CSCC breaks its entries record again
The Classic Sports Car Club has broken its previous record for the number of entries for a meeting after a surge of interest in its event at Donington Park later this month.
The club’s fixture at the Leicestershire circuit last season was also popular, setting the benchmark at 492 entries, although more than this were received prior to drivers dropping out amid growing reserve lists.
That 2020 figure has now been surpassed for the 29-30 May meeting this year and entries being processed as Autosport went to press would take the number above 500. With still over two weeks to go before the meeting, more entries could arrive, but club director David Smitheram also cautioned that those on reserve lists may withdraw.
“Unfortunately, quite a lot of those can’t race – we’ve got eight out of the 12 races sold out with reserves,” he said. “We’re particularly pleased with the Slicks Series [new in 2020], we’ve got 26 entries for that.”
The club’s other newest category, Turbo Tin Tops, has attracted its highest entry yet with 34 cars. “Typically, it takes some time – three or four years – before entries for our new series pick up and that’s exactly what’s happened here,” said Smitheram. “We seem to have reached that critical mass.”
Smitheram believes there are a number of reasons why the club’s Donington meetings are proving particularly popular, but says it is difficult to attribute any one key factor.
“People’s favourites change over the years,” he said. “For a few years, everyone wanted to race at Oulton Park, then it was Silverstone. It helps that MSV has taken Donington on – the facilities have been improved. It’s a decent challenge but it’s wide and you can overtake and its location is easy to get to.”
Smitheram added that attracting such large entries does create challenges. One of the club’s regular race officials will instead be deployed to the assembly area to assist marshals, particularly as a number of drivers contest back-to-back races.