Bigger Rockingham turnout?

**Snapper Baz** · 7 Oct 2002, 20:23 (Ref:397827)

Judging by the crowd leaving Rockingham Sunday evening after the excellent ASCAR racing it looked like they had a bigger crowd there than normal (to me anyway)which is good news though the marshaling in the car parks was a bit iffy...1 chap was trying to tend to a huge line of arriving cars while a women with him was sitting back having a fag! If they had sorted possbly 2 lanes entering the parking area (once inside)things would have been so much easier. Lets hope the crowds get better and better next year as it is a great venue. One thing I couldn't understand was the huge amount of children wandering about (ie 3 or 4 year olds)with a "live" pitlane in use...cars lining up etc. People were smoking while ASCAR's were being fueled (inside the garages)etc. I'm not a kiljoy regarding pitlane walk abouts...think it does the sport a lot of good...it just needed policing better for safty's sake.

Piglet · 8 Oct 2002, 21:39 (Ref:398719)

I think you'll find that the lane nearest the garages at Rockingham is not actually classified as pit lane so it's no different to allowing children in a paddock whilst cars are being moved around etc. etc.

Ian Sowman · 9 Oct 2002, 12:12 (Ref:399209)

Even so, it seems to me that there are a lot of parents only too happy to leave their kids to their own devices. Only when they get injured or worse, it'll be someone else's fault.

Andrew Kitson · 9 Oct 2002, 13:03 (Ref:399264)

I had my kids there with me and while we were walking along the inner pit road ( by the garages ) a marshal asked me to keep the children in the garages, up on the roof top or back in the paddock. Legends were qualifying at the time. It seemed a bit crazy to watch the second Legends race forming up and driving off onto the track with the pit lane walkabout in full flow - plenty of kids could be seen running about (and younger than mine) as Snapper Baz has pointed out.

Piglet · 9 Oct 2002, 14:50 (Ref:399369)

Ian, I agree completely with you, I never cease to be amazed at the danger some parents put their children in either in pit lanes or running round the paddock. I've had several "discussions" with parents about why it's not safe for little Johnny to be in a live pit lane; a number of them genuinely seem to believe that a) I am out to spoil little Johnny's day and b) little Johnny has an invisible force field that will deflect flying wheels, cars or other stuff, only other people get injured by stuff like that. (this comment does not relate to designated pit road walkabouts)

I wasn't at Rockingham so I don't know what happened there but Rockingham is unique because it has the inner lane (usually classed as paddock) and the outer lane "over the wall" which is "proper" pit lane which does mean that things are run differently.

DSM · 11 Oct 2002, 13:33 (Ref:401144)

...and one of the guys smoking was Jason Plato!!!!!!

DSM · 11 Oct 2002, 13:34 (Ref:401145)

...and I mean a cigarette, not the car!!

Muppet · 11 Oct 2002, 18:41 (Ref:401342)

ASCAR has run pit walkabouts during the Pickups and Legends races for the last three meetings. It seems to run OK. I missed the last meeting as I was held at gunpoint to be at Donington! ;-)

I'm guessing the crowd was bigger than normal which may have caught out the security a little. Normally they keep the walkabout masses to around 1/2 to 3/4 of the inner lane.

Piglet's description of Little Johnny is very accurate. I could go on for hours about that topic and circuits with zero tolerance to those where free for all is normal. The ultimate responsibility should be with the parents.

I've yet to see a toddler in a push chair on the pit wall, smoking a cigarette, drinking alcohol and carrying an umbrella. Got close at an AMOC meeting a while ago. Maybe next year... ;-)

Piglet · 11 Oct 2002, 19:02 (Ref:401358)

Muppet picture this, it doesn't involve a child but is still priceless:

It's the Spa FIA GT 24 hour race, it's the middle of the night and the pit lane is still full of the masses of people who seem to legitimately have pit lane access, driver changes are happening at regular intervals. One nicely dressed gent strolls down the pit lane and sets up his fold up chair in the middle of the inside lane. I politely ask him to move (in my best Franglais) and he looks at me and asks why....!!!!!!!

Sato san · 13 Oct 2002, 01:44 (Ref:402344)

Quote:

Originally posted by DSM
...and one of the guys smoking was Jason Plato!!!!!!

Jason Plato doesnt smoke does he ?

jase · 13 Oct 2002, 06:20 (Ref:402409)

Quote:

Originally posted by Sato san

Jason Plato doesnt smoke does he ?

Only if you put a match to him!

But going back to what Piglet said, the europeans appear to be lax on pit safety. They seem to lose the battle of smokers and children in the pit lane

Piglet · 13 Oct 2002, 15:07 (Ref:402889)

Quote:

Originally posted by jasongore
the europeans appear to be lax on pit safety.

Yeah but the chips and waffles are better though!!

Les · 13 Oct 2002, 17:23 (Ref:402987)

Quote:

Originally posted by Sato san
Jason Plato doesnt smoke does he ?

as much as Smokin' Jo

ss_collins · 15 Oct 2002, 14:03 (Ref:404901)

I've not been yet but I met David Grace last year and he was telling me how Rockingham was meant to be a good friendly venue. Is this true?

**Snapper Baz** · 16 Oct 2002, 15:51 (Ref:405824)

Just seen the penultimate round on Motors TV-excellent coverage indeed...ouch Mr.White!

MGF · 16 Oct 2002, 16:08 (Ref:405841)

Rockingham has got to be one of the, if not the best facility in the country for the spectator.

Good food at a fair prices, Great viewing areas, clean loo's and a good atmosphere!!

ss_collins · 16 Oct 2002, 22:08 (Ref:406094)

And for competitors?

Rod Birley · 17 Oct 2002, 08:24 (Ref:406311)

My experience has not been great. I was at the very first meeting (behind closed doors) and it was still a building site. However, everyone made the best of the situation and we looked forward to a better time this year.
Four days before we were due to go, the meeting was cancelled because they decided to re-surface the place. Other clubs (notably AMOC) have had their meetings cancelled.
Personally I found the banked section exhilerating but the infield is like a "go-kart" track although there are endless permutations.

Rod Birley · 17 Oct 2002, 08:27 (Ref:406313)

By the way, several of the Ascar competitors are paid by Rockingham (Jason Plato admitted he had a contract with them for another two years) so they probably have a different view.

tfg · 17 Oct 2002, 08:55 (Ref:406324)

I agree that the stadium is very impressive, approach roads however are not. I was very dissapointed with the full infield circuit, very Mickey Mouse and not very challenging.
The banking was, after I got used to having a concrete wall on the outside of you, was again not very challenging as it was easy flat. There was no excuse for getting the infield wrong as there is so much experiance out there for them to draw from.

tfg · 17 Oct 2002, 08:56 (Ref:406326)

P.S. I am a fan of NASCAR but I think ASCAR will be dead in 3 years. I hope it isn,t but I think it will.

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