I have just looked at the entry photos from 9.00 am to 12.50 pm and noted that there were 995 photos taken.
I’m guessing that there were approximately 1000 cars in attendance.
Does anyone have a definitive count?
Harco posted this a couple of days ago -
Last time i spoke to “clicker man” as we were finishing up after a very long morning at the entrance gate and road, the count was at 1096 cars.
Im sure a few more would have turned up after that.
I saw three coming around 3.45, as several of us were leaving!
Thanks. Didn’t see Harco’s post.
Does anyone know what the record is for a rally attendance?
Add to the 1096 total the competition cars and the volunteers that came through a different entrance.
I think the record was Gaydon when (if my memory is correct ) the total was over 1500
Gaydon in 2014 was over 1700. Its believed that at Donington, including all the MX-5s within the event area, the competitions etc we exceeded 2000.
Funny that, as that’s what Clive S said to me during the rally, - “We expect around 2,000 cars.” So either it’s the ‘flavour of the week,’ or you are saying there were almost as many cars inside as outside?
Call me ‘doubting thomas’ If you wish. But will there ever be an actual count?
you can doubt if you want, but with the clicker figures up until I believe it had a problem, and very realistic estimates by Club officials and by Donington based on the amount of their car park that was filled, (which they have fairly precise occupation figures for) and taking account of members through the gate, rally plaques given away, etc etc etc. plus those cars within the event which was 100 plus, I am lead to understand 2000 is not an unrealistic estimate. And that I would presume is total cars visiting the event, as first in parking at the top of the hill may presumably be gone before last in parked at the bottom.
Personally having stood and looked across fields of MX-5s for a number of years now, this looked to me like a bigger field than any other.
So job for Gerry in 2017, count them in, and count them out…
When I left, the main carpark was more or less empty, but there were cars still at the corner nearest the rally arena entrance, and cars at the corner furthest away. Assume that at some point the bit in between must have been full, count the number of rows, make some assumptions on spacing, and you come up with a fair estimate for the numbers in the main carpark… There were probably 100+ in the amin arena.
It would be interesting to know the split between Mks. A quick look around the car park there still seem to be more Mk1s than any other?
which has been done, and checked with Donington as well.
so that’s you sorted for 2017 as well, “MK checker” you could probably get a badge and your very own hi viz for volunteering to do that…
Martin - “So job for Gerry in 2017, count them in, and count them out…” Fair comment, I don’t need to stand there all day doing this, as my timing gear could be adapted to do it automatically, but main problem - how does it discriminate between MX5’s and other vehicles - including cars, vans and trucks? And as some owners will arrive in normal cars (bringing the family - or without the five for a variety of reasons) - do we count them - we should do shouldn’t we?
And at Gaydon, the drive in is wide enough to allow two lines of traffic, so it can’t tell that it’s looking at two cars in line, and if I double the count, then it’s still not accurate. Creating a single lane is also not suitable, as the aim is to get cars off the main road PDQ, so double lanes are effective in doing that.
While counting membership cards is one way, if two owners in the same family come in one car, how many cars will be counted, by the same token two independent members can arrive in one car, saving fuel costs on one. So a card count is also not accurate. Counting people is certainly not accurate either, as many bring their partners, mates etc.
You say the clicker failed - at what point? Mechanical devices can fail, we know that. While I could program the timing unit to work off a hand held push, the human element can fail, as I know well. The same applies to a clicker. (no disrespect meant to that person - it can happen, we are all human.)
So - if you are asking an 83 year old dodderer to stand there (or sit) from 7 a.m. till 5 p.m. (at least)- you’ll be lucky my friend - No way Jose!
And - there’s one statistic I held up for many years - only 20% of membership numbers attended National events, Spring Rallies were less than this. If there were over a thousand at Mallory, Gaydon, Kelmarsh or here at Donny, then the figure has increased percentage wise, I can accept that, but 2.000 I don’t believe. - It’s now a numbers game, apparently to justify bigger events?
It seems odd to me, that a friend inside, from whatever time volunteers arrived, to around 12.00 midday, would tell me “They expected 2,000 cars” - when they were still arriving. Take a pinch of salt - - -
My estimate is at least 1780 cars, but this doesn’t include those leaving during the day and being replaced by others. Based on my own observations.
We don’t have a categorical car count for the event, just too many cars coming and going from the Friday onwards in different locations and then on the day parked in 5 areas. While it is a good statistic for the rallies it is becoming less the focus and more on trying to understand the numbers of visitors and the breakdown of geographic attendance and membership which is more the influencer for what happens at them.
Following a catch up with Donington this morning and various reports in over last week, I am content to say across the day there was a solid 2,000 MX-5s at Donington, and most probably a good few more.
The click counter on the main carpark, come peak flow hands were needed and unfortunately clicking fell by the wayside. The arrival photographer isn’t a reliable indicator either, not all make it online and even if its in their interest to, they can’t shoot all the vehicles, and with the peak flow running in dual and treble lanes many images have 3 or more cars in them, they also have to staff their stand. We know cars were arriving steadily well after 1pm and beyond from just the entrance tent operation extension that was necessary.
These aside, where the cars parked actually reached to on the ground, given how well it is laid out, the Donington team put an estimate of about 1900 vehicles through the main Car park, but that is including 100 or so non MX-5s. The walk through entrance gate totals are also indicative of about 3600-3700 people through until we stopped staffing it, which from our previous event footfall indicators is roughly in line with a number vehicles slightly less than that, from reports on the day I feel that the MX-5 count in the main carpark was probably around 1700. All of this also unscientifically marries up with what is left on gifts, programmes and plaques etc that were handed out.
Add to all this cars in the Donington main gate parking, paddock and on the heritage loop with an additional 225 further cars involved within the event site (comps, displays, traders, shows etc) takes vehicle numbers over 2000 and with the large number of people also working on site, taking the footfall well over 4000.
Donington have said it is near definite their biggest car Club event to date. They also said that they had a great day with visitors from the Rally going through to watch the racing, taking more on the gate (gate 1) inside the event than the main entrance gate did, even with the substantial discount. 5Club Racing said the atmosphere was amazing and really enjoyed having so many people along to spectate, you can add in a field of racers and the place was awash with MX-5s. I would love to have drone footage of this event, but the Airport proximity meant that we were not able to fly one.
In terms of records then, this event is it, Kelmarsh last year was about 1400, the Anniversary event in 2014 was 1750, Sandringham in 2013 1100, Prescott in 2012 900
I’ll just clarify a few of the misconstrued facts being created above. The Club is now bigger than it has ever been, our events have been on an upward trajectory for a number of years both in numbers and satisfied members days out, the better they continue to be the more people will come along and enjoy them. This is down to concerted effort to make them so - with a structured approach to their planning and delivery with the resources (people, time and money) we have. It’s a real shame that some can’t be happy that the Club is such a great community to be part of and encourages this kind of participation in returning events like this to members as part of their subscriptions. There is nothing like it anywhere with any other car club or marque. Stop clinging to the negative and be proud of it, I know I am in delivering them.
The target for the event throughout planning was 1500 MX-5s with an on-event footfall projection of 3500, this is pretty much where we have to begin with all facility delivery - it was always recognised that the location and a good day would lead to uplift on this numbers and 2K was a distant dream, however it was planned for, as was a wet day. We reached out through the dedicated website, local and magazine media, Mazda and the attending trader network to help promote the day and this also had a positive effect with 40 new members joining at the event. In terms of the attendance statistic quotes 20% of the membership these days would yield nearly 1400 cars and I am glad to see more and more members coming to the rallies its the one time in the year we can get together as a National Club and the more people that come the more people get from their membership.
you could have bought a cheap flight to somewhere, and looked out the window, would probably have been cheaper…
It would be even more interesting to register the various special editions. Just about impossible I know. We own a Classic Red 1999 Sport with full body kit. I looked around the car park carefully and found only two others. I wondered how many of these were left? Bearing in mind only three hundred were made either in Classic Red, or Blue.
I wish I could upload a picture but sadly my IT skills are letting me down.
John