Invicta Informant

IndyCar was pretty popular and then the infamous split happened when the then President of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), Tony George, left the CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) board to establish what was initially the solely oval-based series that was the Indy Racing League (IRL), with the Indy 500 being the blue ribbon event. From 1996 there were two separate American open-wheel racing series until unification in 2008. CART (which later became Champ Car when CART went bankrupt at the end of 2003) had at first the recognisable names, teams and sponsors, but scored a number of own goals. The 1996 US 500 on the same weekend as the Indy 500 and having a multi-car accident just before the race started. The 2001 Firestone Firehawk 600 which never happened because of high G-forces causing drivers to blackout or experience dizziness/disorientation during practice and qualifying. Eventually the bigger teams (Penske, Chip Ganassi and Andretti) switched to the IRL (mainly at the bequest of their sponsors who wanted them at the Indy 500). The split also opened the door for NASCAR to increase in popularity. Since late 2019 the IndyCar Series has been under the management of Penske, who also own the IMS and as well as their eponymous racing team (conflict of interest?). The championship has essentially reverted back to how it was before the split, but with much improved safety.

Erith MRS Club Member's layout Bletchinghurst will be attending.

Ordered a model of Andania for my brother last week and it arrived less than 24 hours later (thank you Rails of Sheffield). The quality of the model is what we have come to expect from Bachmann (very good indeed) and, after the appropriate running-in on my rolling road, it can haul at least 10 bogie carriages. Also this informative documentary on the Class 40 has been recently uploaded:

I remember coming across the story of a specially and secretly designed Ilmor-Mercedes-Benz engine, ran by Penske, that dominated the 1994 Indy 500. They also dominated the 1994 IndyCar season. Not Formula One I know but it is interesting story.

This weekend there is IndyCar from Portland, Oregon, NASCAR from Darlington, South Carolina, and MotoGP from the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

This weekend there is IndyCar from World Wide Technology Raceway (formerly known as Gateway International Raceway and Gateway Motorsports Park) near St. Louis, IMSA from Virginia International Raceway, NASCAR from Daytona, and BTCC from Donington Park (and they are racing on the Grand Prix circuit for the first since 2002).

This weekend there is DTM from the Lausitzring, NASCAR from Watkins Glen, Australian Supercars from The Bend, South Australia, World Rallycross from Germany, and MotoGP from the Red Bull Ring.

This one is also up there.

Here is the Accurascale box compared to the Dapol one. As good as Dapol's Manor is, Accurascale's Manor definitely has more finesse to it.

This weekend there is IndyCar and NASCAR from Indianapolis (both series racing on the road course layout) and BTCC from Knockhill.

This weekend there is WRC from Finland, IndyCar from Nashville, IMSA from Road America, Wisconsin, NASCAR from Michigan, DTM from the Nürburgring, and MotoGP from Silverstone.

This weekend there is BTCC from Croft, Australian Supercars from Eastern Creek, Sydney, NASCAR from Richmond, Virginia, and Formula E from the ExCeL Centre, London.

The World Matchplay was won by Nathan Aspinall, who beat Jonny Clayton 18 legs to 6. Both players move up to 5th and 7th in the world rankings respectively. The defending champion, Michael van Gerwen, was eliminated in the first round by Brendan Dolan. The Women's World Matchplay was won by Beau Greaves, who beat Mikuru Suzuki 6 legs to 1. The next TV tournaments are the 'World Series' events, New Zealand Darts Masters in Hamilton on 4th & 5th August, and the New South Wales Darts Masters in Wollongong on 11th & 12th August. The World Series of Darts Finals takes place in Amsterdam between 15th-17th September. UK coverage is on ITV4. The next ranked TV major is the double-to-start World Grand Prix at the Morningside Arena, Leicester, running from 2nd to 8th October on Sky Sports.

This weekend there is WRC from Estonia, IndyCar from Iowa, IMSA from Lime Rock, Connecticut, NASCAR from Pocono, Pennsylvania, and World Rallycross from Lydden Hill.

The authorities do not seem to truly appreciate how much a football club means to their local community. It is something you cannot put a price on. Just look at the story of AFC Wimbledon. I do hope Southend United gets some stable ownership, though it would not surprise me if they have to go through what Bury did (they and their home ground are now owned by their supporters' society).

Bletchinghurst from the Erith MRS is due to attend.

This weekend there is IndyCar from Toronto, NASCAR from New Hampshire, Formula E from Rome, and the Goodwood Festival of Speed (which actually started on 13th).

This weekend there is WEC from Monza, IMSA from Mosport Park, Ontario, DTM from the Norising in Nuremberg, Australian Supercars from Townsville, Queensland, and NASCAR from Atlanta.

I went on Saturday and I had a enjoyable day out, with two round trips on the railway. From my perspective, it was nice to meet and chat to some acquaintances that I have not seen for a few months. The layouts and traders were mostly based in one of the locomotive workshops at Sheffield Park and in the carriage workshop at Horsted Keynes, areas not normally opened to the public. Layout wise at Sheffield Park there was just the OO Live Steam Club and a rather good N gauge layout Upperton from the Eastbourne club. Traders there included Invicta Model Rail, David Wills, Bachmann, Aspire Gifts & Models, Richard Panes Spares, and ModelU in the Bluebell Railway's Shop on the platform. At Horsted Keynes, the traders were Barry Jones, A&N Rail Models, Andy Lynch, Colin Penn, Carriage & Wagon Models, Railroad Trading, 75D Railway Books, The Wagon Yard, On the Rails, and Heritage In Motion. Layout wise, there was the usual contingent from the West Sussex N Gauge Society, N gauge Crumbling Edge (by one of my fellow Erith MRS members), two layouts which won the trophies at my club's show back in January, Ballyconnell Road (Irish 3mm scale) and Somewhere in France (WW1-themed OO9), Plumpton Green (as pictured), and other small layouts in OO, TT and N. It would not surprise me if the Bluebell might have had difficulties with getting different layouts to attend, had a few late drop outs, or they might not have known until recently what space they had to play with the workshops.

Was this the one ran by the Chatham & District MRC? The Chatham Show that comes to my mind are the ones at Fort Pitt Grammar School ran by the Medway Model Show Group. The last time the Chatham & District MRC organised a show was, I believe, in 2018. I remember going to their shows in 2015 and 2016 where they took place in the Medway Park Leisure Centre in Gillingham. They were big and damn good shows, but really warm inside the halls, as they took place in early June.

This weekend there is IndyCar from Mid-Ohio, NASCAR with a street race in Chicago, and the 24 Hours of Spa (which is also a round of both the GT World Challenge Endurance Cup and the Intercontinental GT Challenge).

I believe a Erith MRS club member is taking one of his layouts, Crumbling Edge, to the show.

The World Cup of Darts was won by Wales (Gerwyn Price & Jonny Clayton) who beat Scotland (Peter Wright & Gary Anderson) 10 legs to 2 in the final. The defending champions Australia lost in the quarter finals to Belgium 8-7, while the No. 1 seed England also lost in the quarter finals to Germany 8-3. The next TV tournament is the 'World Series' Poland Darts Masters in Warsaw on 7th & 8th July on ITV4. The next ranked TV major is the World Matchplay at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool, running from 15th to 23rd July on Sky Sports.

This weekend there is the Safari Rally round of the WRC from Kenya, DTM from Zandvoort, IMSA from Watkins Glen, NASCAR from Nashville, Formula E from Portland, Oregon, and MotoGP from Assen.

This weekend there is IndyCar from Road America, Wisconsin, BTCC from Oulton Park, British GT from Snetterton, Australian Supercars from Darwin, and MotoGP from Sachsenring, Germany.