Who'll lead the way in WA?

[Dazz]

Don't the HRT and Toll cars comply with Blueprint?

Are the drivers on steroids?

It's about time it got back to racing cars not following paper trails.

I don't like the politics that's played out but from what I saw today there was a group of guys who prepared some great cars which were driven extremely well over the weekend.

Todd Kelly in particular drove his backside off in races two and three to salvage something from the weekend.

Credit where it is due.

DJR has certainly sent warning that they could be the Ford team of the season.

888 never really looked on the boil consistantly this weekend unfortunately.

Poor James Courtney couldn't seem to take a trick this weekend. And his team mate was there somewhere but not really in the mix.

And how good is it to see a point score that allows a driver to have a bad race one but still get some good points, and to see winners rewarded justly.

[deeks6]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

In the press conference after the race, Mr Tander's explanation of it all (excluding his obvious biases) is that the VE isnt leaps and bounds quicker than everone else, that the cars arent 1 second a lap quicker than the previous years' speed... so its no problemo...

... except it is...

Given that the race fastest laps are a second or so away from Mr Bright's efforts in 2004... the circuit is getting slower... and since the 4x WP Holdens were almost at the 2004 speed... and nobody else is... does that suggest a parity problem?

Meantime... Championship positions after R2... 1-2-3-4... Happy Tom Walkinshaw-prepared cars.

Daylight 5th.

Game Over

Wonderful stuff ... trouble is V8SC don't give a stuff.

Who has more supporters - Holden (hint, it's this one) or Ford?

Which Holden team has the most supporters? (hint: Walkinshoddy quartet)

So if you take out the rule-flouting Walkinshoddys, you are left with Tasman (just on the pace of the leading Fords), GRM (with only their VY close to the pace), SCAR (can't beat themselves), Larry's Kindergarten (boys on L Plates), PMM (need I say anything?) and a privateer. Wow, lots of excitement there for the Red fans...NOT.

So, call me NostraDeeks - I hereby predict there will be no mention of parity from anyone connected with V8SC.

[Pro Racer]

i am a holden fan and got a bit bored in the early 00's when HRT won bloody everything and i am starting to feel the same now Tasman are the best Holden team besides WP powered machines and they are equal with 888 SBR etc other than that looks abit bleak in the Holden camp and ford seem to be back equal with Tasman and DJR are the top ford team which is good. and Tasman are the only other team to have their VE on the pace .

[Micklegend]

Hey looky there........2 rounds in and 26 drivers have scored points!

[WebberForWDC]

Congrats to WPS. Without Larko they are still a half reasonable team, at least Wilson's effort anyway.

[RS500]

didn't see any of the races all weekend but GO JB DNF race one and still managed to get some points, will have to wait for the press release to find out what happened

[stmorri]

It looks like the rest of the season is a foregone conclusion, Walkinshaw's 4 cars and daylight to fifth place. I turned off and watched the football......gotta keep your options open!

[cavvy]

Originally Posted by deeks6

Sooo ...
... switched drivers for enduros against the spirit of the rules ... and GOT AWAY WITH IT

Try analysing why 888 were so poor at Barbagallo, why DJR were the quickest Fords, Jnr the best placed Ford driver, why FPR had a dismal weekend read simply did not perform.

Face some of the realities instead of wallowing ....

[Rombles1]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Given that the race fastest laps are a second or so away from Mr Bright's efforts in 2004... the circuit is getting slower... and since the 4x WP Holdens were almost at the 2004 speed... and nobody else is... does that suggest a parity problem?

Meantime... Championship positions after R2... 1-2-3-4... Happy Tom Walkinshaw-prepared cars.

Daylight 5th.

Game Over

So, is it the blueprint spec VE that needs a parity adjustment or the Walkinshaw cars? How exactly would you control that one?

And who is this Daylight Johnson, that is only one point behind 4th placed Mr Skaife? "Daylight 5th" is supposed to suggest that there is a massive gap, but as Mr Denyer kept reminding us every chance he got, Jr has slimmed down a lot, and is now therefore not big enough to justify being called Daylight.

Originally Posted by deeks6

Sooo ... this is the team (4 cars) that ...

... produced a car that resembles a real VE about as closely as a Morris 1000 does ... and GOT AWAY WITH IT

If they HAD produced a car that matched a real VE more closely than a Morris 1000, you would be complaining that it was too far from the Blueprint specs. I'd LOVE it if they could have used something closer to the real thing.



edit....
I have just had a closer look at the Championship points so far.... Garth 1st, Rick 2nd, Todd 3rd, Skaife 4th, with Jr 1 point behind him in 5th. The biggest gap between positions all the way down is between 2nd and 3rd - so maybe it is just the HSVDT cars that need to be slowed down? HRT are relatively "back in the pack" compared with these two....

[Rombles1]

Damn 10 minute edit window..... that obviously should read Rick 1st, Garth 2nd (in the championship).

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Rombles1

So, is it the blueprint spec VE that needs a parity adjustment or the Walkinshaw cars? How exactly would you control that one?

That's easy.... rent some more legal eagles for the Kelvinmonster...

[Senna05]

Well, I see the problem as this - when the next generation Ford comes out, it has the potential to be as quick as a WP Commodore. So, if you nobble the VE's now, this means the Falcon will be as slow as a nobbled VE, and the next gen commodore will be nobbled to be as slow as that - minimal progression and stifled performance.

Perhaps sandbagging until we have both models in the next gen is the solution. It worked for the BTCC relatively in the 90's. If we are running a "parity" formula, it's acceptable. That, and if you nobble ALL the VE's, you'l still have a WP vs Ford and then a rest of Holden vs. Rest of holden scenario.

Let's look at short term sand bagging before long term adjustment.

In saying that, it's interesting that Toll seem to skip away on fresh tyres, but HRT seem to come on strong with a lighter fuel load and warm tryes. Will be interesting around enduro time, with DJR and...well, DJR looking good all round.

I really hope 888 can find some speed. They look like they are just not getting the grunt up over the straights at the present.

[GTRMagic]

The Project Blueprint strategy revolves around keeping the cars at the slowest speed of the 2 current models racing. So in theory the VE shouldnt be quicker than the VZ or BF models.

But it is. And looks amazing on the road, no attitude to it.. perfect power down etc etc... while the best of the BF's sees the cars being literally thrown around like a sponge... and them falling off the road when they land.

Can this be a setup issue peculiar to every BF in the field, or are the 4x WP VE's just a cut above the rest... and with something the rest of the VE crew are yet to unlock?

It will be 1-2-3-4 at Pukekohe too... and daylight back to anyone else..

[mmciau]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

The Project Blueprint strategy revolves around keeping the cars at the slowest speed of the 2 current models racing. So in theory the VE shouldnt be quicker than the VZ or BF models.

But it is. And looks amazing on the road, no attitude to it.. perfect power down etc etc... while the best of the BF's sees the cars being literally thrown around like a sponge... and them falling off the road when they land.

Can this be a setup issue peculiar to every BF in the field, or are the 4x WP VE's just a cut above the rest... and with something the rest of the VE crew are yet to unlock?

It will be 1-2-3-4 at Pukekohe too... and daylight back to anyone else..

It's not a VE - it is a blueprint VZ with cut and shut VE body panels.

The blueprint package that HRT/HSVDT had in 2006 was a bullet but at times fragile (Sandown and Bathurst). Pre 2007 construction would have been used to lessen the fragile componentry.

So far in the 2 meetings, nothing has broken (except toddler's brakes failed).

Mike

[Rick]

blind Freddie can see the WP cars are in a league of their own.

I'm sure occasionally another team - SBR one round, DJR this time, 888 another, FPR as well - will hit the "sweet spot" and challenge, but overall, as long as they don't break it will be WP 1,2,3,4. The sweet spot of the WP cars is just about anywhere as long as the 4 wheels are still going around in the same direction.

Last year wouldn't have been much different if HRT didn't keep self - destructing.

[Just Do It!]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

That's easy.... rent some more legal eagles for the Kelvinmonster...

Considering that you said that he was gone from his outright position of power, then it would seem that renting lawyers for him is rather a waste of time.

I do, however, agree with your sentiments regarding Pukekohe - the fastest average lap speed circuit of the year. It could well be a 1-2-3-4 WP situation. And the points will be interesting too.

At Pukekohe, if you haven't got grunt, your points haul will be a runt, and you will be one very frustrated.....ummm....person

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Just Do It!

Considering that you said that he was gone from his outright position of power, then it would seem that renting lawyers for him is rather a waste of time.

They are in the transition phase... from Kelvinmonster to Cakeboy

[deeks6]

Originally Posted by Rick

blind Freddie can see the WP cars are in a league of their own.

I'm sure occasionally another team - SBR one round, DJR this time, 888 another, FPR as well - will hit the "sweet spot" and challenge, but overall, as long as they don't break it will be WP 1,2,3,4. The sweet spot of the WP cars is just about anywhere as long as the 4 wheels are still going around in the same direction.

Last year wouldn't have been much different if HRT didn't keep self - destructing.

Exactly ... I made this point last year ... if the Walkinshoddy cars did'nt break or their drivers make mistakes, they won. Same this year, possibly BIGGER difference now that they have developed further.

The in-car shots were amazing - HRT/HSV drivers casually turning the wheel with one smooth action ... everyone else wrestling theirs.

And then there's the HP - when Mums Boy was holding up the freight train, he just accelerated away on the straights and there was nothing they could do.

But then again, this is the team that makes the rules to suit themselves ... don't expect changes any time soon.

[Pro Racer]

is it just me or did Denyer and Jnr have something gay to say every time they talked and if Denyer said Jnr had slimed down one more time i was ready to throw the remote at the TV, whatever these 2 are doing behind closed doors leaveit there.

[GTRMagic]

Mr Denyer was just showing his love for the DJR team... and his desire to drive for them in the enduros this year

I dont think Dick was all that impressed by the questioning (looked like a grump for some reason)

[Dazz]

I find the whole feeling of the telecast a bit camp ...... maybe they should call it "Prancing With The Supercars"!

[STEALTHY]

have we got majority of ford fans here or something?


go back 2 years where that blue car with the number 1 on the bonnet was doninating everything, and could barely be touched, then the green one took over.

Same thing, one team was dominating, i didn't see them being handycapped then, so why should HRT/HSVDT be handycapped now!

[GTRMagic]

The fundamental difference... ONE car versus FOUR cars.

[STEALTHY]

Actually, it was 'one' team, as after ambrose was out of the picture, Ingall took over.

Either way, if the situation was reversed, i garuntee you all would still be in the shadows about the 'unfair' topic, and flying your blue flag high? it was already proven with Ambrose, so you can't say it didn't happen.

[goosel]

Yes, I agree, STEALTHY. I think we have a serious case of Pots and Kettles here...