Rockingham in Derbyshire is uni directional as it were, been on a few bike track days and raced there too, they can run clockwise or anti clockwise, but usually race tracks just run clockwise for whatever reasons :) - it's got that dodgy oval circuit plus all the infield section where they can chop and change where the track goes which is kinda cool
[Edited by TBMeech - 4/3/2002 11:17:45 AM] |
Not simultaneously of course :rolleyes:
But why have counterclockwise tracks and clockwise tracks? I realise that you'd require run-offs & gravel traps that would be compatible, but anyone who's played a computer game in the last decade has enjoyed learning the track in the opposite direction... (?). Surely this would add to the appeal? Am I missing something blatantly obvious that prevents this? :confused: |
Brands hatch used to do this many moons ago, they would hold races in either direction, not really sure why it stopped though.....
|
why? it cost enough time and expense to set up for one direction- why double this up by running backwards????
also the time spent adjusting traps, pit lane grids, timing set ups, etc would be huge. Tiggs |
The rumble strips at the apexes are often set-up for one-way racing too!
|
plus run off areas probably only cater for one direction well, particularly on the high speed grand prix tracks etc.
|
It runs both ways on GT2
|
You need to get a license from the MSA to run a track in the UK - no idea whats involved, but i'm guessing its a little more than fill in the form and sending it to a PO Box number. And as stated above, what's in it for the circuit owners ? It costs them more to build, maintain and license, but they can only hold one race at a time (although some of the BTCC races seem to have cars going in both directions...)
there is at least one UK track that has a license to run both ways, though i cant recall which one (one of the smaller ones - knockhill ? mondello park ?) |
Didn't those British V8 pick ups and stock car type thingies used to run some of the circuits in reverse (not reverse gear :rolleyes: ) ?
|
"Rockingham in Derbyshire"
Dude its in Northamptonshire. Most 1/4 mile oval tracks run both ways often on the same day. Stock cars run anti clockwise, hot rods, bangers and mini stox run clockwise. |
prob a bit easier to get an oval going in reverse than a "proper" track.
think about it- brands hatch- round druids backwards- up padock hill, left hander onto pit straight- lose it and your in the grandstand! Tiggs (there is a little track that does bike days in reverse- lyden?) |
Davyboy,
You're right Rockingham is in Northamptonshire, apologies m8 :) DOH!!! |
An awful lot of time and attention goes into designing a track to ensure it meets its objectives i.e. to test the drivers skills. You can't just swap it around, it would be like moving the hole on a golf course from the green to the tee. It could work on oval tracks as long as they turn the start lights around.
|
Brands stopped doing it cos of the pit exit
on the right way out you get to merge - when they extended the pits they moved the entry round the corner - so no merge was possible Other than that its a silly idea anyway |
Picture some muppet losing it and recovering and thinking 'Which way were we going today ? Oh yeah, this way, vroooooooom'........... smash ! :o
|
Apparently they did it at Knockhill, but there was big potential to barrel roll down a nasty hill, and also the issue of reaching a hairpin at about 120 MPH as it is downhill at the end of the long straight. It is scary enough as it is!
|
Knockhill was licenced for "wrong direction" racing but that licence has been allowed to lapse. It was really pretty dangerous - they did put more gravel traps in but there was a severe lack of run-off at the hairpin and at Clarks. Plus the chicane downhill was a bit iffy. They did run occasional "Hot Hatch" days the wrong way - an XR2 racer called Charlie Thornton had a huge accident last year (year before?) and they're now stopped that as well.
Only reason they started it was to allow drivers to upgrade race licences from Nat B to Nat A more easily - you need signatures at more than one circuit and "the wrong way" counted as another one. |
RichardPON, you are right, the Eurocars used to run several tracks "the wrong way around", including places like Mallory Park. Watching those things exit Gerards at high speed inches from a wall never quite felt right.
IMHO it isn't a wise thing to do, the run off problem already highlighted here, but there are other problems; armco gaps are designed to go "with traffic" and don't work in reverse, and often marshal defences are designed to work one way only. I think a marshal was seriously injured at a Eurocar race at Mallory Park. I think they stopped the practice after that. Rally cars also run the wrong way at many circuits, as rallies do not need track licences to operate. I believe a driver was killed not so long ago at Snetterton by hitting an armco gap the wrong way :( |
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 06:12 PM. |
© 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands