Fireworks and stock car race a muddy ‘shambles’
A MUM who took her two young sons to a stockcar racing evening promising them it would be a night to remember has told how they begged to go home after the cars got stuck in the mud.
Hannah, 30, from Brighouse, spent £36 on tickets for her, her children and her mum at the event at Odsal Top on Saturday night.
She said: “There must have been around 5,000 people there along with a lot of disappointed children.
“I had been bigging it up to my sons aged eight and two, telling them how great it was going to be but all they kept asking me was when could they go home.
“It was meant to be stock car racing, banger racing, monster trucks and £10,000 of fireworks.
“The whole thing from start to finish was a disaster and should have been brought to a close a lot sooner than it was. It started at 4.30pm and ended at 8.30pm and most of this time we were just sat around cold and bored waiting for the tractors to pull the cars off the track as it was a mud bath.
“There were four races that lasted a small amount of time due to all the cars getting stuck in the mud, then an hour waiting for the tractors to get them all off the track in between each.
“The monster truck was cancelled due to health and safety which I can not understand when it’s a lot bigger than the tractors that are absolutely fine on the track.
“The children were bored as there was nothing to entertain them at all; rather than put another two races on the fireworks should have just been done early and the event ended early.
“Forty-five minutes before the end three-quarters of the people attending had left, that’s how bad it was.
“We spoke to a few stewards who all agreed what a shambles it was and that the event should have been ended earlier.
“We waited until the end as after sitting in the cold for hours of no entertainment we thought we might as well see the fireworks, but wished we had just gone to a standard bonfire which the fireworks would have been just as good – they definitely weren’t £10,000 worth.
“We were utterly disappointed with it all and felt it was a complete waste of money, especially for the price we paid, and I’m pretty sure everyone else who attended would agree... which clearly showed how many people left early.
“The poor stewards said how much abuse they had got off people, it was that bad, which was also unfair as they couldn’t change it. It was massively overcrowded, they stated no on the gate tickets but still sold tickets on the gate to make more money.
And another man wrote on Startrax Stockcar Racing’s Facebook page: “Last night was horrific, badly organised, half of the event didn’t even happen, no monster truck as advertised, the ‘£10,000 firework spectacular’ was far from it, staff were rude and swearing in front of kids, yet to see a race take place.
“The commentator did his best to build excitement at what can only be considered a disaster but the odds were against him. Waste of time and money.”
In a social media apology, Startrax Stockcar racing manager Steve wrote on the event’s Facebook page: “We apologise unreservedly with regards to last night’s event and of course the resultant weather.
“Let us assure you, we have been involved in motorsports and Odsal for 27 years and indeed promoted at Odsal until its closure in 1997.
”We also invested heavily in its return for 2021. It has put on this far 11 successful events in 2021 including the World Stock Car Final only last month.
“We do care passionately about what we do and, trust us, we are devastated and apologise for the weather and we had invested heavily to put on a great show.”
“It was deemed Health & Safetywise unsafe for the Monster Trucks to participate, which we announced – but, as advertised, (was) only a part of the show.
“I make no excuses, it was with the weather not a pleasant night for your family or ourselves and we apologise to your family and friends.”
Anyone wanting a refund should contact the company directly.