Dear Members & Friends,
After much disappointment with the passing of weeks and then months of inability to have any major events on our Calendar during 2020, we entered the winter thinking forward to 2021 and the hope of a year of catching up and the opportunity to blow the dust from our exhausts and the vestiges of inactivity with a fresh and exciting Calendar for 2021.
I am therefore saddened to be writing on behalf of the Chairman Board of Directors to convey our mutual disappointment, which I am sure will be shared by many reading this, that our Calendar for 2021 is very probably just as much at risk as was our last. Given the global situation that is affecting us all, this may not come as a total surprise, however we feel duty-bound to at least express our thoughts and to formally communicate these.
Any and all events in the motor sport calendar are essentially regulated by the dates that are fixed for the Premier events such as F1, Superbikes, BTCC, and Silverstone Classic, and as such the lower echelons of the sport take second dibs to secure dates, which essentially means that at this stage of the year planning and executing are at odds with one another given the current uncertainty that surrounds everything that we do in our personal and professional lives.
Our tentative plans for the 2021 BMW Sommerfest, for which we had penciled, rather than inked a date, for Sunday 23rd May due to the aforementioned restrictions, had been made. The location, Donington Park was selected as the launch of our new event, to be held concurrently with a 750 Motor Club event featuring race content including the BMW Car Club Racing Championship and the Gaz Shocks BMW 116 Trophy together with additional content to provide a moving spectacle. Additional plans for a Guinness World Record attempt for the most BMWs on track and parade laps of BMW model groups would provide opportunities for members to at least experience some sedate laps of the undulating character and interest of the famous Donington circuit. The event would obviously also feature plenty of opportunity for static displays of member cars in model series and regional displays, Concours, trade stands and our famous Club Village.
The planning and execution of such an event involves a great deal of work, involving a key group of people with much dedication to produce. Expending this effort and associated costs, with the uncertainty of an actual green light for the go ahead and, the probability of this not happening is in our view, not a responsible decision. We have therefore had to take the hard but practical decision, to postpone these plans for 2021, and to think ahead to our 70th Anniversary year of 2022.
However, we are thinking that if and when Government restrictions permit larger outdoor gatherings, that we may give you all notice (possibly short via the newsletter) that those of us both willing and close enough to be practical, can meet at one or more of the BMW Car Club Racing Championship events just to meet and greet and to support this calendar, such that we can blow away our social cobwebs and enjoy an impromptu gathering together.
We thank you all for your understanding and continued support of BMW Car Club GB and hope to see you all soon, until then please stay safe and well.
Martyn Goodwin – Vice Chairman
