Change @ Mallory Park

[The Fat Clerk]

I was @ Mallory yesterday for a Javelin Trackday, and noticed that some changes are being made to the armco between the Elbow and the Pedestrian Bridge. It's where the old Rallycross track, which was gravel left the track on the outside, alongside the grid.
The Armco is being brought in to be much closer to the track in what will be a straight line all the way along to the bridge.
Back there in a fortnight - Javelin again, so will see how it's going.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by The Fat Clerk

I was @ Mallory yesterday for a Javelin Trackday, and noticed that some changes are being made to the armco between the Elbow and the Pedestrian Bridge. It's where the old Rallycross track, which was gravel left the track on the outside, alongside the grid.
The Armco is being brought in to be much closer to the track in what will be a straight line all the way along to the bridge.
Back there in a fortnight - Javelin again, so will see how it's going.

I suppose that is toi minimise the risk of something going off on the outside and hitting the bridge head on.

In that respect is seems like a good idea although perhaps makes the track a bit of a tunnel.

From a spectator POV the openess of the view from the main viewing areas seems likely to be a compromised at least a little, especially from the car parking area but it may not be too different to now.

If the current spectator fence is left where it is the open view from the track level pathway will be eliminated. I doubt they could move the spectator fence down towards the track behind the new armco line ... but they might. There is a small area in the paddock that historically has always been restricted in the years I have been visiting but was open for access this year.

Looking forward to your next update!

[snailpace85]

Glad to hear that - Mallory is my favourite track and closest to where I live but it can be hair raising to drive or to marshal. The danger at that point is someone losing control right at the exit of the Devils Elbow and doing an exit stage left straight at the Armco where it comes back in to go under the bridge. Mainly a problem in the wet.

Of course the real safety gain would be if Mallory could widen the bridge itself or how about a vehicle bridge or how about paddock on the outside of the track...…. all too much money I would think. We'll just have to love the place for what it is! Hope they've got more car race meetings than last couple of years but club calendars out so far don't seem to show much enthusiasm for going there I'm afraid.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by snailpace85

Hope they've got more car race meetings than last couple of years but club calendars out so far don't seem to show much enthusiasm for going there I'm afraid.

I think they may still be battling the planning authorities but perhaps The Fat Controller, as a local, can provide some more background.



I'm not at all sure it would be technically feasible to build a bridge that would take the weight of the largest vehicles using the paddock at any remotely close to an economic cost.

[The Fat Clerk]

As you say, for at least the near future we've got to work with what we've got.

An issue with any car club trying to book a date @ the circuit is that the people who run it are 'Bike' people hence the Pirelli & Metzler trucks always parked there.

There is a strong chance that Eurocar's will be there next year though, running the same way as everyone else does.

A confirmed date is June 16th for Richard Culverhouse's Classic & Modern Motorsport Club, running for it's third year.
It will be run by the BRSCC though, as all the Senior Officials, myself included will be @ Silverstone's MG Live event.

[Stuart H]

Originally Posted by The Fat Clerk

As you say, for at least the near future we've got to work with what we've got.

An issue with any car club trying to book a date @ the circuit is that the people who run it are 'Bike' people hence the Pirelli & Metzler trucks always parked there.

There is a strong chance that Eurocar's will be there next year though, running the same way as everyone else does.

A confirmed date is June 16th for Richard Culverhouse's Classic & Modern Motorsport Club, running for it's third year.
It will be run by the BRSCC though, as all the Senior Officials, myself included will be @ Silverstone's MG Live event.

Know when all the car race dates are being made public for next season?

[Alan Crook]

Not sure it will be Eurocar, but have heard that the Pickups will run on the oval twice next year.

[delta]

I had only ever driving small single seaters at Mallory. One day over 20 years ago now I got asked to test a Wheatcroft F2 car. Did a few warm up laps then lit her up coming out of hairpin round the left hander which was always flat in a FF2000 or F3 car. There I was spinning all the way down the main straight. The owner was not to impressed.happy days. Convinced him it was a duff damper.

[VIVA GT]

Thinking about it, wasn't the short circuit the reason that the barrier was so far back there in the first place, giving more run off on the exit back onto the start/finish straight?
(Mind you, if they only run that configuration anti-clockwise now, it's not a problem).

[Lola]

I had a similar experience about 7-8 years ago(????) Just after they resurfaced the track over winter. It was the first open test on a Wednesday and i was one of the first cars on track in an F3 cup single seater. I turned in at the top of the hill entering Devils elbow and spun on a patch of ice.. I think my spin pretty much made it to pit in. Very embarrassing on an out lap. The new surface was treacherous.

[The Fat Clerk]

35 or so years ago I attacked the catch fencing @ Woodcote on an 'out lap', and all the potential sponsors i'd invited saw was me throwing my teddy out of the pram, and my 2 mechanics untangling all 4 corners,

[grantp]

Originally Posted by The Fat Clerk

35 or so years ago I attacked the catch fencing @ Woodcote on an 'out lap', and all the potential sponsors i'd invited saw was me throwing my teddy out of the pram, and my 2 mechanics untangling all 4 corners,

I hope you explained how good such an incident would be for TV coverage and potential newspaper and magazine inclusion at that time. And how a bigger sponsorship deal would get bigger name rights on the car ....

[The Fat Clerk]

I'm afraid I didn't think like that @ the time - red mist etc.

Had a happy ending though, the chap thought it was all most amusing - both my mistake and then my reaction (he was an ex stock car driver) and he did sponsor me for that season & the next one.

[The Fat Clerk]

As promised here's a picture of the finished article taken during the lunch break @ todays Javelin Track Day.

A smaller than usual turn out of less than 40 cars with the usual selection of Vauxhall & French 'Hot Hatches' + MX5's.

Fastest car was a race Seat Leon which was a couple of seconds quicker than anything else, even though it only did around a dozen laps and went home at lunch-time.

IMG0019A.jpg

[pescaraproductions]

Bit of an update to some of the work going on at the Devils Elbow, I know some people saw it at the Plum Pudding meeting and thought the viewing section was being pushed back. It's not going anywhere, it's undergone some serious smartening up and had steps added. They've added a new wooden fence that i'm certain is somehow closer to the apex of the corner and is hardly high, I could fall over it and i'm hardly 6 foot lol. It looks like it might continue all the way down the straight too. It's got to be the closest you can get un-obscured in the UK now but at least that spectator area hasn't been lost to time. Someone should give MSV a call and tell them this is how you do it instead of ruining everywhere with safety fences.

[coppice]

MSV have Cadwell- and nowhere has viewing as good, or as unobstructed , or as close ...

[rbs]

What concerns me currently is the amount of 2 championship days we seem to have, which notoriously get cancelled by BARC last minute.

A bigger concern is that on September 14th 15th the date for the BRSCC meeting, the BRSCC are also running the GT meeting at Donington. Thi seems to be streching organisation and marshalling to the limit.

[Lola]

Monoposto Tiedman Trophy on the 14th of September

[The Fat Clerk]

Work continues - seen yesterday.

[Alfaholic]

Originally Posted by The Fat Clerk

Work continues - seen yesterday.

It will be interesting to see whether they move the spectator area closer to the track and what sort of fencing they use.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Alfaholic

It will be interesting to see whether they move the spectator area closer to the track and what sort of fencing they use.

I doubt that race tracks have ever moved spectators closer. Thst all looks like increased run off and i have every expectation thst the armco will be moved back next.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by andy97

I doubt that race tracks have ever moved spectators closer. Thst all looks like increased run off and i have every expectation thst the armco will be moved back next.

It was run-off area Andy. The armco has just been moved up to trackside by this work.

The apparent problem if the run-off area ended up at the pedestrian bridge structure which was not ideal for start line shunts. Nor, presumably, if they ever use the short circuit again, avoiding the hairpin.

Then again a start line shunt constrained by armco on both sides of the tarmac might not be ideal either. Hopefully we will never find out.

With the chance of Rallycross returning being non-existent the sections of off-tarmac surface have been eliminated.

In fact last year an area behind the armco at the end end of Stebbe Straight that I had never seen unrestricted was opened out for public access. I was quite surprised but did not have an opportunity to make use of it then. Access from the paddock only of course.

[VIVA GT]

Coincidentally, I received a fixtures list for events at Mallory Park this year in my post box yesterday. I don't remember this happening for at least 40 years (but I do live slightly further away from the track nowadays).

[pescaraproductions]

Interesting to see that there is a pair of benches right by the new start line fence now. So if there's chaos off the line while you have lunch you can get some fibreglass in your teeth.

While the bridge was always a problem for start line stalls as well as taking the life of Nic Fairman, very nearly taking Des Chandler and a Mig driver in 2001, there was more wiggle room than there is now if someone doesn't get off the line. I can't see it lasting. I pray they're thinking of better solutions for the off season.