SOS, (save our Shakey).

SteveCase · Post by **SteveCase** » Mon Feb 04, 08 1:05 pm

For those that remember when Shakespeare Raceway used to be Long Marston, this was on the news yesterday.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/c...re/7224651.stm

Where is the 'former army camp' at Long Marston? Is this the site of the airfield and drag strip?

This will probably go ahead at some time so even if it is not on the airfield site it will be close by and with a proposed 6000 houses that is more than 6000 eco-nimbys to complain about a bit of noise to disturb their car-washing weekends.

Only 200 protesters turned up at the weekend. Is now the time to get all drag racing enthusiasts involved?

Please post on Pistonheads, Eurodragster, Buldog Bash sites, Mini forums etc

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Mon Feb 04, 08 1:08 pm

Need the correct link to find that report Steve.

mad machs · Post by **mad machs** » Mon Feb 04, 08 1:26 pm

try this link-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cove ... 224651.stm

latil · Post by **latil** » Mon Feb 04, 08 1:29 pm

Plans http://www.stratford.gov.uk/files/seeal ... Boards.pdf

Kev · Post by **Kev** » Mon Feb 04, 08 3:27 pm

Looks quite close

Dave999 · Post by **Dave999** » Mon Feb 04, 08 4:29 pm

yup

noise if the wind is in the wrong (right) direction

however from a saftey point of view you would have to get quite badly out of shape to ruin someones methane production facility.

can i suggest a small wind farm down either side of the track

on a more serious note

however off the mark a plan is these days the big green steam roller ploughs on regardless.

now i'm off to costco to buy a patio heater to warm me solar panels

Dave

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Feb 04, 08 7:02 pm

I bet santa pod cannot wait....

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Mon Feb 04, 08 7:04 pm

Its never good news. We are very much not mainstream.
We are a minority sport/hobby with a good chance of going extinct if we are not careful...............

MilesnMiles · Post by **MilesnMiles** » Mon Feb 04, 08 7:26 pm

What Pete said. Sometimes, on an optimistic day i fancy investing in some hardcore classic muscle (flight of fancy, indulge me!), but i then stop and wonder how long before we are legislated off the road?

Some EU bod on the news this morning would make any new car illegal if, for instance it only did 15mpg. He said something like, 'You can have an Aston Martin, as long as it does 60mpg..'

latil · Post by **latil** » Mon Feb 04, 08 7:42 pm

This bloke needs putting down too http://lifestyle.aol.co.uk/go-green/pol ... 2609990002

Kev · Post by **Kev** » Mon Feb 04, 08 7:48 pm

Easy on the threats and slander

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Feb 04, 08 8:54 pm

The old army camp is about 1.5 miles or so from Shakey, seperated by several fields, a road and a village, who I assume aren't bothered by the noise ( since the wall was erected), otherwise drag racing would have been shut down a good while ago.
It was only going to be time before someone developed the land for housing, the site is currently used by Salvesan's and a company who do fleet resale/corrective work for Daimler Chrysler vehicles.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon Feb 04, 08 9:00 pm

Surely it can only be called an " Eco town" if all the residents walk to work and don't own cars, otherwise its just another pee take by the Goverment and a good excuse to price the houses 3 times the price of similar houses in the area.

SteveCase · Post by **SteveCase** » Tue Feb 05, 08 6:50 am

You only have to look at what's happened at Brooklands, houses, trading estates, Mercedes dealers, blah blah!!! We're all doomed!

Ivor · Post by **Ivor** » Tue Feb 05, 08 11:40 am

Come on, let's get positive!

OK we know the "eco" tag is just a ruse to get planning for 6,000 houses, the whole development will probably be as "eco" as a landfill site, so I would imagine the developers will be treading very carefully.

I think it's important that the location of Shakey should be flagged up as early in the process as possible, so people are under no illusion that there's a race track up the road, though I don't think noise pollution is likely to be a problem.

As far as us being a dying breed, I don't think that's true, I've taken two of the young guys that work for me drag racing a couple of times they are both hooked, okay they are not muscle car/hot rod fans, they are "tuner" types, but they have both been attending events at the drags that have been packed and full of enthusiasts that are really going for it.

I think we have to understand that our particular niche of drag racing is based on 30 - 40 year old cars, that are pretty rare in the UK and naturally that makes us a minority, but there is no doubt that with the support of other areas of drag racing, we can go on to enjoy our sport for many years to come, after all, one company representative in his car uses more fuel and produces more emissions in a month than one of us would in a whole season.

So, I'm gonna carry on, having fun, as usual.