News

Message From The Chairman - 12/07/2012

Hi Everyone
As you are only too aware we are experiencing unprecedented weather conditions that are not only affecting the BLMRA but almost every other outdoor activity in the country.
For us this season out of a potential 12 days racing including the cancelled Silverstone meeting we will have only achieved four days!
Please be assured that your committee is doing everything they can to find alternative venues but everywhere is suffering the same wet conditions.

It's only fair to point out that even the 12 hour is now under threat if the ground conditions & weather don't improve. The 12 hour sub committee is working very hard on this matter and I can assure you that the last thing they want is to postpone or worse still cancel the event.
To give you an idea of what we are facing we need to consider the following ~

• What the long range weather forecast indicates.


• The 12 hour field is completely saturated and we are advised that we need at least 2 weeks of improved weather to make it useable.


• We will probably be prosecuted if we allow the main road to become muddy so we will need to have a wheel wash facility set up and have a road sweeper on hire.


• If it's a wet event our gate takings will be drastically affected.


• We have to dispose of a 1000 wet straw bales that can't be stacked.


• Our parking field was ploughed & planted with barley only 10 months ago and the soil is still relatively loose. This needs to be really dry to be usable but also the harvesting has to be when planned.

If we postpone or cancel we have to do it an absolute minimum of 3 weeks before the date as we have to consider ~

• That's the minimum time we have before we are committed to spending £1000's


• To preserve the relationship for future years we have to be as considerate as possible to our equipment suppliers who generally loan or give us favourable rates


• Massive additional expense if we have to deal with a wet event.


• Bottom line - the decision has to be made early next week!

On top of all of that the entries for the event are still quite low and I appeal to you to get them in as soon as possible - please. If we have to cancel the event we will give you a full refund but in the meanwhile we need to know if we have viable numbers if we are lucky with the weather or find a suitable alternative venue.

What you can do to help?

• Get your 12 hour entries or even your intent to race in as soon as possible.


• Help us find alternative venues hopefully with ground that isn't affected so much by wet conditions. We need a bit more of a lead than just a name & number to try - we get loads of them. We need you to do some of the ground work as well - please.


• Do you know anyone who would lend us or give us a favourable rate for equipment that would be useful in the event of a wet event (Wheel wash sweeper trucks road matting additional tractors etc.)

If you have any questions or can help please do not hesitate to contact us. It's your club and the committee are doing their best to run it for you because you elected them.

Regards
Pete Hammerton.