BTCC Brands Hatch thread

[rdjones]

Just got back after a very long weekend.

Firstly, well done to Rob Huff, that last lap was amazing so much happen I think I am going to have to watch back and very soon.

Second, what is going on VX I make it that they have not won since Mondello.

Third, Reidy I think you have blown the championship sadly.

[Les]

excellent weekend for Huffy - really chuffed for the bloke.

[Kicking-back]

To say "Reidy has blown the championship" is harsh.

There's not a lot he can do when the car breaks down.

[MikeHoyer]

Great race (race 3). I've been hoping that Rob will win for a couple of races now, glad I was there when he finally did it!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...CCBrands/6.jpg

[Tim Falce]

Originally posted by bgeorge104
I've a picture of the move that decided the second race, but am unable to post attachments according to the little box on forum rules. Anyone got any ideas why I can't post picture, I've done so in the past?

If you haven't got any web space you can put it on, you could email it to me and I will post it on my server.

[touringcarnut]

Originally posted by rdjones
what is going on VX I make it that they have not won since Mondello.

Its 11 races now without a win for VX!

[Claire]

Good, it's nice to see other teams and especially the independent ones giving them a race for their money. Although the racing has been good over the last couple of years it's good to see that their dominance has been broken. I hope it stays that way for the remaining rounds and that Jason and Anthony are right up there with a last race decider at Donny.

[touringlegend]

Wouldn't count Plato or Reid out of the championship at all, you'd be a fool to do that.

Just look at the points:
Muller: 214
Thompson: 211
Plato: 177
Reid: 175

Don't forget Matt Neal either, on 161.

A bad weekend for either /both of Muller & Thommo like Reid's just there and the championship could be anybody's. Still another 90 + bonus points up for grabs...

[Kicking-back]

Plato may be the more likely than Reid, although Anthony will have got rid of a shedload of ballast for the next race.

[touringlegend]

With the ETCC cars getting another 25kg's it may just tip the balance in Anthony's favour - as long as he is competitive.

Hope he has a Knockhill style weekend at Snetterton, but then that will put him at a disadvantage for Donington.

[Duffacus]

First of all I must comment on my first impressions of the circuit as it’s the first time I've visited. A great circuit with plenty of facilities and what an awesome track! Anyhow back to the racing, I wouldn't count Reid out either but you've got to say it's starting to look very difficult for him now, he needs at least for the VX drivers to have a couple more low finishers or sum DNFs now I'd say. Not impossible, we know anything could happen of course, which it usually does! But very difficult for him now. And as for anything could happen...I think it did it race 3! Namely the final lap, I was in the perfect position to see it all unfold but it was just as exciting on the TV (taped the action and watched it when I got home) I think the other two races were action packed too but the 3rd race had it all for me! Snetterton I think will be great (confined to the home this time ) but I'm sure the action will come thick and fast!

I have my race photos up now. Here they are

[Claire]

Originally posted by touringlegend
With the ETCC cars getting another 25kg's it may just tip the balance in Anthony's favour - as long as he is competitive.

Hope he has a Knockhill style weekend at Snetterton, but then that will put him at a disadvantage for Donington.

I have just read about the extra weight for the ETCC cars, will be interesting to see if Seat cope a bit better now that they have had a bit more running. Still not going to rule Jason out of a top 3 championship place or even a hint at the title it only takes one bad weekend for things to turn round!

[Hazard]

Wow, what a great days racing...stayed at Druids the whole time...(inside & outside) no need to be anywhere else!

I am glad that they've slapped the 25kg back on the Seat's though - the fact that Plato can still lead and nearly win with full ballast is quite unfair.

I hope the Bentwood penalty in race one was warranted - and not some cheap trick played by Alan to get an MG on the front row - as they were nowhere this weekend in truth. It took two safety cars for Turkington to even get near bothering distance of Plato at all in race two.

If Bentwood had have been on pole for race two, I'm sure he'd have won - he was driving like a monster all day! Breeze was pretty quick too...didn't surprise me to hear he set the fastest lap in race one.

The VX Racing guys were pretty racy too - even with each other. Muller so nearly had the win for race three, but the standard Plato nudge came into play. Still, a great win for Huff though.

The GA Astra's new paint job is pretty neat. The Alfa is not so good, though it looks worse on camera though than in the carbon fibre.


By the way, VX Racing announced what car they would be using next season...!



Okay, just kidding.

Wish it was this one though:

[MikeHoyer]

Great photos Duffacus! How did you get the pictures at Druids without the fence getting in the way? Most of the ones I tried got at least a little bit in...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...CBrands/19.jpg

For example...

[Duffacus]

Well I have a contact who said some people take ladders so I thought it can't do any harm, and I'm almost 6ft tall anyway, so these two combined I just managed to get most photos above the fence. On quite a few photos though I still got the fence in as sometimes I forgot it was there! Like at the start of the Renault Clio race;
http://jamies-motorsport-photos.foto.../p6951529.html

But most of the photos I got the fence in I did not put on my site. I think Druids is a fantastic place for photos and action alike though. I wished I had stopped there the whole day looking back. You got some nice shots though from what I saw in the photography forum.

[rdjones]

Well I have finally sorted my photos out and you can find the Saturday ones here:- http://lemansnews-photos-2004.fotopic.net/c267223.html and Sunday here:- http://lemansnews-photos-2004.fotopic.net/c267262.html

[Hazard]

Hmmm, saw someone with a ladder. Most of the photographers were standing on the inside of Druids at the 'accelerate out of' area (where Kaye hit the wall).

Looked like a good spot, the fence isn't too high since the track's a good drop down anyway.

[Steevp]

Brands was fantastic, so will someone please slap me for having organised a holiday out of the country coinciding with the Snetterton round? (My local and favourite track) God I'm dumb sometimes.

I hope Seat run 3 cars next year, Huffy deserves to stay..

[MikeHoyer]

Originally posted by Duffacus
Well I have a contact who said some people take ladders so I thought it can't do any harm, and I'm almost 6ft tall anyway, so these two combined I just managed to get most photos above the fence. On quite a few photos though I still got the fence in as sometimes I forgot it was there! Like at the start of the Renault Clio race;
http://jamies-motorsport-photos.foto.../p6951529.html

But most of the photos I got the fence in I did not put on my site. I think Druids is a fantastic place for photos and action alike though. I wished I had stopped there the whole day looking back. You got some nice shots though from what I saw in the photography forum.

Ah a ladder, of course. Saw someone on a ladder at Druids, might have been you

I might try that next time I'm there, probably best not to do it at a busy meeting though... , although I suppose you can put it at the back, and still see over everybodies heads

I got a lot of mine standing on the fence posts at Graham Hill bend. A pro photographer kept coming past, and staring at me, thought I was gonna get into trouble

[Duffacus]

I sometimes get strange looks too. I managed to get right at the front of the fence at Druids for the photos I took (I was there from the 1st race to the end of the 1st touring car race, and then again for the last two races of the day, times when not so many people were around), I think you could still manage to see over everybodys heads at the back but probably get the fence in all the shots. Well it came in very handy the ladder anyway!