Club racing at Stowe?

[ScoopJumps]

Anyone heard on the grapevine if there will be any cheap(er) club racing on the new Stowe circuit anytime in the future? I know before the work they used to host some events. Be nice if it was open for that again.

[Dan Friel]

I believe that none of the major clubs are interested in running meetings there. They predict rubbish grids, and that wouldn't make money or keep their members happy.

[andy97]

The BARC-SEC used to run club events on the Stowe circuit as a result of being the club that ran the Silverstone Racing School races. As a result I don't think they had to pay for the hire of the circuit & could put on 2 or 3 club races in addition to the school races; it was a nice little earner for them and 3 x 10 minute races in a day for a £100 wasn'nt bad value for the clubman either.

The Silverstone Race School seems to have stopped doing their 5 day course & associated races now so the Circuit want a hire fee. This means that the entry fee has to go up to more "normal" levels & this puts clubs off.

[Al Weyman]

CTCRC used to run our own very good value meetings there and may resume in the future.

[chezza]

I ran one of my first meetings at Stowe, I used to like the set up there, although I used to be based in the paddock area and it was a bit of a hike to race control. I'd like to go back there, but the cost v grid size needs to be looked at.

[graham bahr]

Originally Posted by Dan Friel

I believe that none of the major clubs are interested in running meetings there. They predict rubbish grids, and that wouldn't make money or keep their members happy.

part of the problem is where the circuit is, if it wasnt inside one of the best circuits there is it would be more popular, imagine going to lemans and racing around the car park!

[andy97]

If they can gt back to offering Practice & 3 x15 minute races in a day for £100-110 an entry then it will probably work, if they want to charge £200 for an entry it won't.

[graham bahr]

Originally Posted by andy97

If they can gt back to offering Practice & 3 x15 minute races in a day for £100-110 an entry then it will probably work, if they want to charge £200 for an entry it won't.

i cant see it happening for £100, the only reason we could do it so cheap initally was because of the school, we provided the school with the means to do proper official racing i.e provided time keepers, marshalls, rescue, ambulance and officals in return for track time, as i understand it the school no longer do actual races,

without such cooperation we'd have to hire the track for real money plus associated costs so you can pretty much double the entry fee

[andy97]

Exactly, see my post #3. The track is not interesting enough (even in its revised format) to charge competitors a similar level to that charged for the National Circuit. I'd happily race there (I did before) but there would need to be a significant discount.

Perhaps they should have considered a 1/2 mile oval & got something different there?

[graeme]

The old Stowe is/was much better than the National circuit. It may have looked a little mickey mouse on paper but there were some superb corners (that Tilke fella actually does know a thing or two).

I guess the hire fee should be Cadwell level, or less (although we competitors don't often see a reduction in entry fee aligned to a reduction in circuit hire fee - Club's always blame the costs of timekeepers, doctors, etc)? I'd still pay £150-ish for three short races at Stowe - but it was always the atmosphere/attitude which made it a nice place to place, rather than specifically the facilities/track layout.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by graeme

The old Stowe is/was much better than the National circuit. It may have looked a little mickey mouse on paper but there were some superb corners (that Tilke fella actually does know a thing or two).

Did he design it? I actually thought it was John Watson.

[graeme]

Originally Posted by andy97

Did he design it? I actually thought it was John Watson.

Ooh, I might wrong... I'm sure someone told me he designed it years ago, and I've just perpetuated it!

[Tim Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by andy97

Did he design it? I actually thought it was John Watson.

It was originally built for the John Watson racing school to use. The design was more down to the RAF, as it used a couple of the runways (the start/finish and "back" straight). I was flicking through the '95 Autosports last night, which is when it was first used. I'll have a trawl back through and see if I can find anything about the circuit. I do remember that some of the first races were Renault 5 Turbos, MG Metros and Mod Prods.

[Al Weyman]

I was at the first ever race held at the circuit, we were sold a pup by the BARC when they held a round of our ModProd championship there, most disappointing.

[Tim Wilkinson]

What do you mean, Al? The comic reports say that a few drivers stayed away, and some of the other guys weren't impressed, but general consensus seemed to be positive towards having a new clubbie venue.

[Al Weyman]

This was years ago on the old layout, we were conned somewhat as we paid the regular entry fee and was told we were the first to race on it like it was something special but we were all disappointed with the size of the place and the general lack of facilities. You tell someone you are racing at Silverstone and end up there its not good. Needless to say we never went back! BTW I have no problem with what the Academy and CTCRC were doing there as that was damned good value for money I am talking about using it aas a full priced entry fee round in a championship.