[BTCC] BTCC - multiclass era questions

[W.A Trichlorostyrene]

A random off-season question from a newer(younger) fan.

Wasn't it quite frustrating to see the multiclass-era BSCC/BTCC titles being fought by guys who weren't directing racing each other(not to mention the side effects involved, ie, class car counts being a huge factor in the title fights, etc)? Surely this must have been quite confusing for everyone, especially the casual fan? I wonder how this was viewed by the average observer back then?

What was the argument for not switching to single class earlier?(I suppose worries about car counts, plus the possibility for fans to see various machineries on track at the same time)

And also, why didn't they just give a title for the highest points scorer of each class, just like what they're doing nowadays in most multiclass sports cars/endurance racing series?

[stuart thompson]

I actually prefered it back then, the variety of cars etc.

[Craner Curves]

I imagine there were less casual fans as it wasn't 100% televised and therefore didn't have the exposure it does now. So it was probably more about genuine enthusiasts who went to the races, rather than somebody opening a paper, seeing a race was on and deciding to head along.

[steve_r]

I remember the TV coverage showing dozens of Cosworth Sierras tearing abound at the front. Many people view this as a classic era for BTCC, but the champion was John Cleland in a Vauxhall Astra. I have nothing against him, he is obviously a touring car legend, but just how much opposition did he have in his class, compared with Sierra's? (feel free to answer this - I cannot remember

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by Cr0aner Curves

I imagine there were less casual fans as it wasn't 100% televised and therefore didn't have the exposure it does now. So it was probably more about genuine enthusiasts who went to the races, rather than somebody opening a paper, seeing a race was on and deciding to head along.

The Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft had the same format for determining the champion until the early 80s, but I remember seeing some race footage from the late 70s when teams and drivers were already talking about doing away with it in order to make things more interesting for the fans.

Apparently the people in the stands were much more interested in the BMW-Ford battles in Division 2 than the Porsche-benefit in Division 1. To make things worse, the two divisions often didn't even race in the same field, but in separate races.

[KA]

Originally Posted by steve_r

I remember the TV coverage showing dozens of Cosworth Sierras tearing abound at the front. Many people view this as a classic era for BTCC, but the champion was John Cleland in a Vauxhall Astra. I have nothing against him, he is obviously a touring car legend, but just how much opposition did he have in his class, compared with Sierra's? (feel free to answer this - I cannot remember

To be honest, Cleland had very little opposition in the 1600cc-2-litre class in 1989- Apart from a couple of Golfs and Mike Jordan's Peugeot 309, which was uncompetitive and only really appeared in the first half of the season, his only opposition came from within the Vauxhall team.

Add to that the fact that he was very much #1 driver at Vauxhall, his regular team-mate was rally driver Louise Aitken-Walker who didn't have much circuit experience and was in very much a supporting role, and you ended up with Cleland only failing to win the class twice- once due to a DNF, and the other IIRC after losing time with a car problem. Louise took the class win on both of these occasions

In fact, as the rules stated that a minimum number of cars (3 or 4 from memory) had to start in the class for full points to be scored, and the entry for the class was usually only 4 or 5 cars at most, Vauxhall brought out a third car from mid-season for Jeremy Rossiter, and even roped in Tony Lanfranchi's Monorep Astra Production Saloon for a few late-season races to support Cleland's championship bid by making sure enough cars started for him to score full points.

Contrast that with the 'big' class, where there were usually around a dozen- sometimes as many as 15/16 RS500s- were fighting it out, and 6 outright wins for Andy Rouse, and 4 for Robb Gravett didn't prove enough for either to take the outright championship in a 13-round series.

This was always the problem with the multiclass format- it was potentially possible to win the championship outright by dominating in a numerically-weak class down the field. On the other hand, the variation in car performance did make for some interesting action, both in terms of the leaders having to pick their way through lapped traffic, and the possibility of there being effectively three or four separate class battles going on within the same race

[Craner Curves]

Even John himself says he doesn't really feel like he won something that year, such was the lack of opposition.

[KA]

That figures- although the Golf GTi had been the car to have in the class the previous year, it was really no match for the Astra, and neither John Morris or Alan Minshaw did a complete season (in fact, Morris ended the season in Minshaw's car, after writing his own off in a late-season shunt). Jordan's 309 was never on the pace, and the other Astras were only really there to support Cleland...

Louise A-W missed the first round altogether, and started the season in a converted rally Astra, only getting a 'proper' race car a few rounds in, Rossiter was drafted in mid-season to help keep the class numbers up using the ex-Aitken-Walker converted rally car, and Lanfranchi's handful of appearances were in a production saloon, rather than a full-spec Group A touring car. Cleland really didn't have to fight too hard, just keep it consistent and keep scoring the class wins

[datapost61]

Though the regs are not as tight, the multiclass format is effectively what we run in the Scottish Classic Sports & Saloons.

There is usually a better budgeted car in each class that dominates and they then fight for the overall title on consistency (and availability!) - short grid points sometimes get in the way!

If you have seen our MotorsTV/ITV4 BTCC support coverage you will notice that producer's focus is the on track leaders almost forgetting the multiclass structure.

Perhaps TV producers/commentators lack of knowledge or visual agility led to the demise of multiclass touring cars

[PDS]

Originally Posted by steve_r

I remember the TV coverage showing dozens of Cosworth Sierras tearing abound at the front. Many people view this as a classic era for BTCC, but the champion was John Cleland in a Vauxhall Astra. I have nothing against him, he is obviously a touring car legend, but just how much opposition did he have in his class, compared with Sierra's? (feel free to answer this - I cannot remember

A bit unfair to single out JC? He wasn't the only driver to win the BTCC under these conditions.

As a guestimate, over 75% of the BTCC Champions came from a 'slower class'.

Which is one of the main reason it was changed to a single class structure.