SimRacing.org.uk

RACE 3

The 3rd race in the 2019 JSMT is at Castle Combe, a motor racing circuit in Wiltshire, England, approximately 20 miles (32 km) from Bristol. The circuit is based on the perimeter track of a former World War II airfield, and was opened for racing in 1950. The Castle Combe airfield opened in May 1941 on land of the Castle Combe estate, owned by the Gorst family, operating as RAF Castle Combe for seven years before being decommissioned in 1948. It was a fighter-base for Polish airmen. Castle Combe Circuit opened in 1950, and the first meeting was staged on 8 July by the Bristol Motorcycle & Light Car Club. Over the next few years, the circuit attracted star names such as Stirling Moss, Mike Hawthorn, Roy Salvadori and John Surtees. The circuit's first motorcycle event was in 1952, organised by the Wessex Centre.

Castle Combe has staged many different motorsport disciplines over the years. In 1997, Nigel Greensall established a new lap record. His Tyrrell 022 lapped the circuit at 130.93 mph (210.71 km/h). However, this was the last year that the circuit would remain unaltered. A tragic accident involving the death of a spectator forced the owners into installing two new chicanes in order to slow the cars down. The new layout was slightly longer at 1.85 miles (2.98 km), and was completed over the winter of 1998-1999. Formula Three returned to Castle Combe in 2001. However, it would not stay long. In 2005, the circuit was issued with a noise nuisance order, which meant that the circuit had to reduce its noise level. The British Formula Three Championship and the British GT Championship were both louder than permitted, and so were prevented from returning.

So please, no shouting in chat or we will have the locals on our case!!!

ALL PRO DRIVERS MUST USE THE FERRARI 166 FOR THIS RACE.  AMS have free choice

 

Race list	iGOR
Server	TBA
IP address	see IGOR
Date	30-04-2019
Track	ccombe (http://srmz.net/index.php?showtopic=1071)
Mod	1967 F2 with 60fpsV2newmod
Damage	INT
Race time	~ 21:15 UK time
Qualifying	20:45 UK time approx 30 minutes
Race length	20 laps
Replay

PLEASE NOTE THAT AMS HAVE FREE CHOICE FOR THIS EVENT.

This is a great little circuit in real life, and the noise restrictions are pathetic. Such a shame. I turned up to do a track day on a BMW S1000RR and the noise testers failed me.. without even pointing the mic at the bike. That bike always fails here, they said, so no real point in testing you (they of course did do so, and it failed convincingly). It always makes me laugh when you turn up at Donington for noise testing - the circuit is right beside an airport and planes take off over you all day... Thruxton has a very limited number of days it can hold race meetings too...

..anyway, back to 1967... what's noise testing??? Hoping to make Joe's series, haven't been able to race recently.

Well spoken Colin!!

I used to cycle up to Castle Coombe ( just noticed the spelling mistake above ...oops!!  ::) ) in my teens with a packet of cheese sandwiches and a bottle of squash. I would be there early to watch practice/qualifying and the races returning home late in the evening. That was around the mid sixties...I got my first car in 1968... then I got lazy and drove there  ;)

Ron Fry ( King of the Coombe) with his Ferrari 250LM and Mike Sanger with his Cobra, along with Vince Woodman's Capri and Brian Cutting's (?) V8 Vauxhall Viva plus many more legends!! the noise was part of the spectacle!!

Then ( alledgedly ) it appears that some very wealthy and influential persons moved into the Castle Coombe village, where house prices are off this planet because of it's chocolate box charm. The local council was lobbied and threatened, until they slapped the noise order on the track so that it did not "offend" the new residents. Who incidentally, bought their house knowing full well that a race track sat on top of the hill  :-\. Then they modified the track with 2 chicanes, which reduced max speed and further lowered noise levels!! at least we can drive the "fast" version of the circuit.
Incidentally I did read that many of the top TT riders hire the circuit for testing and run without the chicanes, as it is reckoned to be the closest to the Isle of Man in terms of fast flowing bends and undulations. If you can discover when these guys are planning to test...entry appears to be free  ;)

If you attend a race meeting there these days, the noise level is 50%less than rush hour traffic in central Bristol ??? and many of the cars ( and bikes) feel sort of neutered??. I will be turning the volume on my rig up to max for this race in protest  :P

Laguna Seca had the same fate re rich nobbers moving in and complaining - i've done a couple of days there, and Turn 5 is coned off to slow you down to nothing (for the noise monitoring). I'm sure in a few years they'll have to come up with new excuses for all anyone who enjoys speed in an electric vehicle - they won't make much noise, but no doubt will still upset them by simply existing... As you say Clive, the noise is a big part of the fun, so I have no plans to get an electric bike... maybe they'll just kill off circuits that way...

That reminds me - I must take the Subaru through the village on a non-raceday while the silencers are off, That's 2 or 3 times louder than the track limit ;)
Give 'em something to actually complain about..

This will show my age, but those who were kids in the 50's and 60's will understand  ;).

OK!, electric bikes, but with an empty cigarette packet clipped to the forks with a wooden clothes peg ?? Or maybe 2 packets if you want a really fast bike  ;D

That is the sole reason I want to get an E-type if I win the lottery :laugh:

Yeah, I will never forget the pain when the full grid of F1 in 1970 saw the starter flag...
I sat in the Opel-Kurve and saw all exhaust fron behind!

Was as loud as the "Deep Purple" concert in the Aula of the Heidelberg University - 3 days of deafness followed!

Was able to get Pole, but Tim had a better start and went alongside. Gave him room until he conceded towards Quarry Corner. It looked like Tim and Clive had basically the same pace as me, but made a few mistakes and lost touch, when I pushed early race. Tim made a good recovery to P2 with great pace, and the fastest lap of the day! Also Clive was on fire but had to settle for P3 in the end. ;)