Having a weekend overflowing with 10 club car racing events, following one with hardly any, is an unsustainable situation that puts pressure on a creaking system
STEPHEN LICKORISH
Unsustainable, unnecessary and unhelpful. They may sound like strong terms, but – to this writer, at least – they perfectly describe the three-week spell of the national calendar we are currently in the middle of. And especially this past weekend of club motorsport.
Let me explain. Over 18-19 May, there were 10 separate car racing events across the UK. From Thruxton to Bishopscourt and Snetterton to Oulton Park, almost every one of our race tracks was playing host to a car fixture. On the surface, that sounds great. After all, surely it’s proof that these venues are doing what they were built for. However, such a menagerie of meetings puts strain on a limited number of officials, marshals and other vital volunteers – and not to mention divides a finite pool of competitors. If each of those 10 events (and we are not even talking about the scores of other grassroots contests held) was overflowing with entries and inundated with volunteers, then happy days. But that simply is not the reality.
We’ve already discussed the wide-ranging fortunes of different club categories in the early stages of this year (Autosport, 18 April), but the fact that six series in action last weekend did not even reach double figures, while a further 19 grids attracted a measly 10-15 cars, is proof of the potential problem. Although it’s also worth highlighting there were some fantastic entries achieved, particularly at the Silverstone 750 Motor Club gathering.
Now, I’m not foolish enough to think that grid numbers would universally increase had there been fewer events last weekend to create less dilution. Some races were held at circuits such as Pembrey and Cadwell Park that are never likely to draw in the crowds, regardless of how many alternative offerings there are for drivers. However, there are some examples of apparently poor planning – such as both the Classic Sports Car Club and Historic Sports Car Club Special Saloons and Modsports categories being in action on the same weekend, hampering the numbers in each. Or three of the four main ‘modern’ one-make MG series heavily based around the ZR having clashing rounds. For classes where there is a limited number of cars available, such scheduling is unhelpful.
But what makes the sheer number of events this past weekend even more baffling is a glance at the calenda
