Modern Cars at Historic Meetings

[Derwent Motorsp]

What do people feel about modern series racing at the bigger historic meetings? Fiat Arbaths at the Silverstone Classic for example. The Knockhill classic speed fair has Mini Coopers and Formula Fords joining some good races for period cars.
I assume in the case of the Fiats, (who are also doing things like Super Bikes etc) they are paying handsomely to perform in front of bigger audiences that they would get at other meetings but many "historic" enthusiasts may see their race as a good time to go to the loo/bar/cafe/look round the paddock.

[skentellytubby]

Agreed. Time for me to look around the pits and buy a pint/have a fag. Last year at Silverstone Classic I have to admit I disappeared when the modern Porsches and modded Minis came out, as amazing as some of the early 90s highly modified 911s looked. And I'm not bothered about watching 2 year old Porsche Cup cars.

Personally, I'm there to watch old stuff. I guess its a commercial decision, but I doesn't work for me. Still, gives me time for a break I 'spose.

[Redneck Rocket]

Doesn't bother me really, my interest spans pre-war right up to the present day. I don't so much like seeing the weekend professionals turn up but if it's proper clubbie racers I'm all for it. As long as it's one or two races and not the whole meeting...

[pieterbakker]

.

Coincidentelly there is a row going on between a French "modern" series organizer and some "historic" event organizers.

The event organizers don t want to give way to the series organizer, who is pretty ****ed off.

I am not sure, but modern series are often not more than a spectacle, whereas historic classes are still racing.

Enjoy,

.

[smokystove]

As a spectator I admit that I head off for beer or lunch, but I guess it needs to be kept in mind that an early 90s 911 or Touring car, while "modern" to some of us, is to younger folks a 20+ year old piece of kit that may be as old as they are...

If the organizers need these modern series in order to fill gaps and make money that's fair enough, but if it's at the expense of other "more historic" series that might generate just as much interest/income then I think it's a pity.

I'd imagine that the increase in interest in the more modern stuff would hopefully create splintering off into new events/series eventually, which in theory is good for everyone?

[Derwent Motorsp]

I don't mid the old BTCC cars etc but the Fiats, Mini Coopers and Formula Fords are "current".

[skentellytubby]

Originally Posted by smokystove

As a spectator I admit that I head off for beer or lunch, but I guess it needs to be kept in mind that an early 90s 911 or Touring car, while "modern" to some of us, is to younger folks a 20+ year old piece of kit that may be as old as they are...

Yep, I agree with you completely. Just my personal preference. Although the 911s I spoke of were, typically, a lot younger than early 90s.

[midgetman]

As a trader, I'm glad the organisers can't please all the people all the time, gives me more potential customers circulating. If you were staring at the track all day it would be a disaster!

[SAMD]

You see! There is always another perspective.

[Lancsbreaker]

We've got the Formula Palmer Audi circus with us at Brands this weekend....can't say I have any interest in them, really - and when we've shared a meet with them before I was definitely ticked off with their attitude that we were a nuisance....had some of the pit crews rolling an FPA car out of the pit garage when we were mid-race and about to have a pit-stop.....

[kipper]

In my view, it depends somewhat on the meeting. If it is a 'flagship' historic event, such as the Silverstone Classic then track time should be devoted to genuine historic races and not those for modern catergories, such as Porsches. For club events, then I feel that a mixture of races generally makes for a more interesting meeting and in my view, this weekends BARC meeting at Silverstone and CSCC event at Brands are good examples of this.

[rbs]

If you look at the Silverstone Classic website there is no mention of the new Fiat 500's.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by rbs

If you look at the Silverstone Classic website there is no mention of the new Fiat 500's.

And yet there was a bunch of them complete with 'Trofeo' truck at Classic press do on Wednesday!

[rbs]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

And yet there was a bunch of them complete with 'Trofeo' truck at Classic press do on Wednesday!

That is not good news, a few weeks ago they were on the GP circuit, there was not many of them and with lap times of 2'10" they were really boring.

[Colin McKay]

Originally Posted by rbs

If you look at the Silverstone Classic website there is no mention of the new Fiat 500's.

They're being used for the celebrity race on Friday evening so we can all get off our high horses!!! Should be fun to watch.

Unless you'd rather see the celebs let loose in historics of course, could create an opening for a group C grid

[simon drabble]

I am with Colin here - let us not forget celeb races were around in period.... as for Group C I presume they will be in the Z list class!

[Lancsbreaker]

Well to be fair to the FPA circus at CSCC Brands this weekend they were well-behaved in the pits, at least as far as we were concerned......mind you, on track was a different matter - I believe four red flags during qualifying, and at least two safety car outings and a red flag in their first race......

I think there "may" have been a stern talking to after that, because the second race was more or less without incident, I think...Dunno about the third...........oh - from the lap chart looks like on 5-lap safety car period....

Brian George and Joyce Swan in the Safety Car did more laps yesterday than most race drivers, I reckon.......

[Joyce George]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

Well to be fair to the FPA circus at CSCC Brands this weekend they were well-behaved in the pits, at least as far as we were concerned......mind you, on track was a different matter - I believe four red flags during qualifying, and at least two safety car outings and a red flag in their first race......

I think there "may" have been a stern talking to after that, because the second race was more or less without incident, I think...Dunno about the third...........oh - from the lap chart looks like on 5-lap safety car period....

Brian George and Joyce Swan in the Safety Car did more laps yesterday than most race drivers, I reckon.......

You should have seen us on Saturday -we used over half a tank of fuel. We spent more time on track than on standby! It was very wet & slippery 'tho.

[Tall Chris]

I was on post 6 on Saturday, if I was spectating I would have probably gone for a coffee whilst the FPA were on track, they're not really my cup of tea.
Big cats and Caterhams duelling it out, not to mention the rest of the superb cars giving it their all in the wet made it a struggle to watch the track and not the racing.
Big thumbs up to all the CSCC racers.

[Colin McKay]

Saturday was a red letter day for the Jag Enthusiasts Club - Jaguar Landrover CEO Dr. Ralf Speth was there to watch and Jonathan Palmer, watching from the bank, singled out Kevin Doyle (black XJ12) for praise having watched his battle with the Caterham. Good stuff!

[Al Weyman]

Looks like we (CTCRC) are getting stuck with two 40 minute races for half a dozen Chevron GR8's again at Brands like we were at Silverstone last week, how bloody boring for everyone, just why do they do it?

[Derwent Motorsp]

it may well be that they "buy" a grid or race time. It's quite common now with series. In most circumstances it is good in that if the series is well supported they get a cheaper entry fee but there are cases I suspect where someone is putting up the money as the number of entries would not make the race viable.

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by Colin McKay

Saturday was a red letter day for the Jag Enthusiasts Club - Jaguar Landrover CEO Dr. Ralf Speth was there to watch and Jonathan Palmer, watching from the bank, singled out Kevin Doyle (black XJ12) for praise having watched his battle with the Caterham. Good stuff!

Yes and it's certainly paid dividends for the JEC series.

[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Looks like we (CTCRC) are getting stuck with two 40 minute races for half a dozen Chevron GR8's again at Brands like we were at Silverstone last week, how bloody boring for everyone, just why do they do it?

there's a flip side to everything . . . . if it makes a full weekends racing and cheaper for all , and we get a double header etc then its a good thing . . . . . and Arthur loves the camper van so its a winner for me!

I wonder why we keep a house sometimes, he spends more time in there and his shed!

[Simon Hadfield]

Somewhat off thread but I am so impressed that you got Arthur his own shed, this nation was made great by men in sheds! What a fabulous start for a boy.