Do we need a 24hr race for touring cars?

[chunder]

Sorry I dont watch sports cars so dont know the terminology.

And I'm English thanks, Hollands first language!

[Quintin03]

Originally Posted by chunder

Sorry I dont watch sports cars so dont know the terminology.

And I'm English thanks, Hollands first language!

The second part doesn't make much sense either in this post. What do you mean with hollands first language?

The correct terms for sportscar prototype racing ceries are LMES (Le Mans Endurance Series, a championship of 4 and since the second year in 2005 5 1000km races in Europe but once also at Interlagos and Istanbul), ALMS (American Le Mans Series, a series of races with differing distances between 2 hours and three quarters and 12 hours), Grand-Am (a series to rival the ALMS, mainly slower and cheaper, where ALMS has GT1 grand-Am has GT3 and they have their own Daytonma prototype class instead of the Le Mans prototypes) and Finaly the Asian Le Mans Series (never to be named ALMS for obvious reasons, starts this year with four three or six hour races at the Japanese touringcar grandprix (WTCC) in Okayama and some other race in Shanghai). I think this will explain a lot.

[Les]

the thing is you have to change so many things to allow a touring car race for 24hours that it wouldn't be the same beastie - the shell might look the same but the rest wouldn't.
Just think about it....
tyres
fuel tank
engine
gear box
brakes

[nickyf1]

Originally Posted by Quintin03

When did I say endurance racing was more part of touringcar racing than sportscar racing? It isn't much part of touringcar racing today but in the late 80's it certainly was because the first WTCC season in 1987 was composed of endurance races only, each atleast 500km but also races of 4 hours, 1000km and 24 hours.

My post was not in reply to yours, just an isolated opinion I had to say.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by Les

the thing is you have to change so many things to allow a touring car race for 24hours that it wouldn't be the same beastie - the shell might look the same but the rest wouldn't.
Just think about it....
tyres
fuel tank
engine
gear box
brakes

Well, in DTM and also in NGTC if I remember correctly, engines have to last a full season, so these cars might need a new engine for a 24hour race, but not necessarily a different one.

[Les]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Well, in DTM and also in NGTC if I remember correctly, engines have to last a full season, so these cars might need a new engine for a 24hour race, but not necessarily a different one.

well I was taking a 24 hr race as being the equivalent of 3 or 4 meetings - I wonder how many engines our lot get through in that time

[chunder]

I would imagine that if an engine only has to last a certain time or a team are allowed say three or four a year then they would be mroe highly stresed than a Le Mans or 24hour engine

You would perhaps drop the rev limt a few hundred revs (though maybe not necessary for TC motors as 8,500 is not insanely high and has been the level for many years now), you would also maybe use heavier components in the engine to make them less liable to wear.

I seem to remember BMW entering a fleet of diesels at teh Nurb 24 hr race many years ago? Then the car just disappearing? Seems they prefer to market the petrol version now

[Tim Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Yep, thats the one.

There was also a longer 2-driver race at Donington, I think in '89, although that was only an hour or two tops.

Also a 2-driver race at Oulton at the tail end of '87 (again, not sure on year, but I think Mike Newman won in a 635)

[KA]

Originally Posted by Tim Wilkinson

There was also a longer 2-driver race at Donington, I think in '89, although that was only an hour or two tops.

Also a 2-driver race at Oulton at the tail end of '87 (again, not sure on year, but I think Mike Newman won in a 635)

There were quite a few 1 hour/2-driver races in the BTCC between about 1987 and 1990. They were always interesting because of the extra drivers who appeared, including Damon Hill on one occasion at Donington. Think there were 3 races at Donington (1988, 89, 90) the Oulton one you mentioned in '87 (as you said, won by Mike Newman's 635, but best known for Chris Hodgetts and Tiff Needell each managing to finish both 1st and 2nd in the 1600cc class- Chris entered two Corollas, he started one, Tiff the other and they swapped cars at the driver change....). Think the last one might have been Brands Hatch in '90

Donington also held a 500km race as part of the ETCC- the UK generally got two rounds in the 80's , Donington and the Silverstone TT. The BTCC did appear at least once on the same programme, Donington 1985, with a few of the BTCC teams doubling up, doing their own race in the morning and the ETC enduro in the afternoon

[Hamness]

Originally Posted by KA

There were quite a few 1 hour/2-driver races in the BTCC between about 1987 and 1990. They were always interesting because of the extra drivers who appeared, including Damon Hill on one occasion at Donington. Think there were 3 races at Donington (1988, 89, 90) the Oulton one you mentioned in '87 (as you said, won by Mike Newman's 635, but best known for Chris Hodgetts and Tiff Needell each managing to finish both 1st and 2nd in the 1600cc class- Chris entered two Corollas, he started one, Tiff the other and they swapped cars at the driver change....). Think the last one might have been Brands Hatch in '90

Donington also held a 500km race as part of the ETCC- the UK generally got two rounds in the 80's , Donington and the Silverstone TT. The BTCC did appear at least once on the same programme, Donington 1985, with a few of the BTCC teams doubling up, doing their own race in the morning and the ETC enduro in the afternoon

Sighs. Brings back wonderful memories. Desperately searching for rose-tinted specs but, alas, will not find them quickly.