PUT's @ Rockingham

[Mark Flounders]

Todays qualifying results are now online at www.smithmotorsport.co.uk (http://www.smithmotorsport.co.uk)

[Mark Flounders]

race 1 results now online

[charlieboy58]

10 car finishd? dats nt gd

[car20]

wow down too 14 trucks, now that is bad......bad for the oval, credit crunch or not....i can't see the oval being used next year???

And that would be a waste!

but this was always going to happen! when money is tight..

club motorsport in this country is heading over the cliff fast as i Don't expect the PUT to be the only ones in trouble? (if they are????? could've just been a bad weekend)

[Mark Flounders]

very disheartening, photos are now online

[racing59]

wow down too 14 trucks, now that is bad......bad for the oval, credit crunch or not....i can't see the oval being used next year???

And that would be a waste!

but this was always going to happen! when money is tight..

club motorsport in this country is heading over the cliff fast as i Don't expect the PUT to be the only ones in trouble? (if they are????? could've just been a bad weekend)

Actually, it doesn't seem to be falling over any cliffs. There are many championships experiencing bigger grids this year than last. It's all about perceived value, and that doesn't just mean getting 20 minutes on track for a tenner less, it means "is the series enjoyable" or "is the series viewed in a positive light by others, whether that's spectators or other competitors".

Sadly, PuT's don't manage the latter, but I'm sure that it's competitors still find it a good hoot!

When it was part of a greater package, and a good show, it was a growth area.

On it's own, it's dwindling, and dying. It needs to be part of a ladder of progression to survive, right now, it's a ladder that goes nowhere, and down is nowhere too!

Very sad that nobody seems to want to do anything about that. Perhaps they want to kill PuT off too?

[The Pits!]

Perhaps they want to kill PuT off too?
Who are they?

[EarWig]

Who are they?

Goodness me The Pits, please keep up with the times
Everyone knows THEY came from outer space!

[english4ever]

for the 3rd time i'll write this no doubt it will be deleted again. They came from outer space in an shp built spaceship.

[racing59]

I don't think he'd end up wanting to kill his own series.
Pitsy, it's been said so many times before. It's the blazers, the old guard, those that couldn't run a bath, the same people that only want to take the rental for the circuit and don't give two hoots what runs on it, just so long as the books balance.

We'd rather seem the books bulging at the seams, and the grandstands full, but that takes commercial guts, and since so many people in the positions that matter are kippers (two faced and spineless), it won't happen. They'll take the easy money, and not go for the long game that *should* reap the bigger rewards. Those rewards include the benefit to the community around the circuit, by drawing people in who spend money in that community, and ultimately build their businesses there.

End of long sighted business outlook.

I now return you back to the blinkered view of motorsport in the Corby area.

[darknessrock]

I don't think he'd end up wanting to kill his own series.
Pitsy, it's been said so many times before. It's the blazers, the old guard, those that couldn't run a bath, the same people that only want to take the rental for the circuit and don't give two hoots what runs on it, just so long as the books balance.

We'd rather seem the books bulging at the seams, and the grandstands full, but that takes commercial guts, and since so many people in the positions that matter are kippers (two faced and spineless), it won't happen. They'll take the easy money, and not go for the long game that *should* reap the bigger rewards. Those rewards include the benefit to the community around the circuit, by drawing people in who spend money in that community, and ultimately build their businesses there.

End of long sighted business outlook.

I now return you back to the blinkered view of motorsport in the Corby area.

Rob, you should draw up a plan for the future, go to dragons den, and pitch for £1,000,000 for 99% of the business. The business being getting a full, competitive grid on the uk's only oval circuit. £1million would give plenty for track hire and decent prize money, give the dragons a car each. (ok maybe not james)! and///// (i ran out of ideas) :)

[racing59]

To be honest, I'm a cr4p salesman! So my pitch on Dragon's Den wouldn't result in much more than "errrr no, goodbye!"

Better to try for £20-30M and buy the circuit.....

[Glen 320]

Surely the recent developments in Corby regards the industrial waste means it'll never be built on,could grab yourself a bargain there Rob!

[Mark Flounders]

Well from what i could see on the news from the ariel pictures, Rockingham is alreadt built on the north end of the area it occupied

[racing59]

Yes, they have indeed!
CDL bought the place for a knockdown price, and the developments so far completed and underway have/will cover the price they paid for the place.

Whether the land at the north end of the site was declared contaminated, I don't know, but I'm guessing that it probably was - though that's not to say that it still is. In this litigation filled life, I can't think they'd be stupid enough to try and get away with it!

So, in short, I just need the right seven numbers for a Friday evening quadruple roll-over!
That should do it!

[Old Stock Nut]

It has been said many times before, but it has to be said that Rockingham was really flawed from the start. Looking back at some of the dreamers when it was being built, they were saying things like “the Rockingham team came up with the concept of a spectator-led, all-seat venue -designed to maximise the view from the grandstand” Now we need to look at reality as far as motorsport in this country is concerned. Is there anyone out there in UK motorsport who cares a toss for the spectator?

Another quote from the early days “Some traditional British enthusiasts may regard the non-surfaced car parks and sitting on grassy banks close to a single corner at their regular tracks, as a part of the charm of motor racing”. I can think of one word for that, but will not use it because it would probably be my last here! That sort of bo…cks (oops nearly said it) is from the people who trying to justify the unjustifiable status quo for their own benefit. The other rationale behind motorsport venues in the UK is that they are and have always been for the benefit of the drivers. Comfort, convenience and visibility for spectators is not even at the bottom of the agenda – it is below it. After all, most of the spectators at their race meetings are family members dragged along for the ride!! So, with decent car parking, superb stands, toilets, showers and fantastic hospitality facilities, the Rock was never going to be allowed to be a part of UK motorsport by all of those who were afraid that they might have to do that at other venues. Given the choice between spending money on decent spectator facilities and a bit of flat tarmac and more run-off areas or another grassy picnic bank, it was obvious what was going to happen.

The only way that Rockingham was going to be successful as a motorsport venue was to accept that it had to be treated and something completely different. It had to be treated as an entertainment venue. In the early days that was what it was, but unfortunately, despite the efforts of some very good and dedicated people, the budget ran out before it made the breakthrough that was always needed to bring in the crowds. The fact that they although they provided the entertainment, they failed to market it properly had a direct bearing on their lack of success.

The other fact of life that any sports venue owner will tell you is that it cannot survive on takings from the mainstream sport activity alone. All racetracks around the world have to be in use earning money one way or another for 7-days a week to survive. The fact that Rockingham is still there means that it must have been at least partially successful at generating income and as V8 fans we have to be comforted that it is still there and has not been bulldozed out of existence yet – maybe, as Rob hinted, all that noise about dodgy ex-steelworks stuff will stop anyone disturbing too much earth around there!!.

The hard lesson we have to accept is that we need Rockingham more than they need us – it is the spiritual home of UK large oval racing, As long as they can still carry on using images of the old Ascars there is hope that one day, we will return. With money virtually impossible to get at the moment for anything let alone to burn, we have to bide our time until things get better and try to keep the faith until the climate improves. The best we can hope for is that here is someone out there who is not remotely connected to UK Motorsport who has very, very deep pockets who would like to see motorsport as proper spectator entertainment for the masses rather than a way to generate adrenalin for those who can afford fast cars but want someone else to fund the tracks for them to race round and sod the fans.

End of old (and long) rant.