This event has a couple of meaningful memories. It was the first time we went camping as a family. Also, the camaraderie in the pit lane during the evening and early morning was really heartening to see. It makes motorsport feel much more accessible.
We had been eyeing up this event for a number of weeks. We discovered that we could camp there for free as part of the entry ticket.
As per usual, it was left to the very last minute. On Friday morning, my wife headed off to Go Outdoors to get everything we needed. We literally had none of the equipment needed. I managed to finish work early. We headed off to the track for the 5pm opening. We made sure we had plenty of time to figure out how to put the tent up. We also set up the beds, sorted the BBQ, and got the kids settled.
Miraculously, the tent went up without any incident. There were no threats of divorce between me and my wife. All the while, the kids were playing football next to a racing track. the beds were a bit trickier but we got there after some perseverance. The BBQ was something we had experience with, so it was fine. Then we settled down to enjoy the evening.
We couldn’t have envisaged the fun that we were able to have once the track had closed. The track was then open for everyone, so the kids take their football, scooters and generally just run around.
The camping area for the smaller events is located at the last corner of the track. You can take a walk along the track to the pits area. What the kids experienced next would shape their excitement with motorsport. The teams are all busy working on the cars getting them prepped for the racing the next day. There was a great atmosphere and they were all really welcoming, especially to the kids. They were allowed to get up close to the cars. The engineers talked them through what was going on. They also let them sit in the cars. The kids were completely in awe.
The next morning, the cafe opens handy for breakfasts so again we wandered through the pits on the way. We said hello to the teams we met the previous night. They told us to come back at 8am. At that time, they would be going through their startup process. This is when they start the car slowly. Over a period of time, they increase the power to get everything running in a race scenario. The noise was amazing, the kids were so excited when there was fire coming out of the exhausts.
The whole event was really great. There were hundreds of supercars and all sorts of cars. The owners clubs were friendly and welcoming. I have attended car events where non-club members feel invisible. However, this event was the opposite.
There were loads of activities for the kids, from simulators to stunt bikes. There were a multitude of stalls selling all sorts of motorsport items. The kids took home a print of their favourite GT cars. The prints were really well priced. They are proudly hung in their bedrooms. We even had the fortune of having the drivers sign them for the boys. This was heartwarming.
The racing was great. Fortunately, the team that had been so welcoming won a couple of races. It was wonderful for the kids to cheer them on and celebrate.
Unfortunately the GT cars no longer race at the event, but it still runs with great success. We have been every year and the kids really look forward to it.
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