Roger’s really got his knickers in a twist after last week’s blog. He’s back this week to champion club motorsport….
There's better racing at Cadwell...
I have just come out of a darkened room having put myself in there before I was forcibly restrained. I understand I was muttering silly stuff and dribbling a little as well. The family home echoed to wails of “Madness, it is madness I tell thee!”.
What is this madness?
The price of Silverstone F1 tickets is what it is.
£2000 for a pair of race day tickets – what am I buying? A race team? A drive in the Petronas Mercedes team next to LH?
Look again, that is three, yes, three, noughts after the number 2 at the start of the price. That was the total of someone’s cart as they fell foul of Silverstone’s ‘dynamic pricing’ model. Needless to say, they abandoned their purchase and probably questioned exactly how much they love F1 in the first place.
Even Grandstand tickets started at £499 – Maybe it is just me, but I doubt it, but does that seem like an awful lot of money to watch fast cars go round a flat airfield that has never, not ever, ever, been warm when you are out in it, even in this year’s heatwave? Good, I am glad we agree.
The 'Exclusive' Sport
I cannot be bothered with finding them now, but I am sure there have been upstanding words and bold statements about “INCLUSION” emanating from our motorsport governing body. Perhaps said body should have a little word in the ears of the price setting people at Silverstone, because £2000 is a very non-inclusive amount of money for a day of family entertainment.
If you’ve been disappointed by being priced out of attending the British, or any other other Grand Prix, you really need to think about what you love about motorsport in the first place. If it’s the fast cars – you get them in club motorsport. If it’s the close competition…you get better in club motorsport. If it’s the crashes…you get more in club motorsport! If it’s watching a bunch of highly groomed young men, well, urgh… you’ve got Love Island.
If you’re a true motorsport fan, NOW is the time to go and watch some CLUB motorsport – it’s cheaper, you get more racing, more overtakes, pitwalks, circuits with features like hills, what is there not to like for the true petrolhead?
How much is club motorsport?
A quick look at a random circuit (Snetterton) tells me there are 4 meetings in October; 3 of them are all weekend, and 1 of them is Sunday only. The price to enter?
All weekend £23, just one day £14
Being silly, if there was club motorsport every weekend throughout the year at Snetterton (there isn’t so the money lasts longer) you could go EVERY weekend for 86 weeks for the same money as that 1 day at Silverstone. That would be over 18 months of race watching!
If you want atmosphere, the smell of racing oils, hot tyres and slightly strange fuels, you can get all those at a club meet, you don’t need F1,
Please, please, please try it. I think you will be glad you did.
Our Pick of the Best Club Motorsport Events
But where can you watch the best club racing? As we write this blog. the British motorsport season is drawing to a close but there’s still time to go and watch some good racing….
You’ll get your money’s worth attending the club racing bonanza! The finale of the BRSCC’s BMW Compact Cup, BMW 1 Series Supercup, the Caterham Academy Championship, Caterham Roadsport Championship, Nankang Tyre CityCar Cup Championship, Clubsport Trophy and Track Attack Race Club all take place at Silverstone between 15th-16th October. That’s this weekend! Head over to the BRSCC website to find out more…
MSVR Club Car Championship
On Saturday 29th October, you can visit the best race track in the Midlands, Donington Park for a full day of club racing. Petro-Canada Lubricants Porsche Club Championship with Pirelli, 911 Challenge, Clubmans Sports Prototype Championship, Turismo X and Bernie’s V8s & Historic Outlaws will all conclude the 2022 racing season on the day. It’s a great family day out with lots to see. Tickets are £14 per adult, £9 for teenagers and free for children.
Castle Combe Halloween Action Day
Castle Combe are ending the 2022 season in style. This end-of-season show will feature tons of entertainment for the motorsport enthusiast and track day addict. With paddock displays, drifting demos, public track time, trade stalls, club displays and Show & Shine, it’s a great family day out at one of our favourite UK race tracks. You can get a track session for £30, standard admission is £18 and under 17s go free.
It’s being held on Saturday 29th October. Head to the Castle Combe website for more info.
The Race of Remembrance
Held at the picturesque Anglesey racetrack, this wonderful motorsport event is a great way to watch some racing and support a good cause. Organised by Mission Motorsport, the Race of Remembrance starts on Sunday (13th) with a pitlane service of remembrance to honour those lost in conflict. It’s not just for members of the Armed Forces. the Race of Remembrance involves lots of drivers and volunteer marshals, scrutineers and support staff who want to give something back to those who sacrificed so much.
After the service there’s lots of racing to watch. This year’s Race of Remembrance includes an iRace, the main event and a karting race (held at Thruxton Karting Centre). The main race is a 12 hour endurance race. Over 50 teams and 150 drivers take part and the cars have to conform to one rule – no more than 250bhp per tonne. ‘From Caterhams to Citroens, Lotus Elise’s to MX5’s’ you’ll see a huge variety of cars compete to commemorate the fallen.
On Saturday 12th November there’s also the RoR Clubsport Trophy which is only £245 to enter. So if you fancy racing, not watching, it’s a great weekend to get involved and do some good at the same time. Find out more…
Follow Club Racing UK
Club Racing UK is a great online community set up to help anyone get involved in club level racing. With a podcast, You Tube channel and driver help section, the guys over at Club Racing UK are dedicated to motorsport in all the right ways. They actively support smaller teams and drivers by sharing posts on social, providing series updates and generally help anyone with an interest in the club racing scene…
1 thought on “Club Motorsport: Go and watch some real racing!”
Absolutely agree with you, inclusive? certainly doesn’t include me. However, not that I want to reduce my chances of a ticket for 2023, for 2019 & 2022 I was fortunate to attend the Spanish GP’s, 7 nights all inclusive holiday’s 3 days at the circuit, ok not grandstands but total cost for both years together less than £1500. Maybe Silverstone could learn from the Spaniards on how to price the events.