This isn't the musings of a keyboard warrior, but a "super fan" come official who has had seen plenty of these in the past. I know what works and I know what I, and every fan, driver and official wishes to see from the biggest day of the year for their formula. Weddings days, Christmas and Birthdays all pail into insignificance when it comes to World Final day.
Quite simply, in my near on 30 years of watching world finals, that simply was the worst I have seen. I've seen some dire presentations (Barford 04), some incredibly dull ones (Ringwood 95, Buxton 99, and NIR 05) and controversial ones (Bristol 08, Newton 89) which have left bad tastes in the mind. But last night truly was the worst of the lot - poorly promoted from start to finish. No disrespect to the eventual winner Wim Peeters (H124), he drove magnificently and certainly deserved the title and certainly would have been in the shake up regardless of conditions.
Yes, the weather didn't help, but the promotion simply didn't help themselves, or the drivers
Directions - simple things help those who have traveled miles. Don't assume, when you have people traveling from all parts of the country that they know where you are, especially if they haven't been to the track before. It's not the most easiest to find - even with a sat nav or Google maps. The common conversation was "got lost on the way here" or "sat nav took me round the houses". You should never assume - it makes an ass out of u and me. How much would it of cost for a few folk to go out on Saturday morning/friday night on the main area with a few signs - they didn't have to be printed - just a piece of wood with WF and an arrow would have done...
Opening time - Wasn't clearly advertised that opening times, and again with element of people travelling up and down, who wanted to get into the stadium, get set, and go and have wonder. It was also an opportunity missed to maximise revenue. If the gates had been opened at 12 or 1 - it would have been an excellent opportunity to those visiting folk to get some fish and chips, and a pint or 2. Instead, people were already pissed off as there were no clear turnstile directions and people either queueing for hours or looking for a queue to join....
Time Trials - The promotion spent all week hyping up a different method of time trials for Johnny Foriegner and Seamus Irishman, with initial laps, then the top 5 getting more laps to play with. Those waiting outside the stadium heard the sound of engines racing, and yet could not get in to see.
Atmosphere - Where was the pre meeting entertainment? There was ABSOLUTELY nothing - no dodgy ABBA cover band, grid walk, meet the drivers session or gee up. The feint playing before of some happy hardcore and death metal (neither suitable for a public PA) before the booming distorted voice of a commentator who certainly likes the sound of his own voice, as we the paying punters twiddled our thumbs for the meeting to start. (Before anyone says it, I do like the sound of my voice, but I know how to do levels now!). Although we very sad to see the scattering of ashes on the track, and our deepest sympathies to those involved with the departed, many were left wondering whether it was appropriate to have it at the beginning of the meeting, or indeed at the meeting at all.
Track preparation - It's extremely ironic that the nutters of Stoxnet moaned like billyo about the time it took to prepare the track at Coventry. Anyone who did both, would have much rather preferred the situation presented for the ones. For a world championship, the track should be like a creme brulee, smooth on top and without lumps (Guess who's watched too many cooking shows recently). What was presented for the time trials, consolation semi and world was a total disgrace. I've been to many tracks, and the grader and water butt (although that was not required yesterday) were often out in force to give those drivers the best surface to race. No attempt was made was grade the track all day, which for what is potentially the biggest meeting of the year is shambolic. Sammy Brenton (our very own) asked whether the track would be prepared "This is Mildenhall love. We don't do any of that shit". I shook my head then. Then a few drivers asked about the grader... "the grader is broken". That just doesn't wash! Other promotions spend weeks preparing for the big one, with the stadium getting a tidy up, everything looking spic and span - this simply wasn't present. Lo and behold on the Sunday morning - the track was prepared - long after the horse had bolted, been shot and turned into a Findus Crispy Pancake.
Scrutineering - Well with the scrutineering, and the trumpeting of the fuel checks prior to the meeting from BriSCA F2's BDF and Chair, it was apparent that memo hadn't reached Mildenhall. Sticky tape was the tamper proof solution. Yes, many confused drivers came back with cars, and the much agreeable parc ferme was not implented, thus defeating the object!
Organisation - It was a nightmare lining up the grids. In the pits it was bedlam. The pit marshalls didn't have a grid, someone was parading up and down with a battered Mondeo doing the driver calls.
Nearly every track has someone in the pits for a big meeting, usually borrowed from another promotion to sort out the grid into some kind of order. In the past, some tracks have even parked in grid order - which certainly helps. Then at the last minute, the world final was raced over 25 laps instead of the advertised 30.
Weather - sadly, the British weather makes running a shale world final more risky of a ruined race, where the conditions can play too much of a part. The last 2 Shale world have been wet, but look at the difference in how the two were run.
Sadly guys, this meeting underlines why some tracks shouldn't have nice things
Blaming the weather for me is a non starter. King's Lynn in 2011 being a case in point, run in similar conditions, but the track was A1 before the downpour, but for your money you got a half decent show, on a well presented stadium. King's Lynn cancelled their domestic meeting on the grounds of the forecast on the Wednesday. This simply wasn't going to be the case for Mildenhall, due the gravitas of the meeting, and the fact that people were travelling and had accommodation and the like booked months in advance. But an amount of "damage" limitation could have been done to offset any potential problems.
Now, I understand the family dispute currently ongoing between the owning family over the future of Mildenhall, but if one (it has been alleged) bitter and twisted side of the family has sabotaged this meeting on the count of being a flop for the incoming, then they shouldn't be in the game of promotion.
I felt genuinely embarrassed for all those drivers who had raced all year to qualify for the World. The pinnacle, the nerves, the build up, to see a frantic first corner which ended with many of the favourites scrambling around as if they were novices like Bambi on ice. But mostly, I feel embarrassed for those diehards like myself, who got up at silly o clock to get ourselves ready for action, only to be presented with a half arsed effort.
But heh, lets finish on a positive note. We have our first second generation World Champion and third overseas winner, in a truly dominant display worthy of a world champion.
Plus the chips were exceptional. Long may they reign, even under Spedeworth's no chips on their own policy! Although they have somewhere to plant the spuds for the next batch....
Right, nurse, the sedatives please....
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