IT'S OFFICIAL!

[kmchow]

Peugeot has announced they will enter the '01 BTCC. However, the entry will not be with their 307s as previously expected. It will be the 406 coupe. The 406 wil probably be the largest sized car on the starting grid, but Peugeot believes they can still be competitive.

Furthermore, Vauxhall has pledged their continued support, especially after Peugeot became only the 2nd confirmed Works team to enter the BTCC.

So what do people think? Who else will race??

[White Van Man]

I seem to recall Rick Pearson telling us this several weeks ago in the Trackside forum... You heard it here first!

Good news though - with the excellent looking Astra (I hope they put white wheels on it...!), the Pug Coupe, Alfa's, and more, there will be some great looking machinery. And if the racing is as close as is promised...

[Danielsun]

If you read anything that RickP posted (yeah, I know, it's hard to stomach) you'd already know that Peugeot were intending to race the 406 Coupe in next year's BTCC.

Should be interesting to see if the French manufacturer can get it right this time. They had no shortage of cash or star drivers in the past and the best result it netted them was second at Thruxton for Tim Harvey in probably the most crazy race of all time. Even Del Boy was scared in that one!!

[Danielsun]

Oh, please!! Not YELLOW!!

[White Van Man]

The difference this time, Danielsun (made up name ?), is that they are getting a pukka team (Bowman (Vic Lee)) to run the show - they're not trying to do it themselves out the back of a shed in Coventry during their lunch hour.

Expect big things next year...

[Danielsun]

Please, red goes faster... Vic Lee. Didn't he get thrown away...?

Nah, I am looking forward to it. We all said that this season would be ****, but the racing was as good as ever. So what if the damage bill for 888 was infinitely more than in previous years. Next year could yet be great for the BTCC!

[White Van Man]

No, the racing was *not* as good as in previous years - team orders and team politics saw to it that the cars were close, but hardly ever raced. Remember Silverstone, once they'd been let off their leash ?!

You cannot paint a Pug red!! Roger Moen tried that, and it looked terrible!

Oh, and back to the topic in hand... Vic Lee was indeed 'taken out of circulation' for a minor indescretion in 1992, but is most definately back nowadays - winnning (dominating ?) the NSC and BTCC Class B last year proved this.

[Danielsun]

I think you get the point; there was about as much passing (or lack thereof) as we've seen in recent BTCC seasons - as much, supposedly, as Super Touring regulations would allow.

As for the end of term races, they're always the best, which is why the V8 Supercar series shouldn't conclude at Bathurst; there should be one more sprint round after the Big One...

[kmchow]

Ohh, I guess I was behind with my news. I only recall all those 307 hb discussions.

Weren't the ProMarkt DTM MBs yellow as well? I think they looked stunning in yellow.

[Danielsun]

It's just a different sort of yellow; this Peugeot colour just screams out somewhat more than the old DTM Mercs. Or then there's Paul Morris' Commodore...

[RIKB]

Whatever colour they paint their cars, the fact remains that there are currently onlt 2 works teams in for next year.

Rover, have put their program on hold (If it ever existed).

I don't know who all these "waiting in the wings" manufacturers are, but it is high time they started to break cover.

[Danielsun]

Yes, Rik, I saw that they've delayed their would-be entry into the series. Come to think of it, the Mondeo never made its 1993 debut until mid-season and Paul Radisich still managed to finish third overall!!

Could this be Rover's tactic? Would be nice to have a full grid from the word 'go' though...