Closed circuit road racing...

jam1e

I've recently started racing with a local club and at the minute I'm competing (probably too strong a term that considering my ranking ) in a closed circuit race series held on the internal roads of a local airfield.

TBH I really enjoy it (well apart from the dogfighting into the corners!) but I've never really seen any mention of it as a form of competitive club cycling. It seems a rally good way of learning how to race in a group etc without all the traffic dramas which come with road racing proper...

So why have I never seen it mentioned elsewhere? I can't imagine we're the only ones doing it?

dennisn

jam1e wrote:

I've recently started racing with a local club and at the minute I'm competing (probably too strong a term that considering my ranking ) in a closed circuit race series held on the internal roads of a local airfield.

TBH I really enjoy it (well apart from the dogfighting into the corners!) but I've never really seen any mention of it as a form of competitive club cycling. It seems a rally good way of learning how to race in a group etc without all the traffic dramas which come with road racing proper...

So why have I never seen it mentioned elsewhere? I can't imagine we're the only ones doing it?

Pretty sure that having a closed circuit to race on, on a regular basis, is the dream of many a club race director. Only one problem. Finding it. Each year our local club puts out a plea, to it's members, to find suitable places that we can hold races. As for now we have 5 or 6 courses near Toledo that we use. Most are out in the country, as finding "The
Road(s) Less Traveled" is the major concern. We have a couple of crit courses in industrial parks but that's about as close as we get to a closed course and those still have traffic. If you find a place like you describe share it with the club and you may become a hero of sorts.

Dennis Noward

John C.

Not sure where you are but I've just discovered it as well at Croft on Tees on the Auto circuit, Really enjoyed my first race ( see amature race section ) http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12623757

jibberjim

jam1e wrote:

I've recently started racing with a local club and at the minute I'm competing (probably too strong a term that considering my ranking ) in a closed circuit race series held on the internal roads of a local airfield.

So why have I never seen it mentioned elsewhere? I can't imagine we're the only ones doing it?

There's lots of closed circuit races going on, Commonly they're on airfields, vehicle test tracks/race tracks, or custom made cycling tracks.

Where in the country are you?

Monty Dog

Many Cat 4 races are held on closed-road circuits rather than open roads - around here there's Eelmoor, Chertsey, Dunsfold, Thruxton, Hillingdon and now less so, Goodwood. There a great way for beginners to learn to ride safely without the worries of traffic - and younger riders can race safely too.

bahzob

Check out http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/eve/eventsfuture.asp

Put in "circuit" as keyword and road racing as discipline (slight contradiction I know) and should get some hits.

Also see the Amateur Racing thread here for more stuff.

shmo

If there's a circuit like that around here I certainly don't know about it. I'd be much more comfortable race training on a circuit rather than on-road like we do at the moment. The group I ride with uses a fairly quiet (for Swansea) circuit of road for winter training but it can be seriously terrifying at times having a group of 12+ riders plough onto roundabouts at high speed with traffic all over the place. Can really see the police putting a stop to those training rides with some of the stunts going on.

BeaconRuth

jam1e wrote:

So why have I never seen it mentioned elsewhere? I can't imagine we're the only ones doing it?

Where would you have expected to see it mentioned? There's plenty of it goes on, as others have said.

Ruth

jibberjim

Shmo wrote:

If there's a circuit like that around here I certainly don't know about it. I'd be much more comfortable race training on a circuit rather than on-road like we do at the moment.

Lots of the circuits are not available for training on - they're airfields, car tracks etc. Some of them are - like Hillingdon, but you have to book.

jam1e

BeaconRuth wrote:

jam1e wrote:

So why have I never seen it mentioned elsewhere? I can't imagine we're the only ones doing it?

Where would you have expected to see it mentioned? There's plenty of it goes on, as others have said.

Ruth

I'd have expected it to have been mentioned in the "Road Beginners" section of the forum as it seems a perfect way for beginners to try TTs and "road" racing etc in a user friendly format. You also get experience of riding in a group and if you get dropped by the pack they don't vanish into the distance, you just get lapped! And it all comes without the hassle of traffic and the dangers posed by chip throwing chavs...!

I suppose I'd probably have seen it in amateur racing if I'd known about it to search it out but tbh that isn't the most welcoming part of the forum.

It's just something I don't remember hearing about despite spending at least half an hour a day forum lurking...

Jibberjim - I'm in Lincs.

Bronzie

jam1e wrote:

I suppose I'd probably have seen it in amateur racing if I'd known about it to search it out but tbh that isn't the most welcoming part of the forum.

What makes you say that? Certainly not the busiest part, but by and large the same people post there and Beginners.

jam1e

Don't know really, it's just down to personal perception. It wasn't meant as any kind of criticism as such and I'm sure they're (mostly) all nice people other there!

Anyway, now I've competed in 2 race meetings I might start swinging by Amateur Racing to pass on my experience... :shock:

Bronzie

jam1e wrote:

It wasn't meant as any kind of criticism as such and I'm sure they're (mostly) all nice people other there!

OK - I'll let you off this time, but if you slag off Amateur Race again, I'll break yer' legs!