Comments on: Formula Ford: About Pembrey

By: DM

DM — Thu, 14 May 2009 21:46:54 +0000

Oh blimey! Scott was going through suspension parts at Snet because he was mullering the kerbs! Dread to think what the replacement parts bill would be like for Thruxton then!! Maybe I should try and get him into fishing……..

By: Flavio Galtieri

Flavio Galtieri — Wed, 13 May 2009 22:07:25 +0000

I really must get rid of those OF rose tinted glasses….agree with all of the above. As far as I can tell Thruxton hasn’t changed at all except they’ve resurfaced (still very abrasive) and smoothed out the bump on the apex at Church. Heaven knows what a modern FF1600 would do round there today, close to a ton average I guess!

By: DM

DM — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:51:28 +0000

Didn’t realise there was a clash between Ian Taylor Trophy and Silverstone National round. That’s a pity! Hopefully as Silverstone has both NW & MS rounds that weekend it will be reasonably well supported but it’s a shame to miss out on Thruxton. I wonder if some of the Combe boys may be tempted? Getting back to strong regional series. I think all of us O.F.’s can wax lyrical about back in the day you needed 2 heats and a final to sort the men out from the boys at most Champion of Brands rounds and the Festival had needed 8 heats, four quarter finals, 2 semi’s and a final to sort everything out and some quality drivers often didn’t get through! But those days are all sadly gone never to return. While there were always works teams, even in FF1600, I would say everything was slightly less professional, less commercial, less of a business and in relative terms cheaper because we didn’t all take it quite so seriously “what replace those tyres; heaven forbid you can’t see any canvas yet!” And Snetterton & Brands were real circuits for real men with proper corners & fast straights (Norwich Straight & Riches)………….ah happy days……..;-)

By: Flavio Galtieri

Flavio Galtieri — Wed, 13 May 2009 09:30:16 +0000

Martin,

It’s not necessary to have strong regional championships to have a strong national series, witness Formula Vee. In fact there it’s the reverse. There is nowhere else to race!

FFord Kent racers have always liked their “local” circuits that’s all……they can be very parochial.

I think it’s an organisational thing – as DM says- “stand alone” rounds just don’t work. The Irish would have left today! Hope they cancelled their hotels….

I think Donny wil be OK because loads of people love the track and it’s not that far from Oulton although it’s an MS round…Should be both MS and NW imho. However all these things are far easier to criticise than to organise

Looking ahead: will the Thruxton Ian Taylor Trophy impact the Silverstone National round? You don’t get many chances to race at Thruxton…..

By: Martin Galpin

Martin Galpin — Wed, 13 May 2009 07:46:18 +0000

Hi Dominic

That is good news. I thought they ultimately would cancel the round with those numbers but I am pleased that you also did not want to race with so few other competitors. Brands Hatch would be the obvious replacement and in any case, a national championship without Brands Hatch never made much sense to me anyway!

I think you are probably right – strong regional series seem essential to amass the participation needed to create a strong National championship. Of course, I am too young to remember, but wasn’t this always the case?

To the best of my knowledge, Donington Park is still going ahead: http://clubformulaford.info/news.html

But give it four weeks and who knows…