Could the US “Lemons” racing work in the UK?
Discussion
Love watching the adventures that the crews get up to with racing in the 24hrs of Lemons type events, with all the added fun of the camaraderie and fun involvement with the tech officials added in.
Appreciating that we have the C1 series, plus other Fun Cup type events, could the freedom and fun of the Lemons concept ever work?
Also, would there be a market for it, that would result in cars as remotely fun as the Americans create??
Appreciating that we have the C1 series, plus other Fun Cup type events, could the freedom and fun of the Lemons concept ever work?
Also, would there be a market for it, that would result in cars as remotely fun as the Americans create??
I suspect the basic Lemons rule of 'remove all glass' isn't especially compatible with the British weather.
The vehicles are not disimilar to what's used in banger, oval and grasstrack racing - you just need someone with deep pockets to underwrite hiring a circuit for a few races to build up interest.
The vehicles are not disimilar to what's used in banger, oval and grasstrack racing - you just need someone with deep pockets to underwrite hiring a circuit for a few races to build up interest.
sherman said:
Is Silveestone the only place withca 24 hour race?
The 2CVs.
On the weekend of July 1/2 the CSCC are running a series of 24 x 40 min races (4 races for each of 6 grids), ie 1 x 40 min race every hour, at Anglesey if that counts.The 2CVs.
It s a similar style event to the Le Mans and Daytona classics. Anglesey council have given special planning permission for the event.
Truckosaurus said:
I think Silverstone are somewhat wary of 24hrs events since the Britcar 24hrs one year had unseasonably good weather and the locals spent the evening in their gardens and heard all the cars.
I remember a team in a Honda Jazz being black flagged for noise in the early hours one year. Ironic as the team running the Mosler were deemed ok.The complaints about noise almost always come from the residents of Whittlebury. Silverstone Village is lower than the circuit whereas Whittlebury is higher/ level with it so hear more of the noise.
The residents of Silverstone tend to be a lot more accepting of the noise, after all if you’ve moved here any time in the last 75 years you can’t claim ignorance and motorsport and it’s supporting business provide a lot of local employment.
It’s also fantastic to be able to hear the sound of the Le Mans cars and sleep in your own bed.
Yes if you’re local we get free entry to certain events. Can’t hear the tannoy in the village and yes the only noise you hear from the C1 24hrs is the tyre squeal as they pile into Copse.
It’s a great idea, but it’s one of those events that’s ingrained in American motorsport culture. Pro drivers turn up just for the hell of it, and the scrutineers are not surprised to find a case of beer in the boot of a car with a massive turbocharger installed!
There’s a decade’s work in getting it off the ground, including dealing with the local NIMBYs and councils. It would be great if it could be done, but I’m not sure it crosses the Pond. Fair play to anyone who gives it a go though.
There’s a decade’s work in getting it off the ground, including dealing with the local NIMBYs and councils. It would be great if it could be done, but I’m not sure it crosses the Pond. Fair play to anyone who gives it a go though.
LukeSi said:
DanielSan said:
And yet people do exactly this after moving nearby to any race track. Even Donington which has an airport next to it!
I can do you one better. Saw a post the other day that someone got black flagged at Donny because the airport! Complained about the noise LukeSi said:
DanielSan said:
And yet people do exactly this after moving nearby to any race track. Even Donington which has an airport next to it!
I can do you one better. Saw a post the other day that someone got black flagged at Donny because the airport! Complained about the noise As a local resident to EMA/ DP of over 25 years perhaps I can give some perspective, and bear in mind that I am a competitor, spectator, enthusiast and even moved to DP (and married the lady I did) because of the track!
EMA has a 24 hour operating license- the only airport in the country that does - but is still quite tightly regulated in terms of the aircraft that can operate out of there.
It only has approx 18% runway utilisation so there are often very long periods of quiet in between aircraft taking off or landing. In contrast, Heathrow has about 98% runway utilisation during its operating hours, which I think are 0600-2300.
EMA also employs about 6000 people so residents do tend to cut it some slack.
DP tends to operate 7 days a week, and in the summer, into the evening as well. It is tightly regulated by the planning constraints it operates under, with noise monitoring equipment directly connected to the local Council. This is why it cannot have 3 “noisy days” back to back, and hence why weekend testing is usually on a Thursday and not a Friday as most would find convenient.
Even on the non-noisy days at DP, ie track days, there is a fairly constant drone from the track between 0900 and 1700 (later if there is a track evening) and it is this constant drone that people tend to get tired of, rather than relatively infrequent (but noisier) aircraft.
Yes, I absolutely get the argument that people should not move near a race track and then complain about the noise, and subscribe to that view myself, but I can understand why people do get tired of it occasionally.
That said, I cannot remember the last time I heard anyone in the village actually complain about the noise, and most recognise that the track brings in revenue for shops, B&Bs and restaurants etc.
Noise limits are enforced at the track because they have to comply with their planning permission, there are no options to that, and the council could apply for the track to be closed down if there were consistent breaches of the planning permission. Mallory Park was closed down for a while precisely because the then operator (BARC) chose not to comply with the planning conditions that had been set.
https://residents.donington-park.co.uk/noise
Edited by andy97 on Monday 3rd April 12:37
sherman said:
Edinburgh Airport is a 24/7 runway too.
Alot of EMAs late/early morning planes are flying to places like Edinburgh.
Theres a plane from tenirefe that flys over my house at 2am descending into Edinburgh airport.
I stand corrected, but that wasn’t really the main point of my post.Alot of EMAs late/early morning planes are flying to places like Edinburgh.
Theres a plane from tenirefe that flys over my house at 2am descending into Edinburgh airport.
I've entered the 4hrs of Lochgelly in a Honda Jazz with a couple of pals, probably the closest thing I can think of in the UK (Scotland). Although it is gritty, there can be carnage and it'd be a bonus if your car was good to go again for the next event, we sold ours to the scrap man at the end (My pal rear ended a car under red flag...) and took back an empty trailer. Max engine size 1400cc, no aftermarket mods and headlights to be removed were the only rules iirc.
The price of track time in the UK at the main circuits and adhering to MSA safety regs would certainly negate the savings of running a very cheap car for that length of time IMO. It cost £750 all in divided between 3 and got £100 back for the car.
Having grown up around stockcars and having raced with 750mc for last few years, it was good craic for me regardless.
The price of track time in the UK at the main circuits and adhering to MSA safety regs would certainly negate the savings of running a very cheap car for that length of time IMO. It cost £750 all in divided between 3 and got £100 back for the car.
Having grown up around stockcars and having raced with 750mc for last few years, it was good craic for me regardless.
k20ris said:
I've entered the 4hrs of Lochgelly in a Honda Jazz with a couple of pals, probably the closest thing I can think of in the UK (Scotland). Although it is gritty, there can be carnage and it'd be a bonus if your car was good to go again for the next event, we sold ours to the scrap man at the end (My pal rear ended a car under red flag...) and took back an empty trailer. Max engine size 1400cc, no aftermarket mods and headlights to be removed were the only rules iirc.
The price of track time in the UK at the main circuits and adhering to MSA safety regs would certainly negate the savings of running a very cheap car for that length of time IMO. It cost £750 all in divided between 3 and got £100 back for the car.
In the UK, the driftland events are the cheapest I could find. I did it back in 2020 as well. The price of track time in the UK at the main circuits and adhering to MSA safety regs would certainly negate the savings of running a very cheap car for that length of time IMO. It cost £750 all in divided between 3 and got £100 back for the car.
https://youtu.be/gxWdv6DnK_8
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