'The Rock'

[kevin ritson]

Well, it's nearly time for the much-anticipated Rockingham BTCC debut and I'm sure this will be the first visit to the circuit for many of us on the forum. Therefore, can any Rockingham veterans enlighten us on where we should be sitting? Whilst we'll be able to see all of the circuit, I'd like to be close to where most of the best action and spectacle will be and short of a few laps on TOCA Race Driver, would appreciate some advice!

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

Well your stuck if your not in a grandstand because the bad news is there isnt much else. Top of the rockingham building is the best place to go. Full view of the track with the advantage of being sheltered.

[Alan]

Well we have been to The Rock seven or eight times now, but only for ASCAR.

The grandstands are excellent however and Sim is probably right about the top of the Rockingham building. But there will be good views from almost any of the seats.

About the only places you can stand are in front of the Rockingham building and on top of the pit garages, but I don't know if that will be happening for a TOCA event (though I see no reason why not).

It will be nice to see the whole of the circuit, but be warned - you will almost certainly be looking in the wrong direction when something happens!!!

I do think you will need good eyesight or a pair of bins - some of the circuit is a long way away.

[The Stig]

Is Rockingham a little like Brands Hatch in that from most viewpoints you can see the entire circuit ? At Paddock Hill Grandstand, you can see almost all of Brands except Druids behind the trees. Bins are going to be thrown in the rucksack.

[Sarah]

I prefer sitting in the top of the Rockingham building but you will not be close to the action. I've also sat at turn 4 which is closer to the track but I didn't find the seating as comfortable there. You will be able to see the whole track from all the grandstands.

[Amanda]

I have only been to Rockingham for ASCAR and when Jason was racing always watched from the roof of the garages as I wanted to be close to the paddock.

Last time we went to Rockingham we watched from the Rockingham building, the view is great but you are a long way from the action.

[Jamie P-E]

I'll agree with Amanda, I was there this year for the Radical races and I watched from the roof of the Garages,Fabulous view from there.

Jamie:D

[Amanda]

Thanks Jamie!

I know you won't be at Rockingham so let me know if you would like me to text updates to you!:D

[Jamie P-E]

Thanks I'll e-mail you my mobile number when i get back from the office



Jamie

[Peter]

I have only been to Rockingham for the two Champ Car races, so I know that you definitely have a great view from the grandstands- but I can't remember if you can see the whole infield.

Couple of questions: Will we have to pay extra for grandstands? Which grandstand out of turns 1 and turn 4 would you recommend for the infield?

[acorn]

Originally posted by Peter
I have only been to Rockingham for the two Champ Car races, so I know that you definitely have a great view from the grandstands- but I can't remember if you can see the whole infield.

Couple of questions: Will we have to pay extra for grandstands? Which grandstand out of turns 1 and turn 4 would you recommend for the infield?

the higher you get the more you see however you see about 95% from all seats. the bit that's missing tends to be from the tarzan hairpin behind the school garages.
best place overall- rock building. closest "action "- turn 1 for the chicane. the furthest point is probably the same as if you were sat in paddock hill bend looking to clearways at brands. if you use binoculars, you'll probably be focusing on the wrong thing.
grandstand seats(all seater stadium apart from the grassy bit opposite the pits, and the garage roof) are included in the ticket price.

[Peter]

Thanks for the info :)

Is there an additional cost for use of the Rockingham building?

[touring fan]

At the start of the year Rockingham said that every entrance ticket included a grandstand seat at no extra cost for every even this year ( the only thing they've ever charged extra for is the CART) but sometimes they don't open the north and south grandstands if they aren't expecting a lot of people. I normally sit at the top of the rockingham building but recently realised that turn 1 grandstand gives a good close view. plus you actually have room to sit without having your knees taken off by the seat infront (unlike silverstones £10 rip off). Take an extra jumper to sit on if it's chilly though, those seats are metal.

[Reynard]

If I am spectating - well, the top of the garages does me fine, though you can get a bit dizzy watching the ASCARs go round-and-round-and-round... Never tried the grandstands per se, though I did watch last year's CART from the grass bank in front of the Rockingham Building.

These days I don't do much spectating at Rockingham as I'm now working for gforceimages. ;) If you see a short, stubby female photographer scuttling about the place in an extra-large media tabard with a black camera bag with a pink scarf tied to it, that'll be me...

One thing I can recommend to Rockingham newbies is bring both the suncream and the wet weather gear as the weather in the area can be notoriously unpredictable. Take last weekend; one minute beautiful clear blue sky and then literally within minutes the rain was coming down so hard I couldn't see back down the pit straight from Turn 1.

[bramble]

I've been to every event at Rockingham this year, and I advise you to sit in the Rockingham building..... that way I get to sit in the best place in Turn 1 with plenty of room! I found the main covered stand to far away from the track and you will not see a huge chunk of the Touring Car circuit - and even though its covered you will still get wet if it rains because it so windy up there!! There are advantages though - you will be close to the toilets and shops.

[Paul Rayner]

Rockingham is the country's best circuit for not having to worry where you sit - you can see everything everywhere. I would recommend somewhere near turn 1 though (either in the Rockingham building with a roof over your head or in the turn 1 grandstand), as this way you'll be closest to the best three overtaking spots on the circuit (Turn 1 chicane, Turn 2 hairpin, Tarzan hairpin).

Some people complain that much of the action happens miles away - it's closer than Becketts at Silverstone if you're at Luffield - but here you can still see it all! If you've got some binoculars though, there's no harm in taking them. You might prefer them, you might not. If you're not going in the Rockingham building though, a cushion is definitely recommended - the metal bences at turns 1 & 4 ain't comfortable.

[Sarah]

I won 2 tickets thanks to Green Flag.

[touringlegend]

Nice one Sarah. Hope I'll have the same luck for Croft - I've entered for that and the price of the tickets will help with the petrol - I'm in Scotland and Croft is about 180 miles away!!!

I wouldn't believe a word anyones said about Rockingham here - why would they give away the good points - surely they want the good points in what will be a packed event?? :p ;)

[Alan]

Croft must be about the same distance for us!!!!:(

I know you were joking touringlegend but the whole point of Rockingham is that there are plenty of seats (52,000?) for everyone, and most of them have at least a good view!:D

Even if everyone on this forum went we would all disappear in the top of the Rockingham building!!!!!:cool:

Plenty of space for everyone.

[MGmad]

Now your talking my language!!!!!

I will be at Croft as. Did I mention I actually live closer! I only live in Tyne & Wear. Which is an agonising hour and a half drive away. If sunny I will be standing on the hill at the first corner wearing an MG T-Shirt and cap. I will be carrying an MG bag as I plan to raid the MG merchandise stand.

Back to Rockingham. I feel personally that the chiefs who run the whole BTCC show should have gone to the boffins at Rockingham when the place first opened. It is a perfect cirtuit. As you say Alan you can see everywhere.

That is why it is such a crime
a) that we don't have more top quality circuits (after all the UK dominates in most motorsports) and
b)That we have thousands of baron, ugly acres brown field sites which as usual wasted on housing when it could be put to excellent use as racing circuits. Creating something for in-work workmen to do and gives something for out-of-work people to do.