Entry Levels at Historic Race Meetings

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

Hillclimb and Sprint Committee

Thanks

[GCCheddaris]

After the Lord Mayor's Show of the Oulton Park Gold Cup meeting with mostly large grids, last week's lower key HSCC meeting at Oulton saw some distinctly below par grids. Just two Classic Formula Three cars were combined with ten Classic Clubmans, six Historic Modsports/Saloons joined in the first race of a five car Historic Saloon car grid and the four surviving Historic Saloons competed on their own later on. Only the two Roadsports series and the Historic Formula Fords reached double figures and none of them reached twenty entries.

[Peter Mallett]

Too many events, too close together. I think Peter Baker.made the point that perhaps the top events such as the Gold Cup and Silverstone Classic should be left to the professional teams since the cars are mostly driven by professional or semi professional drivers. Then Club meets such as HSCC, MGCC should limit their entries to amateur drivers, i.e those who never made or don't meet Int A standards. Possibly complete ******** but a reasonable point?

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by GCCheddaris

After the Lord Mayor's Show of the Oulton Park Gold Cup meeting with mostly large grids, last week's lower key HSCC meeting at Oulton saw some distinctly below par grids. Just two Classic Formula Three cars were combined with ten Classic Clubmans, six Historic Modsports/Saloons joined in the first race of a five car Historic Saloon car grid and the four surviving Historic Saloons competed on their own later on. Only the two Roadsports series and the Historic Formula Fords reached double figures and none of them reached twenty entries.

Knowing that the Modsports/Saloons were only competing in the first combined race and that 4 or 5 touring cars was not mush of a spectacle the Historic Touring Car drivers approached the C of C to make race 2 a handicap affair in which thay agreed the handicap system amongst themselves. I wasn't there but am informed by someone who was that the crowd were pleased with the resulting race and at least had the spectacle of watching cars come through the (thin) field and supply some excitement. I think the drivers should be commended for this initiative to provide some excitement.

[Mike Crow]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Too many events, too close together. I think Peter Baker.made the point that perhaps the top events such as the Gold Cup and Silverstone Classic should be left to the professional teams since the cars are mostly driven by professional or semi professional drivers. Then Club meets such as HSCC, MGCC should limit their entries to amateur drivers, i.e those who never made or don't meet Int A standards. Possibly complete ******** but a reasonable point?

Point well made. Monster grids at CTCRC Brands today and I guess not a professional driver anywhere

[justracing]

Originally Posted by Mike Crow

Point well made. Monster grids at CTCRC Brands today and I guess not a professional driver anywhere

Yep, given the economic climate the CTRC meeting was very well subscribed, it's a great shame that MSV didn't give them a fair crack of the whip after the various delays. In my view they should have shortened their own 2 x 45min races, at the end of the day MSVR get to race for free with the circuit cost being covered by the CTRC. Spent the whole day in the shade of the trees at Druids, some frenetic action from the big saloons but all good clean fun.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by justracing

Yep, given the economic climate the CTRC meeting was very well subscribed, it's a great shame that MSV didn't give them a fair crack of the whip after the various delays. In my view they should have shortened their own 2 x 45min races, at the end of the day MSVR get to race for free with the circuit cost being covered by the CTRC. Spent the whole day in the shade of the trees at Druids, some frenetic action from the big saloons but all good clean fun.

It’s not true that MSVR get to race for free - they are club that is owned by MSV as a separate business unit but they still have to pay for their track time the same as any other club.

[justracing]

Originally Posted by andy97

It’s not true that MSVR get to race for free - they are club that is owned by MSV as a separate business unit but they still have to pay for their track time the same as any other club.

I stand corrected, what I do know is that the schedule appeared somewhat unbalanced particularly for some of the classic competitors. I know race stoppages are inevitable at times but if I had paid out a pretty hefty entry fee as a CTRC entrant I would be a little miffed with one race curtailed after 3 laps and a second shortened because of time constraints.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by justracing

I stand corrected, what I do know is that the schedule appeared somewhat unbalanced particularly for some of the classic competitors. I know race stoppages are inevitable at times but if I had paid out a pretty hefty entry fee as a CTRC entrant I would be a little miffed with one race curtailed after 3 laps and a second shortened because of time constraints.

To be fair it was an MSVR meeting so you would expect them to favour their own series over “guests”.
I thought CTCRC normally raced with BARC?

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by justracing

I stand corrected, what I do know is that the schedule appeared somewhat unbalanced particularly for some of the classic competitors. I know race stoppages are inevitable at times but if I had paid out a pretty hefty entry fee as a CTRC entrant I would be a little miffed with one race curtailed after 3 laps and a second shortened because of time constraints.

Yes it was a bit unfair, however I was in a 1hr race at Spa laying 6th overall in a 70 car grid when the safety car was bought out, unfortunately the safety car came out in front of the car in front of me that happened to be the slowest car in the race that I was just going to overtake and lap but he couldn't even keep up with the safety car that disappeared into the distance !
This went on for ages and as I couldn't overtake the "driver" in front (under the rules as well as yellow flags) I lost almost a complete lap to the 5th placed driver that I was never going to catch and have a good race. OK I did get the 6th place but I spent the whole time driving on my own for the remaining race. I know that they are supposed to let cars overtake to catch up with the pack but it rarely happens in reality at a lot of meetings because of time constraints.
The same thing happened on the race mentioned above with several cars miles behind as it was on the GP circuit.

[Willmaz223]

Originally Posted by andy97

To be fair it was an MSVR meeting so you would expect them to favour their own series over “guests”.
I thought CTCRC normally raced with BARC?

Yes they do.

MSVR typically do allow others clubs that are part of a different organisation to race with them at a GP event such as Brands GP. CSCC have for a long time had a class each year on the GP as part of a msvr event.