Croft

[Les]

Did anyone else think that the facilities at Croft are getting worse and worse each year?
I swear blind there were less toilets at Clervaux than at the GT meeting a couple of months back and as for the food stalls - what stalls? 2 - burgers etc or pork rolls with of course long queues most of the time.
There was a good sized crowd there so why not loads of vans.
And it's about time the place had a fixed cafe.

[rdjones]

I have to agree with you, there was hardly anywhere to get something to eat on Saturday lunch time. The PA was awful this weekend, through no fault of Alan and Titch's, that is one thing that needs to be improved I had my Dad with me yesterday and he said things where very hard to follow. I go to Croft a lot as it my local track and as much love the place there is some work to been done.

[Gaz]

I thought it was very poor indeed. PA was non existent so couldn't here a bloody thing that was going on, how I long for Radio Toca to return over the earphones.

One bog with a HUGE cue, you'd have had more than the trickles by the time you got to the front of that I tell yer! Burger vans were awful, the quality of the food was appalling as well.

And Croft in general disappoints me, it never produces great racing...infact from the terms of an actual race it very rarely produces goodn's in any category. In most of the races yesterday there was the odd scirmish here and there but the majority of the time in the majority of the races most of the cars were strung out and you only have to look at how many drivers won from pole to see that the excitement was nowhere near that that we've had at any of the meetings so far this year, even Brands Indy!

[Chris Y]

Originally Posted by Gaz

One bog with a HUGE cue

Snooker or pool?

[touringlegend]

Toilets, I may say, were absolutely boggin.

Overall I've always thought Croft to be a good circuit, but then my local track is Knockhill!

(Thought there were loads of burger vans and the like there, my only complaint is they knew how to charge! At least the circuit put on a tap for drinking water. )

[bella]

croft *is* a good circuit, but clearly the best time to enjoy it is at a clubby meeting where there's the same number of bogs, and even one or two burger vans... for 10 people, not a couple of thousand

it's far better suited in it's current state even to a meeting of f3/gt size, just not toca i guess.

[rdjones]

Has anyone seen Matt James peace in today Motorsport News about Croft, I have to agree with every word he says. If they don't improve things then I fear they may lose there TOCA and Superbike rounds.

[craig hope]

Originally Posted by Gaz

I thought it was very poor indeed. PA was non existent so couldn't here a bloody thing that was going on, how I long for Radio Toca to return over the earphones.

One bog with a HUGE cue, you'd have had more than the trickles by the time you got to the front of that I tell yer! Burger vans were awful, the quality of the food was appalling as well.

And Croft in general disappoints me, it never produces great racing...infact from the terms of an actual race it very rarely produces goodn's in any category. In most of the races yesterday there was the odd scirmish here and there but the majority of the time in the majority of the races most of the cars were strung out and you only have to look at how many drivers won from pole to see that the excitement was nowhere near that that we've had at any of the meetings so far this year, even Brands Indy!

have you been to watch club racing there....what event was this for

[craig hope]

only second year of superbikes
they seemed very keen to come back so if they not happy why did they come the 2nd year.....

toca package a bit thin this year but there was still a big crowd....
think you need to come back for a DDMC meeting and watch some close fast good racing....( and save a few £££ as well )

august 27th & 28th next DDMC meeting there...

[Grahame West]

Agree facilities could be better but to be fair to Croft improvements are being made slowly.

Did hear that the problem re toilets is that Croft cant get planning permission to put proper toilet blocks up.

[Gaz]

Originally Posted by craig hope

have you been to watch club racing there....what event was this for

Comments were based on the weekend just gone but I've made them many times in the past when I've visited either TOCA or F3/GT meetings...its a long way to go for a clubbie, they don't really interest me anyway.

Just seems a poor circuit in all aspects but the BTCC does need to visit the North East and with no other circuits about then I suppose we'll just have to deal with it.

[COLIN STUBBS]

Hey Gaz we havnt got that many circuits in this country. we missed Croft like hell when it closed and it was a brave move to get it re opened.the real racing is put on by the locals that dont venture very far down south.i for one would put up with the lack of facilities for the hospitality and friendlyness you get at Croft compared with some circuits. it isnt the track that makes the racing,thats up to the people driving it.

[bella]

that doesn't solve the issue of trying to get more people to go though.

when you pay £25-£30 for some racing the least you expect is a clean bog.

[Gaz]

Originally Posted by COLIN STUBBS

Hey Gaz we havnt got that many circuits in this country. we missed Croft like hell when it closed and it was a brave move to get it re opened.the real racing is put on by the locals that dont venture very far down south.i for one would put up with the lack of facilities for the hospitality and friendlyness you get at Croft compared with some circuits. it isnt the track that makes the racing,thats up to the people driving it.

Well fair play, I can't comment on club racing at Croft cos as I say 1. It doesn't really interest me and 2. Its a long way to travel just for a clubby (unless you were racing of course)

I've been to 6-7 meetings at Croft since it re-opened, I attend both the F3 and TOCA meetings each year and I don't think I've once come away from a meeting feeling that the racing I've witnessed has been of any reasonable standard. Cars for whatever reason just get too strung out and the viewing positions don't offer a good view of the only two real action spots on the circuit (Tower and the hairpin). The banking at the opening turn is good for the first lap but after then you see very little action and standing on the banking out the back is only really worthwile for qualifying when you can see the speed of the guys.

By far the worst facilities that TOCA visits and by far the worst "race" meeting of the season, but as I say there is a big fan base in the North East and with Knockhill being the nearest circuit then TOCA really have to visit Croft.

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by Gaz

Well fair play, I can't comment on club racing at Croft cos as I say 1. It doesn't really interest me and 2. Its a long way to travel just for a clubby (unless you were racing of course)

I've been to 6-7 meetings at Croft since it re-opened, I attend both the F3 and TOCA meetings each year and I don't think I've once come away from a meeting feeling that the racing I've witnessed has been of any reasonable standard.

Time to stop wasting money on the 'big' meetings & start watching some real racing, maybe?

[Gaz]

Doesn't interest me I'm afraid, can't really put a finger on why but it doesn't. All the other big meetings I've been to this year have interested me, thats why Croft stands out!

[Steve Gibson]

I did not get time to count the toilets but I did see 3 blocks of about 8 or so portaloos in addition to the usual toilets and yes the food could be a better range, but as to the amount I saw about 12 food vans and the queues were no worse than anywhere else I have been this year except for lunch time when 150 hungry marshals joined the queues.
Cadwell the other week, I wanted a Bacon and Cheese sandwich at about 11am, slight problem they had run out of bacon, so i said i would have a cheese burger but they had no cheese! now if somewhere needs to get sorted it is there.

[Ian Sowman]

I've never actually made the association between circuit cheeseburgers and actual cheese, but there you go...

[Alan Green]

Toilet block at the rear of Clervaux (permanant), toilet block at paddock (permanant), toilet block between chicane & tower spectator areas (permanant), toilet block in support paddock (temporary). Other 'tardis' portaloos around and about.

About 10 food wagons of various types in the normal catering area (can't comment about quality, 'cos I had nothing except an ice cream at the end of the day).

Certainly not luxury facilities at every turn such as Rockingham, but not exctly spartan either.

Racing is usually entertaining at Croft, but you need to have decent grids of good drivers, rather than overhyped wannabes in failing series who think that driving standards are only applicable when they feel like it [/rant]

Al.

[Steve Gibson]

Ian
Well you would not be able to do that as Cadwell obviously don't have circuit cheeseburgers as they did not actually have any cheese!

Meanwhile back at Croft

[Gaz]

Originally Posted by Alan Green

Racing is usually entertaining at Croft, but you need to have decent grids of good drivers, rather than overhyped wannabes in failing series who think that driving standards are only applicable when they feel like it [/rant]

Al.

These same geezers provide decent levels of entertainment at other venues mind....

[Steve Gibson]

Alan
How did you find time to recee all of those sites, you obviously need a more action packed post in future, and for those who only saw "one bog" obviously "should have gone to specsavers"

[Steve Gibson]

Small grids at any track = boring, except maybe Brands Indy where at least the leaders can overtake the back markers sooner than at a long circuit

[Les]

10 food wagons? Give over - off the top of my head - sweets, bar, pork something, burger, donuts and something else...

[Alan Green]

Originally Posted by Steve Gibson

Alan
How did you find time to recee all of those sites, you obviously need a more action packed post in future, and for those who only saw "one bog" obviously "should have gone to specsavers"

Just from memory, been there once or twice now