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17 Aug 2021, 09:01 (Ref:4067142) | #1 | ||
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Round Six, Thruxton 28-29 Aug, Races 16,17&18
The second half of the 2021 KwikFit BTCC season begins at the same venue as the first half, and again when the lights go out at Thruxton the grid will look a bit different to when we last saw the cars racing there with Paul Rivett scheduled to complete his second round standing in for Andy Neate.
Thruxton is the second of two visits on the calendar for 2021. Restrictions at the circuit mean that only 12 days of motorsport each year are permitted, and BTCC has taken two of them this year. A quick glance of the site and it is easily identified that this track began life as an airfield, with the circuit following what was essentially the airfield perimeter track. The site is also the location of the BARC HQ. (thruxtonracing.co.uk) Like many race circuits Thruxton was originally a wartime airfield. Commissioned in 1941 the airfield was host to both the RAF and USAF and played a major part in the D-Day landings as a base for troop carrying aircraft and gliders. Declared surplus to requirements in 1946, motorsport started in 1950 with motor bikes on a track comprising both the runways and perimeter roads. Cars joined the bikes in 1952 for only one year as the deteriorating wartime tarmac was breaking up badly. Amazingly, bikes continued racing until 1965, but by then plans were under way to redevelop the site and motor racing returned on a new track in 1968. The new layout ignored the old runways and followed the lines of the perimeter road with the inclusion of the chicane and further round the track three tight corners in succession: Campbell, Cobb and Segrave, commonly referred to as the Complex. Even with these tight corners Thruxton is the fastest race circuit in the UK, with Formula Renaults averaging well over 100mph in race conditions. Thruxton soon gained a reputation as a real drivers circuit with its seemingly never ending high speed corners around the back of the track where success required total commitment. Thruxton's fame grew from the Easter Monday Formula 2 meetings where Formula 1 drivers of the day battled with up and coming talent. Household names like Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart and Jochen Rindt all thrilled the crowds in the early races. Since then Thruxton has seen all our recent Formula 1 drivers race regularly at the track at some time in their career. In 1993 Damon Hill, Formula 1 World Champion, drove a demonstration run in the Williams FW15C, recording an incredible 57.6 second lap of the 2.4 mile circuit, an average speed of 147.25mph. It is now the high speed rounds of the British Touring car championship and Superbikes that regularly bring in capacity crowds. If you follow these series you may have seen Thruxton on the television or even lapped the circuit on the Playstation Touring Car game, but as always there is nothing like doing it for real. Thruxton first appeared as a BTCC [BSCC] circuit for the 1968 season, winners that day were Chris Craft (Class A), Graham Janzen (Class B), Frank Gardner (Class C) and Brian Muir (Class D). Since the cars began to run under NGTC regulations, the track has seen a good return for FWD cars, particularly Hondas. From the 2011 season onward, there have now been 36 winners; of these only 6 wins have been taken by RWD cars, and of these three were in race-3 reverse grids. At the same time, 18 wins have been taken by Hondas, with Shedden and Cook both picking up six wins followed by Neal with five. In the first round, Cook took two wins and Hill took a trio of podiums – both drivers will be hoping to repeat their success on return to the venue. Coverage is once again provided by ITV. Qualifying is scheduled to be on the ITV Hub at www.itv.com/btcc with the session starting at 14:45, with the Sunday coverage start time to be confirmed on ITV4, the first BTCC race is at 11:40. The full timetable can be found at - https://www.barc.net/wp-content/uplo...C-Thruxton.pdf Early weather forecast shows that Saturday is forecast to be 14deg with a 45% chance of rain. Sunday 15deg and 55% chance of rain, a passing shower or two. |
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17 Aug 2021, 09:19 (Ref:4067143) | #2 | |
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So another weekend where fans at Thruxton have to make do with mini challenge trophy and porsche sprint challenge......
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17 Aug 2021, 09:42 (Ref:4067147) | #3 | ||
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17 Aug 2021, 12:22 (Ref:4067178) | #4 | |
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Even though other circuits have more layouts than Thruxton...
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17 Aug 2021, 12:46 (Ref:4067197) | #5 | ||
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Why does Thruxton get two rounds?
There are a number of potential reasons: The hosting fees are cheaper? The series is a BARC championship, and so they choose to go to their own venue twice? The calendar was drawn up when C-19 restrictions were unclear, and Thruxton is less reliant on fans? Thruxton had dates available? It's Gow's favourite venue? |
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17 Aug 2021, 12:57 (Ref:4067202) | #6 | ||
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The BTCC is actually taking up four of Thruxton's twelve days of racing. Unfortunately over a weekend both Saturday and Sunday count towards Thruxton's allowance meaning that this year they are holding six racing weekends. Personally I would gladly give up one BTCC weekend for a visit from the British GT/GB3 package but since the problems with pit stops this seems unlikely.
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17 Aug 2021, 13:11 (Ref:4067205) | #7 | ||
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17 Aug 2021, 17:33 (Ref:4067286) | #8 | ||
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Quote:
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17 Aug 2021, 23:07 (Ref:4067323) | #9 | ||
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Nothing wrong with the lower class of Minis, it's still good racing. That Porsche championship though, yet another poorly supported GT series split into charity classes because series organisers love to appease those with pathetically fragile egos. "Congratulations! You win a trophy for finishing 12th in a single make race!"
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18 Aug 2021, 06:39 (Ref:4067339) | #10 | |
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18 Aug 2021, 09:38 (Ref:4067356) | #11 | ||
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Could this be Plato's chance to grab a win, given how well he went here at the season opener, or will that elusive race winning setup be out of reach? I wonder how many times he's considered crossing to the dark side and driving a Honda.
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22 Aug 2021, 18:22 (Ref:4069852) | #12 | ||
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22 Aug 2021, 18:45 (Ref:4069853) | #13 | |
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Could it also be that Thruxton was chosen because it is the most FWD-friendly circuit, and this is another more subtle bid to slow down the RWD cars? Perhaps a bit more conspiracy theorist, but it seems possible. I am happy for Thruxton to host two rounds, as it is a particularly exciting circuit in terms of good racing, and also I prefer for FWD cars to be more competitive.
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22 Aug 2021, 22:39 (Ref:4069881) | #14 | ||
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Nothing against Thruxton, I'm of the opinion that all BTCC tracks are great in their own way but it'd be fantastic to see some new tracks in the calendar... now with motorsport being long after its prime time and fails of CoW and Lake Torrent, I doubt we'll see new circuits being built around Britain. Doesn't fit well with green industrial revolution, does it. |
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23 Aug 2021, 07:54 (Ref:4069912) | #15 | ||
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I'd personally love to see Oulton Park Fosters used, purely for a change.
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23 Aug 2021, 13:15 (Ref:4069988) | #16 | |
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23 Aug 2021, 13:25 (Ref:4069990) | #17 | |
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23 Aug 2021, 15:10 (Ref:4070006) | #18 | ||
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23 Aug 2021, 15:15 (Ref:4070011) | #19 | |
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South got renamed after the Wing was finished:
GP circuit - the full one National circuit - the short one International circuit - the other two thirds of the GP circuit Stowe circuit - formerly 'South', but changed to remove the geographical confusion of it being inside another circuit at the south end of the site |
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23 Aug 2021, 15:15 (Ref:4070013) | #20 | |||
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Quote:
The international circuit was previously known as the 'south' circuit. Are you confusing it with Stowe? |
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23 Aug 2021, 16:28 (Ref:4070021) | #21 | |
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Does the Stowe circuit still exist? I thought it had been converted to the rallycross track, or was that just temporary.
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23 Aug 2021, 16:59 (Ref:4070023) | #22 | |
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Maybe the international circuit should be referred to as the ‘Bucks’ circuit
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23 Aug 2021, 17:14 (Ref:4070026) | #23 | ||
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23 Aug 2021, 18:20 (Ref:4070032) | #24 | ||
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I like croft - it’s simpler!
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23 Aug 2021, 18:44 (Ref:4070034) | #25 | ||
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