BTCC night races

[3Focus]

I'd love another one of these. We made the trip over to Snetterton for the last one. Will never forget the cars blasting out at night. Rapid Fit Mondeo, Fireworks, blazing lights and "My Favourite Game" blasting out on the tannoys. Awesome. :D

[philipbain]

I think as much as it was a spectacle for the crowd at the track the BTCC night races were flawed on a number of levels. Firstly it made pretty poor TV in a championship that prides it's self on the quality of it's TV coverage. Secondly the sponsors didnt get anything like the exposure that they would get when people can actually see the cars! Thirdly it creates various logistical problems and additional expenses for the circuit hosting the race (additional lighting, health & safety issues etc.). It's a bit of a novelty but ultimately thats all it is, I can't see night racing becoming the norm in the BTCC.

[Alfa Fan]

http://www.btccpages.com/photos/aj/2001/010804sn_r1516/ntf1.jpg

Not too bad I don't think, sponsors fairly visible.

[cos]

http://www.btccpages.com/photos/aj/2001/010804sn_r1516/ntf1.jpg

Not too bad I don't think, sponsors fairly visible.

The camera flash probably helps! But it didn't make great TV, especially those 2001 races where all I recall seeing is a load of headlights and fuzzy in-car shots.

[wedge]

Probably should've lit the whole circuit.

They used to fully light some sections of the track and just put lights on the corners.

[Mark]

F1 is going to have a night race, but they are going to floodlight the entire track. NASCAR does that too, but you need to be a series of that sort of scale to be able to afford the lighting requirements.

Plus circuits lose out with night races too because the crowds are down on day races, the proportionately few who are camping at the track no doubt think it's great but for the other 99% who have to drive after the race it's not much fun leaving at past midnight, so people don't go.

[SEATFreak]

The camera flash probably helps! But it didn't make great TV, especially those 2001 races where all I recall seeing is a load of headlights and fuzzy in-car shots.

Totally disagree. The headlights were a dominant feature as I recall seeing on the 2001 DVD but if your (Before you put your own spin on it I AM speaking generally here) as into tintops as some here are then would that enter into peoples head all that much? If you were to ask me to write down the important things a BTCC fan that I think considers in the form of a list, I honestly think the spectacle of the event would rank highly.

And I must say they wouldn't be dissapointed. The night races on the 2001 DVD is my fave meeting.

[thetrooper_uk]

People are asking for big screens at the curcuits now so they can see what's happening as they feel they are missing out. With the night races they'll miss even more. It's been done and we've moved on to a better BTCC time. Move to the future don't look to the past.
F1 is so boring that they have to try new things to make it better ie: night racing and other stuff. Also Nascar, well the only good bits are when there is a crash otherwise it puts me to sleep.

[3Focus]

It's been done and we've moved on to a better BTCC time. Move to the future don't look to the past.

:eek: :confused:

[SEATFreak]

:eek: :confused:

What did the trooper_uk say that was wrong?

[3Focus]

You honestly think BTCC is now better than when Ford, Nissan, Renault, Peugeot, Volvo, Audi, BMW were involved in the old type cars with Menu, Aiello, Harvey, Rydell, Watts, Radisich, Biela, Burt, Hoy etc?

[thetrooper_uk]

I didn't mean that. I meant the racing format. Sorry to confuse you.

[BeeJ_UK]

I have marshaled BritCar night races and watching cars coming down Kraner Curves at Donington at night is amazing. Would love to see BTCC do another night race and if they did, for it to be at Donny.

[LiamM]

I have marshaled BritCar night races and watching cars coming down Kraner Curves at Donington at night is amazing. Would love to see BTCC do another night race and if they did, for it to be at Donny.

The residents of Castle Donington would love that!

[nicemms]

ON the btcc forum, someone asked the question to Alan Gow and he said it was unlikelt to happen again because of the extra costs: costs to the circuit of floodlighting etc, be too great and not enough people would come.

[BeeJ_UK]

Donny has another Britcar Night race this season at the begining of November. I will be there :-)

[mattie007]

I didn't realise there was a night race in 2001? What track was it?

I went to Silverstone in 2000 and that was great in the complex. Fireworks going off as the cars went by was quite a spectacle!

[Allyc85]

Snetterton had the night race in 2001, Dan Eaves had a big crash if I remember correctly?

[Eurotech]

I dont see why evryone is complaining about vision - no-one complains at Le Mans

[CroftPilgrim]

You honestly think BTCC is now better than when Ford, Nissan, Renault, Peugeot, Volvo, Audi, BMW were involved in the old type cars with Menu, Aiello, Harvey, Rydell, Watts, Radisich, Biela, Burt, Hoy etc?

Most of those had already gone by the time the night races were tried....

IMHO the night races were a novelty and I think the BTCC is better off as a whole without them.

Yes, F1 is introducing one, but I think that's mainly so that its European audience gets to see the race at a decent time. And when the whole track has to be illuminated the visual effects of a night race seem to be somewhat negated.

[JovialJooles]

I went to the night races at Snetterton and loved them. It was something different and the atmosphere was excellent.

The racing was great too!

[WSRfan82]

if the night races did come back (just wishing) i dont think fans would be disapointed. personley i loved the night races. matt neals nissan glowing like blackpool illuminations and the sound that the ford mondeos and the volvo s40's made god music to my hears and i could see the cars just fine at the bomb hole and at the end of the start finish at silverstone was brill