TCR Australia 2024

[Mixer]

The damage has likely already been done. By not paying one cent to competitors from their Stan booty ARG made TCR hugely more expensive to run than other categories.

Given the mass exodus of categories from ARG I feel it's not a question of if but when TCR finds itself under new management.

[GTRMagic]

Most interesting thing to be done this weekend…

Put Mr Kostecki in a TCR car.. and pump up having the reigning V8Supercar champion in the car…

[Mixer]

Just no reason why he would do it.

Keeping a low profile.

ARG trying to sell the spin of growth this year despite all the recent news of guys who can't continue, I retorted to ARG's claim and it was liked by lots of people including Michael Clemente.

I'm scared they choked it to death and FTA now may not save it.

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by Mixer

I'm scared they choked it to death and FTA now may not save it.

I don't think British TCR has FTA, or any TV other than streaming, yet it seems to have strong grids. I wonder if the problem is entry fees being too high?

Or just the cultural issue of 4 cylinder front wheel drive touring cars not being popular with racers, unlike in the UK where there are a wide range of categories feeding TCR and BTCC [like MC250 Hot Hatch, Civic Cup, Clios, MINIs] far beyond the Circuit Excel > TCR progression in Australia?

[one five five]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

I don't think British TCR has FTA, or any TV other than streaming, yet it seems to have strong grids. I wonder if the problem is entry fees being too high?

Or just the cultural issue of 4 cylinder front wheel drive touring cars not being popular with racers, unlike in the UK where there are a wide range of categories feeding TCR and BTCC [like MC250 Hot Hatch, Civic Cup, Clios, MINIs] far beyond the Circuit Excel > TCR progression in Australia?

Perception, TCR was tarred with the Super Touring brush in Australia from the aspect that many saw TCR as a successor to super tourers and it being introduced to rival or compete against Supercars

ARG is all of their ownership forms though have never said they were competing against Supercars though.

TCR Australia page claiming there is still more drivers to announce?

At best I’d guess 14? Perhaps as little as 11 or 12

[GTRMagic]

New pilot for the Cupra

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by one five five

Perception, TCR was tarred with the Super Touring brush in Australia from the aspect that many saw TCR as a successor to super tourers and it being introduced to rival or compete against Supercars

Super Tourers was absolutely wonderful, I love them, UK fans love them!

It was always bizarre that Australian fans did not seem to like them...

TCR UK sits happily alongside the premier BTCC category, both wonderful touring car categories.

Originally Posted by one five five

ARG is all of their ownership forms though have never said they were competing against Supercars though.

That ARG also has Trans Am doesn't help I think. It dilutes the entries across multiple categories.

In TCR UK events, TCR is the clearly defined "top" category.

[one five five]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

It was always bizarre that Australian fans did not seem to like them...

They did like them to an extent in 1995 and 1996, grids were generally good and it existed on its own as an alternative to V8s but their paths weren’t crossing.

That all changed in 1997 when they were offered the Bathurst 1000 and AVESCO fuelled an “us or them” war.

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

That ARG also has Trans Am doesn't help I think. It dilutes the entries across multiple categories.

In TCR UK events, TCR is the clearly defined "top" category.

TCR Australia has never been billed as the top category by the likes of Trans-Am and particularly TCM stated that they felt TCR got preferential treatment , particularly when it came to broadcast times etc…

The race formats never really indicated TCR was the main show, other than they raced last.

[Mixer]

Kelvin o'Reilly fuelled the attacks on Supercars from 2L and it was suicide.

British TCR has YouTube and if you ask me that is better than any FTA.

[one five five]

Originally Posted by Mixer

Kelvin o'Reilly fuelled the attacks on Supercars from 2L and it was suicide.

What did Kelvin say?

[Umai Naa]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

New pilot for the Cupra

I wonder who actually owns this vehicle?

Mr C. Cox?

ARG?

MPC?

The Clemente family?

[Mixer]

Originally Posted by one five five

What did Kelvin say?

Lots of "dinosaur" comments and so on after they did the deal for the traditional Bathurst weekend.

And we know how that turned out.

[one five five]

Originally Posted by Mixer

Lots of "dinosaur" comments and so on after they did the deal for the traditional Bathurst weekend.

And we know how that turned out.

I think you are confusing Kelvin with what members of the Bathurst 1000 Event Management were saying

Kelvin certainly stood his ground when Cochrane took aim, but I have never seen it reported or him quoted anywhere as calling V8Supercars dinosaurs

[GTRMagic]

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by one five five

I think you are confusing Kelvin with what members of the Bathurst 1000 Event Management were saying

Kelvin certainly stood his ground when Cochrane took aim, but I have never seen it reported or him quoted anywhere as calling V8Supercars dinosaurs

Agree.

I do think that Mr Gow was fairly negative about V8Supercars - saw an interview with him a couple of years ago where he said that he regretted the way he handled it all and would do it differently if he had his time over.

[one five five]

15 car entry confirmed with O’Keefe in the Lynk

Not a big grid but certainly bigger than I think many were expecting, me included.

Originally Posted by Tourer

Agree.

I do think that Mr Gow was fairly negative about V8Supercars - saw an interview with him a couple of years ago where he said that he regretted the way he handled it all and would do it differently if he had his time over.

Gow definitely was on the attack. I always felt Kelvin perhaps wished the Bathurst war never happened (or that Alan Gow said no to Super Tourers being eligible for the 1000) and the ASTC could have kept doing its own thing to the side of V8s.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by one five five

Correct.

Though I’ve never established it the reason Sweeney was in the old model was because they couldn’t afford two new models, or because Hyundai wanted them to keep advertising the hatch model alongside the sedan?

Both HMO pilots will be in the older car this weekend due to a ‘minor technical issue’ with the new one…

[GTRMagic]

Hmmmm…

[Alan52]

Originally Posted by Tourer

Agree.

I do think that Mr Gow was fairly negative about V8Supercars - saw an interview with him a couple of years ago where he said that he regretted the way he handled it all and would do it differently if he had his time over.

Also I think everyone on the Super Touring side of the Bathurst battle overestimated how deep Channel 7’s pockets were.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Alan52

Also I think everyone on the Super Touring side of the Bathurst battle overestimated how deep Channel 7’s pockets were.

And they thought the V8 mob wouldn’t attract the sponsors, the punters at venue and on the teev….

[one five five]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Hmmmm…

Wildcard as in a late TCR entry for this weekend?

Or wildcard as in Lowndes partner for Sandown and Bathurst?

[Mixer]

Nice bit of modern marketing.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by Alan52

Also I think everyone on the Super Touring side of the Bathurst battle overestimated how deep Channel 7’s pockets were.

Could be - it's always easier to be bullish when you're risking someone else's money.

[cavvy]

Originally Posted by Alan52

Also I think everyone on the Super Touring side of the Bathurst battle overestimated how deep Channel 7’s pockets were.

FTA protecting an established successful product.

[Mixer]

The issues with getting mass interest in TCR have roots in the same issues that saw 2L cars struggle for mainstream appeal 25 years ago.
Even without the implosion of the categories overseas the writing was on the wall.