"abandoned" astro track in Watford

[tymill]

Wow- just saw this video...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvgpDurHVY8

Does anyone know where this track is? Is much known about its history?

Looks pretty cool!

[budgio]

I raced there last year.it's at lees wood scout camp.not a bad little track but was in need of some work doing on it.it's still being used as far as I know.

[Welshy40]

Guys anyone got the address of this track and contact details of the club runner?

[Darren Boyle]

The track is not "abandoned", they still run there every other week. How you see it is just "how it is" week in wek out

The club has been running now since the early 1990's and I was once on the commitee for around 7 years, the club has fought hard over the years to remain "small" and family orientated, they have no wish for regionals or large meetings, quite the opposite, they strive for Sunday morning meetings only and like to be finished by 1pm if they can.

As much as I highly admire all of this, for the reasons that a large group of us wanted bigger and greater things for the club (like all-day meetings, regionals etc) but the stalwarts on the commitee did not want the club to go this way, so we had no choice but to break away.

This is why we founded the DMS Model Car Club in the mid to late 90's and strived for the bigger meetings and higher numnber of racers such as the Indoor Finals that we ran a few years back with over 100 racing each day.

Now before anyone says, I am NOT knocking the HRCCC (as it is called) since the racing and atmosphere there is great for newcomers and less competative people but racing for just a couple hours every other week against just a handful of fellow racers is not what "we" (the group of us) wanted to do, but for those who do they love it to bits.

There is a link to the official club website on our shop website links page for those who are interested.

[Chequered Flag Racing]

Originally Posted by Welshy40

Guys anyone got the address of this track and contact details of the club runner?

this may be it

Campsite Address
Lees Wood
Fir Tree Hill
Chandlers Cross
Rickmansworth
Hertfordshire
WD3 4LY
Tel: 01923 233281
Fax: 01923 248433
Email:
Sites Own Web Address: http://www.leeswood.org

from this link
http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/cgi-bin/...Name=Lees+Wood

[Darren Boyle]

That is the one Glenn, their address and a multimap link is on their website on our links page of the DMS website

[Welshy40]

Well this track is what got me in contact with dms years back, and did an indoor event in the watford leisure centre. As i used to live in watford it kind of has memories and any old excuse is good to go back. Cheers

[DCM]

It is nice to see small, family clubs, they all have their places in the grand scheme of things, not everyone wants big, busy clubs.

[Rocking Donkey]

This was my first club, and back when I started racing there were 20+ people there every week. It shrunk during the touring car boom, with only a few dedicated members to keep things ticking over. Last I heard they were trying to raise the clubs profile and wanted to advertise in a few magazines. I guess this site is the best advertising for buggy racing anyway!

Last time I went they had built some dedicated pit space with covered benches and things were looking good. There aren't enough members to have very regular work parties, but I'm sure some new blood would be just what the doctor ordered.

On the website is says that the next meets are July 5th (this Sunday) and July 19th

Links to the clubs website and forum:
http://www.freewebs.com/hertfordshirerccc/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRCCC/

Garry Saunders is still running the club as far as I know

[mikeyscott]

Sounds just like Titchfield

[tymill]

We're going to check it out tomorrow for a race... should be fun!

[tymill]

Checked it out today - very friendly folks and a relaxed atmosphere. Coolio.

[mikeyscott]

Similar to Titchfield.. Just shame we haven't got a hut..

[Rocking Donkey]

What were numbers like? I keep trying to make it down, but things keep getting in the way

[Darren Boyle]

Brings back a few memories...........

[Rocking Donkey]

I remember on track battles between Darren and John Bailey every Sunday at Phasels Wood scout camp (the previous venue of HRCCC). Must have been 15 years ago...

[Darren Boyle]

Paul Gardner and Dave James were the ones the real battles were with, those two always seemed to have the edge, it took me several years to be able to get on par with those two.....

I started racing there when I was 15 which is best part of 19/20 years ago now, my first car was a tamiya, swiftly followed by a few Kyosho Optima/Lazer's then a string of Cats (Procat, Bosscat, Cat 2000 etc). Even ran one of the very first Preds there in 1993/4.......

Nothing ever tops the memory of the Team we entered from the HRCCC club into the Donisthorpe 24hr race around 92/3ish, we ran a Traxxas TRX1 and it was one of the best experiences of my racing life, what a weekend that was!!!

[stuartw]

Originally Posted by DMS Racing

Nothing ever tops the memory of the Team we entered from the HRCCC club into the Donisthorpe 24hr race around 97ish, we ran a Traxxas TRX1 and it was one of the best experiences of my racing life, what a weekend that was!!!

Donisthorpe - Gone but never forgotten.

[watfordtrackwarrior]

Darren I remember your cat 2000 m8 what a machine that was

[kaszal]

I'm still running my Procat and thinking this club could be good fun

Does anyone here still race there? What's the atmosphere like?

The website is up to date http://hertfordshirerccc.webs.com/