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Old 12 Aug 2018, 07:41 (Ref:3843116)   #12
Mike Crow
Racer
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 284
Mike Crow should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
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Originally Posted by socram View Post
The BTCC drivers and naff dressers don't worry me too much, but it seems to be a facet of British and European race meetings that everything is dictated by the clock which means that spectators for many a year have spent far too much time twiddling their thumbs and for drivers, it appears to be even worse.

You have to feel sorry for a driver who has spent months preparing his/her steed, maybe shipping it 1,000's of miles at great expense, only to have a minor hiccup during the warm up lap of the Sunday race, having practiced on a Friday, and that is it.

I know it isn't comparing apples with apples, but a NZ classic/historic meeting, north or south island, is generally non-stop action from as early as 8:30am, squeezing 24 races into a day. That is enough for every car to be out on track twice a day for two days. Sure, there may be an occasional red flag and restart, but the emphasis is on the racing. By the time the last driver has passed the chequered flag and passed two or three flag points, the next grid is on the warm up lap at some tracks.

Track clearance is by radio, not a procession of some old boys slowly cruising round in their classics.

With Goodwood, much as I love it, you get the opportunity to see cars out on track just twice in 3 days - and if you only have a Saturday or Sunday ticket, you only get to see half of them. Slotting in a visit to the pre '66 car park between races isn't quite long enough, so missing out on a least favourite grid is the best option, but that restricts where you next watch from, which is why knowing what the sequence of races is important.

I rarely see any criticism of Goodwood so is the press scared to state the obvious? As most accredited journalists are getting free passes for the three days, plus the press hospitality of course, do they really care? I'm sure they won't bite the hand that feeds them, that is for sure.

Meanwhile, being stuck out in the rain looking at empty tarmac for several hours a day, is a very, very poor spectator experience.

Still nothing on the Sear's trophy race and just 25 days to go. Not really good enough Goodwood.
Goodwood is not representative of UK Historic racing but is now just a very expensive carnival and marketplace. For real historic action go to any HSCC or Masters event at any circuit other than the windswept horror that is now Silverstone. Or try the excellent Castle Combe Classic. All cost a tenth of Goodwood and fill the days with action on the track.
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