BTCC @ Rockingham 2018

[Darren S]

My wife and I managed to get some hospitality tickets for the latest round of the BTCC through her work. Booked a local(ish) hotel for the Saturday and Sunday nights, with the plan to experience the full race day on the Sunday. Apart from the nightmare journey down with part of the M6 being closed off - the near 160 mile trip taking nearly 6 hours - everything else went great!

As those familiar with Rockingham know, it's a strange circuit. One that definitely is unique but most certainly lacks any real vibe and racing legacy to fall back upon. Apparently, this maybe the last time that the BTCC is held at the circuit as there are strong rumours that the place will be levelled to make way for housing development. No real surprise when the its massively over-seated and the much more famous Silverstone circuit is just over 40 miles away.

Anyways, the hospitality was provided by Team Shredded Wheat Racing with Gallagher and once inside the circuit itself, we couldn't fault the staff or guidance offered to us. Food, drinks, garage access, pit lane walks - all covered and we never felt rushed or 'pushed about'. Indeed, the atmosphere within the garage itself was surprisingly relaxed and made the whole day feel upbeat and arguably more enjoyable.

Some pics from the day....



Ghost Town Rockingham....

The weather was a complete lottery - dry for the most part, then spitting with rain, followed by a brief downpour. I didn't envy the teams and their tyre choices.

 

[Darren S]

Whilst in the hospitality tent after Race 1, Tom Chilton came over to our table with his girlfriend and asked if he could sit down with us. A proper decent bloke and happy to talk about anything we threw his way. Pretty sure that he'll have a career on motoring TV at some point - very natural and confident when being interviewed or questioned. Unfortunately my pic captures one of his team mid-blink and not that Tom was boring him to death, lol...

All in all, a superb day out. Spotted Plato casually smoking within the teams' garage (pretty sure that wouldn't have been good for health & safety?!) and had Matt Neal walk past me - he's clearly taller than my own 6'1" height!

Looking forward to the next race, if and when we can bag some tickets again! ?

 

[Greeny.]

Im very jealous, looks like a good weekend minus the M6 issues.

Im loving the temp 'sensor' on the front caliper lol

 

[Rojer]

Nice photos and coverage, would love to have access like that. To be honest I am glad Rockingham has been sold and gone from the calendar. I have always hated it.

 

[Darren S]

Quite glad that I managed to get a photo of 'The Hound' too. He's the one in the jacket to the right that I caught on the starting grid line-up - taken from close to the ground.

Caught him a few times simply using his smartphone to take pics of the pit girls and nothing at all to do with the cars. Pretty sure his pass must have been a warning as not to be left near furry animals and women stood on their own. He must have one hell of a w**k bank in material!

 

[JamesBryan]

Any pics of the grid girls? ?

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

A shame about Rockingham really. I went there several years ago and it was a bit of a funny place. Not very well thought out somehow. Sounds like it won't be around much longer anyway. Maybe should try and go again before it disappears. People have told me that the track is actually fairly good fun.

 

[George@RTR_Parts]

Great shots. I did similar couple of years ago with BMW and was a decent day out, good to get round the garages. Looks like Rockingham has been sold just seen an official release, and there won't be anymore motorsport there after the end of the year. Shame but think it was loosing a lot of money running the place, and the lack of BTCC there from next season on might have been last nail in the coffin for the owners

 

[JP83]

I really liked the track when i did an evening session up there. Be a shame if it does go.

Apparently all track events are finishing next month?

 

[Goodj]

Rockingham was in a shocking state when we went for BTCC last year. It's like they completely forgot to finish the inrastructure around the bowl. The access roads, car parks and such.

The tower is dead, otherwise why isn't it used?
The oval gets about 7 uses a year, maybe?
The roval isn't all that exceptional when compared to the offerings of other UK circuits.

The best thing for The Rock would be for Saint Palmer to buy it up. His MSV people will turn that place around in "no time".

Still, free hospitality at any event is always good, looks like you had a great time there too.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

The best thing for The Rock would be for Saint Palmer to buy it up. His MSV people will turn that place around in "no time".

You're probably right there. I'm sure he could make it work. You'd think they would be able to make something of it. It's pretty central, the track is good, the oval is a bit of a USP, so I thought it would be able to make a few quid. Guess a lot of investment might put people off. Heard they have problems with noise complaints too, so I guess that could kill it pretty quickly.

 

[Goodj]

You can put big money on those noise complaints coming from people who moved into the area long after the place was built.

Besides, the place is surrounded by industrial estates....if memory serves.

Dr. Palmer needs a knighthood for services to UK sport. Each of his places bar Bedford were all rescue missions, and they've all turned out for the best.

With Rock off the calendar for BTCC 2019, I was hoping another circuit could make the grade. Clearly not Lydden, but, hey, Anglesey, Mallory Park.... Mondello Park? (that would be a big cost to the series though). Seemingly there's no other circuit in the UK outside of this years' calendar thats got a high enough grade to host.

And that's a bit sad, for one of the main countries of motorsport. Hell, Donnington almost became a housing estate.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

A local rag have confirmed that Rockingham is dead. Being turned into a storage site for ex-fleet cars for auction apparently. What a waste.

 

[Goodj]

A local rag have confirmed that Rockingham is dead. Being turned into a storage site for ex-fleet cars for auction apparently. What a waste.

you WHAT!?!!

link pls


That is beyond s**t.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

you WHAT!?!!

link pls


That is beyond s**t.

https://www.northantstelegraph.co.u...dway-will-become-a-car-storage-site-1-8604007

 

[Greeny.]

Lol surely to use it for that they must have sold it for sod all? I actually don’t mind the circuit layout to watch from home but would never want to be a spectator there again and looks like I never will now! It’s a really depressing circuit tbh, not helped by how far you are away from the action and the paddock being out of reach, you feel very removed from the action, abit like the F1?

Would love to see the BTCC at a different circuit but I think the majority of the ones that aren’t used don’t have the infrastructure to support the size of it, thuxton twice it is then!

In other news I really enjoyed the double length race at Snet this year, hope that format returns.

 

[Matt W]

Very sad! Enjoyed FCS when it was there. My first ever taste of track time.

Bet the chaps moving the cars around that site will get a few cheeky laps in!

 

[Darren S]

A local rag have confirmed that Rockingham is dead. Being turned into a storage site for ex-fleet cars for auction apparently. What a waste.

Kind of makes sense. There were a shed-load of Fiats and Peugeots parked up in a compound to the side. Quite a few of them had registration plates on too.

 

[Oggy997]

You can put big money on those noise complaints coming from people who moved into the area long after the place was built.

Besides, the place is surrounded by industrial estates....if memory serves.

behind the stand is a village called Gretton that's been there for ages, further along from there is Priors Hall Park, which is still under development, but been there for a few years, it's where I live.
the noise can be heard, but it could on Beanfield too which was around 2 miles away.

i live on the far side of PHP & it's not so bad, my boss lives the near side of it (Osprey Drive) & has never complained - he's lived in corby for years so probably doesn't care.

PHP however is mainly commuters from other areas, as the houses are more affordable, so you're probably right that they complained a lot.

Kind of makes sense. There were a shed-load of Fiats and Peugeots parked up in a compound to the side. Quite a few of them had registration plates on too.

The FIAT/Abarth/Mazda garage is about 500m away from the entrance, that's probably why.

 

[STEVE.M]

A local rag have confirmed that Rockingham is dead. Being turned into a storage site for ex-fleet cars for auction apparently. What a waste.

Could a logical solution be that the infield National Circuit be retained for motorsport, whilst the Oval Circuit be used as a car park?

Ultimately, it is the failure of Oval racing to generate any public excitement that has caused the projects failure.

 

[Darren S]

Could a logical solution be that the infield National Circuit be retained for motorsport, whilst the Oval Circuit be used as a car park?

Ultimately, it is the failure of Oval racing to generate any public excitement that has caused the projects failure.

Yep - quite sure that if the circuit was uprooted and teleported to some backwater of Georgia or Tennessee - it would be far more successful. Oval racing just doesn't push the buttons for us over here.