Date	Event		Date	Event
April 11th 12th	Spring Gala	SAM 35	July 31st - Aug 2nd	Track days/competition	BTCG
May 8th 9th 10th	Track days/competition	BTCG	Aug 21st-23rd	Track days/competition	BTCG
June 12th 13th 14th	Retrofest	SAM 35	Sep 18th 18th 20th	Season finale	BTCG
July 3rd 4th 5th	Track days/competition	BTCG	Oct 10th 11th	Octoberfest	SAM 35

Competitions: During the season SAM will again be running two competitions at their events, the first for 2.5cc aircars in memory of the late Dick Roberts and the second for the Redfin Trophy for 2.5cc twinshaft cars. Updated information about developments at the track and rules for both these competitions are published on the SAM website.

Buckminster Another Successful Season

Another very successful season with seventeen days of organised running, along with a number of privately supported, free days of activity at the track and significantly better weather than any previous season. Again we have been delighted to welcome a visitor from overseas, Charlie Murphy back from the US with his original, vintage cars and a selection bought from an auction just a day previously. Throughout the year, more developments have been in hand, with further work planned for the winter and into next year, so time for another update on what has been happening and some important changes to note. Hugh and Lynn Blowers will again be organising the activities of the group and its scheduled meetings for a sixth season (we did agree to do just two originally) but will be looking for another team to take over in 2027 so that they can run cars. The updated rules for operation of the track  agreed with the BMFA will be applied at all BTCG meetings. All cars were checked for compliance at their first appearance and will be checked again each new season The email address buckytcar@btinternet.com and Facebook pages are still active and videos of events are available on the OTW www.youtube.com channel. Another very large vote of thanks from us all is due to Oliver, Aaron, Ian and Nigel who have done so much work on the track to keep it in runnable condition, and to the other volunteers who have manned the mowers and kept the track area tidy.

The calendar for the new season is published above, three full weekends organised by SAM and five by the Tether Car Group.  Ian Harper is now  SAM Tethered Car Secretary, and will be organising and promoting and organising their events. Roger Gedge has been very active with his electric cars and the rules for these electric classes are included, along with the general regulations for all BTCG meetings. Available via email from  buckytcar@btinternet.com or otwmedia0@gmail.com for a PDF copy.

At the track, most will have seen the timing hut, opened in July 2022 by Babs Roberts who donated the money to have it built by the Buckminster volunteers in memory of Dick. At the meeting in September 2022 we discussed the possibility of getting electricity plumbed into the hut and thanks to Nigel, in negotiation with Manny Williamson, the hut was fully wired and with lighting as well. This made the second stage of development for the timing system significantly easier. John Goodall kindly donated the funds to have the system built, which thanks to the work and expertise of Jan Huning and Ian Wingfield has been in constant use. Phase two was to be able to connect the system to a laptop and printer, as at all modern tracks, so that runs can be recorded in their entirety and then printed instantly. Right: Portion of printout showing the timed run. All laps before and after are also recorded

Thanks again to Ian who did the programming of the computer and timing system, this was tried for the first time in September 2023, running off batteries. Now, thanks to Nigel and Manny we now have leccy in the timing hut and connections for the track starting timer loaned to us by the French federation. Several visits to the computer shop and assistance from the site's IT guru finally got the laser printer talking to the laptop so all is ready to go (we hope)? Nigel Bathe kindly provided a 'velo' for test running cars in the proscribed test area to address the danger of tyres bursting if engines are run without load.

Last season again saw a number of new cars being built, or bought, along with a commensurate rise in the numbers of people intending to run cars, as and when these are complete. We still have to consider the ongoing funding of the track, both for further infrastructure projects and routine maintenance, replacements etc.  Virtually the entire track project has been funded by donations of money and equipment and through individuals providing equipment on a loan basis or putting their hands in their pockets, for which we are all exceedingly grateful, but this cannot be relied upon in the future. The track needs to generate income, either though further donations or via charges made to those running at each event. Every person using the track has to either be a season ticket holder or pay £10 site fee, which goes directly to the BMFA, not the track. Until 2024 the BTCG charged every entrant a fee for the weekend until we achieved a working balance, and now, thanks to the generosity of Heather Robinson who donated all of her late husbands workshop contents, we have a decent surplus for future work. Track cleaning, safety equipment and other upgrades benefit everyone, whichever events they attend, so it is imperative that money can be raised on a more regular basis to cover these.

Regulations for Classes, car construction and running at BTCG events now available vie email buckytcar@btinternet.com  or otwmedia0@gmail.com