1570 replies to this topic

[john aston]

Great days racing and worth waiting for the T70s etc in the last race; I have listened to that noise since the 60s and it still turns me to jelly. Great drive by Ian Flux too in the Osella (was it ).Donington slowly recovering from its self delusional F1 adventure- even infield useable in places.

[Giraffe]

Goodwood for the common man. 

 

(Even the weather was kind!)

[garyfrogeye]

A really nice day out for me and the 230 mile round trip helped to bed in my new piston. Even the M1 was kind, with no hold-ups.

I didn't manage to get over to the paddock but from the Car Club side of the fence, it seemed emptier than last year, Still it's great to get so close to the racing and from my spot close to the grandstand opposite the start finish line, I could see the straight and by just turning around I could see from the old hairpin up to and beyond McLeans.

I even managed to get a bit of sunburn!

back next year for sure.

[Odseybod]

Second the remarks about yesterday - a good day in at times surprisingly strong sun (my nasty chums in local hostelry that evening attributed my glowing red face to too much beer - perish the thought!).

 

I'll put some race pics in the historic racing folder but thought there might be interest in the current state of the infield (assuming Photobucket allows). I imagine it will green over quite quickly but at the moment, a bit 'lunar landscape'.  Still, at least it's 'work in progress'.

 

http://s227.photobuc...C_2542.jpg.html

 

http://s227.photobuc...C_2548.jpg.html

[mfd]

Was there a smallish crowd?

 

At the BTCC race a couple of weeks ago the queue to get in, at 10.00 stretched back to the airport. Sunday market traffic too. By leaving time, well after 6, multiple queues all trying various exits (some unapproved) with no staff marshalling anything!

[Odseybod]

A small queue to get in yesterday morning at about 10 and an enjoyable high-speed convoy (following a Ferrari, chased by a Frazer Nash) on the way out at about 6:30.  Maybe I was lucky?

[mfd]

Thanks Tony

[elansprint72]

Sunday & Monday, imho, were great entertainment- although I realise that these meetings are no longer run for the spectating public. It does seem like a two-day event stretched out to three, possibly to allow the cheque-book racers to garner more wins per week-end. However; despite the fact that most of the cars are much more powerful and far faster than they were when new (I'm talking about the old new ones and the new old ones)  it really still is a great spectacle. Eff wun eat your heart out.

 

I don't know where all the Maseratis were (in their anniversary year) but they were not at Donington.

 

The crowd, or should I say spectators, as there were not really enough to form a crowd worth mentioning, were fewer today but, if anything the racing was even better.

Edited by elansprint72, 06 May 2014 - 06:36.

[elansprint72]

Here's one for Mr Cox- a couple of old cars parked on the beach. Somewhat surprisingly the lifter/shifter was able to pick both cars up by their roll-bars and carry them to another place.

 

[elansprint72]

"What you mean, the circuit goes right?"

                  "We go left".

 

[elansprint72]

[Pink Snail]

     The Historic Festival was extended to 3 days to enable spectators to be able to watch the qualifying and the racing. This is only the 4th year and IMHO it`s gradually improving.  The fact that the public have access to all areas and are able to get close to all the action helps to promote historic motorsport  . Duncan Wiltshire and his team, aided by Kevin Wheatcroft and Chris Tate with the Donington Staff have now given us the first big Historic Event in the British Calendar  .  Taking into consideration that the Save Donington Campaign (which I worked on for almost 8 months with Lee Coombs  ) had their event on the 7th March 2010, (the whole site was a mess back then  ) the success is quite something.  Donington has secured long term stability thanks to getting the FIA Formula E to be based at the circuit   (it was preferred over Silverstone BTW  ) and the infield is showing the sign of being completed in the not too distant future aswell  .

     It`s been a long haul since a certain person( ) had words( ) with BCE about getting the British GP at the circuit   and then ran away   from the big mess he created.  Kevin Wheatcroft has done a great job and should be proud of where Donington is today  .

     On the subject of crowds, (20,000+ I believe last weekend) and the racing- close finishes and awesome racing, it doesn`t come much better.  Seeing Martin Stretton in the Cortina, 4 wheels on the grass heading towards Redgate beside the BMW  , Simon Hadfield leading into the last lap in the Cobra - by 0.022s   and all those T70 Lolas on Sunday evening (Martin Stretton on the comeback drive managed an awesome 102mph lap - winner 93mph!!)  .  The Rally Cars and Karts are getting bigger turnouts as we go on....and as Girrafe has already said - the weather was good to us.  Also, the Park Farmhouse campsite was almost full aswell. Long live DP and many thanks to all who supported Save Donington and also to those who carry on going to the circuit that is at The Heart of British Motorsport.

[Nev]

Hello Gents - a short video I took whilst walking around the paddock last weekend.

 

http://youtu.be/K9N2w4Q5bw8

 

Neville

[garyfrogeye]

Many thanks for that.

I'm probably mistaken but the blue car driving left to rightjust after the opening Jauguar shot looks like Geoff Hill's newly finished WSM Santion 2 Sprite.

[elansprint72]

 

Consul? Cortina sandwich...

[Paulleek]

  ... aided by Kevin Wheatcroft and Chris Tate with the Donington Staff ...

 

Does anyone know if Chris Tate (MD of Donington) is  the son of John Tate of "A Gentleman's Motor Racing Diary" - that excellent series of home movie DVD's which chronicled his times following the sport from the fifties to the seventies?

[Gary C]

he certainly is.

[Paulleek]

he certainly is.

 

Thanks Gary.

[TimRTC]

Talk of Formula E, I'll just pop this in here:

 

 

The open testing sessions were superb - full circuit access for free, pit lane access for £5. Live commentary. Not too many circuits out there that would be so accommodating to fans

[Derwent Motorsport]

I see they are observing the track limits!

It's a bit sad that Donington are not getting the landscaping and infra structure sorted, particularly given that Wheatcrofts are a construction company and will have all the machinery available and no down access to soil, paying, gravel etc. The last time I went the paths were made from coke spoil and difficult to walk on. One thing MSV di is make their venues look good in terms of grass, paths and buildings. Donington has a lot of catching up to do.

Do they still have a Sunday market there? Also are the security folk still the inflexible friends of Adolf?

[mfd]

Are the circuit owners still in construction?

Edited by mfd, 19 September 2015 - 09:36.