Should We Have A "Closed Season"?

[Mark Mitchell]

(This does not affect Rally competitors - the tough bunch they are!)

Hi, I'm a Circuit Race Marshal and I was thinking that with the climate in the UK as it is - we don't really get that much in the way of snow etc over the course of what is described as the "Closed Season" for Race/Sprints/Hillclimbs etc.

Obviously the daylight is less, but would you like to see year-round racing, or are you glad of the 5-6 months break we currently have?

(This thread has been posted elswehere with the same question put to Marshals)

Discuss!

[JohnD]

Mark,
The rally crew are indeed a different and tougher breed, but their sport is much to do with overcoming road surfaces that are difficult, not to say impossible, so rain, snow, mud etc are meat & drink to them.
In comparison, us circuit racers are an effete bunch of southern poofters; look at the way F1 complains about 'undulations' ! Though Rio a few years ago with all that water washing across the track from flooded culverts did lok a bit Motocross.
But Circuit racing is a different sport, concerned with the ultimate in grip and speed. Our driving styles could maybe do with being extended to loose gravel, wrong-way, right-way cornering and handbrake turns, but we'd never use it most of the time, even if we did spend half the year on wet tracks.

There are circuiteers who enjoy wet racing, but they are not the majority. Circuit races usually take 20-30 minutes, also qualifying,the rets of the day is standing about or fixing your car. In the rain, unless you have a garage, while rally crews spend most of the day in a nice warm car. (Now who's a poofter?!)

No, given the choice, I'd rather hope for a season of at least six out of ten race meetings in good weather, and spend the winter in a nice warm (actually only just above freezing) garage.

John

[Al Weyman]

Because the way the thread is titled i.e. 'Should we have a closed season' I accidently voted yes because I thoughtt hat was the question when in fact its the opposite saying should 'Would you like year round racing' confused you will be I was!

Anyhow I say we should have a break as we need to recover finances and rebuild cars and engines (I am talking from a self financed amatuers outlook),

[R59]

When from Al? August to June?

Rob.

[Al Weyman]

I think the money you and I have chucked at them this year Rob I reckon your about right!

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Because the way the thread is titled i.e. 'Should we have a closed season' I accidently voted yes because I thoughtt hat was the question when in fact its the opposite saying should 'Would you like year round racing' confused you will be I was!

Vote changed from yes to no.

[Mark Mitchell]

Originally Posted by JohnD

Mark,
The rally crew are indeed a different and tougher breed, but their sport is much to do with overcoming road surfaces that are difficult, not to say impossible, so rain, snow, mud etc are meat & drink to them.

The reason I said that Rally-ers are not affected by this poll is that, AFAIK, rallying IS a year-round sport.
Didn't think they would need to cast a vote.

[Triple J Motorsport]

Karting happens all year round (winter series from nov-feb inc) but I was often effected by ice, show and fog.

The trouble is really ice, frozen gravel traps, grass etc and the tracks are some times salted for race schools etc which is slipper as hell and instantly rusts everything.

Personally I think the last race WHT Nov 5th and 1st race towards the end of march is perfect.

[dtype38]

Definitely a proper closed season. When else would I get to dismantle my car, throw out more bits to save weight, re-arrange what's left to lower the CoG, assemble a new induction system, make yet more radical changes to my suspension system, repair all the worn out bits, etc, etc. In fact, I always seem to find it difficult to make the start of the season as it is! Oh, and its nice for my family get to see a bit more of me. I vote for six months

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by dtype38

Definitely a proper closed season. When else would I get to dismantle my car, throw out more bits to save weight, re-arrange what's left to lower the CoG, assemble a new induction system, make yet more radical changes to my suspension system, repair all the worn out bits, etc, etc. In fact, I always seem to find it difficult to make the start of the season as it is! Oh, and its nice for my family get to see a bit more of me. I vote for six months

You mean you now rebuild the car in your living room or have they moved into the garage?

[phansa88]

this is my frist season racing. money was always going to be a factor this year, as i pay my own way a break gives me time to take stock of what needs doing, and repair and replace ready for next year. and time to see my bank manger.

[Notso Swift]

In another hemisphere, we race from Mid Feb to Mid November and I wouldnot like to see any longer due to finaces, and time to repair refresh vehicles. Of course I find Feb crap, because the chance of getting a 40 deg day is too high! Lucky in Victoria the coldest it will normally get at the circuits is about Zero overnight and 10 during the day... wind chill though, that can take back below zero.
The other thing to consider for a northern Winter is that it would be no fun standing on a flag point at near freezing point, when you should be doing your Christmas shopping. (Just as it is not fun at 40 deg C)

[Pink Panther]

April - November with a very closed season for me.

By the time the WHT comes around I need to stop spending money and see the family again. It’s a time for engine, gearbox and all the other expensive re-building that while paying entry fees and the like is just too expensive.

It does me the world of good to just get a break from it all. Like many on this forum if you do everything yourself, its is pretty hard work and a break for me to get back to some kind of normality is essential. But still can't wait till April to get back in the car.

[Alan Raine]

I always was glad of a winters break. If you are self financing, like I used to be, generally by the end of the season the money had dried up and the car was a bit weary. I also much prefered to race when the weather was warmer!

The only people who seem to want winter racing are the teams who can generate income by running different drivers in a short series of races and the circuits who gain from circuit hire.

[Ian Sowman]

Don't forget that many circuits have limited number of days on which they can be used, and therefore either they cannot run in winter because they are not allowed to, or it does not make much sense to because you (and the customers, the clubs) want to maximise revenue by running when the weather and daylight is better.

[Doc Hollywood]

As a marshal/competitor my summer is absolutley packed. I enjoy having time off over the winter to re-kindle the other parts of my life that suffer as a result (wallet included). If it turned into a year round sport I would probably end up hating it and moving on!

[heel'n'toe-no]

I would have to agree with Doc H.

It's a great feeling to pack away having just finished the Walter Hayes Trophy, however early that is in the weekend....and know that if I don't need to look at the car for a month or two - I don't have to.

As a self funded driver I too need time to find the funds for the following season. Winter month weekends should be spent in a nice warm cosy living room with a cold beer watching A1GP.........Ah nice:-)

[JimW]

I think it was Denny Hulme who said that racing in the UK should be restricted to between May and September and I agree with that.

Regards

Jim

[Suze]

I wouldn't like year round racing...much as I love this sport, there's not much of a gap between the last event of the season I attend and the start of when I'll go and watch rallying. Sometimes, however much I miss it and might wish it back during the winter months, it is nice to have a break!

[R59]

How about this then (Al). A proper closed season where the cars are all garaged for winter rebuilds, and marshalls are press-ganged into working on the cars so they have something to wave flags at next spring.....

Oooo controversy!

With my serious head on, yes, a close season might be nice.

But (head going silly again) considering the lousy winter weather, I'd rater it be in July/August since it starts raining when Wimbledon (tennis) opens for business, and stops when the kids go back to school. So, we have nice warm weather, and light evenings to work on the car, instead of cold damp garages in the pitch blackness of mid-winter.

Rob.

[dtype38]

Oooooo interesting idea. So for every day that a driver spends on the bank during the summer getting valuable experience about what the boys and girls in orange have to put up with, then the driver gets one of them for a day in their damp freezing cold garage during the winter trying to sort out buggered wheel bearings and the like? Gets my vote!

[Suze]

Haha could be fun!

[Doc Hollywood]

Oooooo interesting idea. So for every day that a driver spends on the bank during the summer getting valuable experience about what the boys and girls in orange have to put up with, then the driver gets one of them for a day in their damp freezing cold garage during the winter trying to sort out buggered wheel bearings and the like? Gets my vote!

Just be careful of who you get! There are some marshals out there that might assist in the buggering of your wheel bearings in order to have something to do!

[JimW]

Interesting idea. And then drivers could help me with the off-season maintenance and upgrade of the Rescue unit and come along to training days. (We always need casualties to practice on.)

Regards

Jim

(P.S. We have not actually been short of volunteers to be casualties and whenever we wanted a driver to come and talk to a training day, volunteers have stepped forward so I'm not getting at anyone really. )

[Eddy V]

I voted no, even being a total racing nut.
How else can we get annoyed, bored and fed up with winter break? And therefor looking forward to the start of the season.

But there is always rallying.