How to organise your own race?

graeme · 4 Jan 2004, 09:25 (Ref:827213)

Our provisional 2004 calendar came out on Christmas Eve. Once again, after years of badgering, Donington is still missing from the calendar. Our drivers really want to race there but our organising club says they don't do races there (not sure of the reason). How would I go about getting two or three grids at a meeting from another organiser? I guess its too late for this year - draft calendar comes out 24th Dec, office immediately shuts for best part of two weeks, re-open on 5th Jan and sends calendar to MSA the same day...

**Tim Falce** · 4 Jan 2004, 09:33 (Ref:827217)

I think you would have to contact an organiser that has a race at the circuit you want, and buy a grid for a race. That is what happened for one of the races I was in at Mallory last year. The organisers of one of the race series I am doing for this year is having to purchase each grid from the 750MC, so if we don't turn up to race our club loses money big time. Not sure if that is how it has always happened but but that's the way it is this year.

kickstart · 4 Jan 2004, 11:58 (Ref:827302)

Your'e lucky Graeme, I am racing Monoposto this year and still have no idea of the calendar. I have already had to book 2 holidays and various business trips which will doubtless clash with all the best rounds. Ho hum..
I do not think you are too late to organise a non championship round as the mono crowd got one at Donnington very late on last year. However i really would recommend SPA - once in a lifetime trip.

stroller · 4 Jan 2004, 16:57 (Ref:827460)

Quote:

but our organising club says they don't do races there (not sure of the reason).

Grahame, - sorry I don't know which Club you are refering to, But I would think the horrendous Circuit hire costs would be the main reason for their non-attendance.

As other posters state, your best bet would be to try and "buy" a race from one of the other organising Clubs.

graeme · 4 Jan 2004, 17:20 (Ref:827477)

I'm sure you could figure it out

. Is Doners THAT expensive? They DO go to Silverstone, Rockingham, Brands, etc. Hope this don't seem derogeratory, but even 750MC go to Donington!

If they hadn't lead us on that we might be going, we probably would have looked into buying a few grids. We have organised non-champ races at Spa in the past, but its difficult to get a big turnout for non-points scoring rounds and have never got more than 30 cars = not breaking even.

Ian Sowman · 4 Jan 2004, 17:30 (Ref:827484)

Will you be planning on doing Plum Pudding 2004, Graeme?

graeme · 4 Jan 2004, 18:43 (Ref:827556)

You betya! I've got relatives to avoid over Christmas

. New Era (the 'bike organisers) were very happy with it - will be talking with BARC Midlands in the next few months about the format - it worked great as a Caterham race and I think we could get a full grid with some more notice, but feel a bit guilty about robbing others of the chance to partake...

Ian Sowman · 4 Jan 2004, 19:30 (Ref:827587)

No, I think another Caterham only race would be good. The action was brilliant! I'm sure if it is planned from a much earlier stage a full grid could be assembled. Maybe put some incentives in place - one thing that occurred to me was the ability to play a double points joker if you competed in Boxing Day races, or something like that.

As for denying others the chance - maybe New Era could lose the sidecar races and we could have more cars this year. Monos, Caterhams and Saloon/GT would be fantastic!

kickstart · 4 Jan 2004, 19:42 (Ref:827598)

Given that Donnington charge a "modest" £395 for a full days testing I imagine their race hire fees would be equally modest...Maybe their new year's resolution will be to charge less. Here's hoping

darcym · 4 Jan 2004, 19:52 (Ref:827606)

£395 for a days testing !!!!!! and I thought combe was expensive

graeme · 4 Jan 2004, 20:00 (Ref:827610)

But Doners also do their own trackdays for £80 (although the driving standards can be somewhat...variable). You want to get a road legal race cars under 98dB! I can't think that they are the most expensive circuit for track hire.

Dave Brand · 4 Jan 2004, 20:11 (Ref:827618)

Quote:

Originally posted by Ian Sowman
maybe New Era could lose the sidecar races and we could have more cars this year.

Sadly, as lover of sidecar racing, I think that would be a good idea; not exactly exciting races, were they?

Quote:

Monos, Caterhams and Saloon/GT would be fantastic!

....or Mighty Minis, or Legends, or Hot Hatches; on second thought, not Hot Hatches - they would be hard pushed to do a re-shell between Christmas & the start of the season!

Teletubby · 4 Jan 2004, 20:44 (Ref:827637)

I believe that Donington is the most expensive circuit to hire in the country! Perhaps that's why you're not going there!

Ian Sowman · 4 Jan 2004, 21:26 (Ref:827662)

Only reason I suggested Saloon/GT rather than any of the others you mention is that it would ensure a big grid. We did have Mighty Minis the other year, didn't we? Four of them, plus the late Tony Higgins' Miglia.

graeme · 10 Jan 2004, 09:29 (Ref:833405)

Spoke to 750MC at Autosport Internation, who were very helpful - thanks.

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