Rockingham, back in the game?

[Dynion Araf Uchaf]

see this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2TTxdvgZL4

taken at Rockingham a couple of days ago. Cinch have bought the facility for a used car prep centre but mainly and academy for techs to learn their trade. Looks like they've got rid of all the cars on the circuit. Does this mean it might be coming back......


maybe we can afford to trackday at a Northamptonshire circuit again?

[1781cc]

It would be amazing if we could, I have fond memories of Rockingham, it’s a great track and the in-field section can be very rewarding

[Throttlebody]

Ohh let’s hope so. Great circuit, good central UK location.

[SpudLink]

Despite living in Northampton, I never drove at Rockingham. Tended to go to Bedford, or splash out for Silverstone. If it does start doing track days again, I will have to give it a go.

Off topic: The only reason I’d heard of the new owners is because my god daughter featured prominently in a couple of their adverts. (For the tenuous link thread.)

[brillomaster]

Id be happy to have rockingham back. Despite crashing two cars there, i do quite like it. Plus its less than an hour away from me.

[SpudLink]

brillomaster said:

Id be happy to have rockingham back. Despite crashing two cars there, i do quite like it. Plus its less than an hour away from me.

It has a reputation for being very slippery in the wet. Did that contribute to the crashes?

[anonymous-user]

Lets hopr

[1781cc]

SpudLink said:

Despite living in Northampton, I never drove at Rockingham. Tended to go to Bedford, or splash out for Silverstone. If it does start doing track days again, I will have to give it a go.

Off topic: The only reason I’d heard of the new owners is because my god daughter featured prominently in a couple of their adverts. (For the tenuous link thread.)

I’m in Northampton, like you (I’m in Grange Park) and it’s great being between both circuits, but a 3rd option would be brilliant. When I was last there I saw a white Porsche GT3 race car get totaled on the wall before turn 1, unforgiving place sometimes

[Elderly]

I also hope that it is reopened, the banked section is very different to anything else I’ve driven,
but yes it the wet/damp it was not a track I felt at ease on!

I would be concerned about the cost though;
many years ago I was involved in organising an event there
and it was surprisingly expensive to hire for the day.

[carl_w]

Elderly said:

I also hope that it is reopened, the banked section is very different to anything else I’ve driven,
but yes it the wet/damp it was not a track I felt at ease on!

I would be concerned about the cost though;
many years ago I was involved in organising an event there
and it was surprisingly expensive to hire for the day.

BARC used to do sprints there but they were always in March and October. Apparently if they made the March one a few weeks later and the October one a few weeks earlier the circuit hire fees would be doubled.

EVO used to do some track evenings there in the summer too.

[brillomaster]

Rockinghams reputation for being slippery when wet always confused me... im pretty sure all circuits are slippery when wet. Bedford is an icerink when wet, donington is slippery, and lets not forget under the trees at cadwell. Or oulton park.

What tracks AREN'T considered slippery when wet?!?

[Wh00sher]

Rockingham in the wet is the most slippery circuit I've ever driven on.

Can't see it reopening myself.

[Steve H]

I’d be surprised but very pleased to see it reopen. The banking wasn’t bad in the wet, infield was consistent so not a problem and the long entry corners were actually very good to learn a bit of wet driving technique and car control on.

[TAHodgson]

I'm fairly sure at least one of the supercar experience companies have been doing the odd date there over the last couple of months.

[Panamax]

I don't think there's a prayer of Rockingham reopening. If it wasn't viable over the past 20 years I don't see how it could possibly become viable now.

Yes, I was there to see Gil de Ferran win the Rockingham 500 back in 2001 - one of very few occasions when real Indycars (CART) have appeared in the UK. Amazing smell, amazing speed.

[Dynion Araf Uchaf]

just had a notification from Cinch on the YouTube page stating that they would like to get the place back to its best! Maybe not racing, but trackdays might be possible by the sounds of it.

[carl_w]

Panamax said:

I don't think there's a prayer of Rockingham reopening. If it wasn't viable over the past 20 years I don't see how it could possibly become viable now.

Not for spectator motorsport, but the BARC sprints required very little in the way of services from Rockingham itself. Sometimes they'd open the cafe above the grandstands, sometimes we'd get a burger van. Just needed someone on the gate -- BARC provided all the marshals.

[geeks]

Wh00sher said:

Rockingham in the wet is the most slippery circuit I've ever driven on.

Can't see it reopening myself.

I would put Donington above that personally.

[Kev_Mk3]

Wh00sher said:

Rockingham in the wet is the most slippery circuit I've ever driven on.

Can't see it reopening myself.

Agreed pure Ice

[Paul_M3]

Kev_Mk3 said:

Wh00sher said:

Rockingham in the wet is the most slippery circuit I've ever driven on.

Can't see it reopening myself.

Agreed pure Ice

I also agree. It wasn't even that wet when I was there, but I'd never known a track so slippery.

This is a long video, but just watching from 16 seconds to 40 seconds in is enough to see the lack of traction!

https://youtu.be/i8BxEV4Rrnw?t=16