Summer Buggy Racing at Hinckley

[Dale]

Hi Guys,

Just an update for you all:

1. Rostrum - this has now been completed and steps are now built within the bank to ensure a safe route to the grass.

2. Ramps - Chris will be working on the ramps over next few weeks to brace them and stop bending.

3. Dunlop loop - I have contacted Dunlop and asked them if they want to prepare the bridge for us and I am waiting to hear back but this is now built and ready for racing.

4. I have asked Chris to add some permanent hosing to the table top and add carpet over the top of all ramps (can anyone get us some carpet glue to stick this to the wood???)

5. My idea is to have the table top in-front of the rostrum and then the loop just after (loop within the Dunlop bridge) ensuring the table top is taken as such and not just used as a big ramp (this would be at the start of the straight).

6. We have grass paint for grid positions and I shall be buying some extra tent pegs for the track this week.

7. It is imperrative for us to support the West Mids Regonals as much as possible. If anyone would like more info see either Dean Gibbs or myself asap.

Anything else let me know.

Regards

Dale

[warr2]

If you put the table top at the start of the straight you'll have problems seeing the upramp.

Ideally the table top should be right in front of the rostrum from a visibility point of view. - to stop people going mad over the table top, the best way is to put a corner straight afterwards.

You then put the straight over the far side of the track.

Points 1-4 sound good though

[Wacker2]

dont like the idea of restricting things over the table top... you should be able to hit it as soft or as hard as you want. I agree with Warr having a corner after the table top is a better idea than having the loop straight after but you should allow a good few meters of track after the table top before the corner.

We did this a few times last season outdoors and it worked well.

Jon

[Wacker1]

Hi Dale,

I saw the new Outdoor Rostrum & Walkway down the Slope last Saturday.........looks good mate

Obviously, strengthening the Ramps(mainly the Upslope & Downslope of the Table Top)is a high priority, as they were 'warping' quite alot, towards the end of last Summer. I do also think that the Length of them need to be extended, due to it being very steep on the run-up........this caused the Buggies to 'bottom out' very easily last Season, as well as them(mainly the 4WD's)damaging the top lip of the Downslope, due to the angle.
The other new Ramp(that we used for the Loop last Year)also needs to be strengthended & extended.

Having Hosing permanently fixed to the Table Top Ramp will make it look better & less tricky for the Beginners......they tend to do this at the other Clubs/Regionals. The Carpet/Astro-Turf sounds like a good idea too

The Dunlop Bridge looks great(nice one Chris!), but would look fine with just some Yellow 'HRCCC' Stickers on either side of it? Is it really neccessary to make it look like the proper DUNLOP Bridge? Have you heard back from them yet?

Having some extra Pegs is good news, as we were struggling alittle on the last Outdoor Series........the Grass Paint will give us a proper START line & GRID POSITIONS, making it look more Proffessional

As we're holding one of the Rounds(Round 2 on Sunday 24th May), It would be fantastic if we can get as many Racers from the Club, to represent Hinckley in the 2WD Mid-West Off-Road Championships, as it'll put us back on the Map for Off-Road Buggy Racing, which is where the Club originally started. Racers only need to do 3 of the Rounds(out of the 5)to Qualify anyway.......if they wish to improve their Licence Grade.

I'm not sure on whether the idea of having the Table Top in front of the Rostrum is good though, as it might make the visability poor on other sections of the Track. I know that many Racers enjoy being able to get some good height off the Table Top(as thats what Off-Road is all about!), eventhough, this is'nt always the fastest way over.........having the Upslope/Downslope lengthened would also kurb the Jump height alittle, making it abit safer for everyone.
Have a look at this Video Link, showing the Upslope/Downslope of the Table Top & the Jumps at Broxtowe, the other Sunday(5th April).......looks like there getting some good height off the Jumps :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9YibkmEthM

Have there been anymore ideas regarding a Rumble Strip?

[Dale]

Hi Guys,

Its nice to see the forums being used correctly!

It was interesting watching the utube link you provided Dean as one thing we will have at Hinckley is a very different venue to the one being shown.

I saw the table top and other jumps as very different to the feel we are trying to create at HRCCC as our venue will offer different grass conditions with a smoother surface. I peronsally feel our table top is more of a sharp slow obsticle rather than a run up and take off item.

I do take on board the comments and I was thinking of the table top being central to the standing position of the rostrum. I do want the loop at a slow part of the track to ensure it is a safe and iconic part of the HRCCC experience, rather than one hit at full pelt!

The work will be underway on the ramps in time for the outdoor season. Can u check the date for the regional as I have the sunday before (17th)!!

Regards

Dale

[Wacker1]

Dale,

The Video was for your benefit........to get you in the mood to wipe the dust off your Buggy & give it a Blast!

Maybe your suggestion of having the Table Top Ramp situated directly infront of the Rostrum & the main Straight at the back of the Track will work well............all we can do is give it a Trial on the Hinckley Clubs 1st Club Meeting on the 2nd May & see how it goes

I thought I was right, but I've just double-checked on the Mid-West Off-Road Region Website & found that the 2nd Round(Hinckley Venue)of the 2WD Regional Championships is definately on Sunday 24th May

[Wacker2]

I dont think the table top should be designed as a slow obsticle, and I dont feel that this is the problem with ours... the problem with ours is the steepness of the up ramp. Therefore when you get the suicide jumpers hitting it at full pelt, I remember people getting 4/5 feet of air above the table top which will have safety issues to marshalls, cause damage to cars more often than not and will cause divets in the grass. The solution is a redisigned table top with a longer up ramp... the height of our table top is about perfect and so by having a longer up ramp will mean that the cars can still fly through the air but no where near as high. I think the other thing that needs to be done is the length of the table itself needs to be longer - in my opinion ours is currently too short and too steep!

It certainly shouldn't be set up as a slow part to the track... if we are to attract more drivers to make this outdoor season a massive success we need to build a track that people can come and push their cars around with satisfying results - and not a slow track that you have to role round!! I personally would luv to see some of the top drivers in our region visiting our club, not only for the regional event but for some of the weekly club meetings also, and I struggle to beleive they would re-visit the club if the track was designed to be slow and not very exciting. Like Dean said, the whole fun of buggy racing outdoors is the jumps bumps and thrills!!!

Also, I'll put a stop to all ideas of having the table top anywhere on the straight - or rather David Warr will with his special extensive knowledge of BRCA rules. BRCA rule 14.7 states: "The straight for starting finals, will be a minimum of 20 metres long, with no obstructions, including any form of jump, sudden rise or fall". Now I know this is for regional events but I think we should try and run our club as close to the rules as possible even for a weekly club meeting to ensure we get everything right when we host the regional, and also as I believe more racers will visit the club if it is well organised and run professionally!!!

Cheers, Jon

[The mad1]

all sounds good apart from not be able to hit the table top at a decent speed as above its part and parcel of buggy racing

[Wacker2]

I thought I was right, but I've just double-checked on the Mid-West Off-Road Region Website & found that the 2nd Round(Hinckley Venue)of the 2WD Regional Championships is definately on Sunday 24th May

To clear any confusion up:

http://www.brca-midwest.co.uk/calendar.html

[Wacker2]

Just another thought...

What are we doing about a tannoy/speaker system to notify drivers of whats going on??? are we going to use the indoor equipment??? is it waterproof in case it rains??? has this been thought about??? I remember our club meetings last year had nothing like that but we are going to need it for the regional!

Also, where are people going to pit at our regional meeting?? It used to get alittle tight last year with the club members pitting on the grass/mud section infront of the containers but at the regional, all going well, there will be a hell of alot more people! now that we have the steps in the grass providing slightly safer route to the field, are we going to allow people to pit on the field around the track? alot of the drivers that regularly do the 'out of town' events usually use a tent or gazzeeeeeeeebo of some sort. but on the other hand alot pit around the back of their cars so are we going to be using the car park as a pitting area - will it be big enough to accomodate?

Just a thought, I'm sure this has already been taken care of but we want to make sure we're all good and ready way before we need to be!

JB!

[The mad1]

just seen a question on oople if it would be possible to use some of the banking as part of the track for the regional,thought id put it on here as i know id forget by saterday lol

[warr2]

I haven't seen exactly where the new rostrum is, but I'd say it's very unlikely that you'll be able to utilise the bank due to visibility.

[The mad1]

thats exactly what i said but it would be good if we could

[Wacker2]

would be great if we could utilise the enbankment as a banked corner, however like said before visablilltiy would be near on impossible as we would be standing on the enbankment on the rostrum.

However, saying this, is there any reason why we wouldn't be able to make our own 'man made' banked corner that can be assembled and disassembled easily covered in astro turf?!!!

Just a thought, maybe something like they make at brotowe for their indoor buggy track. Take a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TECUmxSn9Gg

Also, it hasn't been mentioned for a while but has anything progressed with our rumble strip???

[Martyn]

What about a wall of death!!!