**** (sorry small) grids and marshalling

[Stephen Green]

Well, Saturday's BRSCC meeting at Lydden Hill produced some of the smallest grids of the year to date. Five F Fords, Six (I believe) T Cars and other small grids made it difficult to justify a 100+ mile round trip to marshal. Yes the F Honda's had a good grid and had some good racing to boot, but how much longer can clubs afford to hire circuits and ask us to volunteer for such tiny meetings?

I think that like many other marshals, I will be taking a closer look at grid sizes before committing myself to volunteer in future.

[Mark Mitchell]

I agree with you 100% Stephen.
I am passionate about my marshalling but even I am getting bored at some race meetings.
To be honest, I'm not really that bothered as to WHAT is racing.....so long as there are plenty (20+ cars)doing it!!
I am prepared to travel to those tracks where there are good grids if that's what it takes to get my "Fix"

[Stephen Green]

Yes I'm like you, as long as there are decent grids I'm not too bothered by what's racing. If it had been Brands Hatch it wouldn't have been so bad as I only live 15 minutes away, but for many the trip to Dover and Lydden is a long haul and costly with todays petrol prices. Maybe we need to set up a system where we share journeys and help with splitting the cost of fuel etc?

Of course the other problem is the number of last minute entries for some meetings. When you look at the programme there are maybe 4 or 5 cars there, but come the race more cars and drivers have arrived at the last minute.

The last thing I want to do is to make it more difficult for drivers to enjoy their racing, but needs must as they say and sadly more and more of the marshals I speak to feel the same way

[Bob Pearson]

I've said this before on other threads, but I will say it again. The fault lies with the MSA, they have the power to curb the introduction of new formulas and order the merging of weak ones.
When this problem is eventually adressed a lot of other problems within motor racing will disappear with it.
I would suggest that any formula should be able to average 15 entries or starters or else be merged with another weak one.

[Stephen Green]

Good idea Bob but the races still go ahead with tiny grids. Maybe this is something else the organising clubs and MSA need to sit around the table and discuss?

[Mark Mitchell]

Originally posted by Bob Pearson
The fault lies with the MSA........When this problem is eventually adressed a lot of other problems within motor racing will disappear with it.
I would suggest that any formula should be able to average 15 entries or starters or else be merged with another weak one.

I agree Bob, surely if there was one race meeting let's say at Silverstone on a Sunday and nothing else on at Rockingham, Donington or Mallory, then surely marshals would travel. There would then be big(ger) grids, more marshals!

15 entries for a race (for me) is still not good enough for exciting racing!

[Cynic]

Wasn't there a proposal last year to get rid of any championships that couldn't gaurantee 15 entrees? I think the problem is that a championshop might have 20 or 30 entrants, but how do you ensure everyone turns up at a meeting? I can't see any easy way of enforcing such an idea. Maybe it should be down to the organisers of a meeting to make sure they invite classes that are likely to produce a large grid. After all, the more racers there are, the more entry fees they get.

[Dave Cooney]

Why not try New Era or Bemsee bike meetings for loads of races and full grids.

[brickkicker]

Why not try New Era or Bemsee bike meetings for loads of races and full grids.

A good plug for this Sunday at Donington?
Can you give us some idea what classes will be there?

[Stephen Green]

Cynic, I heard that too. Maybe the answer is to cancel specific races if there have not been sufficient entries a week before the meeting?

[Cynic]

Yes, but then you're back to your original complaint about spending a fortune on petrol only to get to the meeting to find out half the cards been cancelled.

[Dave Cooney]

Brickkicker, it was worth a try.
The meeting is a round of our club champs, Formula 600, Formula 400, 125 & 250GP, Pro bike Open, Sound of Thunder, Honda Hornets & CB500's are the main classes. Practice starts 09.00 signing on from 07.45 if your interested.

[brickkicker]

Brickkicker, it was worth a try.

Sure is have done a few at mallory and they are good fun. Loads of bikes good racing and they normaly dont hang around like some car clubs do.
Are they using the short or long track?
BRICKKICKER
P.S
Already there

[Bob Pearson]

The problem with cancelling races a week before if there isn't sufficient entries is that clubs will prefer to run the event on the basis that some money is better than none.
Nothing will be done until someone assumes control of the whole affair and applies some controls over the formation of new formulas and continuation of failing ones.
If the MSA are not in charge, then who the hell is, and why do we pay them licence fees?
I agree with the observer that even 15 entries are not enough, I was just being excessively fair.

[Dave Cooney]

It's on the Short circuit.

[Daf_Loz]

Maybe a series of fines that could be distributed to the marshalls...a bit like an election deposit?

[brickkicker]

like that idea

[Stephen Green]

Bob what about the series co-ordinator (assuming there is one for each series) would they be in a position to liaise with the MSA?

[Bob Pearson]

Stephen,
I presume you mean driver's reps, I am one, but I don't have confidence in getting the MSA to listen to me.
Also we would be reporting to the MSA about other formulas as it stands to reason that a rep for a failing formula wouldn't want to advertise their plight.

[Mark Mitchell]

Originally posted by Bob Pearson
a failing formula wouldn't want to advertise their plight.

Does this include F1?

Why not put them together with the F3000's and throw in a few F3's too? That'll spice it up!

[brickkicker]

And if you put a few zips in maybe minardi will not start at the back

Does this include F1?

Why not put them together with the F3000's and throw in a few F3's too? That'll spice it up!

[Snapper Baz]

Stephen, as you are a BRSCC member, why cant you put your case forward to Grant Stewart and make it plain to him that if grids dont buck up then they will have no marshals for those BRSCC meetings at Lydden (or wherever the entries are rubbish) Without starting the "Entree Fee" thing up again-it needs putting to them bluntly that this is possibly the only reason they (BRSCC) are now suffering as many of their series are on the way out (Southern FF1600-six entry's lately for what has always been a superb and well supported series) - as will many of the loyal marshalling force. Somebody needs to be a spokesperson to put the case forward urgently.

[Rod Birley]

I have made WRITTEN requests to the BRSCC at both the south east and national AGMs, on this very subject. To date I am still waiting for a reply. The first AGM was SIX weeks ago. The BARC S/E subsidised the grid for Saturday's sports saloon race at Lydden but still only managed ten entries. The co-ordinator spent every spare minute he had (he has a normal day time job) phoning around.
I am a fully paid up member of both clubs, and whilst the BARC are trying to help by keeping entry fees down the BRSCC are continuing to raise them. This, together with the costs of getting to a meeting, are putting more and more people off racing. Marcus Pye commented last week on "why do we now have a Ford Focus series, a new production saloon car series, silhouette specials etc..". Where are the new competitors coming from, certainly not T cars.Their entry fee for Saturday was £400.

[Tony_J]

I think you could merge the comments in this thread with those in 'marshal shortage' and 'How many of these meetings will be cancelled' to come up with the major problems in British motorsport. Though not of us are party to the internal workings of the MSA and the major clubs, if I ran a business in the same way I wouldn't last long.

[DarrellB]

BARC must be doing something right as the meeting at Pembrey at the weekend had decent grids (some with reserves) and excellent racing on both days.

THe problem is spreading the drivers over too many championships just look at the grid for the clios this year now that many of the drivers have converted to the leon championship. They both have around 18 cars whereas together it would make a good grid, and how long do some of these one make series last, usually until the manufacturer has gained the marketing use out of the series. At least Renault seem to stick by their series.

Sorry Bob but didn't get much chance to say hello over the weekend but I did speak to Ian after his incident on the Sat.