PDA

View Full Version : BTCC to Rockingham



Alfa Fan
6th December 2006, 19:33
Story on btcc.net

No Silverstone in 2007 then.

BTCC2
6th December 2006, 19:35
I can't believe it. I mean, I like Rockingham and i,m delighted it's back but why drop Silverstone and have 2 rounds at Thruxton !!!!!!!!!!

Les
6th December 2006, 19:40
excellent news - makes a nice change

Radders
6th December 2006, 19:40
Really???!!! Fantastic, I really hope that first 110mph chichane off the start finish straight makes it onto the circuit configuration - one of the finest touring car sights and sounds from my memories of last visit.

tin-top fan
6th December 2006, 19:43
WWWOOOO absolutely brilliant news

BTCC2
6th December 2006, 19:47
Yes it is good. But is nobody else dissapointed to see the back of Silverstone?

martinbalmer
6th December 2006, 19:50
I'd rather have Silverstone over a return to Thruxton.. But, that aside, I think Rockingham is better than Silverstone...

acorn
6th December 2006, 20:06
Really???!!! Fantastic, I really hope that first 110mph chichane off the start finish straight makes it onto the circuit configuration - one of the finest touring car sights and sounds from my memories of last visit.

if they use the same config as the gts then the t1 chicane is not used(they carry on on the banked oval). also after coming down behind the "school straight" they no longer go up to t3 re-entry onto the oval. they use the link by the heli pad which re-joins the oval after t4 exit. this means a flat out run from t4 to the t2 in-field entry. personally i'd prefer the use of the t1 chicane and the slingshot run to the finish through t4.

Captain VXR
6th December 2006, 20:23
Yay - R'ham, gay - no 'stone. Oh well,makes a change.
My Ideal calendar:
Round 1: Brands Indy
Round 2: Silverstone National
Round 3: Castle Combe
Round 4: Donington Park
Round 5: Mondello Park
Round 6: Knockhill
Round 7: Oulton Fosters
Round 8: Cadwell Park
Round 9: Oulton Island
Round 10: Brands GP BTCC vs WTCC showdown
Round 11: Thruxton
Round 12: Croft
Round 13: Snetterton
Round 14: Sturup Raceway: BTCC STCC DTC showdown
Round 15: Silverstone Final International circuit
Round 16/17: Top five finishers go to ETCC and WTCC final for free.

Powered by Cosworth
6th December 2006, 20:28
This is quite good news. Although Rockingham is in Corby *Shudder* it's still a good track :)

Pedalpusher
6th December 2006, 20:30
Woo-hoo! Back to the Rock :D :hot:

ray.martin
6th December 2006, 20:47
This is the best news I've had for a long time!!!!


I'll make every effort to be there.

Allyc85
6th December 2006, 21:01
2 rounds at my closest circuit thruxton and the return of the rock, BTCC is gonna be soooooo good next year!

Mp3 Astra
6th December 2006, 21:08
I'm very pleased to see the return of Rockingham, but gutted that there is no Silverstone this time around. For me, at least, Silverstone was one of the best circuits on the calendar and is certainly better than Thruxton. But you can't have it all your own way I guess and I'm still über excited about the new season.

Jamie Brown
6th December 2006, 21:31
i am so pleased that btcc are returning to rockingham!

tisme
6th December 2006, 21:38
i am so pleased that btcc are returning to rockingham!

I haven't been to Rockingham before. Can you walk all around the track and get close to the track like you can at Brands Hatch? So I can take pictures with my new camera.

Hazell B
6th December 2006, 21:41
tisme, you can see everything! It's brilliant! You can't get close except for in the pitlane, but the overall view is superb.

Rockingham is the absolute best move they've made in the whole calendar. I'm well happy at the news :D

tisme
6th December 2006, 21:43
so i can't walk round the track?

Jamie Brown
6th December 2006, 21:46
no you cant sorry about that

nicemms
6th December 2006, 21:49
I am so glad they have brought Rockingham back. Its a great circuit.

I am shocked that they have dropped silverstone though.

But Rockingham is back!!!!

cookingfat
6th December 2006, 21:59
so i can't walk round the track?
Nope... This is the American experience. You sit in your seat and watch the racing! Take some binoculars with you if you want to see it all.

You can walk between turn 4 and turn 1. If you are lucky, you might be able to get into the BTCC paddock, but I expect on race day you won't be able to.

A totally un-British track! I like you, enjoy walking round the track viewing it from different corners. Not sure if I will be going...

Les
6th December 2006, 22:16
tisme - there are a few places where you can photograph action - but one of the nicest is from the garage roof looking down onto the pits

tdb
6th December 2006, 22:27
If you are lucky, you might be able to get into the BTCC paddock, but I expect on race day you won't be able to.

A totally un-British track!


I see no reason why you will not be able to access the paddock! Rockingham is better suited to pitlane access and driver autograph sessions than any other track in the UK!

If being able to see every bit of every lap! is un-British
then you are right! however, instead of wondering how x got past y, you will know ! no matter where you are sat!

I think this is Fantastic news!

PDS
6th December 2006, 22:40
If being able to see every bit of every lap! is un-British
then you are right! however, instead of wondering how x got past y, you will know ! no matter where you are sat!



I think what he is saying is that most tracks in this country you can walk around. But you can't at Rockingham! At Brands when they use the GP circuit, you can go out to Dingle Dell, or as Tarquini once called it, 'Dingle Dongle Dell', and watch from there. At Donington you can watch one race from Redgate, then another from the Craners and so on. At Rockingham you watch it from one place!

British spectators like walking round the track. It's not a case of seeing the whole track!

martinbalmer
6th December 2006, 23:02
I haven't been to Rockingham before. Can you walk all around the track and get close to the track like you can at Brands Hatch? So I can take pictures with my new camera.

Although you can't "walk around the track" there isn't many seats at Rockingham than don't give you a 100% view (as appose to a 99.9% view). And there is nothing to stop you moving within the stands :p :

Besides which, the "wandering" experience is available at the other circuits so why not sit down and enjoy the day...

...and anyway, it replaces Silverstone where places with reasonable views are very limited and you'd spend your day walking around seeing virtually nothing..

100%hondafan
6th December 2006, 23:02
bad move for no silverstone

although rockingham is good

drop a thruxton round and shove silverstone back in there it was ace this year

Ur not a salmon
6th December 2006, 23:23
Farcical decison by the BTCC. ITV have clearly got a hold of them by the balls and the end result is a visit to a big white elephant in the middle of an industrial estate, instead of somewhere rich in history that got the biggest crowd of the season thru the gates. I'm sorry but it's a Mickey Mouse circuit and i don't think everyone will be singing it's praises when we get a load of wrecked cars having gone into one of those concrete walls, especially with the driving standards we see now.

Ian McC
6th December 2006, 23:35
Bloody brilliant!

Glad to be going back to the Rock :D

Henry Cutts
6th December 2006, 23:52
Its great news that the BTCC are back at Rockingham, The last race there was one of the best of the year.

AndySpeed
7th December 2006, 00:07
I'm going to try and miss the first weekend back at Uni after Easter to make it to the Rock, rather pleased that it's back on the calendar although as I said in another thread not at the expense of Silverstone.

Additionally, as we saw with Mike Jordan at Silverstone, a touring car hitting a concrete wall can have bad effects. Since that wasn't even on a corner, and there's so much wall at rockingham, is there too much potential for more bad accidents?

Speedworx
7th December 2006, 00:20
Excellent news. Silverstone National track sucks big time. Rockingham is so much better. Good move BTCC :)

BDunnell
7th December 2006, 00:23
The racing the last time the BTCC went to Rockingham was, let's face it, absolutely fantastic and mostly very clean. But the driving standards were generally better then, in my opinion.

I also think that it's a mistake to drop Silverstone for a couple of other important reasons. Whether or not it's a good place to watch at the circuit, the racing tends to be good, and as the home of the British GP it is probably the best-known track in the UK today. Not for nothing did it get the biggest crowd of 2006.

AndySpeed
7th December 2006, 00:25
Not for nothing did it get the biggest crowd of 2006.

Bear in mind that it was the championship finale and they always tend to be more full of action and attract bigger crowds.

BDunnell
7th December 2006, 00:28
Bear in mind that it was the championship finale and they always tend to be more full of action and attract bigger crowds.

Indeed, but Silverstone, for all its faults, remains a more prestigious venue than Rockingham.

Speedworx
7th December 2006, 00:49
Indeed, but Silverstone, for all its faults, remains a more prestigious venue than Rockingham.

Yes, but the national layout sucks for racing. The International track is better. Rockingham will be great with WTCC regs next season. I can't wait.

ATF
7th December 2006, 01:23
Apart from Silverstone being more "prestigious", there's not really a lot more that it can offer over Rockingham.

That 1 Rockingham meeting was amazing, maybe it won't be always that action packed but Silverstone has had some good action over the years too.

Like many people have said, the only thing bad about this move is that Silverstone misses out completely while Thruxton AND Brands have 2 rounds each.

thompp
7th December 2006, 10:08
I think I agree with the majority here - thumbs up for Rockingham, but shame that Silverstone - "the home of British Motorsport" - has had to be dropped.

Dickie L'Amour
7th December 2006, 10:09
Yes, but the national layout sucks for racing. The International track is better. Rockingham will be great with WTCC regs next season. I can't wait.
Can't figure your thinking here - surely the short track has always delivered much closer racing in the BTCC AND all the support champs as well. International layout only ever splits up the fields from what I can remember a bit like Donington GP.

thompp
7th December 2006, 10:10
This is quite good news. Although Rockingham is in Corby *Shudder* it's still a good track :)


Corby - home of the ASBO-dodgers. And no, thats not an American football team.

Pedalpusher
7th December 2006, 13:32
Corby - home of the ASBO-dodgers. And no, thats not an American football team.

:laugh:

VkmSpouge
7th December 2006, 14:08
While I'm in favour of having Rockingham on the calendar, I really wish Silverstone was on it too. I would always prefer Silverstone over a second trip to Thruxton.

foxystoat
7th December 2006, 14:22
Rockingham is a fantastic facility & the last BTCC meeting there superb ! I can't wait for next year now. It beats Silverstone hands down for spectating as you can follow every battle on track instead of standing watching about 10% of the action !

Neil Adams
7th December 2006, 14:56
i quite like the silverstone national layout, it definitley produced more exciting races than the international layout, in 05 even the porsche races where brilliant! 3 wide in the complex at one point

its a shame that silverstone isnt on the calendar, is definitley popular with the fans wether its the finale or not, in the btcc fans survey on my site it came 3rd in 2006 and 2nd in 2005, it will be interesting to see where rockingham places

i'll probably go to rockingham but i have to say that whilst you can see the whole track from the grandstands, the view is very distant

i believe thruxton took up the spare mondello slot through barc, this is why we have two thruxton meetings

thompp
7th December 2006, 14:56
How does Rockingham figure for photography. Are there good spots where you can get close shots of the cars...? What is Rockingham like for access to pit / garages / drivers / podium....?

Pedalpusher
7th December 2006, 15:28
How does Rockingham figure for photography. Are there good spots where you can get close shots of the cars...? What is Rockingham like for access to pit / garages / drivers / podium....?

You can use the tunnel to access the infield and then stand on top of the pit garages. In 2003 I spent Saturday there and got some shots of the cars coming into the pit lane, and the teams working on the cars.

If you're in the grandstands, then you'll need a really good zoom to be able to get close shots. Not sure how close you can get to the fence to be able to focus past it, otherwise you'll be high up in the stands to avoid the fencing.

Access to the drivers was great on the Saturday. I bought a picture and was able to get it signed by Thommo, Muller, Neal and Reidy. :up: :D

I'm assuming you could still get to the pit garages on the Sunday, but it did look rather crowded, so I spent all day in the grandstands.

Dave B
7th December 2006, 15:56
Corby - home of the ASBO-dodgers. And no, thats not an American football team.They call it SCSA these days :p

thompp
7th December 2006, 17:32
They call it SCSA these days :p


Its a shame they couldnt get SCSA to share the bill with BTCC.

Alfa Fan
7th December 2006, 17:34
Just as well they don't. I don't think many BTCC fans would be impressed with 4 cars going round and round for 30 laps.

On the otherhand, the Pickup series as a support race would be good :)

thompp
7th December 2006, 17:35
You can use the tunnel to access the infield and then stand on top of the pit garages. In 2003 I spent Saturday there and got some shots of the cars coming into the pit lane, and the teams working on the cars.

If you're in the grandstands, then you'll need a really good zoom to be able to get close shots. Not sure how close you can get to the fence to be able to focus past it, otherwise you'll be high up in the stands to avoid the fencing.

Access to the drivers was great on the Saturday. I bought a picture and was able to get it signed by Thommo, Muller, Neal and Reidy. :up: :D

I'm assuming you could still get to the pit garages on the Sunday, but it did look rather crowded, so I spent all day in the grandstands.


Thanks very much for that, PP. I've recently acquired 300mm zoom and 2X teleconverter giving me 600mm focal length, but I'd much rather get up close to the action!

Alfa Fan
7th December 2006, 17:47
Silverstone are still chasing a BTCC round in 2007. Only way I can see it happen is if there is a financial package provided to allow the series to expand to 11 rounds. 19-20 May is available, and as far as I know Silverstone has no event that weekend at present.

LiamM
7th December 2006, 17:52
They'll have to persuade ITV to squeeze it into the schedule, mind you I dont mind a highlights program, if we have 11 meetings

cos
7th December 2006, 18:09
Here's Silverstone's side of things:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/55942

Can't help thinking there's a lot of political wrangling going on behind all this...

LiamM
7th December 2006, 18:13
If you read what Silverstone say, they had the date booked, but that had to move something else, but while they was moving it TOCA went to Rockingham and arranged it with them. Now they're not very happy, and Brands and Thruxton has 40% of the calendar

cos
7th December 2006, 18:20
If you read what Silverstone say, they had the date booked, but that had to move something else, but while they was moving it TOCA went to Rockingham and arranged it with them.

...which seems strange. If I were Silverstone I'd gladly shuffle some club meetings around so I could secure the BTCC date. Similarly, TOCA would expect Silverstone to do the same thing, especially since TOCA have never been particularly keen to return to Rockingham since 2003. The Rockingham date isn't going to impact much on team/sponsor budgets (compare, say, Mondello), so why the sudden confirmation of Rockingham? Are TOCA trying to force Silverstone's hand? If so, for what end?

cos
7th December 2006, 18:22
Silverstone are still chasing a BTCC round in 2007. Only way I can see it happen is if there is a financial package provided to allow the series to expand to 11 rounds. 19-20 May is available, and as far as I know Silverstone has no event that weekend at present.

20 May does seem the only other viable date possible for the BTCC, although that would make it 3 meetings in 4 weeks. However, I can't see where any financial package would come from (not Silverstone surely, unless the ticket sales generated far outweighed any subsidy they'd have to pay the teams). Let's not forget how much fuss there was over the extra British GP race in 2004...

mbr
7th December 2006, 18:24
Alfa Fan SCSA are pushing hard for 18/20 car grids in 2007 so should be a fantastic spectacle as in 2005 and before.
For those who hav'nt been to the "Rock" spectator access is normally second to none with access to most of the pit area and pit garage roofs. Also for the photographers at the back of the pits you can get very close to the track on School Straight.All in all fantastic news for both the track and BTCC.

Alfa Fan
7th December 2006, 18:42
Pushing hard for and achieving are two different things...

I'm sure the BTCC didn't expect just 12 cars at the start of 05 after having 22 in 04!

I believe it when I see it!

Anyway, this has gone off topic...

BTCC Fan#1
7th December 2006, 18:47
I have mixed feelings about the return of Rockingham, although the last meeting there did provide some good racing.
I do have to say i'd sacrifice one of the rounds at Brands (or preferably Thruxton..) for the return of Silverstone despite both of those being my 'local' circuits, I don't really think it's right that BTCC won't be racing at Silverstone. :s

tkmracer
7th December 2006, 19:20
I am thoroughly dissappointed, for a couple of reasons:

- Silverstone was fantastic last year, even though I would prefer the international circuit, and it had the largest crowds.

- 2 Thruxton meetings?? I wasn't too happy with 2 meetings at Brands on the Indy circuit. If there has to be 2 circuits that have 2 rounds, why can't we have the second one at an interesting track? What is the fascination with thruxton? "Ooh speed! Wow! Look how fast they're going!!" I'm sorry, but that does not interest me as much as seeing cars go round corners and up and down hills.

- So much for the BTCC trying to appeal to a wider range of people, now it seems that they have decided to take it back to the south where there is more money, with the occaisional blip up to the rest of the country. I'm sorry for my cynicalism on this but I just think it is such a poor move.

I'm going away on a mission for my church for 2 years so I won't be able to watch the BTCC, but I want there to be a decent BTCC for when I come home.

mattie007
7th December 2006, 19:53
Ace news!! Top work Mr Gow.
Im well pleased, The Rock is only 15 minutes from me! Although enjoyed Silverstone this year, Rockingham is just superb and it had the best event for many years in 2003.
Seeing 3 cars blast through the first chicane was something else!
Why are people moaning about views and not being able to walk around the track? Why would you want too walk around it? Views are second to none. You can get really close if you go on the grassy area in front of the main stand anyway.
Its a shame Silverstone isn't there and Thruxton has 2 meetings, but I can see Silverstone grabbing one of those places or an extra event being added to the calender as alot of people will miss it.

Excellent news once again!!! For some reason I had a feeling the TBA could be THE ROCK!!!

Funny that it gets added on the day Corby is voted the countrys worst town!!

cos
7th December 2006, 19:59
- So much for the BTCC trying to appeal to a wider range of people, now it seems that they have decided to take it back to the south where there is more money, with the occaisional blip up to the rest of the country. I'm sorry for my cynicalism on this but I just think it is such a poor move.

Rockingham is further north than Silverstone (just). Besides, the fact is there are more circuits better suited to hosting the BTCC in the south of the country than the north.

LiamM
7th December 2006, 20:17
I think the statement produced my Silverstone today, represents exactly what is wrong with the management. It should just read, we're Silverstone, home of motorsport, you should be racing here because of that and if not why not?

The attitude can easily be seen with regards to F1, most tracks have much better facilities than Silverstone, or they are doing something about it.....what do we have? Lots of paper pushing and proposals that don't get anywhere. At the minute good riddance Silverstone,

WSRfan82
7th December 2006, 20:24
no stone in the btcc that not right. stone is like one of the must have track in the championship. i say drop one of the rounds at thux and put stone in its place

tkmracer
7th December 2006, 20:41
Rockingham is further north than Silverstone (just). Besides, the fact is there are more circuits better suited to hosting the BTCC in the south of the country than the north.

So is Thruxton a more up-to-date, modern and better facility than say Oulton Park, Donington, Cadwell etc?

I'm not getting at you Cos, I just can't see any other reason for going to Thruxton twice over any of the northern circuits other than the fact that its in the south.

AndySpeed
7th December 2006, 20:48
I think the statement produced my Silverstone today, represents exactly what is wrong with the management. It should just read, we're Silverstone, home of motorsport, you should be racing here because of that and if not why not?

The attitude can easily be seen with regards to F1, most tracks have much better facilities than Silverstone, or they are doing something about it.....what do we have? Lots of paper pushing and proposals that don't get anywhere. At the minute good riddance Silverstone,

Yes, the part of the statement which reads "...will not be able to watch BTCC at Silverstone, the home of British Motorsport, for the first time in BTCC history." does seem a little arrogant.

On the other hand, Silverstone's claim to be the home of British motorsport does have an element of truth to it, and it is a kind of marketing slant.

Whilst we could pick holes at Silverston'es statement, I'd just like to point out that it echoes the views of most touring car fans anyway, 99% of whom I'm sure would like to see the BTCC at the track.

tintin
7th December 2006, 21:08
Presumably the second Thruxton date is because it is only "borrowing" it from Mondello - and the following year Mondello intends to be back.

Giving that date to Silverstone would mean at this time next year, we could be going through all this again with people wondering why Silverstone/Rockingham/circuit x had been dropped in favour of Mondello.

BDunnell
7th December 2006, 22:10
On the other hand, Silverstone's claim to be the home of British motorsport does have an element of truth to it, and it is a kind of marketing slant.

It certainly does, purely because Silverstone hosts the GP. This is what makes it so important.

Ian McC
7th December 2006, 22:58
will not be able to watch BTCC at Silverstone


If you are at Silverstone you dont get to watch much of the BTCC anyway, at least at the Rock you get to see it all.

AndySpeed
7th December 2006, 23:04
If you are at Silverstone you dont get to watch much of the BTCC anyway, at least at the Rock you get to see it all.

Silverstone is no different to many other circuits. I've been there to see the BTCC and spectated at Luffield and seen the cars racing through the complex - you get to see far more than you do at some parts of Snetterton, Thruxton or Oulton Park! Granted Rockingham has the most superior viewing of all, but that's no reason to say that you 'don't get to watch much of the BTCC' at Silverstone.

turn 4 mad
8th December 2006, 01:10
This is quite good news. Although Rockingham is in Corby *Shudder* it's still a good track :)

WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM WITH CORBY? IF YOU DONT LIKE THE PLACE THEN GO TO SCHOOL IN YOUR SHEEP LAND.

turn 4 mad
8th December 2006, 01:11
They call it SCSA these days :p

YAWN YAWN VERY BORING

Mark
8th December 2006, 09:56
I think the chances are still good for Silverstone to be on the calendar for 2007. I imagine they will do a deal with Thruxton.

Brown, Jon Brow
8th December 2006, 10:59
Rockingham is further north than Silverstone (just). Besides, the fact is there are more circuits better suited to hosting the BTCC in the south of the country than the north.


Well as long as the south is ok I guess nothing else matters. :s


Why not extra rounds at Oulton or Croft or even Cadwell Park, instead of going twice to Thruxton

acorn
8th December 2006, 12:02
"home of british motorsport" is arrogance indeed. exactly what does that mean? are they trying to equate it to "home is where the theart is" in that you may race all over the country but you'll always want to come back to silverstone?
now, if it said "home of the british gp" then ok because that is the only place in britain you can currently see it but you can see motorsport all over the country. even "the birthplace of british motorsport" would be wrong.

AndySpeed
8th December 2006, 12:35
I believe it is purely related to the fact that Silverstone is (or was) the venue that held all of the UK's top motor racing - being the only circuit to hold the Grand Prix, BTCC, BSB etc.

I guess that claim is even less solid than it was before now

Mark
8th December 2006, 12:39
I've always said that the only problem Rockingham had, was that there was another BTCC venue within shouting distance of it (namely Silverstone), with Silverstone out of the way then Rockingham can come to the fore.

It's good to have some racing there other than it's own series (i.e. SCSA), it's been sadly neglected by pretty much everyone in the motorsport community for too long.

JDPower
8th December 2006, 18:21
Here's Silverstone's side of things:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/55942
And Gow's response:

This follows a statement by Silverstone circuit earlier today in which it said it could not understand the reasons why it had been left off the 2007 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship calendar.

BTCC Series Director Alan Gow comments: “The reasons for Silverstone not being on our 2007 calendar were made perfectly clear by us, in writing to Richard Phillips, some three days ago (on 04/12/06). Receipt of our correspondence was acknowledged by the management of Silverstone.

“Those same reasons were also clearly stated to them in previous, and subsequent, telephone conversations between the two parties.

“Therefore, I am completely at a loss as to why Silverstone feels it does not understand the reasons behind our decision – when, in fact, it has been fully aware of them for some days.”

Abo
8th December 2006, 20:47
so i can't walk round the track?

No, but you *can* see the entire track from whichever seat you decide to sit in. It means you can follow battling cars all the way round the track and not miss any action. I know that when I'm at a regular circuit all the good stuff seems to happen at the other side of the circuit to me, regardless of wherever I happen to be standing lol

Captain VXR
9th December 2006, 10:17
The only championship that came to Rockingham this year bar SCSA was the D1GB drift championship (now called European Drift Championship) and Time Attack championship which were the two halves of the GT Battle series.

Henry Cutts
9th December 2006, 10:46
The only championship that came to Rockingham this year bar SCSA was the D1GB drift championship (now called European Drift Championship) and Time Attack championship which were the two halves of the GT Battle series.

British GT & other club series raced as well.

acorn
9th December 2006, 12:00
[quote="Captain VXR"]The only championship that came to Rockingham this year bar SCSA was the D1GB drift championship QUOTE]

untrue. as henry cutts says british gt came and other club championships including club f3, vsr and super silhouettes, t-cars and formula jedi.

i'm sure that you are aware that the change in organising club/promoter at a late stage meant that many series /championships had already committed to their respective calendars and to get any decent programme together was a great effort.

the fact that btcc , british gt and british f3 will be at rockingham in '07 means they are listening (particularly with regard to f3 and the t1 chicane) because they want the best champioships to race at what is undoubtedly the best spectator facility this country has.

SEATFreak
9th December 2006, 14:00
What vexes me is they initially accepted.


"Silverstone was originally offered the 21-22 April date...which the circuit formally accepted, making the date available by re-working existing bookings in its 2007 calendar of events," said the statement.

I have come to the thinking that whatever happened was down to Silverstone and not the BARC and TOCA.

What is everyones view on this part of the statement?

nicemms
9th December 2006, 14:14
I have too. TOCA would not purposely not include Silverstone.

So we can only assume that Silverstone have backed out of doing it. Why and don't know. Especially after last years huge succsess.

Neil Adams
9th December 2006, 14:39
the way i see it is that silverstone didnt confirm their acceptance of the slot quick enough so they offered it to a more grateful circuit

Robinho
9th December 2006, 17:54
i fail to see the fuss with Silverstone not being on the calender, what will we miss from the circuit?

if you spectate its often more expensive than other circuits, more officious (especially than the MSV circuits) and much more expensive/difficult to camp. when there you struggle to get a good view of more than one corner.

yes the racing was good last year, but nothing more than anywhere else.

we lose nothing geographically as Rockingham is so close by, apparantly the walls at Rockoingham are dangerous - tell that to Mike Jordan and Adam Jones after Silverstone! if the GT's can race their safely why not BTCC.

in my eyes it ought to teach Silverstone a lesson - they are not bigger than motorsport in this country and they need the fans and the series more than they need Silverstone.

they approach F1 with similar arrogance and have nearly lost the race several times, despite the country being behind them, in this case when there are so many viable alternatives then perhaps Silverstone will have to amend their views or maybe they'll see other national series shy away from the circuit.

more importantly we still have Donington, Brands (hopefully the GP circuit at least once), Oulton, Thruxton, Knockhill - all of which i would hate to lose from the schedule, i won't miss Silverstone that much at all

Mark
11th December 2006, 09:19
Absolutely. I've long said that we need Rockingham or Silverstone, not both.

Dickie L'Amour
11th December 2006, 10:25
i fail to see the fuss with Silverstone not being on the calender, what will we miss from the circuit?

if you spectate its often more expensive than other circuits

To be fair Silverstone was the cheapest admission fee out of all the circuits in 2006 at £15 if you booked in advance.

Rusty
11th December 2006, 11:10
Just found a cracking picture of a BTCC start from the grid at Rockingham in the good old days...........

http://www.paulwallace.net/Rockingham%20220303.jpg

AndySpeed
11th December 2006, 12:23
Surely one of the most spaced out starts in the BTCC! Everyone seems to be able to take their own line.

BTCC2
11th December 2006, 17:13
Surely one of the most spaced out starts in the BTCC! Everyone seems to be able to take their own line.


Yes but the first corner at Rockingham is by far the tightest first corner on the calender and at the end of the straight there are about 5 cars on each cm of tarmac.

AndySpeed
11th December 2006, 17:14
It depends what layout is used.

BTCC2
11th December 2006, 17:17
It depends what layout is used.

True.

acorn
11th December 2006, 19:36
It depends what layout is used.

and the first corner would be turn 1 on the oval because they don't use the chicane on any first lap (or at all on the new gt layout) or is btcc 2 talking about the entry to the infield at turn 2?

Subaru WRX
11th December 2006, 19:57
the Rockingham circuit, is somehow like the Daytona one, frankly better avoiding these infields ! better Silverstone

BTCC2
11th December 2006, 21:08
and the first corner would be turn 1 on the oval because they don't use the chicane on any first lap (or at all on the new gt layout) or is btcc 2 talking about the entry to the infield at turn 2?

Yes I was talking about the entry to the infield as it's the first 'real' corner on the track.