BTCC: Mondello off 2007 BTCC calendar

[ZBOYD]

Mondello Park has issued the following statement:

‘Mondello Park and BARC/TOCA have agreed that for 2007 Mondello Park’s British Touring Car Championship round will be run at Thruxton Racing Circuit in Andover by the BARC. This decision was reached by mutual consent, after it became apparent there were some logistical issues surrounding the support package for 2007.

Commenting on the announcement, John Morris of Mondello Park said “time is marching on and we all needed to finalise our calendars for next year. This is for 2007 only and BARC are running our round at Thruxton, we intend to host our own BTCC round again in 2008. There were a number of factors that influenced the decision for next year and we could have gone on for another month trying to make it happen and still have ended up with the same result. We decided it was better all round to reach a definitive agreement now, in order that we could all complete our respective calendars and offer our competitors dates for 2007”.

Dennis Carter of BARC said “obviously we will miss the trip to Mondello in 2007, but we will be working together to return in 2008”.

The announcement means that Mondello Park can now finalise its 2007 calendar which will be issued once it has been agreed by Motorsport Ireland. The British Touring Car Championship calendar can now also be finalised and the revised calendar will be issued shortly by the BARC/TOCA.’

 

[m0rk]

I hope they don't run two weekends at thruxton... nice circuit, but there's better to do twice

 

[ZBOYD]

Sounds like they will.

 

[tris]

may go along never been to thruxton

 

[m0rk]

it's good once a year, and has a place (so the cars with better aero can win) but it's not good for spectating as 75% of it is flat out accelerating.

the facilities are lame too - especially the pit set up.

And I bet they skimp on Rockingham again - which is a terrible shame

 

[F2 Stu]

Yeah - Rockingham Rocked - fantastic racing.

3 visits to brands hatch instead?

 

[ArosaRacer]

Yeah - Rockingham Rocked - fantastic racing.

3 visits to brands hatch instead?

YEAH 3 times abuse towards anything non seat!

 

[IainW]

I was looking forward to a little roadtrip to Mondello as well.

 

[IainW]

Provisional calendar is out:

29 March-1 April, Brands Hatch, Kent
21-22 April, TBA (Will more than likely be Silverstone after F1 calendar is finalised)
5-6 May, Thruxton, Hampshire
2-3 June, Croft, North Yorkshire
23-24 June, Oulton Park, Cheshire
14-15 July, Donington Park, Leicestershire
28-29 July, Snetterton, Norfolk
18-19 August, Brands Hatch, Kent
1-2 September, Knockhill, Fife
13-14 October, Thruxton, Hampshire

Thruxton in October doesn't bear thinking about.

 

[m0rk]

Season finale at Thruxton doesn't either.......

inagine all the traffic pouring into the field to park up and the facilities straining, and people up to their knee's in mud as the lack of seating becomes apparent.

very poor score.

I still stand by 'whats wrong with rockingham' that place rocks and sits so many people and has parking for all.

 

[ZBOYD]

Oulton in June, that'll be a warm then or it will snow.

Thruxton season finale will be daft, it was hard enough getting out of there after a normal BTCC meeting.

 

[IainW]

I still stand by 'whats wrong with rockingham' that place rocks and sits so many people and has parking for all.

I've only been the once, but would much rather go there than Thruxton for a second time. There's only so much you can see at Thruxton due to it's size and it being an airport.

Looks like the first meeting supports the A1GP races. That'll be fun....

 

[ZBOYD]

To be fair to TOCA, reading between the lines, i don't think the Rockingham issue is just their reluctance but Rockingham too.

 

[m0rk]

Yup, Rockingham have planning issues (seems daft given the same council allowed them to build the bloody thing....)

6 race weekends a year, and I think they use the oval racers for that mostly. such a waste.

I think I'd sooner see repeat rounds at almost any of the venue's apart from knockhill, thruxton, croft & snetterton. (I know that doesn't leave many...)

 

[IainW]

There are some tracks which you'd only visit once a year and then there's special ones like Oulton which deserve more than one.

 

[tris]

Brands in aug should be nice and sunny (i hope)

 

[m0rk]

for sure - tracks with an alternative configuration

Silverstone, Oulton, Brands fall into this. That way you can have a 'different' race at the same place.

 

[ZBOYD]

Would be nice to visit Oulton twice for sure. Maybe using the Fosters short circuit or the Full circuit inc Shell Oils (that would be so much fun to watch)

 

[driveforward]

Echoing the comments above, Thruxton is a good circuit - but twice and as the finale in October!? Like m0rk's said - why not choose a circuit with an alternate configuration. It's also irritating they won't/can't do Rockingham

 

[tris]

Would they not do Snetterton twice?