GMT

Anyone know who I can book a bedford track day with ? I will be using the SIDC for some, but got a mate with a 200sx who wants to come on the track as well, but easytrack don't use bedford

Thanks

Graham

DocJock

www.circuitdriver.com

They've not put up this years dates yet

Rikki 95WRX

OOooooh, sir, track day, Bedford, 200SX, oooh, sir, suits you sir.....ooo

GMT

OH!! can sir wait to go on the track?? OH!! whens the first track day though ?!

Graham

Jack-S

Try a lady called Liz at PalmerSport (based in Horsham Sussex for some reason). They look after the track. I spoke to her about hiring the track yesterday and she mentioned that they run their own days. The number is 01403 739500.

Have fun.

Rikki 95WRX

G

I texted you a couple of times about doing the Karting/Jordan thing in General. Let me know what you think - (Jimmy is up for it) when you read this please and ask Andy too.

Cheers
Rik

GMT

hey buddy

Didn't get any texts from you ... I'll have a look at the info in General .. Andy's in Canada at the moment! should be getting the 200 back in a couple of weeks, then just need some track days the 2 scoobies against the 200sx !!!

Not out over this weekend.. going out with Alex (new bird!) .. will catch up on evening early next week??

G

Rikki 95WRX

OK bud - strange - I have texted both of your phones a couple of times and got no replies. Let me know what you think.

When will Andy be back? Do you think he would be up for it? No pressure as I think Rich has quite a few reserves to fill in.

DavidBrown

So when IS the next trackday at Bedford, and who is the organiser ?

Liz Bushnell

Hi Graham

Liz from PalmerSport here! I deal with the track days circuit hire at Bedford Autodrome so hopefully I can help.

We currently have three dates lined up for the next few months. PalmerSport will also be running approx. one track day every month at Bedford and hopefully Stef will be in touch to organise some more S.I.D.C events with us!

If you would like more information on PalmerSport track days, you can contact me as follows:

Tel - 01403 733 999
Fax - 01403 733 222
email - liz.bushnell@palmersport.com

Liz

GMT

Hi Liz,

Thanks very much for the reply .. will email you tomorrow for further info.

Thanks again

Graham

DavidBrown

Note: There are spaces available for the track day at Bedford Autodrome this Saturday 19th January.

Might be tempted, although the £75 fee for pitlane spectators is prohibitively expensive.

GMT

The £75 is for additional drivers... if you're not planning on driving then I believe its free just to spectate.

Graham

DavidBrown

No, it's NOT (not shouting, just emphasising)

I called to clarify this. To prevent the pitlane being cluttered, anyone wanting access to the pit lane must pay £75. That includes people who just wish to spectate from the pit lane, or those wanting to be passengers.

Spectators must use the free spectators area, some way away.

Not much fun if you're taking someone who's not going to drive as you won't see much of them, and £75 to be a pitlane spectator is silly.

[Edited by DavidBrown - 1/17/2002 7:10:07 PM]

Liz Bushnell

The Pit Lane access cost also covers the guest to be an additional driver and passenger. It is not a spectator fee. As you know, Bedford has a lack of barriers and because of this it is for safety reasons that we try and minimise the number of spectators in the Pit Lane. You are correct in thinking that there is absolutley no cost for spectators to watch from the trackside suite.

Please bear in mind we are trying to make your events as safe and enjoyable as possible.

Liz Bushnell
PalmerSport

DavidBrown

I sympathise that Bedford need to keep pit lane numbers down due to a lack of barriers, but as they say "that's your problem".

To force people to pay £75 if they have no intention of driving is too much. Most other track day organisers only charge £10, many like BookaTrack offer it for free.

There needs to be a middle-ground price for passengers-only (it's not difficult to have Yellow bands for drivers, Green for passengers).. Unless it's a money making scheme, which it appears to be.

I was going to come along tomorrow, with a passenger.. I would have been happy to pay the £195 booking fee and £10 for the passenger.. But I won't pay £75 for a passenger, so that's £205 Bedford hasn't earned.



[Edited by DavidBrown - 1/18/2002 9:24:33 AM]

Liz Bushnell

The lack of barriers is a decision we have made to increase the enjoyment of driving at the venue by removing the most likely cause of extensive damage to cars. To say "that's your problem" seems somewhat short sighted - they are your cars not ours that are going to hit any steelwork we put up!

SPECTATORS ARE FREE OF CHARGE AT BEDFORD AUTODROME.
They get to spend the day in the Trackside Suite, the garden of which runs almost up to the circuit edge and offers great views of the circuit and pit lane beyond. For the safety of guests and the smooth running of the open pit lane we try and restrict the numbers of people in the pit lane to people who are actually taking part in the driving. To have non-particpants milling around in the pit lane detracts from the enjoyment of the other drivers on the day.

If drivers wish to purchase a Pit Lane Pass for a guest that guest gets unlimited access to the pit lane, they get to drive the Formula 2000 single seater race cars provided by PalmerSport and can passenger in or drive the car that they came with. All for only £75.

We believe we have devised a fair system of charging that refelcts the restricted number of cars we allow at the venue and the advantages of driving at, what we beleive, is one of the best track day venues in the country. We could stop charging for second drivers but the cost to primary drivers would go up or the restriction on number of cars on each event would go up (resulting in less driving time for everyone). We will continue to offer a quality product in a competitve market place at a price we feel is fair.

Track days are fundamentlally a participation sport - long may it be so!

Jon Tait
Head of Sales
PalmerSport Group

bdrought

Why should a second driver be charged more than a nominal admin fee? You say you keep the prices high to keep the numbers of cars down (the amount of people refusing to go because of cost is an indication that your plan is working)....but...... a second driver doesnt make the track busier.

imho of course. (Would have gone to see what the track is like in anticipation of summer track days, but £75 for a ride outis a bit steep)

Bri

bdrought

Thinking about it...

"they get to drive the Formula 2000 single seater race cars provided by PalmerSport"

So thats *included* in the £75, or does the £75 merely entitle you to have the option to pay more for the drive?

DavidBrown

The thing is, while a ride in a Formula 2000 is all good and well, it's avoiding my point.

It's like having paying £100 for a McDonalds because it comes with a gold plated toy.. when all you want is a burger.

£75 to be a passenger is extortionate, no matter what goodies you stack on top of it to justify the price.

You *may* be able to argue that a car with 2 drivers gets more track time, but I think Palmersport are wilfully avoiding the subject of people who only want to be passengers.

[Edited by DavidBrown - 1/18/2002 10:14:41 AM]

Marc W

I am in complete agreement with David Brown here.

I went to 2 track days at Bedford Autodrome last year (not with SIDC) and it is a fantastic venue - I had fully intended to attend a couple more this year.

However last year I took my Caterham, as did my friend, and both of our girlfriends came along as well. They weren't that interested in the actual track day and probably went out in the pasenger seat a couple of times each all day. The rest of the time, they sat around chatting between themselves, with us when we weren't on track and generally having a good time cos the weather was nice and the Bedford pit area is nice and clean anyway, unlike some other tracks. They did not get in anyone's way at all, all day.

If you are saying that this year they would have to pay £75 extra to do the same, or stay in a different part of the circuit for the pleasure of watching us they simply will not be coming and that means I also, won't be coming.

This is a silly system - can't you introduce an extra category for people that just want to access the pitlane and be a passenger? £5 would would be sensible, £10 bearable.

Marc

DrEvil

£30 would have been enough to discourage spectators from the pitlane me thinks.

David - I would agree with you on this one, day light robbery. it would be easy to restrict movement in the pitlane of people that aren't actively taking part, but are accompanying a driver.

mutant_matt

I'm in agreement too guys

I also hope that this WILL NOT be the case for SIDC arranged Track Days this year!!!!!! One of the many good reasons for attending the SIDC days is the social element and if the spectators can't be in the pit lane like last year (which caused absolutely no issues at the SIDC days at least) then it ruins the event.

I really hope this is not going to be the case because I was planning on going out on track at least once if not more at Bedford this year on the SIDC days - if this rule is carried through to "our" days, then I won't be coming.....[img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

Stef, if you're still in the land of the living then can you please let us know the score with regards to the Bedford SIDC events this year? Any dates or details?

Matt

chuckster

It lust seems to me that the Palmersport track days will appeal to a different kind of customer than, say, a bookatrack day at Dono. For me I think it's great that a person who choses to come to the track with me gets a chance to drive an F2000 car.
If someone wanted to come with me to track just to passenger then we wouldn't choose Bedford...simple as that.
Chuck

Stef

Hello Peeps.
I'm still watching over you all.
What Bedford do with their own events is obviously up to them. They, like any other company, can charge what they like. Either you'll pay and attend or you won't go at all.
When the SIDC hold an event there, we hire the venue itself so we can then charge what WE want for the various extras such as spectators, additional drivers etc.
There will never be a charge for spectating at any SIDC track events, including those at Bedford.
There is another event on the full GT circuit at Bedford in the near future, so watch this space.

Stef.

mutant_matt

Thanks for that Stef, great news. Chuck you're absolutely right - it's their business and they can run it however they please.....doesn't mean we have to like it though..

heh ( )

Matt

Rikki 95WRX

I spent half a day here at an SIDC event and nearly went home through boredom and lack of atmosphere, until someone offered to take me to the Pit Area - then I had an extremely enjoyable time and it helped me make the decision that I would like to go on track and AT BEDFORD!

IMHO this is absolutely NOT the case. I have met and had very interesting discussions with many Subaru owners and Scoobynetters (who were previously names on a computer screen) in the Pit Area. This has helped me learn more about my car, track day preparation and driving techniques.

. AWESOME car but you failed to mention the additional cost. ** [Edit] 19.01.02 I spoke to someone this morning who said he thinks there is no additional cost for this but it is not the Formula Palmer Audi thingy I was thinking of. This is good in a way but any of the spectators that I would take - I would not let drive my car on track and would not be interested in paying £75 to have the option of driving the F2000 car.[/Edit]

ONLY £75 then! Thats OK.

Agreed

As mentioned earlier, it is your business to run as you see fit but I am one customer (who would have had passengers and spectators) you have lost.

For now (that was a joke)

I had hoped to get out on track with the original poster, Graham and other Non-SIDC members at a Non-SIDC day at Bedford. Unfortunately it looks like that won't be happening now. Lets hope the SIDC format at Bedford remains as it has been (as Stef mentioned) so I can get out there at all.

All my humble opinion of course
Rikki





[Edited by Rikki 95WRX - 1/19/2002 4:22:42 PM]

DavidBrown

ROFL. Just spat my coffee.

Other than a couple of people who think the F2000 is a good thing (which should be available separately) it seems the overwhelming feedback is that PalmerSport have it all wrong.

PalmerSport are losing an unquantifyable amount of potential business hand over fist this way, not to mention frustrating potential track day visitors. Perhaps they can afford to, if they gouge enough passengers.

GMT

GO RIKKI .. GO RIKKI .. GO RIKKI !!!!

ahh .. Rikki Lake .. always does it for me

Anyway, as Rikki says, I have been to the SIDC organised day at Bedford and it was really good .. I will be attending some of the SIDC track days at Bedford now, but the original question was around the fact that I've got a mate with a 200sx and therefore needs some way of getting on the track at the same time as me (and Rikki if he dares )

I'm assuming that SIDC events are still SIDC members only with Scoobs?? (I think I read this somewhere) ...

Unfortunately, most other track day companies do not seem to use Bedford .. Easytrack etc etc...

Graham

ARRON BIRD

Well I`m certainly up for it again. I think all you Skyline owners should worry more about the 5hite noise system that operates at Bedford rather than the affore mentioned comments.
Did Cem get black flagged last time round cos if not I want to know why Steve did last summer.
I lived about 2 miles from Thurleigh airfield as a kid and when they were buzzing us 24/7 with Harrier jump jets we had reason to complain about noise. Oh yeah and you try and tell me that Mr.Palmers bleeding helicopter isnt louder than a Skyline.....oh and on another point I have been up there when the bloody Touring cars are testing...quiet .I think not.
Right I`m off my very high soap box for a while.