New Club North Devon indoor carpet + Astro tracks

[SOSx]

Well its time we bit the bullet and really tried to get propper Off road RC club/scene going in the area as currently north devon does not have a single one.

But here were are B.B.R.C - Bideford Bay Rc Club

Here's a brief background to who we are.

We are currently a small group of Rc enthusiasts who simply have a fun enthusaistic do it your self attitude to most things. We're all in our 30's and all got back into Rc and Rc racing together over the last few years after not having been invloved in the hobby since our youth. Me, Matt V (Scattyv on here) and Matt B (Brimmerz soon to be on here) are the backbone of the group and are all quite obsessive people who all take doing things propperly quite seriously. Our aim/mission is to develop a fun and competative comunity of racers in our part of the South West.

The Tracks (as they are currently)

We both race indoors in the winter on carpet/wooden floor tracks and on our own private astro track based at my parents property near by.

First the Astro track







Venue location is between Bradworthy and Woolsery, postcode EX22 7XH. 11 miles from Bideford, 12 from torrington, 13 from Bude and 20 from Barnstaple so no more than 25-30mins (slow driving) from any of the local towns. Dates to be confirmed.

We have alot of plans for this next year including a full flattening/ re-levelling, better features/ jumps, full size rostrum and an extra lane's worth of track making the size roughly 30mx14m (30mx11.5m at the moment). Also we are gonig to be covering the features with outdoor carpet rather than astro so that we can vary the layout more easily and quickly. There is parking and pitting (and possibly camping) area available for at least 50-60 people very comfortably.

Next is the new Indoor venue

Weve used pretty much every hall in about a 15 mile radius and this seems to be the best we have found and we think it has potential.
We tried this one briefly a while ago but didn't really make use of the space. This time we really could see the potential for it to grow into a proper club. The main part of the track we made here is about 21mx8.5m but the total track area including the little side area of around 190sqm but we think it could be made to be over 200sqm which is minimum micro national level track size (not that were thinking of nationals, just a good size track) and I've certainly seen 10th being run on smaller tracks. Track width was at least 2m and i think the selection of features and corners worked really well for clean yet intersting racing for all abilities.






We can even make a decent height rostrum easily and that makes such a difference from the stages and even chairs we've been used to at other halls.



This time we had the pit area next to the track, but next time we will use one of the many un-used rooms in the building. It has enough tables and chairs for around 300 people so pits shouldn't be an issue.


It even has excellent car cooling stands



Here is one of the smaller side rooms that could be used for pitting.






For the first time we even took a printer to prin the results


The venue location is:-
Langtree Parish Hall
Southlands Dr
Torrington, Devon EX38 8RH

Time from about 11am-6pm Most if not every Saturday.
Again there is ample parking and pitting area for at least 100 people.

Were thinking about running an open day of free racing at some point in the next 4-5 weeks at the indoor venue and then again at the astro track in april sometime when we've done some more work on it. hopefully we will draw a some of the local (and hopefully not so local) racers out of the wood work to come and have a good day and give us some feedback/advise on the tracks, venues etc. this would be open to both micro racers and 10th off road. We have been racing 8th scale electric on the astro track for the last couple of years but have decided to make the move to 10th as it just suites both our track and the other local tracks better. Initially we will just be running 4wd our selves (as thats all we have so far and money is always tight) but 2wd will also be welcome to all events and we'll end up getting them our sleves at some point .

We do intend to be BRCA affiliated as soon as possible and will advise of this as it happens.

Any queries, suggestions and advise please put them in here so that we can record them for all to see.

We would like to get a club section on Oople if possible (any help on how to do this from a mod would be great). Then we need to work on a website for us.

[jonathan may]

looking good guys

[SOSx]

Thanks Mr May,

I think we now have enough experience in both track design and race control that we can start to manage things a bit more "professionally".

Really hoping we can give the local race scene a bit of a kick start.

[jonathan may]

When is the next indoor or out door meeting

[Mowen208fly]

Good work guys If you have any questions please feel free to contact me as im your 1/10 off road BRCA rep for the area.

Martin Owen

[SOSx]

Should be Saturday. But just waiting to confirm the same hall now.

[SOSx]

Hi Martin,

Thank you, been a slow (yet rewarding and fun) process getting to where we are now and i feel like we haven't even really started yet.

I'm sure we will have lots more questions.
But one that is in my mind now concerns process of BRCA club affiliation (slow day at work). I have downloaded the Club affiliation pack but i am unsure of the fees process now. When I last looked you paid a fee and you got I think it was 3-4 brca memberships for the officials. but now it states that affiliation is free for eligible clubs?

My take on it, is that now aslong as all the officials are BRCA registered the club affiliation process is free. Is this correct?

[SOSx]

Also may I ask what roles you take on as the SW 1/10 rep for BRCA?

[SOSx]

Jon - Regarding outdoor racing at the Astro track I "predicting/working toward" having it ready for club racing by around mid April.
We have a lot we want to do to it to make it a better more suitable facility for club racing.

The start of the list being:-

Proper rostrum,
lifting the astro and re-leveling underneath (Bloody moles)
Then is adding a new lane and sorting the new track marking (filling the
fire hose with gravel).

[SOSx]

I've just been looking at the local clubs to us to check that we don't clash with any of them and this is what I can find (please correct me if I'm wrong).

Mendip - Sundays

Worm - Tuesdays

Tiverton - Sundays

Torbay micros - Friday Nights

Tobay auto club - Sunday

So Saturday seems to be a good day for anybody not available in the evenings or Sundays in the South West

[gixxer]

I'm sure a few of us from West cornwall will make a trip up in the summer

[Mowen208fly]

Originally Posted by SOSx

Also may I ask what roles you take on as the SW 1/10 rep for BRCA?

I get to deal with any enquires you have about the Brca and if I can not answer them I can contact the correct person on your behalf to get a answer! I also over see our regional series and make sure that is is run to BRCA rules which means upsetting everyone from time to time but I have got use to that now

[jonathan may]

Originally Posted by Mowen208fly

I get to deal with any enquires you have about the Brca and if I can not answer them I can contact the correct person on your behalf to get a answer! I also over see our regional series and make sure that is is run to BRCA rules which means upsetting everyone from time to time but I have got use to that now

[SOSx]

Hi Martin,

Seeing as your thew man to ask.

Originally Posted by SOSx

one that is in my mind now concerns process of BRCA club affiliation (slow day at work). I have downloaded the Club affiliation pack but i am unsure of the fees process now. When I last looked you paid a fee and you got I think it was 3-4 brca memberships for the officials. but now it states that affiliation is free for eligible clubs?

My take on it, is that now as long as all the officials are BRCA registered the club affiliation process is free. Is this correct?

Any joy with this one?

[SOSx]

Just noticed I missed your post gixxer.

Great stuff we'll confirm dates for open days at both tracks as soon as possible.
And post them both here and on our updated websites new club section that Matt is working on.

[SOSx]

Firstly I have a question for any track owner/operators out there.
How do you all deal with disabled access to the rostrum?

Also i should say the new website with club section and race calender will be live on the 1st of March. This will have all information for upcoming events including the open days at both indoor and outdoor tracks (obviously I'll put them up here as well).

I'm also hoping one of the mods will turn up sooner or later so that we can find out about getting a club section on the forum.

Martin - Chris Hardisty and Dianne Hope with clarification on the club affiliation process, so i think we are sorted there and will have that in soon.

[Mowen208fly]

Originally Posted by SOSx

Firstly I have a question for any track owner/operators out there.
How do you all deal with disabled access to the rostrum?

Also i should say the new website with club section and race calender will be live on the 1st of March. This will have all information for upcoming events including the open days at both indoor and outdoor tracks (obviously I'll put them up here as well).

I'm also hoping one of the mods will turn up sooner or later so that we can find out about getting a club section on the forum.

Martin - Chris Hardisty and Dianne Hope with clarification on the club affiliation process, so i think we are sorted there and will have that in soon.

Ah thats great unfortunately the real job got in the way today before I could fined out for you but glad they sorted it for you. Good luck with it all and hopefully will have a free weekend in summer to come and have a look and race!

[SOSx]

Hi Martin,

No problem at all. I'd actually already sent an email to the brca asking the same question.
Either way got a quick response so all good.

You might be able to answer my other question though.
It's regarding the wheelchair access that is stipulated for
bra events. Now were certainly not considering getting involved
in brca sanctioned events at the moment but are we would like to
know how most clubs deal with wheelchair access to the rostrum?

I've looked at pictures of many rostrum and most only seem to have steps
rather than a ramp.

[tonydevon]

This is great news. Saturdays are even ideal for me. Just need work to slow a bit and i will be along.
New model shop in barnstaple now too. Get some advertising in there and you both do each other a lot of good

[SOSx]

Hi Tony. Thank you We thought that if we really want racing round here to grow were going to have to be the people to make it happen!

Yes Truly great news about a new model shop opening up in Barnstaple. Brimmerz Told me just earlier this evening and we have already arranged to both finish work a bit early tomorrow so that we can go over and meet them/discuss them getting involved. If we get time we'll get some posters/flyers printed up to give them.

I don't suppose you know the name of the shop and if they have a website yet? He didn't have a Jounal to hand.