Does Castle Combe think about non-locals??

alfaman · 3 Oct 2002, 18:05 (Ref:395092)

I have just read with complete disbelief the timetable for this Saturday's Formula Ford Carnival at Castle Combe.

And I find it absolutely mind-boggling that the main event of the day - the Carnival Final is scheduled to start at 5-25PM !!

Who decides these times?? The sun will set at 5-45PM.

And why is everything so late? Because the first "race" of the day is a 1 lap cycle race "The Tour de Combe" for allcomers from age 3 upwards....I know it's for charity but come on put it at the end of the day and not make everyone who's not part of the Combe "family" sit around bored....

Even the 2nd race for the Junior Formula Fords is due to start at 4-50PM. The whole timetable is completely mad.

I know I WILL have to miss the final for sure.

And to make matters worse I've takem time off work to attend the meeting in the first place!

I know at the Formula Ford Festival at Brands the final is also last but that's at 3-30PM or before because of the fading light. Not virtually in the evening!

Come on Combe be serious - not all your spectators/drivers/marshals etc live locally and many are making the trek from further afield than me.

What do others think?

Can people power persuade them to do otherwise?

Dan Friel · 3 Oct 2002, 18:41 (Ref:395105)

5.25 for the last race of the day at Combe is fairly early.. I remember this time last year at Thruxton, we were marshalling in the dark at 6:15.. This weekend it'll be dark at 6:30..

The cycle race takes part through the lunch period. lunch periods are needed so that marshals and co can have a break. It doesn't affect the race schedule.

I think Combe usually has the quickest turn around between races, and there's no time to relax in the afternoon.. so I don't think it'll be boring.

Finals always have to be the last event, the reason for Brands being at 3:30, is that they have three whole days to get the events spread out.

As you might have guessed, I don't agree!

Ian Sowman · 3 Oct 2002, 20:11 (Ref:395169)

I can't see anything wrong with the timetable at all - if all goes well we'll be done by 5.45 which for a ten race programme is good going. And I know it gets dark earlier now but I think 5.45 is stretching the point.

And as Dan says, you can't really have the final any earlier anyway - it's pretty necessary to have the heats first.

Rod Birley · 3 Oct 2002, 21:00 (Ref:395213)

Brands final this year is scheduled for 4.30 ish at the moment.

ss_collins · 3 Oct 2002, 23:42 (Ref:395325)

It quite late and I doubt I'll stay that late but its goota be that way. Combe is a great venue who care about all involved even those like me coming a long way (as I'm going via Oxford - don't ask)

**Stephen Green** · 4 Oct 2002, 11:51 (Ref:395658)

The reason the FFF at Brands used to start so early was because the meeting was historically held on the weekend the clocks went back, so there was an hours less daylight on the SUnday.

**bella** · 4 Oct 2002, 12:35 (Ref:395718)

i can't believe after a day of formula fords (especially the juniors!) they expect to run to schedule and not have to run the race the next day.

chimps....

Hamness · 4 Oct 2002, 14:52 (Ref:395814)

Combe runs the slickest schedule of races in the whole country & very often runs ahead of the timetable, so even allowing for the FF hotshoes visiting the grass and/or the barriers, we should still be finishing at a sensible time. Yes, I do live locally, so hopefully will be on my 2nd pint of lager by 6pm, but I had no complaints leaving Snetterton at that time a few weeks ago for the drive back down here. I certainly would not have travelled all that distance to have to leave early. Stay till the end - you'll be sorry if you don't !

alfaman · 4 Oct 2002, 15:08 (Ref:395823)

Not much support here then.......!

One of my points is that the Carnival final doesn't necessarily have to be the final race of the day....they could put on the Road Saloons or the Combe Saloons (they've got headlights at least....) or even the GTs.

I know normally Combe does run things quite slickly but just a couple of accidents and tyre barrier repairs could see the programme running behind.

I would love to stay to the end but unfortunately I have other commitments 100 miles away as well....

THR · 4 Oct 2002, 16:41 (Ref:395884)

Castle combe is easily the slickest run circuit on race days...
i cant fault it!
itll be a good day... stop moaning and just go, the teams do need a bit of time to feul the cars and stuff.

Racing comes first... cant really see a problem with it, dont get dark here til about 730 at the mo....

ss_collins · 5 Oct 2002, 20:21 (Ref:396488)

well the day was still running ahead of schedule after a fair few incidents and a few bent cars, the visit to combe reminded me how club racing should be run. I left before the final though.

Dan Friel · 6 Oct 2002, 11:54 (Ref:396783)

All finished before 5:40.. an excellent way to finish the season!

JR Ewing · 7 Oct 2002, 07:29 (Ref:397312)

who won?

Ian Sowman · 7 Oct 2002, 07:46 (Ref:397317)

David Male took the overall Carnival win.

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