Hi Paul,

Heat listings will not be posted before Sunday morning. As you are aware, due to the booking in system drivers can withdraw or enter up to this Friday and even book in on the day if spaces are available.
This therefore means the heat listings will change and will need to be altered on a regular basis leading up to the meeting.
I will be posting a full meeting schedule later today which should answer most questions that people may have.

RR.

Looking forward to seeing your hard work RR :)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION!
 

Sunday 22nd April 2012

Venue opens from 7.00am
Booking in opens @ 7.00am
Booking in closes @ 8.00am
Practice round 1 starts @ 8.30am
Drivers briefing will follow after Practice
Format:
There will be 2 rounds of 4 minute practice in heat order which will be timed. Results will be displayed on the results board following each heat.
Marshalling during the practice rounds is NOT compulsory but the club and more so the drivers would appreciate it
Race numbers are not required during practice.
There will then be 4 rounds of qualifying round by round. Race numbers will be required on all cars, one on the window and one on the left side.
The finals will be single leg apart from the 'A' final which will be 3 legs.

All other information will be made clear during drivers briefing.

TORCH as a club is very proud to be hosting 2 regionals this year and will make every effort to make it an enjoyable experience for all that attend.

RR.

WOW guys that is a SERIOUSLY early start time for a regional, we did not start proceedings that early at the national this weekend :o (see below). Is it worth considering pegging back some of those times slightly in light of the fact that some drivers from the region have to travel 2+ hours to your venue from the far north of our region - since you are the southern most track) :confused:

Only a suggestion, but we dont want to put people off with a sub 4am start to their journey which may then lead to them canceling their entry....

(National this weekend - most arrived at around 7/7:30am, Booking in 7-8am, Practise started at 8am, 2 rounds of 3 minute heats practise. Drivers breifing (quite a long one) followed that and heat 1 of qualifying was at 10.05am - bare in mind this was with an extra 20 drivers too - 120 - with only a 100at the regional we would have 4 less practises, 10 less heats and 2 less finals to run, meaning a saving of around 1hr 45 ish over a national - which finished just after 6pm......... just an idea guys.)

It's a 2 and a half hour journey for me. Would mean leaving at 3.30am to get there at 6 when gates open :o

As Darren has said you need to rethink the timings

Paul I agree with you FULLY, but it is only a "suggestion" from my part to make the meeting(s) more enjoyable for all, but to say that the club "need" to rethink the timing is harsh/strong. Its their meeting and their choice, but I just think it would be aiwse move for the better enjoyment of all, to seriouly consider moving thek back and hour or two, sijce I dont think there is a "need" to open up th gates and get things going that early.

(I will say now, at the two Watford events, the doors will not be opening until 8am, there will be plenty of practice for all and we will be finished at a reaonable hour too, plus we are fairly central to the region for everyone too which is an added bonus)

Not ment to come across harsh/strong. Just agreeing with you. :)

Paul/Darren,

Appreciate your comments and concerns so let me just justify the reasons behind the timings.
The gates are now open at 7am with booking in closing at 8am.
The main reason for this is so we can book drivers in/collect money etc in good time to sort the final heat list before practice. Depending on the the entry this will take at least an hour.
Darren mentioned the nationals format well their driver list is sorted well before the day including payment so they dont need to do this only register the drivers hence the later start time.
Maybe it would be better to have drivers briefing after practice to allow more time early on to sort things out.
Paul has already mentioned he (and others) will have a long drive so the aim is not to finish late so these guys can get away at a sensible time.
As this is our 1st big meeting we are just trying to cover all the bases. Past experience dictates that you cannot please everyone but gettings things sorted early will allow the meeting to start on time.

Hope this helps and original post now ammended.

RR.

I have never been to any meeting that booking in starts at 6.15, that seems crazy to me. Leaving at 4am spending a whole day racing and having a 2hr drive home. Please tell me that was a typo.... I personally would

I have never been to any meeting that booking in starts at 6.15, that seems crazy to me. Leaving at 4am spending a whole day racing and having a 2hr drive home. Please tell me that was a typo.... I personally would be concerned for my own safety driving home after that a day that long.

Booking in is open from 7am till 8am.

Petit race at Maritime was like that.

But to be fair being a large "international" 2 day meeting "most" people with any kind of distance to travel where in a hotel close by, for a regional that would be a little extreme.

RR, I think the new amended schedule looks far better mate which gives plenty of daylight to get home in for those driving a few hours from t'up north

wow
 

Glad the start time was changed, I am less than an hour away and still thought 6am was a tad early lol..........

Looking forward to this 1st regional! See you all Sunday!:thumbsup:

Hope the drainage is good! Weather looks crap!

:thumbdown:

Seriously though, having never been to Torch, how does the track stand up to wet weather?

We have a six hour round trip and a hotel stop over , so if the track floods easily it would be good to know up front.

Otherwise I have blue tak... :thumbsup:

Weather actually improving for Sunday and the track is fine even if raining
Blue tak is a good idea!

Hi

Track does hold up pretty well with wet weather. It is on a slight slope so water runs off and drainage ditches were built in underneath.

Obviously if you get enough rain small puddles will eventually start to form but since the track was rebuilt a couple of years ago I have never seen it flooded to the point it was unraceable due to standing water.

If it is just showers as currently forecast then I am sure it will be fine.

Rob

Seems to dry pretty quickly too even with just a breeze and not much sun so if its overcast and dry you should soon find it drying out :thumbsup: