What has happened to Blyton?
By Peter McNicol - Motorsport Co-Ordinator
I have held back on this announcement to coincide with the release of this post being released in Decembers STHT. Many people have been asking are we having another Blyton, without beating about the bush the answer is NO! But please do not fret. The decision not to have another Blyton has not been easy, we the club have listened to both sides of the story over the past two years with people giving positives and negatives on why we should and should not go back. The statistics speak for themselves, over the five years that Blyton has been held the number of people returning for another year, especially the experienced track day goer, has dwindled to the extent that even with tickets going on sale early it has been a struggle to sell them all, and with the suggestion of prices increasing for the venue and Mazda on Track, it is time for a change. I appreciate that we have the experts out there that will think that they know best and that we should continue with what we know. Well the club is moving on to new pastures, I am happy to announce that the MX-5 Owners Club annual two day social and track day event will be held at Bruntingthorpe in Leicestershire on the 10th & 11th June, located just off the M1 just 9 miles south of Leicester. Located further south than Blyton, Bruntingthorpe gives a better opportunity for those Club areas in the south of the country to attend. There is also a good selection of various types of accommodation available within the local area at reasonable prices should you not want to camp.
Hospitality Suite with Camping Area to rear of building.
Bruntingthorpe is a privately owned vehicle testing and proving ground used by all the major motoring manufacturers, providing a 2.1 mile circuit with 10 challenging corners which can be tuned to suit the excellent handling of the MX5 yet still be able to stretch the legs of your car. To support the event we the Club have the use of a multi-million pound hospitality complex called the Whittle Suite; named after the inventor of the jet engine, this will provide cover for the signing on, support for the weekend and cover in case of any inclement weather. We also have the exclusive use of the Auto test circuit and the kart circuit all in close proximity of the hospitality unit. Use of the Camping is provided free of charge and is located to the rear of hospitality complete with power. Toilet facilities in the hospitality suite are more than adequate and are designed to support up to 1000 people if required. There will be an onsite caterer available over the weekend supplying breakfast and lunch with hog roast on the menu, all at reasonable prices.
You ask what will this all cost, well the answer is again after listening to the members we can confirm that prices to go on circuit will be competitive against Blyton, we will be providing the three sessions in the morning for the complete novice, the intermediate driver and the track day experienced drivers, the afternoon open pit lane will definitly be cheaper than Blyton this year. As with past years we will be having our usual BBQ on the Saturday night, there is also the possibility of providing some entertainment on Saturday Night, to be confirmed at a later date, utilising the expanse of the ground floor of the hospitality suite. For the complete Novice’s and the more experienced, there will be free instruction on and off track by four qualified Racing Instructors, giving advice on how to prep your car and drive it safely on circuit. As always there will be mechanical support available for anybody that requires it, to get back on track or just to get home.
More details will follow with more information of ticket prices and when they are available to buy, this will be advertised on the forum and the next edition of STHT.
Peter