Hi John,
Well, active support from spectators really means that there is a real two-way relationship with spectators over and above the 'friends and family' contingent. This is a difficult one to pull off, but when it works (e.g. Castle Combe on Bank Holidays, and surprisingly so, Snetterton, as examples), there is a real feeling of 'shared experience'.
My experience of racing at the Goodwood Revival was made special by the huge numbers of spectators in the stands. This was not for any vanity reasons on my part, but more down to the huge feeling of 'occasion' this engendered. And yes, we've all raced at Silverstone, in the rain, with about 3 people watching.
Regarding point 10, this is one of my pet rants, and i could write a long essay on the subject, but as someone who has raced Classic cars on and off for nearly 10 years, I have slowly watched the erosion of the genuine clubby, low-key atmosphere, and bonhommie, to be replaced by some very wealthy racers who are in it:
a. To show off how much money they've got.
b. Because they think it somehow gives them access to a desirable social scene.
c. To show off how much 'better' their million-pound car is than anyone else's.
This, IMHO, has led to the ever-larger transporter and Winnebago syndrome, and the general disparaging attitude these particular racers have to anyone who they feel is not in their same 'class'.
This is a far cry from when I started racing, when noe of the great things about the sport was that whether you were in a 250 GTO or a Fiat 500, everybody had respect and 'time' for everybody else. It was about a shared love for the cars and the sport.
Nowadays, I'm talking about a situation where one walks around a Historic paddock at major race meetings, only to find all the cars roped off, their drivers watching a plasma TV in the Winnebago, and the 'hangers-on' sitting in their roped-off area next to the artic, casting disparaging glances at 'the general public'.
No wonder spectators at these meetings are declining!!
Goodwood shows that you can run a meeting without all this paraphernalia IN THE PADDOCK, that transporters and Winnebagos CAN be parked away from the paddock without inconveniencing people too much, and that this is very popular with spectators.
Of course, oyu may say that this point of view only applies ot the major meetings (Donington in May, Pau, Dijon, Silverstone Classic, Spa etc) but the sad fact is that this is filtering down even into 'club' racing. Hopefully, the HSCC, CSCC et al, can rein in this tendency.
....and relax!!
James
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Originally Posted by John Turner
Interesting list, James, although how many cars would we lose if we imposed 6), and when you talk about active support from spectators (9) do you simply mean numerically, or a greater involvement? I don't detect too much of 10), but that maybe because I don't mix in such 'elevated' circles. Otherwise a pretty 'spot on' list - not too much to ask, is it?
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