Grid Lock

This post title is cleverer than it seems.

You see this is a racing grid...

...with a huge amount of cars.

But that is the end of the story.  We need to be at the start of the story - after all, the Grid lines up at the start.

It all starts in 2018 when, as Touring Car Times tells us, UK motor racing circuit Rockingham, got dropped from the 2019 BTCC Race Calendar.  They cited the possible impending sale of the venue preventing  organisers from being able to confirm a meeting that year.  Shame.  Rockingham was intrinsically different to all of the other other BTCC Circuits in that it is built as an American-style banked oval with added in twisty bits to keep the UK punters happy.

It was different - which made it interesting.

We've not had banked curves in this country since Brooklands closed - unless you count Scalextric.

Anyway, thinks me, I'm sure the new owners will get it back on the calendar the following year.  And then I thought no more about it.

Until I read this BBC story this evening.  At which point I learned that in November of 2018 it held its final race and the following January it was announced that the Grandstands would be demolished.

It is now the home of Rockingham Logistics Hub (the eagerly anticipated new owners) and is now apparently "the UK's new centre for automotive logistics".  Not overly sure what that means but they are storing thousands of unwanted used vehicles there - including lots of ex-rental vehicles and lease cars.

Mind you, depending on how you crop your picture, it didn't look that different in 2015:

A Family Affair

Caught this rather nice article in the online Telegraph this week. It came with this very cheesy photo:

It's about BTCC driver (and reigning champion) Matt Neal teaching his twin sons, Will & Harry, to drive now that they have turned 17.

William and Harry!!

I hadn't though of him being a Royalist. I also hadn't thought of him as being old enough to have kids old enough to drive. He's only about my age!

His sons will have an excellent teacher and it looks like he is trying to keep their feet on the ground including some professional lessons as well. I'm not as sure of the car choices though, a sporty Corsa and an old Beetle with no seatbelts. The former will cost a fortune to insure and the latter has no seatbelts.

I've not mentioned the BTCC much this year - but I haven't missed a race and they have been just as exciting as every recent season. I've not watched any f1 meanwhile and am not missing it in the slightest.

The BTCC last weekend was at Rockingham and much rain caused much sliding off but there were no major disputes - unlike last year when this excellent picture was taken:

I don't usually credit the pictures I find on the 'Net but this is worth a link and a mention of Life Exposed Photography as this picture perfectly captures Matt in full-on anger mode where no other picture of the incident I've found does.

Here, Matt is launching himself at Jason Plato after a serious shunt in qualifying. Good! - we like some passion in our racing drivers. Jason is wisely keeping his helmet on given that Matt practises martial arts and is considerably bigger than him. Meanwhile, their dads are in the picture trying to make sure it doesn't get any worse.

A very un-cheesy photo - but, then again, racing-driver Matt Neal will be nothing like family-man Matt Neal - I hope! And it looks like it is family-man Matt Neal that Wills & Harry have as their driving instuctor.