Thursday, July 19, 2007
August Oval and Out draft
August Oval and Out… This particular blog entry did not make it to Short Circuit magazine...
The June meeting at Rockingham was another cracker for the Pickups although you have to question the sanity of the drivers. They’re the only ones in the world who race on a banked super speedway in the wet! I think the main point that everyone should take home from that meeting is that the drivers were willing to go out and race for the fans in what were very difficult conditions. Well done everyone.
Gavin Seager has now overtaken Pete Wilkinson as the all time top career points scorer in Pickups. Gav had that honour couple of seasons back but lost it to Wilky whilst playing with the SCSAs in the colours of Irwin Tools. It’s the Pickups tenth birthday this season and one of the things that strikes me is just how many drivers have stayed with the class year on year rather them move on elsewhere. The only other formulas that seem to have the same ‘staying power’ are professional top line ones like F1, Champ Cars and Touring Cars. What puzzles me is why we don’t get more drivers coming into it. It’s the highest level of oval racing in the country and, so I’m told, cheaper than National Hot Rods. The organisation is second to none with extremely tight regulations and almost military officiating. Maybe it’s because there’s no feeder formula as such and the class is unique being the only one in Europe to run on both road and oval courses.
I think the BRSCC have done a great job with the support races at Rockingham this year as well. The weather did put a dampener on some of it at the last meet but Saturday’s dry races had plenty to offer and we were treated to some excellent stuff from Club Formula Three, Legends, Midlands South Formula Ford and the Mazda Max 5 Championships. The Legends racing saw a ‘first’ from John Higgins who won all six races and was simply in a class by himself. John, an ex Stock Rodder (but hey, we forgive him for that), holds nearly every statistical record in the formula aside from most race starts and most career points (held by Peter Morton, ex BriSCA F1) and most consecutive wins (held by Tick Steward). Higgins is leading the championship as well at the moment heading Chris Grieve (ex Kartist), Jamie Clarke (no previous experience), Dave Newsham (ex Speedway and Karts) with Morton in fifth. An ex oval name also crops up in the Rookie Championship with Huddersfield’s Derek Linley (an ex World of Outlaws/F2 man) currently second in that table.
The Legends racing at the next meeting on Anglesey was superb. We used two different circuit layouts and both were fantastic. Saturday’s races were on the shorter Coastal circuit with Sunday’s on the full International layout which is just over two miles long. I’ve mentioned the place before but it really is an excellent circuit and probably the best road course the Legends race on in the UK. The circuit has fast sweeps, tight corners, uphill and downhill sections plus long straights and short straights. In short it has absolutely everything a driver could wish for – mainly because it was designed by a driver – the circuit owner, Richard Peacock. How nice to go to a new circuit that is not antiseptic and flat. Did I mention the banked corner as well? The first hairpin is banked, only to around 10 degrees but nonetheless offers two racing lines. If only they could join up the two straights at the other end it would make a superb quarter mile oval.
Former Legends man Ian Sturt went back to his roots this year and is racing on the Rolling Thunder Show in the Superstox. I’ve not been able to get over to Arena to see any of the races but am told it’s an excellent night out and Sturty is top of the points. Ian’s son, Jake, is hoping to make his debut some time soon as well.
As I write this column news is trickling through about Spedeworth winning the tender to run at the old Fleet Motor Club circuit. Aldershot being back on the ‘stadium’ roster can only be good for the sport and it looks like Fleet themselves will be relocating which is good for the club racers who enjoy being a part of that organisation as well. First reports say it is all subject to planning permission of course. 2008 could be a good year for new circuits at established stock car towns – Aldershot and Cowdenbeath! Who’d have thought?
The June meeting at Rockingham was another cracker for the Pickups although you have to question the sanity of the drivers. They’re the only ones in the world who race on a banked super speedway in the wet! I think the main point that everyone should take home from that meeting is that the drivers were willing to go out and race for the fans in what were very difficult conditions. Well done everyone.
Gavin Seager has now overtaken Pete Wilkinson as the all time top career points scorer in Pickups. Gav had that honour couple of seasons back but lost it to Wilky whilst playing with the SCSAs in the colours of Irwin Tools. It’s the Pickups tenth birthday this season and one of the things that strikes me is just how many drivers have stayed with the class year on year rather them move on elsewhere. The only other formulas that seem to have the same ‘staying power’ are professional top line ones like F1, Champ Cars and Touring Cars. What puzzles me is why we don’t get more drivers coming into it. It’s the highest level of oval racing in the country and, so I’m told, cheaper than National Hot Rods. The organisation is second to none with extremely tight regulations and almost military officiating. Maybe it’s because there’s no feeder formula as such and the class is unique being the only one in Europe to run on both road and oval courses.
I think the BRSCC have done a great job with the support races at Rockingham this year as well. The weather did put a dampener on some of it at the last meet but Saturday’s dry races had plenty to offer and we were treated to some excellent stuff from Club Formula Three, Legends, Midlands South Formula Ford and the Mazda Max 5 Championships. The Legends racing saw a ‘first’ from John Higgins who won all six races and was simply in a class by himself. John, an ex Stock Rodder (but hey, we forgive him for that), holds nearly every statistical record in the formula aside from most race starts and most career points (held by Peter Morton, ex BriSCA F1) and most consecutive wins (held by Tick Steward). Higgins is leading the championship as well at the moment heading Chris Grieve (ex Kartist), Jamie Clarke (no previous experience), Dave Newsham (ex Speedway and Karts) with Morton in fifth. An ex oval name also crops up in the Rookie Championship with Huddersfield’s Derek Linley (an ex World of Outlaws/F2 man) currently second in that table.
The Legends racing at the next meeting on Anglesey was superb. We used two different circuit layouts and both were fantastic. Saturday’s races were on the shorter Coastal circuit with Sunday’s on the full International layout which is just over two miles long. I’ve mentioned the place before but it really is an excellent circuit and probably the best road course the Legends race on in the UK. The circuit has fast sweeps, tight corners, uphill and downhill sections plus long straights and short straights. In short it has absolutely everything a driver could wish for – mainly because it was designed by a driver – the circuit owner, Richard Peacock. How nice to go to a new circuit that is not antiseptic and flat. Did I mention the banked corner as well? The first hairpin is banked, only to around 10 degrees but nonetheless offers two racing lines. If only they could join up the two straights at the other end it would make a superb quarter mile oval.
Former Legends man Ian Sturt went back to his roots this year and is racing on the Rolling Thunder Show in the Superstox. I’ve not been able to get over to Arena to see any of the races but am told it’s an excellent night out and Sturty is top of the points. Ian’s son, Jake, is hoping to make his debut some time soon as well.
As I write this column news is trickling through about Spedeworth winning the tender to run at the old Fleet Motor Club circuit. Aldershot being back on the ‘stadium’ roster can only be good for the sport and it looks like Fleet themselves will be relocating which is good for the club racers who enjoy being a part of that organisation as well. First reports say it is all subject to planning permission of course. 2008 could be a good year for new circuits at established stock car towns – Aldershot and Cowdenbeath! Who’d have thought?
# posted by RJ Neil @ 2:16 AM 
