Why ain't we doing something like this?....

[racing59]

Have a sniff at this lot. (Powernights)

I had my doubts at first, but Roger Etcell has got some backing for it, and you never know, it might just work.....

http://www.msportuk.com/news/2007/q2...owernights.php

Then again, rather than doing something "like" this, should we be involved?
What's the curfew time? Is it worth doing a deal with Corby council to get a number of "night" races on the cards for the summer and joining up with this initiative?

After all, short oval racing attracts good crowds mid-week, or at least, it used to.

For the SCSA, reverse grid races, 20 lappers, quickfire.

Rob.

[JDPower]

Lets just see if this exists in a year or two (I doubt it). I should think the costs would be prohibitive for SCSA/Rockingham.

[Abo]

Have a sniff at this lot. (Powernights)

I had my doubts at first, but Roger Etcell has got some backing for it, and you never know, it might just work.....

http://www.msportuk.com/news/2007/q2...owernights.php

Then again, rather than doing something "like" this, should we be involved?
What's the curfew time? Is it worth doing a deal with Corby council to get a number of "night" races on the cards for the summer and joining up with this initiative?

After all, short oval racing attracts good crowds mid-week, or at least, it used to.

For the SCSA, reverse grid races, 20 lappers, quickfire.

Rob.

There's no way the local NIMBYs will go for it. No way on this planet...

[chrisn]

Planning restrictions when I was at Rockingham precluded running race cars after hours and I suspect that those restictions are still in place.

Yes it is a great idea and Rockingham would be the ideal place to do something like this - we always wanted to do something similar in the old days in a short oval sort of way.

What chances of easing planning restrictions at this stage now - very unlikely I would suggest.

Pity.

Chris N

[chrisn]

PS; Who now works for Roger Etcell - Jeff Carter!

Join the dots up............

Chris N

[acorn]

[quote="racing59"]
After all, short oval racing attracts good crowds mid-week, or at least, it used to.

QUOTE]

there's not many midweek meetings now and regular ones are traditional ie eastbourne, yarmouth(deliberately catering for the holidaymaker season). knockhill has wednesday nights on their short oval(iirc). look at the short oval fixture lists and meetings are primarily friday/saturday night or sunday/night with the odd bank holiday meeting thrown in.

short oval (evening)racing under the lights is ace as your attention is focused on the track and not on the surroundings.

i cannot see this initiative being a success. i definitely can't see it coming to rockingham at any stage(nimbys) even though it would be a far superior venue for the spectator experience than donington or silverstone.

[Chigley]

One other item to muddy the waters. Who would be licensing and organising these events? It's stated that the MSA are supporting the events, if they are MSA licensed they will need MSA licensed marshals. "All" marshals are working volunteers who travel considerable distances to support events at the weekend, the chances of getting a minimum manning level during the week at Rockingham are virtually nil. To use the Rockingham who man the circuit during the week would probably mean volunteers doing overtime and who is going to pay for that?

[deadsquirrel]

One other item to muddy the waters. Who would be licensing and organising these events? It's stated that the MSA are supporting the events, if they are MSA licensed they will need MSA licensed marshals. "All" marshals are working volunteers who travel considerable distances to support events at the weekend, the chances of getting a minimum manning level during the week at Rockingham are virtually nil. To use the Rockingham who man the circuit during the week would probably mean volunteers doing overtime and who is going to pay for that?

These events are planned to run with 'minimum' marshalling numbers - I don't know what the Donington level is, but Rockingham COULD be manned I believe with less than 10 (flag) marshals. Incidentwise, I believe some FIV type system is being considered for the POowerNights.

[chrisn]

Dead Squirrel is right Chigley. Increasingly the sport will have to think outside the box for new concepts like this - if there is an audience for such events then they cannot fail simply because MSA regulations will not allow it or not enough volunteer marshals can be found to get to the circuit in time to meet standard marshalling practices/requirements.

There are other ways of doing things with CCTV, warning lights, multi discipline fast intervention crews etc and I would suggest that the circuits have been carefully chosen with this in mind. The frustration is that this is exactly what we were pioneering at Rockingham and it would have been an ideal venue to do it for spectators. I would have loved to do something like this in my time there.

Unfortunately the nearby residents, and indeed soon to be nearby residents, probably would not want their Coronation Street or Emmerdale viewing disturbed!

As I said previously, a real pity that Rockingham probably cannot get involved.

Chris N

[R3ROK]

Someone should have planted conifers after the T1 grandstand round to T4 grandstand when the circuit was constructed, that may have helped keep the sound in a bit