2018 Australian GT Championship

[EfiOz]

Originally Posted by GROUPA

Where does Jim Manolios get his funds from other than tyres & winery - it's certainly not from car racing wins for he is a mobile sped hump

Blood.

No seriously, blood products. He owns a bio tech company that makes plasma and stuff

[EfiOz]

Originally Posted by nafe!

+1

Essentially every gt category in the world exists due to the AM part of the equation providing the numbers and funds to keep the series going.

But it seems like the rest of the world has multiple examples of systems and race formats that actually make watching the racing worth while.

Aus Gt wanted to take on the establishment and going by how active they are on social media they want spectators and the sponsorship exposure that comes with them. Problem is that the racing generally isn't genuine particularly in the sprint events. You start to get invested in the where the race is headed in the first stint and then bam the stupid pit stop times completely throw the race into a lottery and we have to watch potentially undeserving winners come through for a win when they weren't even in the picture prior to the pit stop. If theres a safety car the race is a complete farce with the handicap times still being applied. It doesn't make for good racing and a good portion of the best fans of gt racing in australia I've spoken to pretty much agree that aus gt is a average show atm.

If they want fans they are going to have to adopt a stronger pro am format system from an overseas formula.

Its a frustrating situation as a fan when you have a product that could be an amazing alternative to supercars but is currently held back by being so heavily waited towards the gentleman driver side of things. Like others have said they pay the bills and they are there for their own enjoyment not ours but i do hope that new management finds a way to strike a better balance that suits everyone in the end.

I don't think they've ever worried that much about fans in stands. It's more bums on race seats that keeps that biz model togethor.

[D.R.T.]

http://australiangt.com.au/2018/07/1...-australian-gt

Australian GT has entered a new era as Trofeo Motorsport becomes the rights holder to the CAMS Australian GT Championship, CAMS Australian Endurance Championship, and CAMS Australian GT Trophy Series.

Trofeo Motorsport has been a supplier and competitor in Australian GT for a number of years, and is excited to become more deeply involved with Australian GT.

A number of new initiatives will be developed throughout the remainder of the 2018 season and planning for an exciting 2019 schedule is already well underway.

Hopefully this sees the series maintain its independence and not become a yes man that falls into the V8SC claws

[D.R.T.]

Tony Quinn upping the stakes for 2019 Australian GT Championship

Former Australian GT Championship owner Tony Quinn has placed an order for a car which he intends to race in the series he used to run.

https://www.speedcafe.com/2018/07/12...for-australia/

[nafe!]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Tony Quinn upping the stakes for 2019 Australian GT Championship



https://www.speedcafe.com/2018/07/12...for-australia/

I'm not a huge fan of the looks of the new model but a new cars a new car and we definitely need some more astons in the series!

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

http://australiangt.com.au/2018/07/1...-australian-gt







Hopefully this sees the series maintain its independence and not become a yes man that falls into the V8SC claws

Probably more likely that it remains a yes man in the claws of the Shannon’s nationals given CAMS ownership of the category & the Shannon’s series.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Tourer

Probably more likely that it remains a yes man in the claws of the Shannon’s nationals given CAMS ownership of the category & the Shannon’s series.

Opportunity to headline the Shannons Series and access more flexible track time to suit GT style race formats.

[D.R.T.]

A fairly reasonable outcome for Australian GT with the balance of race lengths and promoters to partner with.

New Australian GT owner Jim Manolios has outlined his vision for an eight round series split over Supercars and Shannons Nationals events next year.

Instead he is targeting a calendar comprising five sprint rounds (featuring one hour races), likely to coincide with Supercars events, and three endurances rounds, with three or four hours the preferred race distance.

It is understood the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix is likely to kick off the championship from March 14-17.

https://www.speedcafe.com/2018/08/09...2019-campaign/

I am a little disappointed with the Sprint components at the V8SC events due to its limitations in access (attendance and television being behind a pay wall) however does meet 'some' of the teams desire to play in front of the v8 circus without impacting on the race structures.

[Tourer]

Sounds like the new owners are getting themselves sorted out.

In the meantime, the partially rival GT1 series has 18 entries so far for Wakefield Park - wonder how the potential competitor moves to one series or the other will play out? GT1 Website

[Juntos]

They are not suffering from the tall poppy syndrome. This GT-1 is more fair dinkum and a less professional series than Australian GT. You can't compare.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by Juntos

They are not suffering from the tall poppy syndrome. This GT-1 is more fair dinkum and a less professional series than Australian GT. You can't compare.

No argument there (yet) but it does give owners with cars somewhere else to race that may appeal to some of them, or mean that rather than going for the latest & greatest machine for AGT, a slightly older, less expensive machine in GT1 could appeal, meaning a thinner competitor base.

I'm not dooming and glooming, the 2 series could kinda complement each other or end up robbing each other, only time will tell I guess.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Tourer

Sounds like the new owners are getting themselves sorted out.

In the meantime, the partially rival GT1 series has 18 entries so far for Wakefield Park - wonder how the potential competitor moves to one series or the other will play out? GT1 Website

I don't see them as rivals - at least short term. Competitors are currently competing in both without issue.

The MARC cars are currently holding up a significant portion of the 18 cars.

[D.R.T.]

https://www.speedcafe.com/2018/09/18...s-gt-farewell/

As was mooted - the 2018 edition will the final Australian GT event at Hampton Downs for the foreseeable future.

[Umai Naa]

I see Mr Richards has placed the GT4 BMW on the market. Currently the gun car to have in GT4, odd they couldn't put it on the track.

For what is a works-backed program, it's been quite underwhelming thus far.