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16 Apr 2007, 21:18 (Ref:1893405) | #1 | ||
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The perfect Historic Racing Series...
Well, I like a bit of discussion!!
With all the other debate/complaints/comments in some of the other threads, I thought it would be interesting to quantify exactly what we DO want from our race series!! So, I'll start the ball rolling...... 1. Good driving standards 2. A reasonably distributed set of racing speed between fastest and slowest cars i.e. no massive speed differentials. 3. Organisers that listen to criticism and constructive comments. 4. A reasonable mix of UK and foreign meetings, to cater for those with greater financial/time constraints. 5. An interesting mix of cars, both valuable and not. 6. A ban on artics and pantecnicons in the paddock. 7. An active social element to race meetings (BBQs?). 8. A balance between longer races and shorter ones (balancing VFM for drivers AND spectators). 9. Active support from Spectators. 10. An absence of snobbery and 'racing because it's the thing to do, socially'. What are your thoughts?? These are only vague comments and ideas! James |
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17 Apr 2007, 06:47 (Ref:1893573) | #2 | ||
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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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17 Apr 2007, 06:50 (Ref:1893576) | #3 | ||
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James, sounds like you have neatly summed up both HSCC and Masters and as one offs Silverstone Classic and Goodwood!!!!
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17 Apr 2007, 06:57 (Ref:1893579) | #4 | ||
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Good list James,only one thing I would add ,that is tougher policing of the cars that did take part,if they dont comply,then they dont race!!
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Living the dream,Chief instruktor and racing on the worlds best circuits-The Nordschleife and Spa.Getting to drive the worlds best cars-someone has to do it, so glad its me. |
17 Apr 2007, 08:20 (Ref:1893620) | #5 | |
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something close to Period correct specifications wouldn't go a miss.
therefore eligibility scrutineering and enforcement, not necessarily ripping cars to shreds in a bay and holding up the meeting, but a few persons wandering the paddock spotting the obvious like stonking great disc brakes on the bback of a Galaxy, Ally heads on virtually every single V8 out there, Alfas and Cortinas wiith the wheels beyond the limits of the bodywork, even with the arches subtly flared . ..the kind of thing that Blind Pew could spot from half a mile. obviously having FiA or HSCC papers to hand would make life easier scrutineers would need no more than a tape measure to warn some people. give them 2 months to fix it and all the while they're not allowed pots, if they don't fix it, then they can race elsewhere. Simple really, or is it too much to ask ? ? ? ? a mix of race lengths wouldn't hurt, although I prefer longer something like 1 Hr BRands GP 1Hr Spa 2 x 25 minutes Cadwell Oulton Park 40 minutes Dijon 1 Hr Goodwood 30 minutes Chimay 2 hour enduro followed by 12 hour Rock and beer festival thats do me for a season !!!!!! |
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17 Apr 2007, 09:17 (Ref:1893666) | #6 | |||
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Quote:
Nuf said. |
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17 Apr 2007, 10:22 (Ref:1893714) | #7 | |||
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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 Quote:
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17 Apr 2007, 11:17 (Ref:1893742) | #8 | |
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very good points SZ racer. A,B, and C hit the nail on the head, without even having to resort to the phrase penis enlargement syndrome!!!
that element has increased at least twofold in the last 5 years |
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17 Apr 2007, 11:42 (Ref:1893760) | #9 | ||
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And it would have rounds at Philip Island and Bathurst. We're allowed to dream right? A race just for F5000s is a worthwhile feature too I think.
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17 Apr 2007, 12:03 (Ref:1893783) | #10 | ||
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So, with regards to point number 2. Which are you going to exclude, the slow ones or the fast ones?
Sports car racing of the 1960's had both. |
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17 Apr 2007, 12:33 (Ref:1893810) | #11 | |||
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Well, Biff, if I exclude the slow ones, that's me out of the equation, so I guess it has to be the fast ones.....
James Quote:
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17 Apr 2007, 13:07 (Ref:1893831) | #12 | |
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Bathurst definitely . .and Laguna sace while we're at it . . .and Monaco of course
maybe a 70% time limit between front and back ? |
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17 Apr 2007, 16:44 (Ref:1893971) | #13 | |||
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Quote:
Last edited by John Turner; 17 Apr 2007 at 17:32. |
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Living the dream,Chief instruktor and racing on the worlds best circuits-The Nordschleife and Spa.Getting to drive the worlds best cars-someone has to do it, so glad its me. |
17 Apr 2007, 17:38 (Ref:1894031) | #14 | ||
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its okay, but put in capital ONE TYRE FOR EVERYONE
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did anyone find my 3/4-7/8 GEDORE ringspanner at SPA? |
17 Apr 2007, 17:49 (Ref:1894051) | #15 | |||
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Quote:
So long as everyone knows from the Specific Regulations what is legal, (and Jeremy Hall checks them all - which he has) then no-one can complain. The only problem arises when a competitor doesn't read the SRs. I once had a european E Type (heavily developed with cooling tubes to the rear brakes etc) complain because a Corvette was running better tyres than him. He said he would have to driver dangerously fast to keep up and that the tyres were illegal. He was stupid enough to say this in front of he FIA Stewards! I pointed out the facts to him and never sent him entry forms again. |
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17 Apr 2007, 18:49 (Ref:1894101) | #16 | |
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I agree with one tyre one race . . .why do you think we get such extremes in lap times, Barrys race at SPa was an utter joke, and Top HAt did its best to play ball
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17 Apr 2007, 20:01 (Ref:1894175) | #17 | ||
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So, is that the slow fast ones, or the fast fast ones !
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17 Apr 2007, 20:20 (Ref:1894202) | #18 | ||
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I think most of the criteria in the original post is met by CTCRC championships with the exception of no long races but I would not want them anyhow.
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17 Apr 2007, 21:25 (Ref:1894261) | #19 | ||
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I agree with Al that in the main, the criteria are met by the CTCRC.
We don't have any long races. We do have the odd motorhome, but no artics. We don't go abroad. Maybe the inclusion of those things indicate a link between 4, 6 and 10? |
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18 Apr 2007, 07:50 (Ref:1894474) | #20 | ||
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Interesting thread. Personally speaking, the arrival of the Artics, fighting about rules and regs (how can the scruts not notice an MGB with 9'wheels and bubble arches? ) and a general lack of the afformentioned 'bonhommie' are among the reasons that the majority of my racing will be done in the UK this year. I had a look at several differant series before deciding to spend my money with CSCC. Not to put down how other clubs run but I was welcomed in and wasn't being asked for half my budget to just register. That and the longer races really appeal to me.
The 'open minded' approach to tech regs doesn't bother me as I have tried to play over here under so called structured regs and it seems to just cause fights and acrimony. As long as it doesn't lead to F1 cars with A35 bodies it's not a problem. In a perfect world everyone would have FIA papers for their car, but you try getting them in Ireland.....! As for the Artics and the roped off areas, they should be banned from a paddock! Any-one that has been to the Phoenix Park races (shame on you if you havn't, the only true street circuit with trees that you can hit!) in recent years can't have failed to notice the numbers of fenced /roped off area's, the security guards and the assorted other means of creating a mini castle. Drivers can't chat, family and friends feel excluded and the all important spectator looks on at the elitist snobs that you cant get at. OK, rant over........Oh and can I have a one hour at Zandvoort please! |
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18 Apr 2007, 09:38 (Ref:1894552) | #21 | ||
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I seem to remember one of the Porsche championships was class separated by BHP. Surely that would ensure some competitive racing with a spread of different cars within classes.
My only wish is for a championship I could afford to compete in |
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18 Apr 2007, 09:43 (Ref:1894554) | #22 | |||
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Quote:
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18 Apr 2007, 11:34 (Ref:1894613) | #23 | |||
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Quote:
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did anyone find my 3/4-7/8 GEDORE ringspanner at SPA? |
20 Apr 2007, 21:43 (Ref:1896687) | #24 | ||
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Quote:
And who the hell cares about getting the opportunity to go clay pigeon shooting or discounted rates at a London club (advertised as an attraction by a certain series...) |
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21 Apr 2007, 07:20 (Ref:1896832) | #25 | ||
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By Jingo old chap, one resides under canvas, its not a 'tent' |
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