How far do you travel to the Rock?

[Tiesse]

Just seen Glen 320's first post & noticed he is in Norwich. It got me wondering how far some of us travel from to see the racing at Rockingham?

I'll start off.

I live in Wellingborough, which is on average about a 35-40 minute drive away.

[Nick Brad]

I'm in March, which is a steady 1 hrs drive, (been done in 50 mins though when the roads are clear).

[Turkeyneck]

I come up from Epsom, Surrey.

Nice journey to the Rock (always leave early morning), it's that ride home, fighting all the homeward bound Sunday drivers.

[racing59]

Potton, Beds - takes me about 1hr-10min with the trailer, 45-50mins solo.

Rob.

[Glen 320]

From where i live 5 miles east of Norwich to the rock its a 2 hour trip in the mornings when theres not to much traffic so you can press on a little!
Its about a 3 hour leisurely drive home again via kfc or mickyd's!

[LessThanSte]

60 minutes for me from just outside Lichfield. M42, M6 then A14 all the way. But it seems no matter how fast i go it always takes 60 minutes, the only difference being the amount of fuel i burn :(

[english4ever]

Stanton the capital of Suffolk!! near Bury St Edmunds, its about 1hr 15 when Duanes driving the right way around roundabouts!

[turn 4 mad]

6 mins for me, depending on the roads, and if plod is out with his polaroid in the back of his van! the other side of corby

[savage86]

Its about 45-50 mins for me, from just outside Rugby.

[uskram]

I'm from Wilstead, just South of Bedford, it's just over 40 miles door to door and depending on traffic takes 45mins to an hour to get to the Rock.

[Speedworx]

About 25-30 mins for me.

Steve and I know someone who comes from Switzerland to attend Rockingham.

[Jordygirl]

I live 10 miles from the Rock, and depending on which route I choose, it takes me 15 mins. through the gentle rolling countryside of Rutland and Northamptonshire !!!

[cjhill2002]

About 2.5 hours for us from East Sussex. Sometimes can take up to 3 hours to get home though depending on traffic

[Nick Brad]

I don't think anyone can top Folco's effort, he was justly rewarded for it in 2005 IIRC by being allowed to give the GSYE.

[Reynard]

Ely, Cambs. About 60 miles for me and an hour and 10 mins on an average good run. A10, A142, A141 & A14 for me - via Chatteris and Huntington.

Depends how fast I can get the hamster running in his wheel under my bonnet. :cheese:

[foxystoat]

I live in Gretton now so about 3 miles ! & I'm not a nimby knew about the noise when I bought the house ! used to travel a hefty 8 miles before from Uppingham !

[SteveA]

I come up from Epsom, Surrey.

Nice journey to the Rock (always leave early morning), it's that ride home, fighting all the homeward bound Sunday drivers.

The trick to driving back south is to do it on A roads. Adds about 20 mins to my journey back to Berkshire, compared to a good run on motorways.

[Redmond500]

North Nottinghamshire, usually about 1hr 10mins..

[acorn]

bottom end of the M11 for me which normally takes around 2hrs(less going up but slightly more coming back)

[racing59]

From where i live 5 miles east of Norwich to the rock its a 2 hour trip in the mornings when theres not to much traffic so you can press on a little!
Its about a 3 hour leisurely drive home again via kfc or mickyd's!

Where???? surely you mean via Domino's!!!!

[kellner]

Another one from Gretton. Takes about 7 minutes on a clear day!

[gpax]

Hello all. I travel from Darlington.around 170 miles and 2.5 hours.

[Abo]

Hello all. I travel from Darlington.around 170 miles and 2.5 hours.

Stockton here, so about the same as you... I just wish there was somewhere local that sold parmos, it'd make the stay a bit easier! :D

[R3ROK]

About 30 miles away....I'm in Old Dalby, Leicestershire (as you can see by my user cp) About 6 miles NW of Melton Mowbray on the way to Nottingham. Usually takes about 40 minutes on a steady run (fiesta) and I can shave 5 - 10 minutes off in the mondeo ;) .....well I could ;) Lot better now Oakham has a bypass....

[cgs]

i live in london, and i stay at my mums house just 2 miles from the track, so takes me only about 5 minutes to get there on the morning of the event, and about 2-3 hours to get to my mums house from my house in london

[Yung]

Swansea, Wales!!!!!!! 4 hours on average doing 72mph. Quickest was 3 and half hours. Longest was getting to Rockingham last month due to the flooding in the English border..... Wales was fine..... just when I got past the "Welcome to England" sign then I had to turn back around and that took me 7 hours to get to the Rock! Had to take the 6th different route via Silverstone to get to Rockingham! Longest coming back was during Bank Holiday weekend, took me 5 and half hours when I was working for Team Catchpole.

[shortb]

Ely, Cambs. About 60 miles for me and an hour and 10 mins on an average good run. A10, A142, A141 & A14 for me - via Chatteris and Huntington.

Depends how fast I can get the hamster running in his wheel under my bonnet. :cheese:

I am also from near Ely,I take a slightly different route,A142 to Sutton,through Sutton to Earith,onto St.Ives & pick up the A14 at Huntingdon.Takes about 50-55 mins.Have done it in 45 mins on good day!

[car20]

cumbria 244 miles 4HOURS AND 20 ODD MINUTES DEPENDING ON M6

[JovialJooles]

Waterbeach 5 miles north of Cambridge. It's about 50 miles to the Rock.

It takes between 45 to 80 minutes depending on time of day and traffic and how heavy my right foot feels.

I hate the A14! :mad:

[Henry Cutts]

Colchester so about 1 & half hours along the A14, sometimes longer! (If people decide to crash on a straight bit of road)

[Tiesse]

I hate the A14! :mad:

I don't mind the A14, it's the bloomin speed cameras on the Cambridge section that i hate!

[briggs'mechanic]

3 hours from bournemouth in the lorry or abour 2hrs 45 mins in car

[Tiesse]

3 hours from bournemouth in the lorry or abour 2hrs 45 mins in car

I know that journey well. My parents now live in Ferndown.

[Reynard]

I don't mind the A14, it's the bloomin speed cameras on the Cambridge section that i hate!

That's why I go t'other way via Chatteris. ;) The A14 now has average speed cameras rather the standard gatsos between Cambridge & Huntington.

I really hate the A1123... :rolleyes:

[PitMarshal]

Just east of Reading. Used to take 2&1/2 hours until I figured out how to avoid the blasted Northampton ring road. Got it down to 2 hours now. The return journey takes anywhere between 2 and 3&1/2 hours depending on how the A34 is flowing.

[Tiesse]

The A14 now has average speed cameras rather the standard gatsos between Cambridge & Huntington.

God bless cruise control, with all the averaging cameras sprouting up everywhere, I wouldn't be without it!

I thought there would just be a couple of responses to this thread, quite interesting the lengths that some people go to to get their fix of oval racing.

Hopefully the powers that be see this thread & realise the effort people put in as spectators etc. to get their fix (that was not the reason for starting this thread, however seeing the lengths some of you guys go to, it has made some of the scheduling problems etc. this season seem that more relavent).

[Chigley]

Newbury, 100 miles. 90 minutes in the morning, 100 minutes in the evening. When staying with the landlady I lie both ways so I don't get told off too much by the missus and "Nora Batty" ;)

[shake'N'bake]

melton mowbray just other side of oakham about 40/45 mins allways slow drivers on the road and no place to overtake.

[hicksy]

Nr.Heathrow. 100 miles each way. Takes 1 1/4 hrs in the morning and average 1 3/4 hrs to get home.

[Tony Hurdle]

Somewhere between 2 1/2 and 3 hours from Bracknell. Depends how the M40 and A43 are behaving. If anyone from the Berkshire area has any quicker alternatives let me know.

See you on the 15/16th.

[Tony Hurdle]

Oh yeah I forgot. It's 110 miles from my humble abode.

[SteveA]

Somewhere between 2 1/2 and 3 hours from Bracknell. Depends how the M40 and A43 are behaving. If anyone from the Berkshire area has any quicker alternatives let me know.


M4 - M25 - M1 is usually quicker... Going.

Cross-country coming back (Amersham, High Wycombe, Maidenhead etc...)

Not that I've been at all this year - and I'll be at Spa on the weekend of the grand finale :(

[charliethornton]

It took me 7hr 30min to come from Knockhill to Rockingham with 2 half hour breaks. 375miles approx. It should take me 9 hrs to Brands next week.

[darknessrock]

I live between Grantham and Lincoln, about 50 miles each way, and takes about 1hr 10 mins, including a breakfast pickup at the McD drive-thru, and the same to get home without the stop.

[jeffmr2]

Its 190 mile each way for me from the Rhondda Valleys takes about 3 1/2 hrs,atlhough i havet been there this year. The longest its taken was 6 1/2 hrs which included being stuck in the turn 4 car park for 3hrs inthe good old days with the big crowds (and hopeless car park attendants lol). What made it worse was being forced to listen to the likes of Peter Andre singing on the rockingham main stage!!

[acorn]

God bless cruise control, with all the averaging cameras sprouting up everywhere, I wouldn't be without it!


I'll second that. i've never had cruise control before but my new car has it as standard and i love it.

[Sticker Rub]

20 - 25 minutes for me from Peterborough

[corbygal]

Well it used to take mr 5 mins from my mums house, but now I live in Warrington, and I travel by train :( So it takes me about 5 hours to get to Corby!

[Glen 320]

Where???? surely you mean via Domino's!!!!
Sorry Rob i'm not too keen on pizza but if i was i'd only eat at domino's "the official pizza of ascar!"

[wends]

We come up from Andover and stay at the local Travelodge. It normally takes about 2 hours when Tony is driving to Rockingham and around 2½ to 3 hours to get home depending on traffic on the A43, M40, B430 and A34. Don't have too much of a problem with traffic cameras when we've got Tom switched on.

[#65 Rules]

Only Market Harborough for me, so 15 miles and about 20-25 mins!

[Rusty Spanner]

110 miles from Fleet. About 1hr 40 on a clear run in the morning. A bit longer getting back at the end. (I'll be glad when they're done with the roadworks on the M1. They are so boring just rolling along at 50.)

[savage86]

Well it used to take mr 5 mins from my mums house, but now I live in Warrington, and I travel by train :( So it takes me about 5 hours to get to Corby!

5 hours!! Do you have to make a load of changeovers?

[jemziemx]

From where i live 5 miles east of Norwich to the rock its a 2 hour trip in the mornings when theres not to much traffic so you can press on a little!
Its about a 3 hour leisurely drive home again via kfc or mickyd's!


We too travel from the east side of norwich...!!

[champcarjon]

About two and a half hours with a stop for breakfast from Gloucester.

[johnnie]

200 miles each way from Maesteg in South Wales 2.75 hours to get to the Rock and average of 3.5 hours to get home with increased traffic on M42 and M5

[jimmylad]

I live in a town called northwich, near manchester. So the jerouny for me is local bypass, m6 and on from there, total time at bout 5.30 when i leave the house you are looking at 2 1/2 hours, on the way back it can be hit or miss. Once i did it in about 2 1/2 hours other times it has been as much as 4 hours including a stop off at the kernals place near sandbach for some great food. ;) Or having to stop for some food for the car.

[107miler]

Somewhere between 2 1/2 and 3 hours from Bracknell. Depends how the M40 and A43 are behaving. If anyone from the Berkshire area has any quicker alternatives let me know.

See you on the 15/16th.

From Wokingham, Berks. That's the way I go Tony. Got it down to 1 3/4 hours once (Sunday) but have to be careful with all the cameras in Northampton, especially as I got caught once (A6003).

Paul

[jeffmr2]

200 miles each way from Maesteg in South Wales

Bloody hell i live just over the mountain from you in Cwmparc,thought i was the only rockingham fan from around here!!

[racing59]

I like that...."just over the mountain...."

[FRWW]

I live in a town called northwich, near manchester. So the jerouny for me is local bypass, m6 and on from there, total time at bout 5.30 when i leave the house you are looking at 2 1/2 hours, on the way back it can be hit or miss. Once i did it in about 2 1/2 hours other times it has been as much as 4 hours including a stop off at the kernals place near sandbach for some great food. ;) Or having to stop for some food for the car.

Hey I'm not too far from you !!!, I'm from Sunny Sale about 7 miles from the centre of Glory Glory Manchester. About 140 miles away from the Rock and on a very good day I can probably get there in about 2 hours 15 mins - 2 hours 30mins.

Fay x

[turn 4 mad]

Somewhere between 2 1/2 and 3 hours from Bracknell. Depends how the M40 and A43 are behaving. If anyone from the Berkshire area has any quicker alternatives let me know.

See you on the 15/16th.

Yes tony, drive the #98 car home!

[Gasman]

About 170 miles each way from just north of Liverpool. Journey time is about 3 to 3.5 hours each way, but I often stay in Kettering on the Saturday night if the family are with me.

I missed the August race this year though. That's the first ASCAR / DoT / SCSA Sunday race that I've missed since it started in 2001, so I'm used to the journey by now. I wasn't too dissappointed though, since the reason I wasn't at the Rock was that I was in the US on holiday and managed to take in the "Sharpie 500" Nextel Cup night race at Bristol, Tennessee last Saturday (just got back this morning...ZZZZ).

160,000 fans around a half mile track on a HOT night in eastern Tennessee, now that's what I call racing...!

Back to the Rock in a fortnight though!

[Tony Hurdle]

Yes tony, drive the #98 car home!


HA HA!!!!

[Tony Hurdle]

About 170 miles each way from just north of Liverpool. Journey time is about 3 to 3.5 hours each way, but I often stay in Kettering on the Saturday night if the family are with me.

I missed the August race this year though. That's the first ASCAR / DoT / SCSA Sunday race that I've missed since it started in 2001, so I'm used to the journey by now. I wasn't too dissappointed though, since the reason I wasn't at the Rock was that I was in the US on holiday and managed to take in the "Sharpie 500" Nextel Cup night race at Bristol, Tennessee last Saturday (just got back this morning...ZZZZ).

160,000 fans around a half mile track on a HOT night in eastern Tennessee, now that's what I call racing...!

Back to the Rock in a fortnight though!



How did you manage to get tickets? They're like hens teeth. I managed to get some 4 years ago. There were some "very interesting" people in the crowd from the South if you know what I mean. What was the new track surface like? Did it make the racing any better?

[LessThanSte]

Tony, from the view i saw on the tv, the racing was fantastic. Racing all over the track, 3 wide and i even saw 4 wide at one point. Many have claimed that the racing was boring, though i think we all know why that was (something to do with the lack of wrecks!), and that theres no need to bump and barge anymore.

I know tickets usually spring up on ebay but other than that you need to know someone who works for a sponsor, a team or the track because you can be rest assured it will sell out every time.

Richmond is another one, though i have a plan to go there one day thanks to a friend ;)

[Gasman]

How did you manage to get tickets? They're like hens teeth. I managed to get some 4 years ago. There were some "very interesting" people in the crowd from the South if you know what I mean. What was the new track surface like? Did it make the racing any better?

Bought my ticket from a US internet sports ticket agency in January - no problem, so long as you are willing to pay the (high) prices... [The seat next to mine was empty, but it was the only empty one I saw.]

I agree about the crowd. Great people watching while you wait for the green flag.

Surface (and whole track facility) looked great, much nicer than Daytona. They've run some late model races before the August meeting and there was a USAR race, the Craftsman Truck race and the Busch race (best race of the week IMHO) in the few days before the Cup race so there was some rubber laid down. Lots of side-by-side racing and very few cautions by Bristol standards, they even had green flag pit stops at one point! Most seemed to think that it wasn't a Bristol "classic" and the last 100 laps were fairly processional at the front, but it was an experience I wouldn't have missed and I'm sure that I'll go back one day. Overall, I still prefer the Daytona 500. Its still the most prestigious event and while I enjoy short track racing a lot, I think that restrictor plate racing on a superspeedway is more unpredictable. Both the Daytona 500 and the Pepsi 400 proved that this year. I'll be interested to see how the COT performs at Talladega this autumn. It should give a good indication as to what to expect at the 50th Daytona 500 next February. My tickets for that were renewed in March...

[FBanfi]

I don't think anyone can top Folco's effort, he was justly rewarded for it in 2005 IIRC by being allowed to give the GSYE.

As Nick says, I am by far the one with the longest "commute", since I come from Switzerland to get my oval racing fix (although this year I've limited my presence to three events, including the upcoming Ovalfest/Motorfest).