Ascar at Rockingham

[massifheed]

Not seeing a topic for this aready, and as there were quite a few people there I was wondering what people thought of the first ASCAR race at Rockingham on Monday.

The weather was perfect, the racing was great, the crowd was about 12,000 strong! The whole day was better than I think anyone could have hoped for. After reading some posts on this site and others saying how Ascar was dead it was good to see how well it had come out of all the problems it was facing only a matter of weeks ago. This will be big. In a few years I am sure that ASCAR events will sell out.

So, if any of you lot went, what did you think?

[gomick]

regarding a post about ascar finishing up about a month ago some weeks earlier ..... you would have to tell me the story of what happened in the latest round - i would presume that is round 2

[massifheed]

What?

[massifheed]

Sorry, I think I got it, I'm a dumbass today.

It was (I think) officially the first round, as the "race" a while ago was just a demonstration. There were two races, John Mickel won the first one, Micheal Vergers won the second. Mark Claussner, the American chappy spun out after leading the first race, and he was totally off the pace in the second race. The cars of Mickel and Vergers were way ahead of all the others. There was a coming together between Phil Weaver and a couple of others who I don't know into turn one, it brought out the yellows for ages. All in all a very eventful couple of races and certainly one of the biggest national events in a while, can't wait for more, but, of course, not a word on Autosport.com

[Rob29]

There is a report in this weeks Autosport-if rather brief.If there realy was a 15,000 crowd,then its already more popular than the BTCC.Me thinks jurnos need to change their priorities..

[Speedworx]

As far as I know. This was the official round 1. I can't wait to see it over the CART weekend.

[redshoes]

I must have been at a different meeting to you. I thought the two ASCAR races were the most boring I've seen for many years. It was hardly the door-to-door action, the field was completely spread out by half distance. How fortunate then that the pace car was sent out to clear some "debris" just as we were starting to fall asleep. Even that made little difference as the field was just as spread out a couple of laps later.

I might try again if the field doubles in size but, sorry guys, I just don't see it happening.

As for the crowd, how many actually paid to get in. We had freebie tickets as did plenty of people I saw walking around.

[bella]

people MUST realise they are going to see a totally different type of race. i completely disagree with redshoes. you shouldn't compare it with the btcc, which is what you are doing. understand it is a completely new concept.

there were a lot of people there, and it was getting a bit cramped and claustraphobic. i think the place was built on the principle of a football stadium, which doesn't really work, cause people are up and down all the time, rather than just at half time.

the place is quite a way behind in terms of development, and it badly needs a scoring tower.

myself and ruth paid to get in. my friends who i totally accidentally came across had free tickets, though, because they know people who built a couple of the cars (usautomotive?)

most of the 15,000 were there because like me and ruth, they wanted to check out the new oval racing thing and they can't afford the rockingham 500.

i really enjoyed the whole day. except the sunburn. that stings.

[redshoes]

Bella, I never mentioned the BTCC. I understand the American oval concept of finding any old excuse to call out the pace car just to bunch up the field, but the fact is it made little or no difference. I've seen enough good oval racing in my time, this wasn't it.

There's some truth in what you say about people going along just to check out Rockingham, I probably would have gone even without the freebies. The acid test will be how many return for a second visit.

[woodyracing]

its popular in US, why can't it be popular here in UK ?

I hope it does work out

[Rob29]

Give then a chance redshoes,it WAS the first such race in Europe.NASCAR has been doing it every weekend for 50 years!
As to spectators returning,after my experiences at the May opening meeting,I doubt I shall return until they organize some public transport.

[rlinter]

Originally posted by Rob29
There is a report in this weeks Autosport-if rather brief.If there realy was a 15,000 crowd,then its already more popular than the BTCC.Me thinks jurnos need to change their priorities..

There were easily 15,000 people there the top of the rockingham building was full and that holds 7,000 and the grandstands at turn 1 and 4 were about 25% full and they hold 15,000 each.

[Allan Weyman]

I think the biggest problem ascar will have over here as oppossed to Nascar is the level of scrutineering. I thought all the cars were meant to be the same, if so how come the field got spread so soon, seems to me a case of the usual 'one make scenario' that some cars may be more are more than others.

[Allan Weyman]

Sorry that last sentance should have read "some cars are more equal than others".

[Adam43]

Maybe the field got spread out, because soem drivers are better than others! Especially at the moment when all are inexperienced in matters such as drafting. Soem might not have got the hang of driving an oval yet. How spread out were the qualifying times?

Even in NASCAR where all cars are "the same" variation does slip in. Who sets the car up better? Slight car to car variations in preparation etc. With a field of 43 in NASCAR this makes little difference as more people will get it right and the differences that creep in tend to be when the cars sweet spot comes in during a stint. Prompting overtaking and close racing as people with a poorer car at the begining find that it gets relatively better as the race goes on.

More cars are needed, but I feel that some teams will always be better in preparing cars than others, even if everone has the same equipment to work with.

It is not unknown for a NASCAR field to get spread out (safety car allowing)

I only saw the first "race" at COYS this year and wasn't impressed that it was fixed. However hopefully it'll find it's feet and prosper.