please close Knockhill

Rob29 · 8 Aug 2004, 08:46 (Ref:1059897)

I have nothing against our scottish friends,but this place is a disaster.Here in sunny Lincs,I'm up early, turn on TV for live Porsches at 8.45AM and what do I find? No action due to thick FOG-in August! I don't think I have ever seen a meeting there when the weather was NOT foul.
A BTCC race on the streets of Edinburgh would be great.

mcurtis26 · 8 Aug 2004, 09:11 (Ref:1059908)

There's a very apt saying about knockhill...if you can't see the hill its because its raining, if you can see the hill it means its about to rain.

graeme · 8 Aug 2004, 17:59 (Ref:1060256)

And close down Silverstone too? I've had to wait for the fog to clear there. Snetterton? - been there when it flooded. Nurburgring? - I've seen all weathers there. In fact close down all the circuits...

ozywoodwards · 8 Aug 2004, 18:05 (Ref:1060262)

at spa in 2001 they had 2 delay and then cancel the free practice seesions on saturday - due to fog

so close spa too!

bigted · 8 Aug 2004, 19:04 (Ref:1060300)

Hey we had to cancel a rallyvross meeting there this year as it was TOO DRY!!

**Tim Falce** · 8 Aug 2004, 19:06 (Ref:1060301)

And close down Lydden Hill because it rained for 3 hours a few weeks ago and was too hot yesterday and there were too many wasps about last night and one drowned in my beer.

Alan Green · 8 Aug 2004, 19:08 (Ref:1060304)

Lucky to get started on time last Sunday at Donington due to fog causing -100m visability.

British summer, bah!!! (Mallory was lovely today though!)

Al.

MikeH · 8 Aug 2004, 19:56 (Ref:1060350)

Quote:

Originally posted by Rob29
I have nothing against our scottish friends,but this place is a disaster.

Not sure if I should even grace such a stupid comment with a response but anyway...

The race meeting ran easily to time with a little rearranging of the schedule and was a great success all day. How can you possibly suggest closing a circuit down because of a weather delay?

I go to Knockhill at least 11 or 12 times a year and apart from a generally stiff breeze, the weather is usually fine - definitely no worse than any other track in the UK.

Get your facts straight before making such a pointless comment.

graeme · 8 Aug 2004, 20:02 (Ref:1060357)

Ooh, ooh - and my race (and the whole meeting) was cancelled at Doners earlier this year 'cos of wind.

Last time I went to Knockhill it was lovely weather. Hope they repair that hole on the entry to Clark before next week though...

MikeH · 8 Aug 2004, 20:03 (Ref:1060358)

Quote:

Originally posted by graeme
Last time I went to Knockhill it was lovely weather. Hope they repair that hole on the entry to Clark before next week though...

I assume they probably did or the Tourer drivers would have complained.

Balgair · 8 Aug 2004, 20:07 (Ref:1060364)

(I know I don't post a lot here, but I have to speak in Knockhill's defence)

I suppose all tracks should be built with roofs on them to prevent weather delays, then? Get real please - Knockhill has no worse weather than any other track, and fog is a hazard that can happen anywhere.

Unfortunate that it happened today (I have been to the track five other times so far this season, with no weather trouble whatsoever), but in fact it probably helped the fans, as it actually allowed those who arrived slightly late to see more races. The BTCC races still ran exactly as scheduled, and the racing caught up with the schedule around halfway through the day, which impressed me a lot.

Knockhill should be congratulated on their good organisation, in my opinion, as the day ran very smoothly throughout. Nothing to complain about here - and believe me, I do give criticism when it is due, which has sometimes been the case in the past. I feel today was a big success for Knockhill, and I would hope that most people who were there would agree with me.

Sheila M · 8 Aug 2004, 20:26 (Ref:1060386)

What a silly thing to say!

I have played cricket in the pit lane at Silverstone and football in the pit lane at Donington waiting for fog to clear. I have wandered round Cadwell in sea fog in the summer time too!

I have also raced ducks at Donington (the big duck won) whilst waiting for a rainstorm to go away.

You can't legislate for weather no matter where you are. Methinks your gripe was getting up early on a Sunday morning instead of having a lie in!

Les · 9 Aug 2004, 06:14 (Ref:1060676)

Knockhill was great - the mist cleared really quickly and everyone got sun burnt - had a great time.

And I love the benches at the hairpin - what a superb idea

rdjones · 9 Aug 2004, 06:53 (Ref:1060695)

It was my first visit to Knockhill at the weekend and I have to say I loved I thought the track was amazaing, the location is just stunning. I had problems with access to and from the track drove straight in and straight out on both days.

As for the weather well we where in Scotland....

Rob29 · 9 Aug 2004, 07:19 (Ref:1060714)

Yes your right,day turned out well after fog cleared.Closing it down maybe a bit too strong.My point really is that the the top of a mountain is not a good idea for a major spectator event? I have never been there,but did get to Ingliston twice.It had nice stands,paddock stalls, you could get close to the action,and the bus to the airport passed the entrance!

racingdad · 9 Aug 2004, 08:02 (Ref:1060750)

My first ever visit to Knockhill - wonderful track and very friendly, efficient organisation.

Yes it was a shock to arrive Sunday morning to find fog and drizzle, but so what? As soon as the fog lifted the racing got underway and boy, we saw some of the best action of the year.

love it.

goforit500 · 9 Aug 2004, 08:57 (Ref:1060792)

Funny - Real motorsport fans would have been at a circuit by 8:45 instead of whinging that their beuaty sleep had been disturbed.....

avro · 9 Aug 2004, 10:08 (Ref:1060845)

Dont close it, cancel one of the rounds elswhere and race there again these were 3 of the best touring car races seen so far this season.

Long may it remain on the calendar

garcon · 10 Aug 2004, 08:53 (Ref:1061882)

Ah rob, more pearls of wisdom from your armchair, I see...

I've only been to Knockhill twice so far, and amazingly enough could see the hill both times!! I would imagine it's a bit packed at BTCC weekend, but when I was there the access and viewing was superb. And it's not exactly up a mountain (you really can't class 300m or so as a mountain in Scotland!) - only a few miles out of Dunfermline in fact. Oh, and the roads round there are brilliant!

If you don't like a bit of weather and the odd hill, or indeed the 'outdoors' in general, maybe Scotland isn't for you...

Unfortunately, that thing called weather is capable of disrupting the sports schedule anywhere in the UK, just about any time of year. Tuning in to watch the BTCC on telly, I was impressed when I was told the early races had been delayed due to fog yet the BTCC schedule remained on time! In fact it made the cynic in me wonder how much the support races had been messed about (or cancelled) to fit the tv schedules?

Slippy Diff · 10 Aug 2004, 10:31 (Ref:1061952)

Quote:

Originally posted by ozywoodwards
at spa in 2001 they had 2 delay and then cancel the free practice seesions on saturday - due to fog

so close spa too!

I can remember sitting in the car waiting for the Spa officials to tell us practice was delayed because of the thick fog. They sort of looked up into the sky, looked at each other and then flagged us off! I seem to remember that lap times were hardly different to there being no fog.
Had some pretty dodgy early morning practice sessions on the Nordschleife in early October at the Eiffel Klassik too, using an ice scraper on the race cars windscreen before going out for practice springs to mind.

redshoes · 10 Aug 2004, 11:22 (Ref:1061995)

Quote:

Originally posted by garcon
Tuning in to watch the BTCC on telly, I was impressed when I was told the early races had been delayed due to fog yet the BTCC schedule remained on time! In fact it made the cynic in me wonder how much the support races had been messed about (or cancelled) to fit the tv schedules?

The BTCC start times were fixed, everything else stayed in the same order but at different start times. The first Porsche race started at 10:10 (delayed from 08:50) followed by a short gap so that the BTCC race started on schedule at 11:00, followed by SEATs and FBMW which should have been races 2 and 3.

Lunch break was cancelled so by then things were pretty much back on schedule, or even ahead of schedule. So much so that there was a 20 min wait before the start of the second BTCC race.

garcon · 10 Aug 2004, 12:15 (Ref:1062077)

Sounds like pretty good stuff on the hoof from the organisers.

Though I'm sure some of the marshals 'll whinge about not getting a lunch break... again!

...only kidding...

redshoes · 10 Aug 2004, 12:40 (Ref:1062097)

The marshals were told to stand down until 9:50 anyhow.

graeme · 16 Aug 2004, 18:59 (Ref:1068445)

Top racing there at the weekend in Grads - I'd forgotten how good it is. Close it? Its one of the best circuits in the country...

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