2010 Australian 6 Hour Production Car Race Eastern Creek 17-18 July

[pplater]

Six hours, no safety car and a pole-to-flag win for the race favourite?

Sounds like a bit of a snooze-fest to me. I'm sure the race had it's moments but really, that does sound ordinary. It doesn't help that Proddie cars are less than spectacular to watch too.

I asked Mr Pearson about the 6-hour and he said he planned to do the 8-hour later in the year as, among other things, prize money is on offer.

[davo.]

Originally Posted by pplater

Six hours, no safety car and a pole-to-flag win for the race favourite?

Sounds like a bit of a snooze-fest to me. I'm sure the race had it's moments but really, that does sound ordinary. It doesn't help that Proddie cars are less than spectacular to watch too.

I asked Mr Pearson about the 6-hour and he said he planned to do the 8-hour later in the year as, among other things, prize money is on offer.

I thought they may have been the case with Bob Pearson, why wouldn't you, if money is the prize. Any news on the 8 hour, is it going ahead?

[racer69]

Originally Posted by pplater

Six hours, no safety car and a pole-to-flag win for the race favourite?

Sounds like a bit of a snooze-fest to me. I'm sure the race had it's moments but really, that does sound ordinary. It doesn't help that Proddie cars are less than spectacular to watch too.

The alternative is accidents which cause yellows, or NASCAR yellows, neither being very desirable. I'd take a lights-to-flagger any day. Not every race is going to be a ripper, but i still prefer my racing un-contrived.

Originally Posted by davo.

Any news on the 8 hour, is it going ahead?

One hopes so, the more events for production cars that they can get going the better.

[Green Hornet]

Now that's classic - someone bleating because there were NO safety cars.

Racing not manufactured enough for you?

[pplater]

Originally Posted by Green Hornet

Now that's classic - someone bleating because there were NO safety cars.

Racing not manufactured enough for you?

Bleating? please.

I don't mind the odd safety car in endurance racing. It bunches the field, gives drivers an opportunity to improve their result and makes the leader work even harder to defend the lead. It's like injury time in soccer, adding a little window of opportunity for the losing team to pull off an upset victory.

It's also indicative of a dull race, without prangs etc. Six hours of the same Evo leading lap after lap? Zzzz.

[Belly13]

What's the date of the proposed 8-Hour race?
Also, has anyone heard any news about the proddie guys stand on next year's 12 Hour? As far as I am concerned, if there is an 8 Hour race late in the year and they get a good firld of cars, most teams (if any) wouldn't have the finances to back up for the 12 hour anyway.

[the man]

PPlater isn't the essence of production car racing due to the variety of cars in the field, look at the classic bathurst days of multiple classes with no safety cars, didn't they provide close racing?

Actually there was very nearly safety car in the last 30min of the race due to the stricken alford commodore at the end of pitlane. i think most teams were praying for a safety car as most cars had to come in and make a splash and dash for the finish. I bet the renault of jouy, 'minister of enthusasm' richard gartner were praying for that safety car as they ran out of fuel, and cause them to unable to restart the car at the final stop.

It was a hard race from the start, Evo done what everyone expected to run out from the start and get a sizeable lead, but what was interesting was the length of time the evos could get out of the tank. As of at bathust the evos could only run at least 55min to an hour on a tank but they were lasting at least 1:20 on a tank at a circuit which is known to use more fuel than bathurst. Even more interesting was the length of time that the bowe bmw ran around the 1:30 to 1:45 on its first tank. And the pace they were setting wasn't exactly fuel conserving.

[racer69]

Originally Posted by pplater

I don't mind the odd safety car in endurance racing. It bunches the field, gives drivers an opportunity to improve their result and makes the leader work even harder to defend the lead. It's like injury time in soccer, adding a little window of opportunity for the losing team to pull off an upset victory.
.

Nothing like soccer, they don't reset the scores in injury time do they?

If there is a bad accident then fair enough, but what is the point of 5hrs of racing if you want a safety car inspired close sprint at the end? Didn't the others drivers have all race to "improve their result"?

[alfacors]

For those with reduced attention spans, the Speedweek coverage of the event will be on this Sunday 25th July

[pplater]

Originally Posted by the man

PPlater isn't the essence of production car racing due to the variety of cars in the field, look at the classic bathurst days of multiple classes with no safety cars, didn't they provide close racing?

Actually there was very nearly safety car in the last 30min of the race due to the stricken alford commodore at the end of pitlane. i think most teams were praying for a safety car as most cars had to come in and make a splash and dash for the finish. I bet the renault of jouy, 'minister of enthusasm' richard gartner were praying for that safety car as they ran out of fuel, and cause them to unable to restart the car at the final stop.

It was a hard race from the start, Evo done what everyone expected to run out from the start and get a sizeable lead, but what was interesting was the length of time the evos could get out of the tank. As of at bathust the evos could only run at least 55min to an hour on a tank but they were lasting at least 1:20 on a tank at a circuit which is known to use more fuel than bathurst. Even more interesting was the length of time that the bowe bmw ran around the 1:30 to 1:45 on its first tank. And the pace they were setting wasn't exactly fuel conserving.

I'm a fan of variety.
I've been to a few Procar meetings, both B24s, and all 'modern era' Bathurst 12 hour races... but I don't like the sounds of a lights-to-flag Evo-fest at Easten Creek.

Next year's 12 hour could be mega, I'd love to see Lambos, Ferraris, Porsches and whatnot leading the proddie crew again.

[the man]

i'm discouraging the 12 hour concept however is the gt inclusion a good idea, i am not so sure at the moment, the variety aspect yes it would be a good specticle, but as the re-launched 12 hour hasn't the 12 hour worked brilliant, large fields and a strong race presence, and with the annoucement of the inclusion of gt cars has spirred rumours of at least 30 cars not re-entering next year.

but think of this, at the lap speed of the toyota yaris compared to the lamborghini, the yaris would almost be getting lapped every lap and a half nearly? is providing good racing as a) the yaris driving will be constantly watching over their shoulder of cars coming and b) the faster cars trying to pass the yaris cleanly. not to side track this thread into a 12 hour debate, wouldn't a simple 3 hour race on the saturday with a twilight finish be a nice specticle?

[davo.]

Originally Posted by pplater

I'm a fan of variety.
I've been to a few Procar meetings, both B24s, and all 'modern era' Bathurst 12 hour races... but I don't like the sounds of a lights-to-flag Evo-fest at Easten Creek.

Next year's 12 hour could be mega, I'd love to see Lambos, Ferraris, Porsches and whatnot leading the proddie crew again.

As i stated in my above blog, I really did enjoy the 6 hour race. I understand people getting sick of the Evo fest. I do believe the organisers really need to look at some parity so other marques have a chance of winning, at the moment if you don't drive an Evo you really don't have a chance of an outright win. For any other marque to win, you either need no evo's to turn up, or an evo to crash or have mechanical problems, or for your team to have a lot of luck and brilliant race strategy or for the race to finish under safety car and you win the B12 hour. No car in the current eligibility has the raw outright speed of the Evo's, not even the BMW 335i.
Jim Hunter has to get Barton Mawer to flog his STI around the track and still 4 sec's a lap slower in qualifying, hoping for good fuel economy and tire wear to win the race.
They need to look at limiting the boost allowed for the evo's or even changing the rules to allow other marques into the AMC, just like the Grand Am in the US, you could say enter a BMW M3, Porsche Cayman or Audi TT RS against the Evo's and Sti's, just like the 90's 12 hours.
Maybe then you would see larger fields, because other teams have a potential chance of winning races.
That's just what I think anyway, what do you think?

[racer69]

Don't parity adjustments take the whole point of 'production'car racing away?

[Green Hornet]

Currently there are no parity adjustments in the Australian Manufacturers Championship for Production Cars.

[racer69]

Originally Posted by Green Hornet

Currently there are no parity adjustments in the Australian Manufacturers Championship for Production Cars.

And thats a good thing in my opinion

My post was in response to davo's above

[davo.]

Originally Posted by racer69

Don't parity adjustments take the whole point of 'production'car racing away?

That's fair to say that parity takes the whole point of production car racing away, but what would bring the field back to the Evo's?

Are we looking it at the wrong way, are the teams such as Ralliart just too good for the opposition. Do you think say if Subaru entered a few STI's, would they be cracking 1.42's - 1.44's around Eastern Creek or 2.27's - 2.29's around Bathurst?

[Oldtony]

Just what are the homologated boost limits for the Evo as compared to say the Sti or other turbo units?
If factory homologation papers specify a comparatively high permisable limit, and the factory is prepared to wear the occaisional warranty claim from the unlikely use of that high limit in a non blueprinted road car, the potential to catch the Evos could be as simple as a minor edit in the paperwork from a number of factories.