Castle Combe year guide

The year 2000 Castle Combe has been produced, for the first time in full colour to tie in with the tracks 50th aneversary.
To get you copy, find out details at the castle combe web site. http://www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk

Thanks bloke. Am heading that way now...

Graham, have you got yours yet?
Bet your looking forward to the 29th of May? 4 different classes of Mini's......Nice

I've now had a chance to look through this years guide..

It looks a little 'weak' to me!!! Combe seems to have lost out this year. TVR's, Caterham's and minis visit only once and many of the other series that we've seen over the last few years are noticable by their absence.

Few bonus's are the 50 anniversary meeting (which looks good) and at least we're guaranteed good local championships..

I always thought - that the revisions to the circuits were supposed to attract the likes of the Powertour championship..

Don't get me wrong - I think clubbie meets are far better than any TOCA rubbish I've ever been to!!!!

Not a hope of the power tour in my opinion.
If the locals will keep on dissagreeing with every proposal put forward by the circuit, then we are nevr going to develop the infield, so giving us a real paddock and pit garages, this will stop the likes of FPA, and other big chapionships.
THe national saloons are coming though, and the national zetecs, shpuld be good.
The ARP's etc give some good action, and formula saloons!
It's not all bad :)

There is a good point here. My experience last year at Combe was spoiled by two things.

1. The Paddock was grassy. All very well but in the kind of rain we had we were slipping and sliding all over the damn place.

2. The two chicanes spoil what would otherwise be a great track. The second in particular takes all the rythm out of the track.

I would think those are the reasons why the bigger championships don't want to go there this year. ;)

It is a little bit crazy, Championships were staying away because it was too fast a track, they wont go there because there is no flow,
I do agree about the second one though, one chicane may have been enough?
I fear COmbe may end up a club racing capital, like Mallory for example.
No to bad a thing.

Something had to change - I think everyone agrees on that... but the chicanes have had a mixed review. They were actually planned before those large accidents at Camp ( all were very scary and one tragic). But they won't stop a wheel flying 50 feet in the air or get Combe better series ( due to other problems - grassy paddock being one of them).

At least the facilities have got better and the racing still remains close - if a little slower...

I always thought - while not change the alignment of the corners (Camp and Old Paddock) so you get more run off... and if needed a sprinkle of gravel.

But hey, I'm not in charge.

Oh, and Lee.

I'm afraid we don't get National Saloons as they purely race with PowerTour.. sod.

I'm off to Goodwood tomorrow for the 750 MC test day, I'll let you know who's there etc..
(Bob Light maybe)
Perhaps not next week as I'm off to Devon.

Well the chicanes were the MSA's over-reaction to a very tragic accident. The better solution would be to move the spectators back from the track. But then the spectators complain so you can't win.

However. The Combe circuit prides itself on its club racing calendar. I sometimes think it gets a bit incestuous but there you go. ;)

Arse, I thought that they were doing a few non-power tour meetings :(
Let me know who is there, that would be good.

Lee,

Nope I don't have mine - I just emailed the circuit and said "Go on, send one this way please" or words to that effect. Maybe I'll badger them again.


I noticed in a leaflet Andy (my brother) got that the changes I'd noticed on Top Gear had actually been done and not just my imagination.

What does everyone think, and has anyone seen the changes up-close?

Could someone just give a short run-down of the Combe season so my brain is satiated until I get me guide...

Oh yes, and there planting some trees (at last). Bet they're nowhere useful - like inside of Quarry.

Peter,

Have you ever driven Combe pre-chicanes?

Any one into special saloons here at coombe.
I do a space frame Mini if any one is interested my site is www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~graham (http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~graham)
cheers graham

I like your website, all very interesting..

Not sure how many small space frame cars are now left in the Castle Combe series. The regular one (it's in one of your pictures) was destroyed in a very large accident last year!! The driver now races saloons..

What other series do they race in, and could you give an indication of costs involved??

You really should be posting web aresses in the Cool Sites section.
But I suppose this is quite relevent.

Dan, you know the driver of the imp you were talking about, he is racing a rover 220 turbo now, well he was racing one of those before his imp!
Just a little useless fact. :)

That car was a Ray Imp, They were suposed to be better than the Maguires I think it had a Peugot engine in. It looked lower than a maguire .I spoke to the guy since the crash but i think its impossible to repair it.A chassis of mine would be £2500. You can finish one for £8000 depending on spec.

Another series is Lynton Trailers.Or Ace Vehicle Deliveries.

I've just added a few pics to my site (nothing much) if any Combe addicts are interested.
http://www.british-motorsport.co.uk/photo/combe_02_10/update/index.htm

Nice pictures mate :)
Speaking of which, where is that link you promised me ;)

I see that Keith Macskill is returning to the Pagids this year...

I hope he's back to his best, as that'll be another really competitve driver for the series..

A welcome return to Combe!!

Does anyone know what he'll be driving??

It was this wet in October last year. My first ever racing visit ;)

http://www.angelfire.com/pe/mallett/images/combe01oct99.jpg

Nice pics? Cheers. The best I can do with no flash.

Link? Damn. Forgot. Will add later tonight if I get time.

Wish I could take pics like that. I'm buying a 500mm and flash soon so maybe I'll be able to...
Peter, is that pic by the professional bloke who follows the CSCC races? Andrew Guy showed me a couple he'd got from him - good pics.

Cheers Graham.
Dan, Keith Macskill, an Astra???
I think that is correct.
Did he have a bad crash a few years ago?
He did, according to the Combe Web site

Yep, Steve Jones.

You're showing your age Lee!!!

He had the biggest accident that I've ever seen about four years ago...

He tried to take Old Paddock flat out for the first time ever - and by the time he tried to sort out the mess he got himself in... he got T - boned by his team mate at Tower corner. At which I was unluckily marshalling at. It was all very nasty and he and his team mate were both very lucky to survive..

So it'll be good to see him back and he used to be mighty quick, he'll be a good addition to the series!

I Might have been a Nova actually, I think it will be an astra this time.
Rick told me that he had a bad crash, very lucky so I am told.

I Might have been a Nova actually, I think it will be an astra this time.
Rick told me that he had a bad crash, very lucky so I am told.

Looks like Combe will soon need its own forum...
Just picked up on a few bits and pieces.
Garry Prebble is the ex special saloon driver, his dad used to drive special saloons back in the 80's when we first started to go to spaceframes from cut down tin tops, back then we had very strong national championships, Esso, Hitachi, Wendy Wools, Brush Fusegear etc, then along came all these manufacturer one make series and killed it.
I raced on the pre-chicane circuit - yes it was damn quick, the chicanes have slowed it down a lot and made quarry a lot easier but it is still a good circuit.
Peter - you're quite right about the grassy paddock, very pretty but not practical - and too small, it gets overcrowded even on a clubbie meeting.
Hey Graham - Season opener on April Fools day - you gonna be there ??? We will be there with the Classic Formula Ford - No22 (assuming of course that this weekend I get it off the stands, install the engine & box, set the ride height do the bump steer, caster, camber, tracking, corner weights, fit the new rad and nose cone (oh and paint it), fit the new seat, bleed the brakes, make the new dash, put petrol in it, polish.... might cut the grass on Sunday if there's nothing interesting to watch on telly....) anyway we WILL be there so come over and say hello.

Tony,

Just tried to reply to your email but 'twas sent back. Arse.

Anyway, I may be at the Combe season opener. Depends on finances after my little trip to Thruxton this weekend (hopefully!).
I've already bought film and spare battery, and I might splash out on a flash.

If I'm at Combe, I'll be skipping gaily along to the paddock to check out the car. And take some pics.

Combe Forum : excellent idea! Do it now.