Sleeping arrangements with trailer before event!

[Ducati07]

Hi,

I’m doing a caterham series this year (mag sevens) and I’m wondering what everyone does about accommodation over the race weekend. I can imagine that finding a cheap local hotel with (secure) parking big enough for a 4x4 and race trailer is almost impossible.

Do people tend just to stay on site and park up in the paddock area of the track in their camper / race lorries or is this not allowed? It’s looking like my only option is finding a nearby campsite and hoping it’s dry!

Thanks in advance,

James.

[mattnoss]

Plenty of people sleep in lorries, motorhomes etc in the paddock.
When we race we normally off load the trailer/race car in the paddock the night before and book into a local hotel but we have camped at the track as well although from our experience this is far from preferable. We’ve had shocking nights camping at Anglesey (but also some lovely ones depending on which of the two types of weather up get there!) and when we camped at Silverstone the only area they would allow you to pitch a tent was on a grass verge between the (wing) paddock and road as they didn’t want us scruffy club racers messing up the place the week before MotoGP came...I’m local to Silverstone but with the way we get treated every time we race at the Wing it’s very hard to like the place.

[Ducati07]

So is the paddock completely secure overnight to off load the race car / trailer and bugger off to a hotel then? This is obviously the preferable choice if there’s no security issues.

I just didn’t envisage this to be particularly secure.

[mattnoss]

We were lucky last year by having allocated garages because of the Championship we were competeing in so at least the race car was secure, we only have a cheap open trailer and we just put a wheel clamp on it or, when we had to leave it in an outer paddock (at the Birkett) we just chained it to a fence.
The paddocks are all open all night (as far as I can remember), Silverstone have some sort of security on the gate, Oulton might actually close the gate at night (happy to be corrected) so you take the chance but there’s so many people about normally that you’d be unlucky to have a trailer or car pinched but I’m also sure it’s probably happened in the past. At the end of the day you balance the risk of losing it against the convienience of leaving it in the paddock.

[Ducati07]

Garage is a great idea - I may just get one of those oztent jet bunker stretchers and sleep in the garage. Genius.

[Kraken]

Ducati07 said:

Garage is a great idea - I may just get one of those oztent jet bunker stretchers and sleep in the garage. Genius.

Most circuits won't allow you to sleep in the garage because of fire regulations.

[eastlmark]

Ducati07 said:

So is the paddock completely secure overnight to off load the race car / trailer and bugger off to a hotel then? This is obviously the preferable choice if there’s no security issues.

I just didn’t envisage this to be particularly secure.

Its not particularly secure and something I always worried about but probably safer than a hotels car park. Thing is in the paddock no one will take any notice if someone drives off with a trailer, often 2 day meeting with different races each day mean there are lots of movement all through the night and I have never been challenged by the security on the gate at Brands Hatch for instance, when leaving with a loaded trailer. Having said that, I have left wheels, jacks and stuff lying around and never had anything stolen. Would suggest unloading car rather than leave on trailer and maybe taking a couple of wheels off the car. I always took steering wheel with me to hotel and removed ECU.

[roddo]

Hi
Welcome to racing.....

Personally I stop in the paddock as I have a motorhome, like myself anyone in our championship who is on site will gladly keep an eye on anything a fellow racer leaves behind whilst they go to a hotel etc. I race in Max5 a Mazda championship where we are one big family.....

Good luck

[andrewcliffe]

I've slept in pit garages many a time and no-ones said anything.
I've pitched tents at most circuits also.
Now I take a motorhome.

Quite a number of people secure their car, tools and trailer and leave for a local hotel/b&b

[andy97]

I sm also racing in Mag 7s this year and have raced with CSCC for many years.

I have never had a problem leaving a car in the paddock and going to a local Travel Lodge etc but would recommend a trailer lock.

I have camped more recently and virtually every circuit has some form if camp area (official or otherwise).

This season i have an enclosed trailer and an seriously thinking of just getting a camp bed for that to dave the hassle of putting up a tent!!

[Kraken]

andrewcliffe said:

I've slept in pit garages many a time and no-ones said anything.

You're lucky then. I was personally told twice last year at different circuits sleeping in the garages overnight wasn't allowed unless it's an overnight race. Snetterton was one, I can't remember the other but it most likely was Donnington. Several others I know have had the same experience in being told they can't do it.

[Ducati07]

Chaps thanks for all that. It seems like the only perfect solution is to eventually get a camper / motorhome.

[roddo]

Ducati07 said:

Chaps thanks for all that. It seems like the only perfect solution is to eventually get a camper / motorhome.

Having a camper allows you to enjoy the banter in the paddock at night, track walk/BBQ etc
We find that's all part of the fun

[andy97]

Ducati07 said:

Chaps thanks for all that. It seems like the only perfect solution is to eventually get a camper / motorhome.

If you can afford it, go for it, but that's a big increase in budget!

Just think how many extra races you could enter for the cost of a motor home!

[pikeyboy]

I used to stick the car under the awning on its lowest setting, then tie the awning to the cage and sleep in the trailer. Most circuits have showers etc, some better than others, granted, but its all perfectly doable.

[anonymous-user]

My wife and her ex used to sleep in the trailer. Even fitted it out with a nice floor and walls so it was less basic.

Then again he is a knob

[shaunroche]

Ducati07 said:

Chaps thanks for all that. It seems like the only perfect solution is to eventually get a camper / motorhome.

Must be nice to have the spare wedge to go out and buy a camper !

Personally, I have an estate car and with the seats down can sleep very comfortably in that.

I like the idea of roughing it a bit and think it adds to the spirit of club racing. Things only go Pete Tong when her in doors comes, then it's chain the trailer and car up in the paddock and hotel or Airbnb for us.

[Ducati07]

Haha I definitely haven’t got the budget to buy a camper!

I think the best option I’ve heard is to stick the caterham under a race tent and sleep on a stretcher bed in the trailer. I like the idea of staying in the paddock.

[Wingo]

In the days or yore we used to use the enclosed trailer to transport the racecar for overnight paddock accommodation.

The biggest drawback to staying overnight in the paddock used to be generators running all hours. Lets just say some that were keeping us awake would stop for no apparent reason.

Wingo.

[HustleRussell]

I slept in a trailer for precisely one weekend before resolving never to do it again and booking a hotel room for every one of the 40 or so race weekends I’ve done since.

I have always been on a shoe string but after that experience I reached the conclusion that amongst all of the massive expenses of competing in a race weekend, £120 spent on a room and breakfast for two nights was the single item which offered the greatest value for money.