend to take me to Mallory Park to watch it live a couple of times. Then a new car-mad neighbour moved into our street who initially took me further afield to Hednesford Hills raceway to see stock cars and hot rods, before he started to Autocross a car with his mate and I went to every meeting with them.
Once I had the means I attended many a race meeting at Malloey (cars & bikes) plus Donington Park, starting with the first race when it re-opened. Finally travelling further afield (as my road car became more reliable), plus I'd spend 3 or 4 November days following the RAC Rally around the country.
The British Grand Prix was a regular 3 or 4 day camping event from 1978 with a bunch of mates, plus Page & Moy trips to the Le Mans 24 hours. I did a couple of seasons racing a Mini in the early 80's before landing a job with a BTCC Team (which had the added advantage of being at the British Grand Prix anyway!) As an enthusiast I've also enjoyed the spectacle and machinery of a couple of visits to the Festival of Speed
In later years I also travelled around the World for Grand Prix, the Race of Champions and other international meetings, enjoying every single one of them.
Nowadays apart from an invite to the occasional BTCC round my viewing is limited to what is available to me on FTA TV, so I watch nearly every Grand Prix and qualifying, plus the BTCC, and what I can find to watch from Goodwood (and other places) on youtube.
It's not the ticket prices that are preventing me from visiting the events, what I can't afford is the time to attend so much. I'm no longer a selfish single man who can do as I please, I have a home & family and other commitments too. Plus, I am now too old to send 3 days sleeping in the car following the RAC rally cooking on a camping stove, my body would not cope!
I am still passionate about motorsport which is one of the reasons I'm usually on here various times a day. My tastes, priorities and abilities have changed the way I do things over the years. There are many other things I don't do now that I did 40 years ago, but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't want to do them again if I could!
(Sorry for the long post, but once I'd started...)
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