British RallyCross R8 Croft / British RallyCross GP

[geordiecriag101]

Can't see a thread for this so thought I'd get the ball rolling. Seams there have been a few problems behind the scenes getting admin sorted out so a late release of the entry list for the double header.

Bit news incase anyone missed it, World RX commentator Andrew Coley will be driving Craig Lomax's S1600 C2 and also OMSE driver Andreas Bakkerud will be guest driving in the RX150 class.

Round 8 = http://www.rallycrossbrx.com/assets/...roft-Rnd-8.pdf

British GP = http://www.rallycrossbrx.com/assets/...lycross-GP.pdf

If those lists are correct, seams to be down on numbers compared to last few year, still a healthy amount of SuperCars, tho the more the better.

[ebby]

An absolute joke to carry a Grand Prix title.

[leonidas]

Blimey that really is a shocking entry for a GP, even by the dire standards of recent years...

It really must be time to rethink this event. With the new WRXC and Global series there really isn't a place for this format.

It might be better to turn the GP into a Historic rallycross event - or an end of season showcase for the clubman side of the sport. I used to love the October trip to Croft but this really isn't worth the petrol.

[FIRE]

Make it a RCE round and at least you have a couple of foreign supercars and supernational cars.

[ebby]

FIRE completely agree good idea. Would that rely in British entries abroad though at other RCE rounds?

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by ebby

FIRE completely agree good idea. Would that rely in British entries abroad though at other RCE rounds?

I doubt that but it gives the GP some international flavour instead of just a round of the British championship.

[chunder]

To be honest the event has not really attracted much over the last few years, mainly blokes trying to sell their cars and people using it as an end of season romp and hiring their other cars out to people.

It is a shame as rallycross needs this event, but it has never worked it Croft yet for some reason it keeps coming back, year on year, with ever smaller entries and ahrdly any foreign competitors.

Just drop the GP thing, make it a final BRC round and be done with it

[geordiecriag101]

Quick update, entry list for both days have been updated:

Round 8 = http://www.rallycrossbrx.com/assets/...d-Saturday.pdf

GP = http://www.rallycrossbrx.com/assets/...Updated-GP.pdf

[tbtstt]

The lack of foreign interest is disappointing to see. As a minor consolation at least there are a number of competitive UK drivers entered this year.

Perhaps a later date would help? With the World Championship still ongoing, perhaps there might be more interest from Europe if the GP was truly the last rallycross event of the year?

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

The lack of foreign interest is disappointing to see. As a minor consolation at least there are a number of competitive UK drivers entered this year.

Perhaps a later date would help? With the World Championship still ongoing, perhaps there might be more interest from Europe if the GP was truly the last rallycross event of the year?

I'm not sure why any foreign drivers would be interested no matter when the date - it's not the high profile event it once was. Unless IMG wade in and run the grand prix then it won't be anything other than a non-championship round of the British championship. There has to be a reason for the foreign teams and drivers to want to compete - and there just isn't at the moment.

[chunder]

The last time we had a decent foreign entry was when they maaged to get Hansen, Jernberg and Hunsbedt and a load of Supernationals over many years ago.

And that was the last time I went. Says it all really.

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

I'm not sure why any foreign drivers would be interested no matter when the date - it's not the high profile event it once was. Unless IMG wade in and run the grand prix then it won't be anything other than a non-championship round of the British championship. There has to be a reason for the foreign teams and drivers to want to compete - and there just isn't at the moment.

Yeah, fair point: drawing enough attention to the event to make it appealing the to the foreign drivers is a must. No matter how heavily any PR company might push it though, the date conflicting with a running Championship would surely deem it a non-starter!

[leonidas]

The problem is that there is just so much top-level rallycross around now and no real niche for a British grand prix. Can't see it being adopted by the WRXC guys unless there was real money behind it.

A late October or early November date was more successful in the past - but I'm not sure that would really save it now.

The poor entry is made even worse by the fact that Croft is followed the next week by a clubman event. I know there is difficulty in booking tracks but why so many big gaps in the summer and then two events close together? It doesn't help.

[Hampton Caught]

Disappointing to see only six entries in the (senior) Swifts against 26 at Lydden in August.

Still, there's a very healthy turn out of Retro cars this year - best grid numbers to date, though no Rob Gibson nor Lance Foster which is a shame.

Looking forward to wrapping up well and watching the rallycross action over both days, as well as displaying my rallycross model car collection in or near the Retro Rallycross arena.

Cheers, Steve

[geordiecriag101]

Was only able to be there for the GP on Sunday and although there wasn't as many entries as previous years, plus with a lot of drivers suffering mechanical problems which meant smaller grids the racing was just as good with some stunning drives.

Dan Rooke in his little AX is a superstar for the future, hope he can find the funding for a full season next year. Andreas Bakkerud showed that he is just as happy in a RWD buggy as his normal OMSE mount.

The LDM lads had another busy weekend with both Doran's and Harris's DS3s needing lots of TLC after every run. Godfrey showed how he is 5 times champ, never put a foot wrong alday.

On the Retro side, was a shame not to see Rob Gibson and Lance Foster running also Barry Stewart seemed to have a few problems with his 911 as it never re appeared after the 2nd heat.

Anyway here my vid from the GP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWs-M-ptkh4

[Hampton Caught]

Yes, a very interesting and busy weekend, especially given the large number of mechanical maladies experienced by so many of the entries. Stuart Emery managed to go through several driveshafts, spoiling both days for him, Todd Crooks broke his diff early on Saturday requiring a new gearbox to be brought in and Pat Doran broke his propshaft Saturday and had other issues over the rest of the weekend.

Andreas Bakkerud made superb progress. He was improving in each session on Saturday and was outstanding on Sunday with damper conditions first thing. Very impressive!

I was also hoping that Lance Foster would be out in his Green and White Mini, but he is still repairing the car after his roll at Pembrey earlier in the season.

I was surprised by some of the driving standards, though. MIchael Boak I think it was managed to push a tyre stack from the hairpin all the way to the finish line, which caused a red flag and Paul Maybourne was pushed along sideways for a long, long distance in his GP Final. He managed to limp the car on to the tarmac before the race was red flagged then too. The idea, surely, is if you make contact, you back off immediately rather than plough on regardless! Bizarre!

Great entertainment nevertheless and I'm so glad I got to see it first hand.

I'm looking forward to watching your video, geordiecriag101, but can't on the computer I'm on right now. Did you see my rallycross model display in the hospitality suite near the John Button Trophy?

Cheers, Steve

[geordiecriag101]

Yea i seen your collection in the window, looking at some of them made me wish i was around to see them racing for real. Every time i went past there was always people looking and pointing at them.

I'll agree with you that some of the driving standards were a bit questionable at times but on the whole not to bad.