BMCRC plans for 2025

Firstly, we want to thank all of our Members for their continued loyalty to the club and support of our events. We know you work hard and spend pretty well every spare penny on your racing.

The emphasis for the Club has to be on affordable, safe, well managed, competitive, fair and fun racing within a supportive environment which is both viable and sustainable. The cost-of-living crisis has affected our volunteer Marshals & Officials as well…We must think of these hero’s travelling around the country to ensure we have good numbers to run safe meetings with adequately marshalled circuits. We also invest in equipment and vehicles for our dedicated Medical Team, unique in Club racing. So, some of your entry fees go to support all of this with a small contribution to Marshal & Official expenses, also breakfast and lunch for them on all 3 days of any meeting. 

We're very conscious therefore that our planning for 2025 must focus on maintaining good revenue from entry fees with a mix of classes that can deliver viable numbers.

 

Circuits

The Adjustment in our mix for the last two years was deliberate to try and help riders manage their finances in what has become an increasingly expensive sport. As you know the Board took the decision to hold entry fees in 2024.

Now is the time to move back to a more extensive schedule we already have a date for Oulton earlier in the year next season, and we are allocated a second date on the Donington circuit. We are likely to run the GP loop on the first visit there.

Going back to Silverstone on either the International Circuit or National was also requested – but the circuit were unable to offer a Friday testday. Similarly, no dates were available for Brands GP.

Not all of our requests can be honoured but you can see the mindset that the Board has going forward.

 

Classes

We will combine some classes in 2025 deliberately to remove some content from each meeting. This should enable events to be completed with the promised laps without too much adjustment, whilst allowing sufficient time for red flag incidents. We hope to be able to add a lap across the timetables at most rounds…..how?.....

Since our announcement of a grid for CB500s there’s been significant interest. We propose to run 3 x sub-classes here: Sub 75kg, sub 95KG & over 95KG, and an overall Rookie Class - This class will get an exclusive grid

The Team Green Junior Cup and Seniors will continue to share a grid with the MZs but each running separate championships.

YPMs will enjoy a dedicated grid, based on their projected numbers for 2025.

The F400s will run as a separate Championship within Thunderbike Sport

In both cases the result is two grids with the identities of the separate components retained and able to continue with the Club’s support.

Sportsbikes that have been at BSB this season have the option to enter our BMCRC SuperTwins.

MRO Clubman 1000 will go back to having a separate championship and Retro 1000 will change to have its own series and the two will not cross over for points scoring in 2025. 

Minitwins will run both MRO and Rookie together on the same grid from the start of the season.

All other classes will remain as they have been in 2024.

 

Guest Classes

We have incorporated a guest class at each round in 2024. Worked well for some rounds, for some less so. Guests are dropped as an addition to grids for 2025….as we are reducing the number of solo grids by 2 races per meeting, this allows for the separate CB500 grid

We only plan to invite the British SuperKarts again for 3 x rounds

 

Meeting formats

We will consult with each class via the Reps. Under discussion is the option for a single double-length race at some rounds, this may not suit all classes but some who experienced this format at Cadwell in July may want to try it. Medals will be awarded for all races and we will be clear at the outset where longer races will be run – so there is clarity for each Championship. Points scored at the halfway point of longer races will be dropped, riders did identify that there was jeopardy in this option for a dnf before the halfway point.

Powerbikes & Clubman 1000 (and Retro) have already indicated they would prefer to retain the 4 race format over the weekend – the same goes for YPMs.

Other classes have yet to be consulted.

 

Entry Fees

It’s likely that entry fees will rise in 2025, whilst we held entry fees this season, certainly costs for each meeting have risen so we will have to make some changes.

 

Resources

The Club still benefits from an extensive Marshalling community and we continue to support all our Marshals & Officials with accommodation, food and small subsistence payments, We plan to continue that support, all funded by your entry fees.

 

Provisional Dates

Dates as they stand provisionally are HERE. We’ve been unable to get a Friday Testday at Silverstone anywhere down 2025 on either track, so decided that a weekend only was not ideal.

 

 

Mike Dommett CEO

On Behalf of the BMCRC Board

(UPDATE: 27/09/24)