Would you like a BTCC race at Rockingham?

[Radisichrox]

Well, until today, I thought that the oval was all Rockingham had to offer. I just checked out the bmrc.co.uk site and I found out it had the infield tracks. I'm assuming that some of these infield tracks use part of the oval then go to the infield? Otherwise, I think it would be pretty cool to have a BTCC race there. I would love to see the Astras squeezing every ounce of power from their 4-cylinder on the oval. I'm guessing they could really get going fast, I.e. 150 mph?

Well, other than that the topic says it all.

[Speedworx]

I'm guessing you have not seen British F3/GT or British Superbikes from Rockingham.

Rockingham has something like 8 different tracks. I'd love a race to be held there. I'd go watch it then!

[nicker less]

God is back!!!

I would rather a BTCC race be held at Castle Combe. It's only half hour drive from my house!

[Speedworx]

Here is badly scanned map of Rockingham.

[Carrie]

It might be a new track and had great things expected of it, but it has to be said, Rockingham is close to being as boring as its other Northamptonshire neighbour, Silverstone.
Racing on the infield track at Rockingham is odd. For the first lap of a race, the cars take the first corner on the oval, then, that gets blocked off with cones and they take a little chicane at the first corner. This is the point where you can have a sweepstake on which cone or bollard will be taken out first (alternative sweepstake is which lap the final cone / bollard is knocked down on)
The cars are on the oval from mid way between turns 3 and 4 to mid way between 1 and 2.
The infield gives the impression of being very much stop start with short runs between fairly tight corners.
From a spectator point of view, if you're in the grandstands it feels like you're miles from the track and there's no spectator viewing on the infield section. Even going on the infield with a press pass I didn't feel like I was close to the cars (with the exception of standing on the inside of the first corner when half of the F3 grid managed to take the kerbs on the chicane launched at a 45 degree angle!!!).
Personally I'm not all that bothered that the BTCC isn't going to Rockingham.
As a new circuit it should have delivered much more than it has.
Radisichrox, if you want to see what the infield course looks like, have a look at some of the Powertour photos on my website, a number of those photos are from Rockingham.

[Radisichrox]

Interesting points of view. I do agree that oval tracks are a lot farther away from the action, however for the TV/review video/TOCA radio viewer/listener, it would still probably provide some good racing.

[AndyF]

I think thew problem with Rockingham (and with Silverstone) is that you don't feel 'attached' to the action like you do with a circuit with a bit of character. It is an uninspiring Concrete jungle - give me Brands or Oulton anyday.....

Or, Knockhill, Thruxton, Caslte Combe, Pembrey, Anglesey, Mallory, Cadwell, Donington, Lydden Hill.....or dare I say it - SNETTERTON!!

[racer69]

It may be ok as a one off, but i don't think it would provide great racing, after all, it is just another roval. As has been said earlier, give a round to Castle Combe or even Pembrey

[jase]

Rockingham has ONE thing you all seem to be forgetting, from almost any seat in the house you can see the whole race, so if you are following a battle you can watch it develop over the complete lap.

The turn 1 chicane is awful to watch from the Pit Exit, and requires a skill to release cars so they don't collide, a problem the BTCC have when racing in a straight line

[Paul Rayner]

Originally posted by Carrie
From a spectator point of view, if you're in the grandstands it feels like you're miles from the track and there's no spectator viewing on the infield section. Even going on the infield with a press pass I didn't feel like I was close to the cars

In my opinion that's a small sacrifice to pay for being able to see the whole track. You can't have it both ways, close AND see everything, you can only have one or the other. As most people want to see everything, Rockingham will be popular.

It might be a relatively dull a track for racing or driving (although the oval and the dive into the first chicane is brilliant), but at least you can see all the track, which is about 85% more than you ever get at Silverstone.

Oulton's still my favourite track, but the view and quality of facilities at Rockingham put it in second for me.

[pink69]

How about a race around the oval? That could be fun! The two classes have similar speeds so slower cars wouldn't be a problem.

[cos]

Originally posted by jasongore
Rockingham has ONE thing you all seem to be forgetting, from almost any seat in the house you can see the whole race, so if you are following a battle you can watch it develop over the complete lap.

Most of the Brands Indy circuit is visible from the top of the hill, and it's close enough for me!

[Stephen Green]

I was just about to say the same thing!

[Eddie_harasym]

I would love to see some racing at the Rock, hopefully Nascar will make the long trip?

But as people have said above its boring and flat, not like Donno or Oulton.

[cos]

As mentioned above I did enjoy the F3 flying spectacular though!
http://www.msport-uk.com/circuitmaps/rockingham.gif

[Old Hairpin]

Find one driver that likes driving the rockingham infield track. Its just stop start. No exciting corners at all. A "non-track" as one team boss said. And the first corner joke is just silly. Anyone who saw the many many starts at Rockingham in the Winter Form Renault will agree with me. Plus there was the most dangerous scenario when a renault stalled at the lights and there was no warning flag from the last hairpin to the start straight and Robert Bell almost smacked right into the back of whoever it was stalled when Bell came round for second lap. I was on the roof of the Pits with several clio team managers who were appalled at the lack of safety and organisation we were witnessing....

[MH Fan]

I think the infield track there looks rubbish to be honest.

Much rather see them race at Combe. That's a fast track!

[Speedworx]

Combe is too boring. They might as well race on an oval that at Castle Combe.

How many of you have actually been to Rockingham?

My guess is, not that many of you. You would rather judge from TV pics. Rockingham said they would alter the chicane. The only thing thats wrong with Rockingham, is that its not really suitable for bikes, just look at Steve Hislop's accident last year.

[hunttheshunt]

I'd love to see BTCC cars on the oval.

[Speedworx]

So would I. DTM planned to do it, but had problems. I believe the BTCC could make it work.

[MH Fan]

I was at Rockingham for the Powertour last year and wasn't impressed by the track.

For sure, the oval looks good from what I've seen of ASCAR on TV, but the infield course is so Mickey Mouse. It doesn't deserve a top championship because it's not a good track.

[Radisichrox]

Okay. So the infield course is as MH fan said, "Mickey Mouse". Good way to put it! There aren't many ovals out there that can pack a good infield track into an oval. Indy and Daytona are really the only good ones (I'm sure I'm forgetting some too). But, a race on the complete oval for the BTCC cars would be awesome. However, the bumps (if there are any, as it's pretty new) might cause some problems.

[Schoey]

The BSB Superbike race there last year was absolutely cracking, apart from the season-ending injury to Niall MacKenzie, which looked ouchful from the moment he put the bike down. Could see the battles throughout the field, and provided an excellent contrast to the other circuits on the calendar.

Strange circuit layout for it though, even more bizarre than the regular car racing layout in fact. The bikes start their first lap from the pit lane!

[kmchow]

It seems people on this forum don't like the infield track, because they feel it's totally awkardly designed. But as long as it isn't dangerous to the racers/fan, wouldn't it become a good challenge and potentially exciting race to watch? The teams wouldn't have any experience dealing with this track and so their existing setups will have to be readjusted. Now, imagine 20 teams madly trying to find a setup on qualifying day? Or am I just waaaay off???

[Takuma]

The infield circuit at rockingham is better than many of you have described. I wonder how many of the people posting here have actually been to the circuit and seen the infield circuit? I am surprised that Daytona is consirered to be a good oval/road circuit, the road section at Daytona consists of a chicane on the back straight and a 800m loop into the infield with 2 right hand hairpins before turn 1 of the oval, hardly imaginative or challenging.

Considering the space avalable, the infield section, which has a number of elevation changes, (which do not show on tv), is probably the best design within the space avalable.
The infield circuit actually has a wider variety of good photographic locations than some of the other circuits used by the btcc, people just have to be prepared to look beyond the obvious and be prepared to walk a little further than the first corner they get to!

The actual track is wider than at many other circuits. The facilities for spectators are better than at any other british circuit. The working conditions for the teams in the paddock are amongst the best in the country and the media centre is probably the best in the uk, allowing a full view of the circuit and an adequate number of phone lines.
The viewing and facilities in the grandstands are equal to, if not better than anything found elsewhere in british racing.

Rockingham would be a good venue for a btcc meeting.

NB I have no connection with RMS just giving a honest opinion based on experience of actually visiting british circuits.