Your support is critical!

Age : 34 Joined : 12 Feb 2007 Posts : 39

Not wanting to give you any ideas Steve, but I am sure that Trackstar used to charge £2 extra for access to the pits. I certainly remember paying for a pit pass at one meeting. I think credit needs to be given where credit is due for keeping pit access free. Will the redevelopment of the pits - when it gets done - have any effect on the way that the pits are accessed?

I used to meet up with a friend from Halifax at every Sheffield meeting until a couple of years ago. I don't know what paper they get around there, but he used to use the money off vouchers although that wasn't the reason he attended. Anyway, he had a change of job and started a family, and he's not been since. Although he has said that he misses it, so I think I can persuade him to return at some point this year Smile

Age : 49 Joined : 12 Feb 2007 Posts : 604

In reply to Big N, we get random visits from the HSE. usually unannounced or as in the last couple of weeks, by prior arrangement.

The Stadium has to have a safety certificate for operating all events which is agreed with the local authorities and there are certain conditions based on risk assesment. Whilst WE as fans appreciate the dangersof a pit area, to an outsider it looks and appears pretty dangerous si it isn't difficult to understand why stricter LA's have a more thorough view.
Thankfully we have a little more latitude to use discretion than Bradford.
We deliberately do not charge an additional fee for pit entry, respectfully that would be totally unfair as, elsewhere where available roaming the pits is, we acknowledge, a part of the experience.

Age : 47 Joined : 14 Feb 2007 Posts : 44

Thanks for that reply Steve, I guessed that might be the case regarding H&S to be honest and I figure your hands are tied regarding Sheffield.
To be honest, if our sport survives into the next decade I have a feeling that restricted pit access will become the norm at most tracks.
There will come a day where Mr and Mrs 2.4 children are walking round the pits when one of them walks into a bumper and bangs their shin or rips their trousers and decides to sue - not your ardent fan I hasten to add, but the sort of person we could call a casual spectator - and they will get some ridiculous payout with the result that insureance companys say Enough is Enough.
Still I would rather visit a track and watch racing where I cannot gain access to the pits than drive past an ex track that there is no longer any racing at.

Age : 49 Joined : 12 Feb 2007 Posts : 604

The one relative certainty about Sheffield is the longevity of the stadium - the real acid test however will be how we all manage the new pit area when it is built as it also has to be a car park Mon - Friday for the University generating significant income for A & S Leisure.

Bookings, particularly F2 wise are coming in well for 1st April - F1 wise FWJ lastest addition to list.