Rockingham closes (1 Viewer)

[TheTwoOfUs]

An oval motor racing track that sought to "break the mould" has hosted competitive racing for the last time.

Rockingham Motor Speedway in Corby, Northamptonshire, opened in 2001 and once hosted the British Touring Cars Championship (BTCC) and British GT.

But the venue, which can host 52,000 fans and cost £45m to build, has stopped hosting racing to become a "logistics hub" for the car industry in 2019.

The redevelopment will create 200 new jobs over the next 18 months.

It follows an announcement by the owners of the 1.5 mile (2.4km) track in August that it had been sold, prompting a change in "business operations" of the circuit.

A so-called "super send-off" for Rockingham took place on Saturday with a final day of racing at the circuit for various race classifications

 

[Simon Richardson]

I don't think it ever really took off did it.

 

[joka250]

It was suggested to me by a former Rockingham employee that there are structural problems with the stands and that was the final nail. When in U K pass there 2 or 3 times a week, sad to see it go.

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[hilldweller]

Wrong country. We don't do ovals do we. The in circuit looked crap, I did see a bit of bike racing but is was flat and nasty from memory.

 

[Yorick]

I did a few trackdays there. Fast knee down bend leading to flat out bit heading into the Oval concrete wall at 160. Fun

 

[SpeedyDux]

Were they hoping to bring NASCAR rounds to the UK?

It did seem out of place.

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[Lenny HB]

No surprise, never saw the point of it, ovals are a weird yank thing.

 

[mitzimad]

arena essex closed last month first raced there around 78 there is now no short circuit racing near london

 

[Stealaway]

arena essex closed last month first raced there around 78 there is now no short circuit racing near london

Yeah Brands Hatch is a bit of a trek from Walthamstow

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[Silver-Fox]

I have to say I'm not surprised.
Ovals are really an American thing and your never going to get the turn out required over here.

Ive driven the oval in a single seater, unfortunately held up by the lead car being a fast road car that wasn't fast enough and no overtaking it

I found the infield a bit naggery (sp?) and without many reference points.
Sad to see a circuit disappear though.

 

[Langtoftlad]

AFAIK - part of the problem was that it wasn't actually an 'oval... and that meant that it wasn't suitable for the Yank racing they'd aspired to...

 

[PhilandMena]

Were they hoping to bring NASCAR rounds to the UK?

It did seem out of place.

Yes they were and as best as I can recall had one race. I live about a mile from the track and as others have said it has never really got off the ground, They had a big gig in there which I think went well and numerous races and what not but died a slow death.

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[Abacist]

Yeah Brands Hatch is a bit of a trek from Walthamstow

Brands Hatch - a brilliant spectator's circuit which could be either short or long. Always regretted it when they lost the British GP in alternate years. Used to pop through the Dartford Tunnel from Romford. I can remember the BOAC 1000Kms in 1970 held in torrential rain with the Porsche's spinning like tops coming out of Druids when they put the power on a fraction too soon.

 

[Jo662]

I attended a few BSB meetings when it first opened.
One incident that stands out was the late great Steve Hislop taking John Reynolds out.

 

[Yorick]

I attended a few BSB meetings when it first opened.
One incident that stands out was the late great Steve Hislop taking John Reynolds out.

I was there that day

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[A S R]

Brands Hatch - a brilliant spectator's circuit which could be either short or long. Always regretted it when they lost the British GP in alternate years. Used to pop through the Dartford Tunnel from Romford. I can remember the BOAC 1000Kms in 1970 held in torrential rain with the Porsche's spinning like tops coming out of Druids when they put the power on a fraction too soon.

Great for spectators but horrible for pit access if you’re driving an artic race trailer. I was the driver fo Bewiser Kawasaki for 5 1/2 years so went there multiple times. I won’t miss Rockingham I’m sad to say.

 

[mitzimad]

Yeah Brands Hatch is a bit of a trek from Walthamstow

theyve not had bangers and hot rods at brands hatch for 40 years

 

[mitzimad]

we used to do bangers at brands hatch once a year festival of speed just used the top oval

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[Wildbill]

only thing i done thare was sum investigation on the stand supports abut twelve years ago the fringings wer not good way back then but we managed to do sum grounting and remedial work
bill

 

[Richard n Ann]

Went to spectate in 2014, really liked it, I think it was the one where we stood on the pit lane garage roofs and could see most of the track. we took the tent, stayed over night and had a wee drink

 

[Jaws]

I did a few trackdays there. Fast knee down bend leading to flat out bit heading into the Oval concrete wall at 160. Fun

Did the track surface rip your tyres apart too ?
Was only on road tyres but it saw a brand new pair of Storms off in about 30 laps ! Fortunately that was back in the day when I got freebys and road home on another new pair

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[Yorick]

Did the track surface rip your tyres apart too ?
Was only on road tyres but it saw a brand new pair of Storms off in about 30 laps ! Fortunately that was back in the day when I got freebys and road home on another new pair

It was no worse on tyres than anywhere else.

 

[Jaws]

It was no worse on tyres than anywhere else.

Thats what I found.. expect loads of bobbling and ripped edges but that surface absolutely tore tyres up...
Mind you, the grip was phenomenal !

 

[Yorick]

Thats what I found.. expect loads of bobbling and ripped edges but that surface absolutely tore tyres up...
Mind you, the grip was phenomenal !

Sometimes increased tyre wear is caused by poor suspension and wrong tyre pressures.
My bike was set up purely for the track.

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[Larby]

It was still open Saturday and yesterday for a Stages rally.
Was won as expected by a Mk 2 Escort .
Perhaps the price of a cup of tea killed off the punters

 

[Jaws]

Sometimes increased tyre wear is caused by poor suspension and wrong tyre pressures.
My bike was set up purely for the track.

Mine was a road bike.. Blackbird, but it had a decent set of front and rear suspenders.. All set up by Darren at Motorcycle Tecnic in Stowmarket

The bike was used for several track days ( mainly Donny and Snetters ) and the tyre issue only presented at Rockingham

 

[Yorick]

Mine was a road bike.. Blackbird, but it had a decent set of front and rear suspenders.. All set up by Darren at Motorcycle Tecnic in Stowmarket

The bike was used for several track days ( mainly Donny and Snetters ) and the tyre issue only presented at Rockingham

If you ever did any with Focused Events, you probably saw me

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[Jaws]

If you ever did any with Focused Events, you probably saw me

To be honest I have NO idea what events I went to, as they were always 'gifts' from the trade
I just put on my leathers, rocked up at a circuit, and went to play
On the other hand, if you ever came across a fat geezer in white leathers looking like an out of work circus clown on either a black or a blue bird that looked pretty stock that was proly me !

 

[PhilG]

I commentated at the last ever bike race there , in October, such a shame. I feel it may not be dead just yet though .

 

[Crazylegs]

I believe the original developers hoped to attract our friends from the other side of the pond, both Indicar and NASCAR representatives came and tested at Rockingham. Sadly for various reasons the track did not suit them, if I remember correctly the original track surface started breaking up in the weeks before the Indicars arrived and was resurfaced in a rush.
The Americans didn’t come so Rockingham became another UK circuit hosting club racing which whilst entertaining for enthusiasts rarely attracts big crowds. I’m told the ownership of the circuit changed several times but I doubt it ever showed a profit.



These pick up trucks raced at Rockingham several times a year, they raced on the oval circuit and with drafting put on some seriously entertaining racing, but despite lots of press and tv the public didn’t come in sufficient numbers.
It’s all very sad really, rip Rockingham.

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