What should I NOT miss in a trip to UK

[kobefly]

Hi All!

I am almost certain I will be spending 3 weeks in UK afther the 24 hours of Le Mans next year (2019) and would like to know what things, related to car racing, should I NOT miss there.

I would appreciate if you can tell me which are the best museums or anything related I should go and check.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[toledo47]

Originally Posted by kobefly

Hi All!

I am almost certain I will be spending 3 weeks in UK afther the 24 hours of Le Mans next year (2019) and would like to know what things, related to car racing, should I NOT miss there.

I would appreciate if you can tell me which are the best museums or anything related I should go and check.

Thanks in advance for your help!

I am not from the UK, but I did actually take a trip to the UK this year. Was great getting to see the BTCC and BriSCA F1 (oval short track racing).
Not sure about any museums, I didn't go to any, but on June 30 at Oulton Park there is a round of the BTCC. Not sure about any other big races happening, but the BTCC was awesome when I saw it.

[bella]

you also have f3/gt at donington on the 22/23rd, which is a decent opportunity to visit the place. it's good for viewing and obviously has a bit of history. not sure i'd call it unmissable, but the british gt grid is looking like it's going to be another packed one with a decent amount of variation if you're not bored of sportscars after le mans! there's something 6-7th july at brands that includes the porsche club gb, which is a club level series. not a big event but if you'd like to see brands then that'll be a good option.

i'd recommend the touring cars at oulton as mentioned above by toledo47 for the following weekend - it's a lovely scenic circuit, and the viewing isn't bad there as well. iirc racing doesn't start there until midday on the sunday, which is something to consider if you were hoping to see a lot of track action.

as for museums, perhaps someone else can help but the national motor museum at beaulieu may be worth a visit, and if you're into general history, the imperial war museums in london and at duxford (for the planes and concorde) are absolutely must-sees.

[coppice]

Try to see a HSCC and/or VSCC event- and visit Cadwell Park and Shelsley Walsh or Prescott .

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by toledo47

I am not from the UK, but I did actually take a trip to the UK this year. Was great getting to see the BTCC and BriSCA F1 (oval short track racing).
Not sure about any museums, I didn't go to any, but on June 30 at Oulton Park there is a round of the BTCC. Not sure about any other big races happening, but the BTCC was awesome when I saw it.

Ah, BriSCA..... IT was watching BriSCA in 1984 at Belle Vue that got me back into going to motor racing after a period of some years......

[andrewc]

3 weeks after Le Mans is the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
2 weeks after Le Mans is BTCC at Oulton
1 week afterwards is British GT/F3 at Donington.
plus museums during the week.

alternatively there are the more obscure forms of motorsport - bangers/stock cars/ drag racing at Santa Pod, hill climbs and those funny things with two wheels.

[bella]

good point about the festival of speed.

however, all i'd say about the fos is that it's a bit of an acquired taste. personally i'm not a huge fan, but it's worth considering as a fairly unique event.

[kobefly]

Thank you all for your suggestions. I was really sad to hear that Donington Collection museum closed last month. I was eager to see it.

I would LOVE to go to Goodwood Festival of Speed, in fact, I will still be there by that time since I plan to fly back home the Monday after that weekend but I guess it will be very expensive to be there and get accomodation. However, I will give it a look.

[toledo47]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Ah, BriSCA..... IT was watching BriSCA in 1984 at Belle Vue that got me back into going to motor racing after a period of some years......

The BriSCA event was fun! I'm a big fan of most forums of racing, road course racing, NASCAR oval, dirt track racing, etc... So when I finally got a chance to take a race trip to the UK i definitely wanted to be able to see both the BTCC as well as a BriSCA meeting. It worked out to see BriSCA at Birmingham on Saturday and the BTCC at Rockingham on Sunday. Unfortunately it rained pretty hard throughout the entire BriSCA meeting, so the racing wasn't the greatest. Would like to get back someday and see them on a dry circuit, as well as a shale event. Better to have a rainy event than nothing at all though!

There are actually a couple of BriSCA F1 meetings in late June (June 22 Ipswich, June 30 Belle Vue) during the period that the original poster will be in the UK, though I'm not sure how much most sports car fans would be into a BriSCA race!

[andrewc]

Goodwood FOS isn't cheap - £ 70 on a Saturday or Sunday. Just under £ 60 for the Friday.

[JD Media]

Originally Posted by andrewc

3 weeks after Le Mans is the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
2 weeks after Le Mans is BTCC at Oulton
1 week afterwards is British GT/F3 at Donington.
plus museums during the week.

Looks like the best option A shame the BRSCC Caterham weekend at Snetterton is at the same weekend as BTCC at Oulton. Those Caterhams/ amateur racing are definitely worth a visit as well!

[GreenMachine]

I did a big trip in 2007. Le Mans, Goodwood FOS, Beaulieu (and Donnington). FOS, one day is sufficient, I had a three day ticket and skipped the Sunday. Beaulieu is so-so, French version at Mulhouse much more impressive - highly recommended since you are over there.

Shuttleworth is a must-see, and RAF Museum too. I also fitted in the French GP at Magny Cours, but it looks like the current version has hairs on it, maybe you can squeeze in a different one?

[ascarracinguk]

if its dry, check this out at Santa Pod,there wont be any top fuel, but theres pro mod and all the national championship classes.

http://santapod.co.uk/summernationals.php

its only £14 for the day and an hour south of Donington Park, so you could do drag racing on the Saturday and British GT at Donington on Sunday

https://doningtonpark.msv.com/DP-19-BGT-F3-1

30th June BTCC is on at Oulton Park

World Superbikes is also on at Donington 7 July if youre into bikes

Midweek theres also the British Motor Museum in Coventry

https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/


Also if youre passing Stratford upon avon and want lunch then go here!


http://caffeineandmachine.com/

[kobefly]

Is it possible to attend Goodwood FoS for the day going from London? Maybe I can do at least one day before coming back home since I will probably spend the last days of my trip in London.

[andrewc]

Goodwood operates shuttle buses from Chichester station, so you could do Goodwood FOS in one day.

[kobefly]

Originally Posted by andrewc

Goodwood operates shuttle buses from Chichester station, so you could do Goodwood FOS in one day.

Looks like I have a job to do this weekend... thanks!

If going from London to the festival for one day and back I would definitely do that.

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by kobefly

Is it possible to attend Goodwood FoS for the day going from London? Maybe I can do at least one day before coming back home since I will probably spend the last days of my trip in London.

It should be fairly easy to catch a train from London to Chichester and the FoS is about 4 or 5 miles north of Chichester. Goodwood or others may lay on a bus service from station to FoS. I think the rail journey would be slightly less than an hour though others on here may have better information, which London rail station, etc.


If you are interested in historic racing the HSCC Superprix event on the Brands Hatch GP circuit is well worth a visit. It's on 29th/30th June and there should be historic F1 cars there (4 races over the 2 days) as well as historic sports cars, GTs, touring cars, etc. Brands is situated just south east of London, near Swanley/West Kingsdown.

[SnoodyMcFlude]

Or don't head straight to the UK, the N24h is the week after Le Mans

[Graz]

Originally Posted by bella

good point about the festival of speed.

however, all i'd say about the fos is that it's a bit of an acquired taste. personally i'm not a huge fan, but it's worth considering as a fairly unique event.

Can you expand on this one? I'm heading with my son for the full 4 days in 2019 and we're really looking forward to it.

Any advice or suggestions would be very much appreciated by anyone.

We're camping by the way.

I'm taking a 3 month work sabbatical for June to Aug inclusive. We're also heading to the BSB in Brands mid June. We're also camping here - for the first time!!

[Mike_Powell]

if you have the time and like the historical aspect of the sport, Brooklands is well worth a visit.

[andrewc]

The FOS is a curious event - more of a show and a social event than a motorsport competition - only a proportion of the cars going up the hill are intent on setting the best possible time, the rest are showboating or performing to the crowd.

However, there is a lot of very diverse machinery and a mixture of past and present drivers, so if you are coming half way across the planet for a fix of motorsport, I'd argue than you should go, at least for one day.

[kobefly]

I have seen the Goodwood FoS many times on TV (or YouTube lately) and I know what this is about, and I am also sure I would love to be there.

My concern was that, in my mind, I had to find accommodation at Goodwood at that would be difficult to do by now and also very expensive. Since I am planning to spend those days in London to end my trip (I am flying back the following Monday) if I can take a train very early in the morning in London and then, after a day at the FoS I can take another one and be back at night I will definitely do it for at least one, or maybe two, days.

[bella]

Originally Posted by Graz

Can you expand on this one? I'm heading with my son for the full 4 days in 2019 and we're really looking forward to it.

essentially it's the autosport show with a bit more motion involved. like i say, that's a personal perspective - a lot of people very much enjoy it, but i'm not a massive fan of watching point to point racing like hillclimbs or rally trackside. the cars are great to look at and like andrewc says, there's a huge range there but personally, not for me.

it's a good event to tick off the list, and essentially a temporary museum for some seriously cool toys. but i'd struggle to do more than one day there, to be honest. personally i wouldn't bother with all four days at the fos, and i'd spend the entrance money on another bike event instead! the bsb at brands will be brilliant, that's a great choice. if you fancy some grass roots bikes as well, the thundersport events are a good day trip, very well run events with a good range of machinery about.

Originally Posted by kobefly

My concern was that, in my mind, I had to find accommodation at Goodwood at that would be difficult to do by now and also very expensive. Since I am planning to spend those days in London to end my trip (I am flying back the following Monday) if I can take a train very early in the morning in London and then, after a day at the FoS I can take another one and be back at night I will definitely do it for at least one, or maybe two, days.

the fos does sell out, so if you can purchase your tickets sooner rather than later it'll be a smart thing to do. chichester is on a line currently run by southern, who are pretty rubbish at running a reliable service so it may be an idea to have several scheduled journeys in mind that'll suit your plans. you're right to avoid trying to find nearby accommodation - you'd probably end up travelling the same amount of time!

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by kobefly

My concern was that, in my mind, I had to find accommodation at Goodwood at that would be difficult to do by now and also very expensive. Since I am planning to spend those days in London to end my trip (I am flying back the following Monday) if I can take a train very early in the morning in London and then, after a day at the FoS I can take another one and be back at night I will definitely do it for at least one, or maybe two, days.

It should be do-able. If you look on the Trainline website it shows train times and ticket costs. The service is from London Victoria station and the service starts at around 6-00 a.m. Journey time to Chichester is 1 hour 30 minutes. and trains are every 30 minutes. Return is the same journey time and every 30 minutes up to 9-30 p.m.

[andrewc]

If you're planning a lot of journeys by train, there are rail cards which may work out cheaper.

https://www.visitbritainshop.com/wor...itrail-passes/

Trainline website is quite useful for planning journeys.