What's happened to the people's champ?

bentate · 26 Apr 2007, 23:16 (Ref:1901340)

Based on all the brevado and promises after last year's controversial championship result I thought the 'people's champ' was going to come out and lay all before him this season?

Give young Rick a driving lesson, I bet the Fordies were shouting....

What happened?

Wasn't Kelly the pretend champ to most Ford fans? Wasn't Lowndes going to teach him a lesson this year?

After 3 rounds, it all seems to have gone a little pear shaped for the 'moral victor'.

With every race result and point earned as Rick pulls further and further away from Lowndes he's just making Lowndes look sillier and sillier as the season rolls on. It's satisfying to watch all those claims and all that expectation from Ford fans being wiped away with each round.

Rick is building on his championship efforts last season and I'm sure he'd love to race wheel to wheel with Lowndes this year. Unfortunately Craig will have to find some more pace and try and get up the front if he wants to race Rick.

People's champ.....

that's just beautiful.....

Rick · 26 Apr 2007, 23:31 (Ref:1901346)

I wouldn't laugh too loud until Rick actually beats his own team mate!!

Rick V Craig in the same car? - now THAT would be funny!!

bentate · 26 Apr 2007, 23:41 (Ref:1901352)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

I wouldn't laugh too loud until Rick actually beats his own team mate!!

Rick V Craig in the same car? - now THAT would be funny!!

Check out the points score or the first and third rounds.

Craig chose his prefered manufacturer seven long years ago and he chose the team he's in today. In fact Craig has had his pick of Ford teams for the past seven seasons. It's not as if he didn't have a choice, so that defence is pretty lame.

Something about lying in the bed that you've made....

Rick · 27 Apr 2007, 00:07 (Ref:1901358)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bentate

Check out the points score or the first and third rounds.

yep, he's giving Garth a real good walloping!!

Axeman444 · 27 Apr 2007, 00:22 (Ref:1901363)

maybe if he had the benefit of 3 team mates for setup input and on track help rather than 1 things might be diferent???

bentate · 27 Apr 2007, 01:47 (Ref:1901376)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Axeman444

maybe if he had the benefit of 3 team mates for setup input and on track help rather than 1 things might be diferent???

Wait a second. Don't triple 8 use SBR motors (along with BJR), so there's at least 5 other cars sharing the same engine development. Doesn't DJR run Triple8 suspensions now? So there's another 2 cars that Triple8 has an engineering relationship with.

The big difference is that TW is open about TOLL and HRT sharing resources in terms of supplying both with cars and development. Ford and it's teams just do things through the back door. 6 cars running SBR motors, 4 cars running Triple8 suspensions, 4 cars running FPR motors and suspension setups.

Kelly benefits from 3 teammates! Please....

goosel · 27 Apr 2007, 03:33 (Ref:1901398)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

I wouldn't laugh too loud until Rick actually beats his own team mate!!

Because Craig is doing so well at beating his?!

Muznik · 26 Apr 2007, 23:51 (Ref:1901355)

I wouldnt underestimate Lowndes & write him off just yet.

By their own admission 888 have struggled a little with set up & are working to overcome it. I think you will see a better showing as the year rolls on.

Its one thing for the Ford brigade to be sore losers but its another for us Holden supporters to be "sore" winners as well.

I for one would welcome some of the Blue Oval to challange the Clayton Commodores. Atleast it would be a little more interesting.

**GTRMagic** · 26 Apr 2007, 23:54 (Ref:1901356)

How much of Mr Lowndes' problems are stemming from the move of Mr Lacroix to "Factory Designer" for the new "Home of 888" instead of raceday engineer.... while Mr Little is still in the seat, it might be nice to have the bloke that designs the cars around....

scramble · 1 May 2007, 04:26 (Ref:1903898)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

How much of Mr Lowndes' problems are stemming from the move of Mr Lacroix to "Factory Designer" for the new "Home of 888" instead of raceday engineer.... while Mr Little is still in the seat, it might be nice to have the bloke that designs the cars around....

I hear he has a real cat problem.

promax · 27 Apr 2007, 01:24 (Ref:1901371)

3 team mates?

lowndes is struggling to keep up with one team mate. lol maybe lowndes should ask jamie if he could borrow his car as it seems to be quicker

Rick · 27 Apr 2007, 01:26 (Ref:1901372)

Quote:

Originally Posted by promax

3 team mates?

lowndes is struggling to keep up with one team mate.

I guess they are even, then.

zac510 · 27 Apr 2007, 08:52 (Ref:1901507)

Nice post bentate, I also thought the 'people's/moral' champ last year was quite humorous.
I was hoping somebody would post up a point table after each race listing who is leading the moral championship, then I'd know who to support. I quite like the idea of putting a score on morals.
Never mind the bias; at least we'd have a tally!

Micklegend · 27 Apr 2007, 21:31 (Ref:1901897)

Perhaps this post could be taken seriously if the poster actually had some buy in during the debate at the end of last year.....its easy to make statements now but look at each year in context my friend....the awarding of the "peoples champion" is something Mr Kelly will have to work long and hard to achieve. I'd give it to his brother before I gave it to him.

billy bigtime · 29 Apr 2007, 06:51 (Ref:1902525)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bentate

Based on all the brevado and promises after last year's controversial championship result I thought the 'people's champ' was going to come out and lay all before him this season?

Give young Rick a driving lesson, I bet the Fordies were shouting....

What happened?

Wasn't Kelly the pretend champ to most Ford fans? Wasn't Lowndes going to teach him a lesson this year?

After 3 rounds, it all seems to have gone a little pear shaped for the 'moral victor'.

With every race result and point earned as Rick pulls further and further away from Lowndes he's just making Lowndes look sillier and sillier as the season rolls on. It's satisfying to watch all those claims and all that expectation from Ford fans being wiped away with each round.

Rick is building on his championship efforts last season and I'm sure he'd love to race wheel to wheel with Lowndes this year. Unfortunately Craig will have to find some more pace and try and get up the front if he wants to race Rick.

People's champ.....

that's just beautiful.....

Welcome back Dave.

bentate · 29 Apr 2007, 08:05 (Ref:1902547)

Lowndes was beaten by Skaife at HRT, that is a fact and Lowndes mostly used Skaife's setups for the three seasons they shared, that is also a fact. But the reality is that Lowndes left Holden because he listened to too many people that claimed to be looking out for him, when in fact they were looking out for themselves. The Gibson/Forbes courtcase a couple of years back should have been enough to satisfy the most one eyed Lowndes fan that he was shafted by his manager, Gibson, Forbes and a number of other so called 'supporters'. They all ended up in court accusing one another of not making enough money out of Lowndes. So you figure it out.

I'm afraid young Craig was screwed far worse by these advisers than anything that was claimed to have been done to him at HRT.

Which brings me to a question I've always wanted to ask those passionate Lowndes supporters. How many other drivers have left HRT and made claims similar to Lowndes?

Personally, I can't think of one. All I've ever heard any of them say is that it is a proffessional and well run team and they've all felt welcomed and part of the organisation.

Don't all the one eyed Lowndes fans find it just a little strange that guys like Bright, Murphy, Jim Richards, Brad Jones, Crompton, Longhurst and McConville have all raced for HRT and moved on and none of them have ever mentioned being treated anything like Lowndes claims he was by anyone at HRT?

Doesn't it raise just a tiny amount of doubt in some of the 'people's champ's' fans heads that nobody among a long list of high profile, succesful drivers who have won races and rounds and multiple Bathursts with HRT have ever even hinted at the sort of treatment that Lowndes claims he got from the Red team???

That never seemed strange to any of you?

All I've seen on this thread is excuse after excuse for Craig's lacklustre performances so far this season. It's his engine, it's his chasis, it's his engineer, it's the suspension setup.

But not one 'yep, Craig's struggling and he needs to drive better'.

Funny thing about Lowndes supporters, you've been waiting so long for him to win in a Ford, that excuses as to why he doesn't are now just second nature to you.

Micklegend · 29 Apr 2007, 11:08 (Ref:1902620)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bentate

Don't all the one eyed Lowndes fans find it just a little strange that guys like Bright, Murphy, Jim Richards, Brad Jones, Crompton, Longhurst and McConville have all raced for HRT and moved on and none of them have ever mentioned being treated anything like Lowndes claims he was by anyone at HRT?

I seem to remember Bright being crucified by HRT for breaking a car at QR, he left soon after didnt he?

billy bigtime · 29 Apr 2007, 11:52 (Ref:1902647)

Nothing wrong with being beaten by your team mate. For example, I can't remember the last time Skaife beat his team mate in a Championship. Todd Kelly runs rings around Skaife, but so does Tom, Holden etc. etc.
At least Craig and Russell could retire tomorrow, something Skaife can't do for a while

bentate · 29 Apr 2007, 12:41 (Ref:1902663)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micklegend

I seem to remember Bright being crucified by HRT for breaking a car at QR, he left soon after didnt he?

Crucified? A little melodramatic don't you think?

I can't recall that incident, but I'd be happy for you to explain in more detail.

I certainly can't recall HRT giving Bright second rate equipment or not telling him when they tested or keeping him out of crucial team meetings. All accusations leveled at HRT by the people's champ.

Axeman444 · 30 Apr 2007, 04:12 (Ref:1903112)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bentate

Crucified? A little melodramatic don't you think?

I can't recall that incident, but I'd be happy for you to explain in more detail.

I certainly can't recall HRT giving Bright second rate equipment or not telling him when they tested or keeping him out of crucial team meetings. All accusations leveled at HRT by the people's champ.

if i do remember correctly there was one quite upset kiwi by the name of G Murphy who was shafted to allow for the return of C Lowndes to the team when Lowndes returned from overseas...

and i do recall some not so nice words regarding HRT from the same G Murphy...

**GTRMagic** · 30 Apr 2007, 05:22 (Ref:1903130)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Axeman444

if i do remember correctly there was one quite upset kiwi by the name of G Murphy who was shafted to allow for the return of C Lowndes to the team when Lowndes returned from overseas...

and i do recall some not so nice words regarding HRT from the same G Murphy...

... who had the rails run for the 1997 championship only to be beaten by some old bloke with 5 mates and his Falcon....

Bullett · 29 Apr 2007, 09:20 (Ref:1902576)

I'm a Ford fan and I can admit Craig Lowndes isn't matching his team mate at the moment, but who cares if Jaimie can beat Craig, that's a good thing. Happens in everyteam. Shows what Jaimie could have been at Tasman but what happened there? Anyway I think it is time to move on. 2006 is now 4 months in the past and if you want to live in the past go on but time to live in the now

racer69 · 30 Apr 2007, 10:00 (Ref:1903259)

What does Steve Harrington think of HRT?

Or Tomas Mezera, Wayne Gardner, Brad Jones........

Rick · 30 Apr 2007, 12:33 (Ref:1903357)

the list seems to keep growing!!

Lowndes, Bright, Murphy, Harrington, Mezera, Gardner, Jones - are there any others left!!

gab73 · 1 May 2007, 09:11 (Ref:1904007)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

the list seems to keep growing!!

Lowndes, Bright, Murphy, Harrington, Mezera, Gardner, Jones - are there any others left!!

You can ad the name Brock to the list.
The Lowndes split from HRT goes deeper than concerning Skaife. If you where privy to the actual facts i don't think anyone would have stayed there.

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