Donners News

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Count Johnny

Original Poster:

715 posts

203 months

Sunday 2nd May 2010
quotequote all
Chaps

i don't know whether this is old hat, but it looks like Mr Tilling can lay down his shovel:

Donington Park targets a date of August to re-open for circuit activities

Donington Park has revealed that it has set a target of August to re-open circuit activities following the aborted plan to host the British Grand Prix.

Simon Gillett's Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd had secured a 17 year deal to take the event to the East Midlands venue, but the plans lurched from one disaster to the next before DVLL entered administration in November and British GP moved back to Silverstone.

The aborted plans have left the famous Donington circuit in a state of disrepair and have seen numerous championships – including the British Superbike Championship – elect to take its races elsewhere as questions continued to be raised about the future of the venue.

With the likes of the BARC and Jonathan Palmer's MotorSport Vision group having been linked with taking over the circuit, Donington owners the Wheatcroft family have now revealed that a target date of August has been set to reopen the venue for on-track activities.

Plans and costings to carry out the remedial work required are currently being worked out, with project advisors led by ex-Aggregate Industries director Philip Barltrop and Duncan Green of Pick Everard Consulting Engineers, having held meetings with John Symes of the MSA.

“We are currently finalising plans and costings for the works to repair the damage done in and around the race track at Donington Park,” Kevin Wheatcroft said. “We are confident that the new improved race track can be re-opened, subject to obtaining the necessary racing licences, during August 2010.”

The statement from the circuit also revealed that race director Robert Fearnall is already working on an appropriate race programme for 2010 which will be announced as soon as possible.

The British Touring Car Championship is due to visit Donington Park for the penultimate rounds of the season in September – with series director Alan Gow stating on more than one occasion that he was confident the event would take place – while the British GT Championship season finale is slated to take place the following month.

The announcement from Donington comes on the same day that Silverstone officially launched the new Arena circuit which will host the British Grand Prix later this year.

Simon T

2,136 posts

279 months

Sunday 2nd May 2010
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This is great news! The ghost of Dick Seaman will be happy too!

jp-speed-triple

1,504 posts

193 months

Sunday 2nd May 2010
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snigger.

getmecoat

BertBert

19,539 posts

217 months

Sunday 2nd May 2010
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Apparently TVR production is about to re-start as well.
Bert

splitpin

2,740 posts

204 months

Monday 3rd May 2010
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Popping in a photo before this goes too hinge & bracket / that salute he gave.

Those skinny tyres, flying helmets & no seat belts, 750Kg maximum weight, 660bhp when on super fuel, 211mph on Avus with a bit of streamlining eek


Simon T

2,136 posts

279 months

Monday 3rd May 2010
quotequote all
And they wouldn't let the F Renault race at Brands yesterday 'cos of a bit of rain...


BTW wasn't mocking Mr Seaman, as The count says, these guys were true racers, they were hard as nails and had no fear

Edited by Simon T on Monday 3rd May 21:35

Count Johnny

Original Poster:

715 posts

203 months

Tuesday 4th May 2010
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Much as I agree, 'twas Splitpin.

splitpin

2,740 posts

204 months

Tuesday 4th May 2010
quotequote all
Awesome cars, awesome drivers, still gob-smacking & spine-tingling 70 years later.

If you've got an hour, try this for a potted history of what it was all about, including of course Dick Seaman & Dony >

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/osE6sm3n_zc/

If you've only got a minute, max the volume and play this (there are cheers at the end and I reckon you'll understand why) >

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dv3Ho4odFA