Brands GP 16/17 August

[Rod Birley]

The good news is that most of the races are full (with one or two exceptions). The southern saloons/sports cars received 62 YES 62 entries, so their race has been split. The sports cars will be on Saturday and the saloons on Sunday.
Yesterday, along with the BRSCC rescue crew, we helped promote the meeting by attending the "Music and Motors" event in Gravesend town centre. We also plugged an event at Lydden which will be posted seperately. The overall impression was that most people don't know when there is an event on at Brands or Lydden. During the course of the very hot day several thousand people wandered past so hopefully we got the message across to a few.

[Rod Birley]

I forgot to mention we did have our Escort WRC on display so that people got some idea of what will be racing. The council workers were very helpful and enthusiastic, even producing some posters at very short notice for a ticket competition.

[madhouse]

All sounds very good, I shall make sure I am at Brands, any idea of how much to get in ?.
Rod have you sold the Prelude as I have not seen your name in any Formula Saloon results ?

[Rod Birley]

£10 each day. No I still have the Prelude, thought we had sold it but just another time waster/dreamer unfortunately. Cannot afford to travel much this year mainly due to my back operation, but we will be doing Brands on the 31st.

[Stephen Green]

Great bit of advertising Rod. All we need now are a few hundred more people like you! Thanks to the rescue unit chaps for lending their support.

[sss]

but doesnt the advertising help the circuit as there the people that get the gate money, so advertising should be done by them. (unless of course yr advertising for marshals)

[Stephen Green]

True, but as they aren't doing it Rod et-al have taken it upon themselves to try and make a difference. Lets face it, if you are there as a driver or marshal, it is better to have the place full of spectators than none, surely?

[Stephen Green]

I forgot to add that Rod and his friends are trying to raise the awareness of the general public to club racing and the excitement it can provide. Well done guys, if I had known I may well have popped along to help myself. Let me know the next time you are doing a 'visit' and I'll see if I can halp in some way.

[Rod Birley]

Stephen you would have been mobbed by the general public wanting your autograph as the "Silverstone tackler". Joking aside,(or maybe not), if there was one over riding question that was asked it was "We hardly ever know when racing is on at Brands or Lydden". Brands were asked to attend but declined because there corporate logo is changing!! Says it all really.
Hopefully the Gravesend Messenger newspaper will be printing an article about the need for marshals, they at least sent along a reporter and a photographer. We met several old faces who used to race or marshal and with a bit of luck one or two might return, so that in itself would make the effort worthwhile.

[Richard Sneader]

I am also in the process of inviting a journalist from a Kent Newspaper onto the bank for a day. I have not chosen the meeting yet.
RS

[Stephen Green]

It seems to me that if we can get the organising clubs, drivers, marshals and press all on one side. Try to encourage as full grids as is possible, that we might be able to pull club racing back from the abyss it seems to be heading for at the moment. I have never understood why we don't see more static displays of racing cars etc at shopping malls and other such places as it is the obvious place to attract those who otherwise may never have thought of attending a motor race meeting.

Then, all we have to do is get the circuits (are you listening Brands Hatch Leisure?) to upgrade their facilities so that the public are not put off by poor facilities when they finally come to watch the racing.

[Rod Birley]

Just a quick word of caution. Insurance, yes that dreaded word, needs to be sorted when displaying vehicles. Fortunately the guys at Gravesend council sorted things out but you do need to be careful. A "barrier", in our case tape, has to be put around the vehicle. The rescue unit had to have tape across the opened back doors. In other words the public can look but not touch unless you specifically invite them to and they know what they are doing. Sounds stupid but we do live in an age of "lets claim first then ask questions". Having said that, the day went very quickly and although most of the questions we were asked were fairly mundane, it showed that there is still enthusiasm amongst the public at large.

[ern]

Is there not a rumour that this could be the last time that the GP circuit at Brands is used for this level of racing, and if correct this is the reason for the high level of entries ?

This then opens another question of the circuits, all major circuits have a GP style loop (not Snetterton), surely if full grids can be obtained on the GP loops why do the circuits not do this, for example the full Silverstone GP circuit is rarely used for national motorsport as is Brands.

[Richard Sneader]

Also Stephen for putting static displays with cars on in shopping malls certain fire regulations have to be met and the shopping mall can only put on displays of this type a few days a year so getting booked in can be a nightmare too. There is no reason we can't put on a static display of our own with photos and video and have bits of kit on display and mann the stand as well at a location.
RS

[debbiec-srcc]

Could someone please tell me if Chris Patterson will be marshalling at Brands Hatch GP on 16/17 Aug. I have an SRCC badge for him...which I've had since last season. We will be in the outer paddock for this race. I am with Richard Cooke, car no. 16 in the Championship Race (Blue Shrike P15).

Thanks....Deb

[Stephen Green]

I'm not sure Debbie but if not, pass the badge to me and I will make sure he gets it as soon as possible ok? If you PM me I will give you my mobile number to arrange the transfer etc.

[KayBee]

Originally posted by ern
Is there not a rumour that this could be the last time that the GP circuit at Brands is used for this level of racing, and if correct this is the reason for the high level of entries ?

This then opens another question of the circuits, all major circuits have a GP style loop (not Snetterton), surely if full grids can be obtained on the GP loops why do the circuits not do this, for example the full Silverstone GP circuit is rarely used for national motorsport as is Brands.

I don't know about the circuit hire cost at either Brands Hatch or Silverstone but I do know that the cost of hiring any of the Oulton Park configurations is the same i.e. Fosters, Island and International configurations all cost the same.

For cars I have been told that certain configurations have been used because the competitors prefer that particular configuration.

However, for bikes the International circuit is always used unless the weather intervenes as happened one time last year.

[Bostik]

ERN - good point - just why is it that the GP circuits are not used more often. Is this a marshalling issue?
I had the enormous pleasure of three high speed laps with my son driving a two seater Radical SR3 round the Brands GP circuit yesterday. What an awesome experience! Something that looks so serene from the sidelines is an aggressive and quite violent assault on your senses in the cockpit - and what must it be like when they are racing? The combination of F3 level grip and performance with those blind approaches is absolutely stunning!.
He has often complained that the Silverstone GP circuit is never used for clubbie races - I see what he's getting at.
If this weekend's race were to be the last on the GP loop - then I can at least cherish that memory.
I take my hat off to these lads - it certainly changed my perspective.

[Stephen Green]

Bostik, I don't think it is a marshalling issue although for two day meetings it's always difficult to get enough marshals to cover the circuit. It could be something to do with the track license as there are houses in the close proximity as you know, especially around the Dingle Dell, Hawthorns part. Whilst I'm not sure, I have a nagging feeling that it's only licensed for a certain number of race days per year.

Maybe see you this weekend if you are there?

[sss]

Originally posted by Stephen Green
, I have a nagging feeling that it's only licensed for a certain number of race days per year.

there is a restriction on the number of days the gp loop can be used, also there is a cost issue as its considorably more expensive to hire it by the club and some clubs just cant afford it.

[Snapper Baz]

How come I didn't hear about this do in Gravesend?-I would have come down to that...though it would have been a bit close to the mother-in-laws!

[Bostik]

Stephen - re "see you this weekend if you are there". I'd be delighted! What marshalling post will you be at? Or will that be obvious by all the paperrazzi and your fans huddling round anticipating some action photos................sorry!
I'll also ask my lad to 'dip a wing' in salute as he flies past your post.

[Stephen Green]

Baz, it's THIS weekend!

Bostik, we don't know what post we are on until the day I'm afraid, but I'll be in the Kentagon for breakkie both mornings. Watch for the famous red trainers

[Rod Birley]

Brands GP circuit can only be used 24 days per year. The cost for hiring this weekend is rumoured to be £35,000. Its a big risk if you don't fill every single race, hence the feeling that this may be the last chance. Also there is that little problem of the impending sale. Save Brands, stuff Silverstone.

[Bostik]

Stating the obvious, 24 days per year is of course (nearly) every fortnight.
The hire cost is presumably a 'marketing' number - its surely based on supply and demand.
So what's their problem - if the attraction of the GP loop generates oversubscribed grids?