European Late Model Series

[Stephen H]

Originally Posted by FIRE

I didn't know there were Sprint Cars in the UK.
Do they race outside UK?
Tarmac only or also racing at dirt ovals?

Tarmac only, they have gone to warneton, Belgium in the past.

Most of their fixtures are part of the rolling thunder show, that run events at the Arena Essex on a Saturday Night.

They have never had great numbers, and sadly no world of outlaw sideways driving.

But they can lap quickly, and are nicely turned out.

[kelvin88]

They did an Autograss meeting last year as a sort of trial run. Looked awesome, but I don't know if they will follow it up with more dirt events. As Stephen says, they are the staple of the Rolling Thunder Show at Arena.

[Stephen H]

Originally Posted by FIRE

I didn't know there were Sprint Cars in the UK.
Do they race outside UK?
Tarmac only or also racing at dirt ovals?

uk sprint cars at Lydden last year

[Stephen H]

Originally Posted by kelvin88

They did an Autograss meeting last year as a sort of trial run. Looked awesome, but I don't know if they will follow it up with more dirt events. As Stephen says, they are the staple of the Rolling Thunder Show at Arena.

Sounds interesting, I wondered if they had ever run on shale ovals?

[chunder]

Y' see

You look at them and they look like they should be on dirt!

Us regular oval fans who follow the main formulas like Rods, F1 and F2 have never understood this. Same as midgets, Baby Grand. Legends work fine so why not these?

I think to be honest the people involved don't want to be associated with the main oval formulas so prefer to operate on the periphery, hence the lack of numbers and interest. Probably a lot to do with promoters, start money, rights etc aswell.

A little like Late Models also, but that is mainly due to lack of real interest in the UK and more people from Europe wanting to race them I guess. Plus our tracks are not really suited to them as Warneton, Lelystad and the new Venray are.

If they had been been aournd right atfer Eurocars I think they would have taken off, sadly they came about after the tragedy that was ASCAR.

[Matt]

You think someone would have come up with a 4cyl or V6 version of the SuperModified to race over there by now...


...and trust me, these things DO work on pavement.

[Rod Birley]

National hot rods were brilliant on their only visit to Lydden. Good number of cars and fast clean racing. However, it is very unlikely they are going to return despite the drivers liking the circuit (and lack of damage). The big problem is cost and who gets the gate money. Shame really as a few of us put a lot of effort into getting oval racing back there.

[chunder]

Rod mate

When youa re dealing with oval promoters you are dealing with people far more ruthless and savvy than people who run race meetings!

When you sometimes paying drovers to race you really need to know you are going to get a crowd! Thats the problem.

And to be honest they dont own Lydden, they I presume would only supply some officials and people to run the meeting and perhaps do som promotion. Does that warrant a percentage of gate money? Yes, but how much I imagine was a little OTT!

[Stephen H]

Originally Posted by chunder

Rod mate

When youa re dealing with oval promoters you are dealing with people far more ruthless and savvy than people who run race meetings!

When you sometimes paying drovers to race you really need to know you are going to get a crowd! Thats the problem.

And to be honest they dont own Lydden, they I presume would only supply some officials and people to run the meeting and perhaps do som promotion. Does that warrant a percentage of gate money? Yes, but how much I imagine was a little OTT!

Get feeling the problem at this level, is more likely to be "long circuits" make their money out of driver entry fees, and the spectator is less important, but with "oval" racing, the drivers are used to free entry, or even start money (does start money still exist?), and the money all comes from paying spectator.

two different worlds, but when they come together I`m sure there must big benefits on both sides.

Certainly the oval meetings at Mallory and Lydden brought in different spectators, and in the past in good numbers. So once there the circuits could try to temp them back to their "big" meetings, say BSB in the case of Mallory and BRX or ERC at Lydden.

My route as a spectator was ovals, first visit to Lydden for the Spedeworth meetings, and following Hot Rods led me to Rallycross, so Lyddens Festival of Speeds with PRI, and the 3 in 1 meetings, that featured say, circuit, motor cross and oval racing, were big draws for me, and lead to an interest in Circuit racing.

I wouldnt consider taking my nephews to a circuit meeting, but I would to something like last years Classic Festival, where I know just the look and sound of the Late Models, and Sprint Cars would interest them.

Its funny, for years in the Bill Chesson and Tom Bisset days, I wished Lydden did a season ticket, now they do, but with no BARC and maybe just one BRSCC meeting, there are no longer the events to tempt me to buy.

Lydden is a lovely circuit, and it seems a real shame for whatever reason, there seems to be a decreasing variety of organising clubs and race series that go there.

[kelvin88]

I know it is a little off topic, but what exactly IS Lydden being used for this year?

[kipper]

Originally Posted by kelvin88

I know it is a little off topic, but what exactly IS Lydden being used for this year?

As far as car race meetings go there will be six 1 day SEMSEC meeting and a single two day BRSCC meeting.

[Stephen H]

Originally Posted by kelvin88

I know it is a little off topic, but what exactly IS Lydden being used for this year?

The European Rallycross will be the big meeting at Easter and the Belgium rallycross at the end of march, combined with the British, and a second visit of the British championship in august.

But the date originally shown for the two day BARC meeting in June I think is now being shown as a track day.

As mentioned semsec seem to be back in a big way, nothing against them, and I shall pop along to one or two, but as a spectator I will miss the oval, BARC, and 750 motor club meetings.

There is mention of grass track, so good to see something new.

Sadly for me, the brscc meeting clashes with the le mans sports cars at silverstone, and the brisca world at Lyddens twin circuit from the Bisset days, Bayfield. So its a northamptonshire weekend for me instead.

Back to late models, is there only one meeting in the uk in 2011?

Been looking at some of footage on you tube of late models at venray. Is it known what other formula will race at the planned events there?

[Stephen H]

Originally Posted by Rod Birley

National hot rods were brilliant on their only visit to Lydden. Good number of cars and fast clean racing. However, it is very unlikely they are going to return despite the drivers liking the circuit (and lack of damage). The big problem is cost and who gets the gate money. Shame really as a few of us put a lot of effort into getting oval racing back there.

The Nationals were good, but it was the talk of a BRISCA event at Lydden in their 50th year that really excited me.

I never expected to see BRISCA F1`s so far south, when those 3 cars turned up for a demo in 2003

[Matt]

New Venray looks awesome.

Question for you guys though, what's behind turns three and four of the speedway? Google earth has it all pixelated/blocked out.

[R59]

Dutch airforce base isn't it?

[Minicross424]

I will be at Northampton for the F1s and would race at Lydden on the Sunday but it is my son's first birthday.

[chunder]

Venray is an interesting one, suffice to say I cannot really comment about it on here as I mght be incriminated! But I am fairly sure of one thing, having money and influence eitgher helps you or eases the path towards getting thngs done!

Great track and as for F1 at Lydden, two blown gearboxes, a blown engine and cries of "never again"

Too big, foo fast and far too far away to get more than 5 drivers sadly.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Matt

New Venray looks awesome.

Question for you guys though, what's behind turns three and four of the speedway? Google earth has it all pixelated/blocked out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Peel_Air_Base

[Stephen H]

Originally Posted by FIRE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Peel_Air_Base

@FIRE, Sorry if off topic, but are the Dutch Rodeo Cars still going?

[FIRE]

Don't know

[kelvin88]

Yes there is only one Late Model round in the UK, it is Ipswich in August.

Yes Venray is next to an Airforce base.

No, I believe the Rodeo class stopped after Baarlo ceased racing.

[Stephen H]

Originally Posted by kelvin88

Yes there is only one Late Model round in the UK, it is Ipswich in August.

Yes Venray is next to an Airforce base.

No, I believe the Rodeo class stopped after Baarlo ceased racing.

Thanks - I`m ashamed to say I didnt know Baarlo had gone.

Never went but used to see the name on various fixture lists.

just googled the name and some photos of the circuit in dis-repair came up in 2006.

sorry to be off topic but do you know the a reason baarlo closed, or was it the usual of noise and pressure on land to build houses on etc.

[kelvin88]

I think the two people that owned it had a row over something. I have been told but if I am honest, I can't really remember.

The owners looked at re-opening it again a couple of years ago, but the environmental restrictions meant that they would not be allowed enough race days to make it a viable project. I believe they are using it to park caravans on at the moment.

[Minicross424]

My Short Circuit mag just landed.
I see that Revolution racing is back in a big way with Kieran Dynes (in the 51) doing a half season, Chris Richardson driving the 99 car and Andrew Knight in the 97.
Tony Hurdle may bring out 98 car as well?
Sounds good.

[chunder]

Baarlo will never re-open, the F1's were huge there in the 90's but sadly there were lots of issues with noise and stuff.

Is still all there but very delapidated these days and full of caravans!

Holland is a growth area though, especially for field racing, the equivalent of our shale racing. there are loads of cars again and a few more perm tracks.

As for Venray, they had the Gold Cup last year, track is great, not a push and shove track, but your posh Hot Rods would go nicely there I think