World Rallycross R5 - Lydden Hill, Great Britain

[ebby]

So with the British round moving to Silverstone next year what would be the best send off the Lydden team and crowd could leave the WorldRX organisers with?

No doubt they will go all out with a historic / Group B display and demo, I hope Guy Wilks or Andrew Jordan make it on the podium and hope they get a huge crowd. Maybe also a big screen showing some historic Lydden action to remind the decision makers of the history of the sport, it's roots and first class organisation to leave them with something to think about for the future.

[1975DCS]

I love Lydden as a track and was thrilled when it returned a few years ago and visited straight away. Personally I think 2014 was the best year with loads of cars and some group B cars on top. I was also very lucky to cross the channel by train for £ 70 in total. I might consider going back even with less entrees than 2014, but only if the total price is right...

[chunder]

Sorry but will not be there.

Entry is atrocious and the price to get in is getting crazy for that few cars.

Never enjoyed Lydden as much since Dorans took it over and they have never had a decent crack of the entry since the first year for whatever reason. So not their fault.

But the kids will love it and it will be packed, so who cares.

I don't need to see a load of spluttering Group B cars, thankfully I saw them being driven properly in their pomp and watching them misfiring around driven by multi millionaires is not my bag.

[1975DCS]

Yeah, why can't they get those group B cars engines running properly in these modern days? And true: 2014 was crowded, was very nice!

[ebby]

chunder the entry list hasn't been published yet and a weekend ticket is less than 90mins of football!

[BertMk2]

I think I'll probably end up doing what I did last year - 1 day at Lydden, 1 day at Brands for the Historic meeting. I won't be going to Silverstone next year so it's the last time I'll be watching WRX live for the foreseeable future. Could do with seeing some sort of rough timetable before making a final decision on which day to spend at Lydden and which at Brands.

[Hickey]

Ebby, I think that the entry list won't be great for Lydden. I think there's a Max of 25 supercars, then 18 RX2 and 15 touring cars (if lucky). So less than 60.

It will still be a great event (Barcelona only had 60 cars), but it could be better entry wise. I'd have thought there would be room for s1600 in the paddock too. Shame.

[chunder]

90 mins footie for the team I support is less than 20 quid so I am afraid I would choose that.

And we won our league this year and got really far in the FA Cup, sorry but you can't compare the two.

Not enough cars for me sorry, I do not enjoy the rwd cars (never have an utterly pointless and ill conceive class).

GpB demo would be OK, but not enough to warrant the travel. Last few times it has been on it's been a demo lasting a few laps and with a lot of very poorly prepared cars.

But like Bert might look at Brands for Superprix, went a few years ago and fully enjoyed my day, lovely track, no awful music blaring out from an energy drink stand and better racing I am afraid.

I am getting old obviously, but Bert honestly looking at it you might like the Silverstone RX track, it looks mostly dirt, though I have no idea what speccy viewing will be like and I shudder to think what they are going to charge to get in.

But, AS I say thousands will be there, a lot will go because it's the last Lydden, fraid the last real Lydden I went to was mid 00's.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by chunder

But like Bert might look at Brands for Superprix, went a few years ago and fully enjoyed my day, lovely track, no awful music blaring out from an energy drink stand and better racing I am afraid.

I did one day at Lydden, one day at Brands last year and that seemed to work well - the Historic F1 cars at Brands are definitely worth seeing (and hearing) out on the GP loop. Shame the two events clash but there you go.

Originally Posted by chunder

I am getting old obviously, but Bert honestly looking at it you might like the Silverstone RX track, it looks mostly dirt, though I have no idea what speccy viewing will be like and I shudder to think what they are going to charge to get in.

They'll have to do something pretty special at Silverstone to make viewing even half as good as Lydden - it's flat and I assume there will be catch fencing blocking your view everywhere. I assume parking will also be in the car parks outside the circuit (so no leaving your gear in the car until you need it). Silverstone also has the extra 90 minutes each way travel over getting to Lydden against it. And then there's the cost - has it been published how much it'll cost? The publicity I've seen for it bangs on about 'a festival' with rallycross - so I assume the cost will be higher than if there was only rallycross? I'm getting old and grumpy too - I don't want a bloody festival - I just want the rallycross.

[chunder]

I don't know if you know Silverstone now Bert, but the track is behind where the new Wing is, so it's not that far to walk.

I have no idea about viewing, I would think they might bring in stands etc, as of now there are earth banks about 3 feet high around the whole track perimeter, that might in fact stay to stop cars going on the track, as I think the main reason they have built it mainly dirt is to make cleanup of the Stowe circuit tarmac very easy, so they are hardly using any of it!!

There are no real spectator areas near there, but IMG don't give a damn about that, it will be like Mettet I think, huge area of crowd miles from the action, and some special areas you can maybe get to on the edges of the layout.

But I think it might be OK, certainly more modern than Lydden and definitely a proper rallycross track, not a dumbed down, broken tarmac and concrete drifting arena.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by chunder

I don't know if you know Silverstone now Bert, but the track is behind where the new Wing is, so it's not that far to walk.

I have no idea about viewing, I would think they might bring in stands etc, as of now there are earth banks about 3 feet high around the whole track perimeter, that might in fact stay to stop cars going on the track, as I think the main reason they have built it mainly dirt is to make cleanup of the Stowe circuit tarmac very easy, so they are hardly using any of it!!

There are no real spectator areas near there, but IMG don't give a damn about that, it will be like Mettet I think, huge area of crowd miles from the action, and some special areas you can maybe get to on the edges of the layout.

But I think it might be OK, certainly more modern than Lydden and definitely a proper rallycross track, not a dumbed down, broken tarmac and concrete drifting arena.

I've not been to Silverstone for years (and the last time I was there I was at the Stowe circuit - the 'pitwall' there was interesting to say the least!). I guess it'll be catch fencing and temporary grandstands - so it's a 'no' from me - I like unobstructed views and the freedom to move about. I'll give 2018 a miss and see what it looks like before making a decision about future events there.

In other news for this years event Oliver Bennett will be competing at Lydden:

http://www.rallycrossbrx.com/news/be...ionship-outing

[Hickey]

That's good and bad for Bennett. Good that it's another car on the grid but bad if it takes the place of another more competitive car (if there is actually a cap of 25 cars). He will be a long way off the pace. Hopefully there is no such cap and there will be lots of Brits there.

[paul1982]

Originally Posted by Hickey

That's good and bad for Bennett. Good that it's another car on the grid but bad if it takes the place of another more competitive car (if there is actually a cap of 25 cars). He will be a long way off the pace. Hopefully there is no such cap and there will be lots of Brits there.

There is a max of 25 Supercars. So with the 18 permanent drivers + donnavan and Bennett hou have 20 cars at the moment. Kaczmarski, Munich and MDK said they will be there too. So i guess 2 spots open.....

[Hickey]

Procter and Godfrey maybe? Hopefully. Or Robin Larssen.
Seems a bit short sighted to cap at 25. At least cap at 30. I'm sire the extra money from fees and more audience would help line the coffers.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Hickey

Procter and Godfrey maybe? Hopefully. Or Robin Larssen.
Seems a bit short sighted to cap at 25.

I would say it depends on support classes. With only TC and SC lights at Lydden why not allow more SC entries? But I can imagine at other places that have ERX or S1600 a maximum makes sense due to paddock space.

[crossfades]

Don't think Larsson would even want to make the trip over.

The cap is too low though. When there only is WRX and no ERX there is definitely room for more cars. But I guess the regulars in WRX wants as few single entries as possible.

[Hickey]

But the regulars will walk all overMDK, Munnich, Kaszmarski and the like. They did at Portugal. They shouldn't be too concerned. But the fans want to see more action. And yes, I appreciate it depends on other classes but where it's WRX only, it should be 30. With the fees they charge it will rarely get more than that. ,

[Hickey]

Decided to read the rules. Doesn't seem to be any wiggle room in the 25 number. There is a reserve list though, up to the Monday before the event. That's a good idea especially for local drivers who could attend at short notice.

Entry for non permanent is £1,100

[ebby]

Tanner Foust? Marklund has run a Polo for him in recent years, could use Magda's. Would like to see him in a Beetle over here though, wonder if Eklund has been approached.

Procter's car not WorldRX legal. Tohill?

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[crossfades]

To be honest there probably won't be any Swedish teams there besides from the regular ones. Perhaps if someone rented a car from a Swedish team there could be another entry.

Personally could only imagine Foust taking part in a third PSRX VW Sweden Polo since Marklund in the past had official VW affiliation. Marklund however got some cars but it would be odd in my opinion if we saw him in one. Foust also usually announce his program before the season starts.

Even if Foust were to run privately I really doubt that he would want to hire the Eklund Beetle since it doesn't have the highest of standards really.

[1975DCS]

Wasn't the point of the ECU to keep the costs down? Yet it result in higher costs and cuts out possible cars?

[chunder]

Really restricts entreis to UK drivers as 1100 quid plus travel diesel, ferry is going to be probably closer to 4 or 5 grand for a Scandinavian entry

Either way it matters not, 20 and a few UK stragglers is what you will have plus about 15 rwd cars and a few RX2's

And a spluttering GpB demo.

[Hickey]

If Foust or anyone major was going to enter then we would have heard about it by now. Would have been a press release. If anyone, likely to be lower key.

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by 1975DCS

Wasn't the point of the ECU to keep the costs down? Yet it result in higher costs and cuts out possible cars?

ECU/software regulation is to prevent cheating, not for cost control.

[chunder]

Lol, really, it has nothing to do with making everyone use the same stuff and then they get to supply every car on the grid then?

There is one than one aspect to sole supplying in every race series int he world.

Cheating should be enforced by better scrutineers, a thing that has always been very lax in rallycross compared to other motorsport, because simply it is so free in terms of what you can do.

The only way to keep costs down is budget caps, and I see little appetite for that.