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Aug 11, 2018 12:21:36 GMT
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Just received the following email from Brighton&Hove Motor Club.
For anyone that doesn't know the event, The Speed Trials date back to about 1904 I think, and have run every year apart from a few exceptional periods where there was a war or a plague. A google image search is a good place to start getting a feel for it if you're not familiar.
The Speed Trials are owned and operated by the BHMC. They have an ongoing battle with Brighton Council to keep the event going, and another battle trying to get sponsorship, get it organised, advertise and promote it and get participants and spectators there.
It's a real shame. Unfortunately they aren't particularly brilliant at promoting it. It's a small club run by volunteers and to be honest they're a bit long in the tooth and stuck in their ways... but the enthusiasm and spirit are there. I tried to get involved and help with raising its profile a number of years ago but every suggestion was met with "That's not the way we do it" and after dashing all ideas against that brick wall, I left them to it.
The thing is, it's a really awesome event. When they get enough cars and it's a sunny day and there are crowds watching it's almost on a par with the festival of speed or revival.
But year by year the desperate call for marshalls and spectators (and now this year for drivers and cars too) makes me think this event is in it's final years and soon the council may decide it's just not worth the hassle any more. That would be a tragedy for such a long running annual event.
In way, it kind of needs a RetroRides injection. It probably could do with HoTwIre & the team helping them out with organising it all. It could almost become another RetroRides gathering in a way.
anyway, I'm wibbling on. I really just wanted to say.... it's coming up. If anyone was interested. I may or may not be there as it clashes with something else but I'm hoping to make it along and it would be great to meet up with some RR peeps if anyone was heading this way for it.
Equally if anyone fancies blatting their chunderwagon down an 1/4 mile run in front of a crowd... get in there!
===
Thank you if you have entered or responded to this email before.
We need more cars at the Frosts Brighton Speed Trials which will take part on Saturday 1st September 2018.
To enter please go to brightonandhovemotorclub.co.uk and click on the Online Entries and Tickets tab where you can enter and pay via PayPal
If you cannot enter this year then come along as a spectator. We have a 70 metre raised viewing platform which allows you a good view of the start line and a 21SqM LCD screen which will show the whole of the 1/4 mile run.
We have some great variety of cars running from standard road cars through to AC Cobras, Lamborghini, Ferraris ,the new Caterham 620R and a 27 lire Rolls Royce.
In the paddock we have displays of Supercars, Caterhams and a Formula Student car. We also have a scaletric competition and the proceeds from this will go to our nominated charity the Cheshnut Tree Hospice for sick children.
Practice runs start at 08:45, timed runs commence around 11:00 and run through until 18:00 so you will get a whole day of excitement.
To purchase entry tickets at a 20% discount please go to brightonandhovemotorclub.co.uk and click on the Online Entries and Tickets tab.
I hope to see you there as either a competitor or a spectator.
Regards
Len, Chairman, B&HMC
===
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Last Edit: Aug 12, 2018 13:41:16 GMT by Deleted
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Aug 11, 2018 12:52:37 GMT
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I have VERY fond memories of Brighton Speed Trials I'll happily support in any way I can. Will spread the word. Like a lot of motorsports clubs I suspect they are very inward looking. Not realising that the most successful clubs are those that are outward looking and trying to find more audience (just look at the success of VSCC).
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Aug 11, 2018 12:56:00 GMT
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I have VERY fond memories of Brighton Speed Trials I'll happily support in any way I can. Will spread the word. Like a lot of motorsports clubs I suspect they are very inward looking. Not realising that the most successful clubs are those that are outward looking and trying to find more audience (just look at the success of VSCC). If you can spread the word a bit HW that would be great. And if at any time you find yourself thinking "I need another annual event to drive me crazy and jeopardise my job and domestic bliss", then I'd be happy to help out in anyway I can to see if a bit of RR magic might help them keep this thing going. (Don't worry, I know this idea resides somewhere between "not a chance" and "never going to happen", But I do think it would be awesome with the RR touch, so I can always dream)
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Aug 11, 2018 17:55:22 GMT
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I've always wanted to go to this But everytime I hear about it its been and gone Miss it every time
I'll check my rota and if I'm not working il go
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1992 240 Volvo T8 1955 Cadillac 1994 BMW E34 M5 (now sold ) 1999 BMW E36 sport touring x2 1967 Hillman imp Californian "rally spec" 1971 VW bay window (work in progress) 1999 Mazda 323F 1987 Jaguar XJ12 All current
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mfrv1
Part of things
Posts: 267
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Aug 13, 2018 20:05:01 GMT
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Planning on going to Brighton for the speed trials (again)this year.
It's a fantastic event, even if it rains.
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samta22
Club Retro Rides Member
Stuck in once more...
Posts: 1,272
Club RR Member Number: 32
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Aug 14, 2018 14:19:33 GMT
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Likewise, was hoping to attend this year as it's been on my list for a while.
Will see if I can rustle up a few other local RR members for a day trip.
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'37 Austin 7 '56 Austin A35 '58 Austin A35 '65 Triumph Herald 12/50 '69 MGB GT '74 MGB GT V8'73 TA22 Toyota Celica restoration'95 Mercedes SL320 '04 MGTF 135 'Cool Blue' (Mrs' Baby) '05 Land Rover Discovery 3 V8 '67 Abarth 595 (Mrs' runabout) '18 Disco V
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Aug 14, 2018 19:25:47 GMT
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curse word. Sons 17th Birthday do. Next year then...😕
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Aug 14, 2018 20:20:37 GMT
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I'm in a similar situation JohnnyBravo. I have an unavoidable family obligation that day. It's just down the road though so I'm hoping I can get back and get there for some of it.
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samta22
Club Retro Rides Member
Stuck in once more...
Posts: 1,272
Club RR Member Number: 32
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Aug 15, 2018 13:12:11 GMT
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curse word. Sons 17th Birthday do. Next year then...😕 That answers that question then
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'37 Austin 7 '56 Austin A35 '58 Austin A35 '65 Triumph Herald 12/50 '69 MGB GT '74 MGB GT V8'73 TA22 Toyota Celica restoration'95 Mercedes SL320 '04 MGTF 135 'Cool Blue' (Mrs' Baby) '05 Land Rover Discovery 3 V8 '67 Abarth 595 (Mrs' runabout) '18 Disco V
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Sept 2, 2018 18:50:46 GMT
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Did anybody get to the Speed Trials in the end?
I hoped to get there towards the end, but we were travelling back from a family holiday and didn't get home until mid-afternoon. I brought myself a chronic ear infection home, caused by over-enthusiastic diving into too-deep water, so I could barely stand up, much less drive down there.
I hope they had a good event. I fear for the demise of the Speed Trials otherwise.
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I went. It was awesome & it was absolutely rammed, so I think (& hope) it'll be fine.
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Sept 3, 2018 10:43:02 GMT
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Good to hear. We should try and get an RR posse together for next year's. Happy to put people up at my place for anyone wanting to travel a distance. Would be good to see a few RR cars hooning down the strip too - Bstard's Omega, Blackpop's Outlaw, The Medusa and others. I might even throw my plastic bas.tard down there if it's still running as nice as it is currently this time next year. === BTW HARDCORE do you happen to know somebody who has recently bought himself a Rover P5 saloon? I only ask because my mate down here local to us has been describing a new P5 owner he's been to see about his car (my mate's a bit of a P5 specialist), and even though I've never even met you I found myself thinking "I wonder if this one of Hardcore's gang?" when my mate was telling me about it. He apparently has about 6 retros parked up at his house, and a bunch of mates all helping with his P5 who arrived in various other retros. A bit random, but I thought I'd ask. = )
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Frankenhealey
Club Retro Rides Member
And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death
Posts: 3,874
Club RR Member Number: 15
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Sept 4, 2018 16:27:18 GMT
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I always thought it was almost impossible to get an entry so have never tried. Next year then.
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Tales of the Volcano Lair hereFrankenBug - Vulcan Power hereThe Frankenhealey here
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Sept 4, 2018 17:10:47 GMT
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*Forehead slap* Of course... the legendary FrankenHealey and the mighty 2CV. It's not even slightly impossible to get an entry. They end up begging for entires as the day draws near. You should get in there for next year. The BHMC meet every Wednesday at their club house on Brighton sea front. Haven't been down there for a few years but I might try and get down next week and see what the situation looks like for the future of the Speed Trials.
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Sept 5, 2018 12:13:56 GMT
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I've always fancied going to watch my mate James Harris race but never have. Whats the parking like?
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96 E320 W210 Wafter - on 18" split Mono's - Sold :-( 10 Kia Ceed Sportwagon - Our new daily 03 Import Forester STi - Sold 98 W140 CL500 AMG - Brutal weekend bruiser! Sold :-( 99 E240 S210 Barge - Now sold 02 Accord 2.0SE - wife's old daily - gone in PX 88 P100 2.9efi Custom - Sold
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Sept 5, 2018 13:00:40 GMT
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Visitor parking at the actual event is non-existent... it's a case of parking (nearby) in the pay car parks.
I have this romantic notion that if we can get a bunch of RR people and cars signed up to actually do the 1/4 mile, and we can generate enough interest from RR people to attend and spectator, it could be worth trying to book a camping field bearish to the event for the weekend and having a kind of unofficial RR Gathering for this next year.
That's my idle thought at this point.
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luckyseven
Posted a lot
Owning sneering dismissive pedantry since 1970
Posts: 3,838
Club RR Member Number: 45
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Sept 5, 2018 16:17:29 GMT
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I went.
It's a shadow of its former self. Half the entry field there used to be (and the same old same old cars that are thee every year ... BHAC chums of chums etc...). The middle tier of Madeira Drive is still fenced off as unsafe (Brighton council hate the motorist so why would they want to provide any spectator areas for a motorsport event. Funnily enough, it was safe enough for lycra goons to watch the Olympic cycling. Which shows how long it's been closed for). So, unless you camp out by a patch of fencing ...of which there's about 500 yards to fight over... for the entire day and are willing to elbow women and children in the throat to defend your spot, you can forget about seeing any action. And 99% of the actual strip is utterly inaccessible anyway. One big screen. One.
every year I leave feeling like I've been raped and vow to never go again. This might well be that year
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luckyseven
Posted a lot
Owning sneering dismissive pedantry since 1970
Posts: 3,838
Club RR Member Number: 45
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Sept 5, 2018 16:20:32 GMT
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As a positive (hard to find one), it's cheap to get in. And so it should be. The oldest motorsport event in the world deserves better than it's getting. It's on it's knees coughing up blood and it wouldn't surprise me if it died soon purely of haemorrhage; perversely having survived the death of a contestant a few years back, BHAC and the Council are now just letting it die a horrible death Signed, Angry of Worthing
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luckyseven
Posted a lot
Owning sneering dismissive pedantry since 1970
Posts: 3,838
Club RR Member Number: 45
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Sept 5, 2018 16:40:40 GMT
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Sept 5, 2018 18:04:20 GMT
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I went. It's a shadow of its former self. Half the entry field there used to be (and the same old same old cars that are thee every year ... BHAC chums of chums etc...). The middle tier of Madeira Drive is still fenced off as unsafe (Brighton council hate the motorist so why would they want to provide any spectator areas for a motorsport event. Funnily enough, it was safe enough for lycra goons to watch the Olympic cycling. Which shows how long it's been closed for). So, unless you camp out by a patch of fencing ...of which there's about 500 yards to fight over... for the entire day and are willing to elbow women and children in the throat to defend your spot, you can forget about seeing any action. And 99% of the actual strip is utterly inaccessible anyway. One big screen. One. every year I leave feeling like I've been raped and vow to never go again. This might well be that year Ah, that's very sad to read, but not at all surprising. The problem is really two-fold. The club is very inward looking and doesn't understand the need to change. For them it's enough to invite chums and hope to pull in chums of chums. They simply don't have the ability to treat it as the historic event that it is. They know full-well it's a historic event, and they respect that and dearly want to keep it going, but they are enmeshed completely in the practicalities of the bollards, pits, markings, cordons, booking, insurance, marshalls etc etc... the nuts and bolts rather than the vision. Secondly, the council pretty much despise the event. It's an enormous headache for them in ways that the London to Brighton Classic car run, or the static gatherings simply aren't. The huge amounts of money involved are fairly eye watering from the perspective of the council doing due diligence, health and safety, event management, belt and braces etc, and it's not an event that feels like it opens Brighton up to all but blocks it off for a dwindling niche. They are happy to do the bare minimum and let it die as long as they do enough that they wont be implicated in its demise. Very sad. It will end soon. They were predicting it would be the last one year 6 years ago when I was trying to get involved. I find myself saying something quite cringeworthy to clients fairly frequently... when it's a client who is seeing a decline in market share, or a growing indifference from consumers. Often these are clients with a heritage that they drag around with them. They feel they have to be a certain way to survive. The thing I find myself saying to them is that even if you want to stay the same you still have to change, and if you don't change to suit the world you're now living in, you will die. And then I rattle off a list of 'could never fail' brands that suddenly died when culture or society changed direction. I then show them a bunch of brands who appear to be the same as they always were, who have survived, and I talk them through the sheer amount of change they've had to make in order to appear to stay the same. It's always a shock for clients to realise how much a brand or organisation has changed in order to stay the same. People, brands, organisations just don't understand change at all. They cannot fathom it. I've seen it in global corps and right down to hobbyist car clubs that have dropped from 5000 members to less than a thousand in a matter of a couple of years. The old guard members will be rude, cantankerous, officious, sticklers, conservative, traditionalists, preservationists... whatever, and they just cannot see that by still being that way in a world that has changed, they are merely purging new members in droves. For Brighton Speed Trials to survive and retain it's historic lineage, it really has to change. It just can't be on Madeira Drive any more. It's wholly unsuitable now. That's actually okay. Madeira Drive is important to the history, but it's not the event, it's only the current location. It would need to go somewhere else to survive. I can think of ten Brighton locations that could be approached now with the view to relocating the home of the Speed Trials in three years time. I can think of one enormous brand with a HQ in Brighton that would leverage the sh*t out of the event if they could be viewed as the new patrons, and they have the means and the facilities to do it. The marketing, advertising and PR may well have always been a clarion call sent out over a dusty old grapevine but it just can't survive like that any more. It needs to become an event. It needs to make links to Motorsport and car brands and be a place where brands come to compete with new products so that the launch of the new Lambo or Audi or Kia Coupe includes breaking the B.S.T record for that class of car. It needs to be a completely immersive weekend celebration, in a suitable location. It needs investment, and a proper team now rather than a bunch of old blokes with a passion for cars who drink a pint in the murky little clubhouse every Wednesday and start counting the traffic cones in the store rooms three weeks before the day. What it really needs is to become a kind of brand, like Goodwood became a brand. As it stands it's not a brand it's a one day event taking place in a darkened bubble, owned by a decrepit motoring club that struggle to add an update to their 1998 website, and still keep the club's finances in a sandwich box. That's no different to a lot of amateur enthusiast's car clubs, but this is a very important historical event and it really ought not be left to them to struggle valiantly but in ignorance to keep it alive. Rant Over. =(
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Last Edit: Sept 5, 2018 18:05:11 GMT by Deleted
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