BTCC Crazy

Track Guide – Rockingham

The eighth weekend of the 2013 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship takes a trip to Corby as Rockingham hosts rounds 22, 23 & 24. In this edition of track guide you will learn what it takes to hook up a lap around the 1.94 mile circuit, what happened last year, this weekends weather as well as a little history.

A Lap of Rockingham

Compared to the undulation of Knockhill, Rockingham is a complete opposite in terms of the challenges faced by the drivers. As you cross the start/finish line, the cars will be shifting through the gears and approaching 120mph as they take the plunge into turn one. Only the brave and committed will keep it pinned through there.

The Deene hairpin is a second gear corner taken at around 45mph, the tight left hander is a great overtaking place and can provide plenty of action on the first lap. Out of Deene it is a short run down to the right handed Yentwood, which is still a second gear corner at just over 50mph. Chapman Curve is straight after Yentwood and is a continuous flow of right handers into a quick left. There is a little chance of overtaking here however it does give the drivers a chance to set up for a move.

Building speed up to Gracelands corner is where the drivers will be going up the gears and entering the left hander at 100mph. It is somewhat of a double apex as it has two kinks left and then it is a short blast down to another hairpin. The right hander is called Tarzan and is usually take in first gear. On the exit of the corner, the cars will be roughly taking 45mph and many will be side by side with each other.

The last section of the 1.94 mile circuit is a straight down to a quick chicane before the cars will then make their way out onto the banking and up onto the start/finish straight to begin another lap.

Last Year (2012)

It was at the 1.94 mile circuit last year that the destiny of the championship swung the way of Gordon Shedden. Pole position fell the way of Jason Plato and the MG KX Momentum driver took a comfortable lights-to-flag victory in the opening encounter and looked set to dominate the meeting.

However as the rain fell, Shedden took advantage and took two victories in the treacherous conditions. The Scot survived a sideways moment through turn one whilst Jeff Smith wasn’t so lucky as he virtually wrote his car off.

History

BTCC Stats & Facts at Rockingham

Weather Report 2013

BBC Weather are reporting that there will be early showers on Saturday morning with the sun then set to make an appearance in the afternoon. For race day, it should be a dry morning but rain is expected at 13:00 through until the late evening. Waterproofs are advised to be taken and the grandstands are set to be a sea of colour with the umbrellas up.

Article originally written on Friday, 13 September 2013. Read more articles from the BTCC Crazy Archive.