OK, I'll bite, what is ASCAR?

[Lee]

It this the series that I heard of to be formed in England? As I remember, it would be a stock car series, with rules and cars very similar to the ASA here in The Uniter States, i.e. Chevrolet Corvette engines, fiberglass bodies resembling production cars, etc. The series as I understand it would be based at the new Rockingham track, although I'm sure they could find other venues to race. Or, is this an entirly different series that I have, as of yet not heard of?

[marcus]

Im with you Lee..I dont know anything about it..i did see a little piece a while back of Brittish touring car driver John Cleland testing one at Donnington park..it looked like a Nascar..carnt remember if it sounded like one or not..but it looked nice thats for sure ..and Mr. Cleland did get out with a rather large smile on his face.

so come on ..lets get some poms in here to tell us all about it..

how many cars are there ??
what is the season going to be like ??
what are tech specs ????
will it be successfull ???

[EUROCARS]

So far there have been 32 cars sold and another 8 on there way from the USA.

The ASCAR cars will be racing at Knockhill in Scotland, Rokingham, Brands Hatch and an a new oval in Germany.

http://www.ascarracing.com

[Carrie]

Originally posted by marcus
Im with you Lee..I dont know anything about it..i did see a little piece a while back of Brittish touring car driver John Cleland testing one at Donnington park..it looked like a Nascar..carnt remember if it sounded like one or not..but it looked nice thats for sure ..and Mr. Cleland did get out with a rather large smile on his face.

Well, our Mr Cleland must have liked something about it, he's got one of the teams.

Cleland Speed Sport

I think he's also got one of the Daziels (can't remember which) driving for him.
Vic Lee was meant to be running another team, but I think I read somewhere that he'd pulled out.

[EUROCARS]

The Cleland Speed sport drivers are-
John Cleland
and
Bob Bebridge

Viv Lee's team are running Neil Cunningham and the other driver is not yet confirmed.

Drivers that are confirmed so far are-

John Cleland
Bob Bebridge
Neil Cunningham
Lee Caroline
Mark Proctor
John Steward
Colin White
Paul Sheard
Warren Kent
Paul Eaton
Steve Parish
Stefan Osendorf
Antonio Albecette
Jamie Cambell Walter- Selected Rounds
Colin Blower
Jimmy Wainman
John Mikel
Mike Jordan
Peter Venn
Pete Chambers
Barry Lee
John Dalziel
Annie Templeton

[Craig]

A lot of interesting names in there... will be well worth watching if it all comes off. However, another nail in the coffin of Eurocar ? Looks like it.

I can't wait to see how Barry Lee does again John Cleland, how Lee Caroline does against John Dalziel... Should be good

[jc_nl]

If they are using fiberglass bodies, why don't make them look like european cars??

I think that US styled cars won't appeal to the European public. The serie has, I think, a better chance if they use European cars.

[Lee]

jc_nl,
I find your comment quite odd, that you don't think that U.S. style cars would appeal to Europeans, and that the series should use European style cars. The reason is simple, one of the biggest complaints that I've heard from Europeans about us here in the U.S. is that we seem to be intolerant of anything other than American made cars, drivers etc. I have been chided, by them for my belief that NASCAR should run American cars only (This remains my belief, and I make no apology for it, but that is another topic). Now here, your saying pretty much the same thing. The shoe seems to be on the other foot now. What's up with that? Please understand that I'm not pointing fingers at any one individual here, and not trying to start an argurment, but I did find what you said kind of odd, and somewhat ironic.

[jc_nl]

I have no problem with American cars racing in ASCAR, I just think the sport would be easier to market if you have cars that are known by the public.

maybe they should make a mix between European and American bodies. That would give a mix between known cars and cars that have a "stockcar-image"

[EUROCARS]

Hello everyone, I have a page you might be intrested in to find ou a bit more about the new ASCAR series.

[snipped plug for EUROCAR's forum]

EUROCAR, you are obviously very welcome to take part in this forum - but please remember we're here as a discussion forum - not an advertsing billboard for your forum. Please enlighten our forum users here.

Thanks.
[Edited by Administrator on 21st December 2000]

[Joe Fan]

Just looking over the ASCAR schedule, it looks like September 21 2001 should be a great weekend to be at Rockingham. ASCAR will run as a support series for the CART race there that particular weekend. If I were a Brit, I would get tickets for those two races that weekend.

[OVERSTEER]

EUROCARS I heard that Annie templeton is driving in the production category of the BTC, in a Peugeot 306 alongside Paul O'neil.

[Larsen]

ASCAR is American Stock Cars so they more or like NASCAR North American Stock Cars. Ascar will mainly be based in Rockingham which is the new motorspeedway (OVAL)
This will be a frantic race aswell as exciting. The first round is going to be durin May 26th

[Sparky]

Originally posted by Craig Antill:

"...another nail in the coffin of Eurocar? Looks like it."

I think you're right there, Craig.
I remember a quote in Autosport last year. Wasn't it Mike Scmidt, ASCAR's Managing Director, who when asked if ASCAR and EUROCAR might possibly merge, said: "I think the teams involved in ASCAR will be trying to achieve a higher level of professionalism"?
Poor old Eurocar. It was always mooted to be the European NASCAR series, but never really managed to excite the fans.
Is a V8 EUROCAR that different to the ASCAR chassis?
I can't help feeling ASCAR's (potential) success will simply be a result of its Rockingham association. I just hope it works.



From the official ASCAR site:

Croft circuit played host to the first official ASCAR test day for the American-built stock cars on Tuesday, which attracted eight teams and driver interest from as far away as Spain.

Making a special trip to the UK was top Spanish truck racer Antonio Albacete and German saloon car driver Stefan Oberndorfer, who both experienced the 565bhp stock car first hand and came away impressed. Britain's former European truck racing champion Steve Parrish plus Martin Short and up-and-coming young driver John Dalziel were also in attendance. Annie Templeton, ASCAR's first lady driver to sign up for the series and a familiar sight in Historic racing, put in an appearance in Rick Tanton's, JS Motorsport Chevy Monte Carlo.



Parrish summed up the whole day. "This has been a real eye-opener. The car has serious grunt and it put a big smile on my face. Forty of these on an oval track will be some spectacle."

Series organiser and ASCAR Managing Director Mike Schmidt confirmed that 32 cars have been sold and, as a result of the Croft test, two more have been purchased. He also received enquiries for a further six cars which could bring the total anticipated grid for next year to a staggering 40 cars.

"The series has captured the imagination of the UK motorsport fraternity who have whole-heatedly grasped the entertainment value of what we are proposing," enthused Mike Schmidt.

Teams attending the test day included:

TEAM DRIVER
Cleland Speed Sport Chevrolet John Cleland/Bob Berridge
USAutomotive Chevrolet Steve Hitchins
Oughtred & Harrison Racing Ford Mark Proctor
JS Motorsport Chevrolet Rick Tanton
CWS Nationwide Car Spares Chevrolet Colin White
Bowman Motorsport & VIP Club Pontiac Neil Cunningham
Rockingham Motor Speedway Chevrolet Various guest drivers
Lee Caroline Racing Ford Lee Caroline