Racing at Lydden 2009. Will You Go?

[GORDON STREETER]

Its too powerful for an OAP !
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16345037@N03/3056140587/

[Robert Morris]

Another thought i have just had if BARC SE did a poll and told us the cost for lydden against a premier track i would not be surprised if the vote went to a premier track. It needs thinking about

[jerryk]

Originally Posted by Eric Falce

Good news folks,Gordon has put my pension up so I can now save Lydden and buy that Anglia from the other Gordon,who is,isnt,is retiring.

silly ol boy , you will never see over the steering wheel

[Eric Falce]

Oh Gordon,I havent laughed so much for a long time,see you next year,if not before.
And Mr Jerry,your handlebar moustach would get entangled in the steering wheel,but you want a FIA car.

[Eric Falce]

I think we are going a little off thread.
If the DMN is beginning to question the cost of Lydden when we can put on split grids,what chance have other clubs who find it difficult to fill a grid.I love Lydden but if it gets over expensive then there is no choice but to look else where,and that would be a shame.

[Robert Morris]

Originally Posted by jerryk

silly ol boy , you will never see over the steering wheel

We got some spare pillows and some wooden blocks to fit to the peddals if any good to you.
Hope he repaired the CD player

[westfieldbend]

Originally Posted by Robert Morris

Lydden is a commercial business, .

I actually thought pat doran bought it as a 'toy', althougth track days may make a little money, i think they require almost a full entry - 60 cars if i have working it out right! to make more money then a race meeting. However if you also add in the fact that people are unlikely to do more then a few track days a year especially round lydden.

Usually people who do track days like to say -'i have driven round silverstone' etc. If they go up to someone and say 'i've driven round lydden' they are likely to get the answer ' whats lydden'

Anyone know how mnay cars they get at trackdays?

[peter thurston]

Im not saying you don't all have some fair points but from what I can see and the money that it must have cost l cannot see it ever making money so perhaps Pat should be commended for doing the place up and not moaned about all the time!

[westfieldbend]

but why spend the money on a fancy paddock and only use it for 1 ERC round a year? (that is if the talked about cutdown of events on here takes place)

[BertMk2]

The ERC round required some upgrades but I think that even without the ERC round coming into the equation the work in the paddock would have had to be improved anyway.

[Rod Birley]

I think the crux is that McLaren paid too much for Lydden and are looking to somehow recoup the price. The Doran's took over by offering more than any one else, certainly a lot more than BARC offered. Here in lies the problem, with only 52 days a year of permitted use it makes it almost impossible to regain this expenditure. So everyone is being forced to pay more, but competitors have a choice of course. If they don't want to pay higher entry fees they can race elsewhere (and probably will). This in turn means an organising club is facing an even bigger risk of running at a loss.

[westfieldbend]

... so stops going to lydden and we end up with nothing.....

[peter thurston]

Or perhaps Lydden starts its own club!

[westfieldbend]

Originally Posted by peter thurston

Or perhaps Lydden starts its own club!

For rallycross...

[Rod Birley]

There is an application before the MSA for a "Lydden Motor Racing Club".

[westfieldbend]

There is an aplication form on the lydden website to join a 'lydden motor club' for the winter rallycross

[Robert Morris]

There is one other issue when you are working out cost and value, Lydden is very heavy on tyres gemma only gets one visit out of a pair of fronts, brands and others she gets 3 visits. i dont belive its only minis lydden is heavy on tyres.

[Rod Birley]

All the Seat drivers have also said they get high tyre wear at Lydden.

[Rod Birley]

I should point out that a lot of drivers put up with the vageries of Lydden provided the price is cheaper than elsewhere.

[westfieldbend]

Originally Posted by Rod Birley

I should point out that a lot of drivers put up with the vageries of Lydden provided the price is cheaper than elsewhere.

So we have a huge problem when it isnt cheaper

[Rod Birley]

Perhaps we should look at what happened to rallycross recently. Two years ago the entry fees went up by a large amount. A lot of the stock hatch drivers stopped racing or just did the BTRDA events. This year the prices were reduced, but few of the missing drivers returned. Granted there were a couple more super cars plus the addition of those RX machines, but the budget racers appear to have gone.

[Al Weyman]

Re trackdays at Lydden. I cannot think of a worse place to take a car for a track day than that tricky little circuit with its lack or runoff areas and car destroying bends such as Devils Elbow and Paddock, I bet a few will go away in tears after running off and destroying their pride and joys, I would far rather do a trackday at a place that has some sensible runoff areas and a straight where you can select top gear.

[Minicross424]

Originally Posted by Robert Morris

There is one other issue when you are working out cost and value, Lydden is very heavy on tyres gemma only gets one visit out of a pair of fronts, brands and others she gets 3 visits. i dont belive its only minis lydden is heavy on tyres.

Dont know how you have managed that Rob, My tyres lasted 6 or so meetings.
Granted they were totally shot!

[Robert Morris]

Tris we allways run tyres in pairs, the last meeting i did at lydden i put new set fronts on for practise and they went in dustbin when i got home, true i did 1.5 practise and 3 races. ( still not as bad as front running migs they put new pair on every time out.)

[Cujo]

Originally Posted by Minicross424

Dont know how you have managed that Rob, My tyres lasted 6 or so meetings.
Granted they were totally shot!

You went very well on new rubber though Minicross424.

I agree with Rob and KJW, front tyres lose their edge at Lydden after 1 meeting. If the Minis and Seats suffer, how do the rwd and 4wd boys fair?