Races that you've been to

[MatskiMonk]

Right, so as I sit here thinking about what I'll be doing motorsport wise in 2012, I can't help but think back to races I've been to in the past, so I thought I'd note them down here - a little trip down memory lane!

So Please feel free to share, or record the events you've been too, and perhaps any interesting/amusing stories that go with them?

2024
British GT, Silverstone
Goodwood Festival of Speed

2023
Goodwood Festival of Speed

2022
Goodwood Festival of Speed

2021
BTCC, Snetterton
BTCC, Oulton Park
British Superbike, Cadwell Park
Euro Finals Shootout, Santa Pod
BTCC, Donington Park

2020
Nothing

2019
BTCC Launch Day, Brands Hatch
Goodwood Festival of Speed - Four days camping on my own with a freshly snapped collar-bone... d'oh.

2018
Nothing

2017
Hankook 24 Hour TCES at Silverstone
BTCC Launch Day, Donington Park

2016
BTCC Launch Day, Donington Park
Silverstone 24 Hour (Touring Car Endurance Series)

2015
BTCC, Brands Hatch (Indy)
FIA WEC & ELMS, Silverstone
BTCC, Donington Park
Britcar 24 hours at Silverstone (a.k.a. the Dunlop 24 hour)
BTCC, Thruxton
WTCC, Nürburgring Nordscleife
Nürburgring 24 Hour
BTCC, Oulton Park
Le Mans 24 Hour
BTCC, Croft
DTM, Zandvoort
Spa 24 Hour
BTCC, Snetterton
BTCC, Knockhill
FIA European Drag Finals
BTCC, Rockingham
BTCC, Silverstone
BTCC, Brands Hatch (GP)
Race of Champions, London Olympic Stadium

2014
BTCC, Brands Hatch (Indy)
Blancpain GT Series, Brands Hatch (GP)
FIA European Drag Racing, Santa Pod
BTCC, Rockingham

2013
FIA World Endurance Champhionship, Silverstone
BTCC, Donington Park
DTM, Brands Hatch
FIA European Drag Racing Championship, Santa Pod

2012
British Truck Racing Championship (BTRC), Brands Hatch

2011
WRC Wales Rally GB - first time at a Rally, it was an experience!
BTCC, Thruxton
BTCC, Silverstone
BTCC, Snetterton
WTCC, Donington Park
International/Italian V8 Superstars, Donington Park
Britcar 24 hours, Silverstone
Blancpain Endurance Series, Silverstone

2010
Britcar 24 hours, Silverstone
BTCC, Brands Hatch
BTCC, Croft
BTCC, Knockhill
BTCC, Silverstone
BTCC, Thruxton - met Mat Jackson in the Pub afterwards.. which got me in the garage at.....
BTCC, Rockingham
LMES, Silverstone
FIA GT, Silverstone
F2, Silverstone
Superleague Formula, Silverstone - not great, but saw the prettiest girl ever working in the garage for one of the teams.
Renault World Series - well, it's free....

2009
BTCC, Rockingam
BTCC, Oulton Park - This was the one that got me into BTCC, well that and Tillie Thompson!
Britcar 500, Silverstone
FIA GT, Silverstone

2008
LMS Silverstone
BTCC Silverstone
Britcar 24 hours at Silverstone

2007
A1GP, Brands Hatch - Hospitality Suite... sweeet.
Britcar 24 hours, Silverstone

2006
Britcar 24 hours, Silverstone - Awesome, great access to pitlane during Friday night Qually.
F1 British Grand Prix - Biggest waste of money ever.

2005
BTCC, Silverstone - BRDC passes


So that's it so far, in 2012 I hope to add some DTM, the Britcar 24 is obligatory, I'm near to Santa Pod and I'd love to catch some FIA drag racing - but it's suprisingly expensive, I'll visit any BTCC round I can afford too - I'd like to do Knockers again.. but it is a 🤬 long way, and.. there's an outside chance I can do a NASCAR race weekend this year !!!!, but for the most part, I'm skint, so 2011 really won't be matched for a while.

 

[Bopop4]

Wow, that's a lot. Lucky that you live so close to so many tracks.
What was wrong with the F1 race?

 

[Diogo]

Do karts count ? I didn't joined to a race like you all , not same type , I race against my dad

 

[MatskiMonk]

Wow, that's a lot. Lucky that you live so close to so many tracks.
What was wrong with the F1 race?

The UK is pretty good for tracks to be fair, and I'm only 20 mins from Silverstone... which brings me to the F1GP...

I don't know where to start with the GP, I'd still recommend anyone does it once... but I don't think I enjoyed any part of it... LARGELY considering at the time you could get three days of F1 action with paddock access for £30 owing to F1 testing at Silverstone. It was expensive (very!), physically painful, poor value, badly managed (?),... just pales into pointlessness compared to every other event I've been to. I'd give it a second chance, but probably not at Silverstone.

 

[GTPorsche]

Chevy Monte Carlo 400 - September 9, 2000.

A race where Jeff Gordon beat Dale Earnhardt for the victory.

 

[Spacegoat]

2003 Bathurst 1000.
2004 Bathurst 1000.
2006 Bathurst 1000.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Chevy Monte Carlo 400 - September 9, 2000.

A race where Jeff Gordon beat Dale Earnhardt for the victory.

Good video's of that on Youtube

 

[GTPorsche]

Good video's of that on Youtube

Indeed there is. Didn't realize the full race was on youtube. The only view I didn't have at the track that night was the pits, but that was because I was sitting in the middle of the turn 3 grandstands.

 

[PeterJB]

2008 WRC Rally of Wales - Saturday
2009 WRC Rally of Wales - Saturday
2011 British Grand Prix - Thursday to Monday
(Upcoming) 2012 British Grand Prix - Thursday to Sunday

The UK is pretty good for tracks to be fair, and I'm only 20 mins from Silverstone... which brings me to the F1GP...

I don't know where to start with the GP, I'd still recommend anyone does it once... but I don't think I enjoyed any part of it... LARGELY considering at the time you could get three days of F1 action with paddock access for £30 owing to F1 testing at Silverstone. It was expensive (very!), physically painful, poor value, badly managed (?),... just pales into pointlessness compared to every other event I've been to. I'd give it a second chance, but probably not at Silverstone.

I had a blast there last year. Only faults were that the weather was miserable, the loos were disgusting, and I camped for 4 days, I am not a camper!

 

[MatskiMonk]

I had a blast there last year. Only faults were that the weather was miserable, the loos were disgusting, and I camped for 4 days, I am not a camper!

Well, to be fair, we could of made more of the camping, but getting up at 7:30 to stand in the baking summer heat for 9 hours, with no idea what was going on (no audible tannoy, no screens), and not able to move from our 2 square foot patch (there was two of us), for that duration (without the aid of crowd marshall man Matt).. and not really see any kind of racing .... for a couple of hundred quid... ... nope... doesn't work for me. 20 mins from Silverstone normally, 6 hours on race day? blew my radiator and cost me my car.... if only they'd let us turn left out of the circuit, I'd be about a grand better off.


The loos thing is pretty hit or miss, there's more now than there ever have been and for guys, it's not .. that.. bad, but for girls, prepare for a long wait... and if you have to use a porta-loo, they're no worse at Silverstone than anywhere else...

.. and also, If I paid £7.50 for a hot dog, when a **** it out, I'm sticking that puppy in a jar and keeping it!

 

[PeterJB]

Well, to be fair, we could of made more of the camping, but getting up at 7:30 to stand in the baking summer heat for 9 hours, with no idea what was going on (no audible tannoy, no screens), and not able to move from our 2 square foot patch (there was two of us), for that duration (without the aid of crowd marshall man Matt).. and not really see any kind of racing .... for a couple of hundred quid... ... nope... doesn't work for me. 20 mins from Silverstone normally, 6 hours on race day? blew my radiator and cost me my car.... if only they'd let us turn left out of the circuit, I'd be about a grand better off.


The loos thing is pretty hit or miss, there's more now than there ever have been and for guys, it's not .. that.. bad, but for girls, prepare for a long wait... and if you have to use a porta-loo, they're no worse at Silverstone than anywhere else...

.. and also, If I paid £7.50 for a hot dog, when a **** it out, I'm sticking that puppy in a jar and keeping it!

My body seemed to subconsciously go into shut down mode during the weekend. I ate probably less than 1000 calories a day, managed to go 22 hours without using the toilet, and I felt fine!

 

[Furinkazen]

A1 GP Demo in Manchester in 2005, got a pic with Robbie Kerr and John Surtees

And apparently I once was at the RAC rally when I was "very" young, when it went near chester...

 

[cgr-10]

.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Not been to anything yet, i'm 14 and have only got into motorsport in the past year or so. I'm planning to go to a BTCC race this year though, either Oulton Park or Croft.

Also, trying to persuade my family to go to Barcelona or Valencia for a holiday next year on Grand Prix weekend

Given the choice I'd do Oulton again, rather than Croft, but both are pretty good introductions to BTCC, make sure you get paddock access tickets if it's not included in the weekend/raceday ticket... also find out when the pitlane walkabout is early on and get ready early on... failing that, hanging around between the paddock area and the garages is a good way of meeting drivers etc... don't be afraid to say "Hi" or get stuck in... If you're happy to sit in the same spot all day to spectate then take lots of food and camping chairs, and get there early..

BTCC is great.. but it might take a few events to take everything in!

 

[TheBigMan045]

V8 Supertourers Hampton Downs
D1NZ round 2 Pukekohe
Thats just this year so far

 

[Ardius]

1998
Eurocar Championship - Oulton Park
BTCC Round 23/24 - Oulton Park

2005
Classic Touring Car Championship - Oulton Park

2008
Classic Touring Car Championship - Oulton Park

2009
British GT & British Formula 3 - Oulton Park
Formula Palmer Audi - Oulton Park

2010
BTCC Round 10/11/12 - Oulton Park
Formula Palmer Audi - Oulton Park

2011
BTCC Round 10/11/12 - Oulton Park
British Grand Prix - Silverstone


I'm very tempted to up my attendance this year and at least see both British GT and BTCC at Oulton and try and catch the BTCC somewhere else for a change like Donington or Knockhill.
I'm also hoping to make it to the Isle of Man TT one day soon if not this year then next.

I had plans for the Bahrain GP this year but they fell through. Hoping to make Abu Dhabi now.

As for the future, Le Mans, Monaco, Indy, Daytona, Suzuka, Spa, Monza..there are so many I wish to visit at least once.

Given the choice I'd do Oulton again, rather than Croft, but both are pretty good introductions to BTCC, make sure you get paddock access tickets if it's not included in the weekend/raceday ticket... also find out when the pitlane walkabout is early on and get ready early on... failing that, hanging around between the paddock area and the garages is a good way of meeting drivers etc... don't be afraid to say "Hi" or get stuck in... If you're happy to sit in the same spot all day to spectate then take lots of food and camping chairs, and get there early..

BTCC is great.. but it might take a few events to take everything in!

To add to this - Oulton is free entry to anyone for the autograph session in the pitlane and Oulton has always operated an open-paddock policy in all race meetings. I fully recommend getting to the track as early as possible and be prepared to wait a while to get out! The road access is decent enough for Oulton though.

I'd also echo taking lots of food - burger vans are always a rip-off due to them having to pay a fee just to pitch inside the track.

 

[MatskiMonk]

To add to this - Oulton is free entry to anyone for the autograph session in the pitlane and Oulton has always operated an open-paddock policy in all race meetings. I fully recommend getting to the track as early as possible and be prepared to wait a while to get out! The road access is decent enough for Oulton though.

I'd also echo taking lots of food - burger vans are always a rip-off due to them having to pay a fee just to pitch inside the track.

We were pretty much here all day...

You'll probably recognise where that is.. we got there early and left promptly (we were camping at a pub about 5 miles away IIRC).. and seriously, we've NEVER got in and out of a race so quickly... it's one of Oultons stand out benefits from my point of view.

 

[LeLLs]

I've been to a drag contest and the Marlboro masters @ Zandvoort once somwhere both in the mid '90s I think.

 

[cgr-10]

.

 

[MatskiMonk]

That's about as close as you could possibly get to the action, awesome. Thanks for the advice guys, Oulton sounds like a great place to go for my first BTCC round; it's also pretty convenient being only an hour or so away from where I live.

I didn't take so many photo's that weekend, but the rest are here.. its a FB gallery, but anyone should be able to view it.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.93831317244.99166.584867244&type=3&l=1e318fb473

 

[Cowboys965]

2011 Move That Block 225 IndyCar @ Loudon, New Hampshire.

 

[MatskiMonk]

I love the way American races are named after their sponsors

 

[Ardius]

^I don't, its confusing to work out what people are referring to - just like racing teams that carry sponsor names instead of..well..team names. Currently the most famous example of this type of confusion over only one team is the Renault-Lotus mess. But it applies to everything.
I'm very glad no one in Europe refers to races by sponsors!

Why is it people are capable of referring to Sebring, Daytona and Indy by name but not less historic or famous races? The name of the circuit is usually timeless, sponsors come and go from race to race! At least refer to these things with a consistent name rather than the name which changes.

 

[Northstar]

^I hate this as well, I would much rather have it like in F1 where the race name stays the same and the sponsor if there is one just goes in front of the title.

 

[Barra333]

My motor racing attendance record is pretty scattered geographically, but the main ones are...

Late 90's - World Superbikes, Phillip Island
June 2002 and 2003 - V8 Supercars, Canberra
Feb 2003 - NASCAR @ Rockingham, NC
May 2006 - F1 GP, Monaco (the year Webber was running 3rd in a Williams til his car spontaneously combusted)
Early 2007 - BTCC - Knockhill (I could walk to the top of Knockhill iteslf from where I lived at the time - watched Jackie Stewart run in a vintage F1 car through binoculars)

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I've only been to the 2005 Rally Australia, and the 2009 Sydney 500.

 

[FordMKIVJ5]

I've been to Snetterton 3 times for the BTCC. Can't remeber the years.

Must be 2005, 2006, 2007 or something around then.

 

[Matthew77258]

Not sure what year it was but the v8 race in Canberra
2008 V8 oran park race
2010 Bathurst 1000.

 

[astrosdude91]

Unfortunately the only major motorsport even I've been to was an NHRA drag race in Houston that my dad took me to about 5 years ago. Though drag racing doesn't interest me, so it wasn't very exciting. I got to hang out with my dad afterwards, which was cool I guess. Other than that I haven't been to a single race. Unfortunately there isn't much in this part of the country outside of the NASCAR and Indy races at Texas Motor Speedway. There was the Champ Car race held for a long time here in Houston. And I almost went a few times, since it would usually take place around my birthday, but it never happened.

But hopefully that will change this year. Two of my friends and I are planning a trip to Colorado, which includes attending the Pikes Peak Hillclimb. And of course there is the United States Grand Prix in November that I have my heart set on attending.

 

[gorsad]

The 2011 Indian GP and the 2011 V8 Supercars race at Yas Marina Circuit.