Touring Car Series entries/rumours that never happened

[saxoflute03]

Originally Posted by FIRE

You want this one in another section?

Yes, the History section.

[saxoflute03]

Tom Walkinshaw Racing offered Rickard Rydell a 2 year contract to race in Australian V8 Supercars after Volvo pulled out of the BTCC.

[saxoflute03]

Mika Hakkinen did get to test a DTM Mercedes in 2001 with the car's livery designed to resemble his McLaren MP4-16 F1 car.

[saxoflute03]

Gabriele Tarquini could have followed Stefano Modena and Christian Danner into the German STW Cup in 1997.

[porsche962fan]

Launderback Motorsport intended to run 2 Vectra GT (Vauxhall Cavalier ) in 1995 STW

they ended up running a private Nissan Primera the first 2 races and never raced again that season

as a matter of fact while many Vectra B (1996+ ) did race in STW no Vectra (Cavalier) did

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by saxoflute03

Yes, the History section.

Note from moderator:
Topic is moved to Motorsport History section

[saxoflute03]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Note from moderator:
Topic is moved to Motorsport History section

Thank you.

[saxoflute03]

Anthony Reid tested the 1996-spec Opel Vectra at the end of 1995. I presume this would have been for the German STW Cup?

He ended up replacing the late Keith O'Dor at Nissan.

[saxoflute03]

Mazda was linked to a Prodrive-run WTCC entry for 2007 or 2008.

A Japanese entry was expected for 2007 but it ended up being 2008 when N. Technology replaced their aging Alfa Romeo 156s with Honda Accord Euro-Rs.

[saxoflute03]

Former WRC star Markku Alen expressed an interest in trying Class 2 Touring Car Racing while attending the Diepholz round of the 1994 DTM.

[saxoflute03]

There were apparently meant to be as many as 55 (a possible miss-typing?) entries for the 1993 Touring Car World Cup but only 43 took part.

I know Alain Menu pulled out due to injury and Vaclav Bervid and Jean-Pierre Jabouille got as far as the entry list until the latter was replaced by Yannick Dalmas.

[TuteZaek]

The STU, a touring car series that came to be as result of a JM Traverso fight with the ACTC, with cars developed by JVA and Gustavo Donadio during 1999-2001
It was to be a mixed chassis (tube frame-monocoque) derived from the ones used on the GTA series (Gran Turismo Americano) with a Ford V8 with arround 600hp
The prototype was modeled after a Ford Mondeo, but other silhouettes, like the Vectra were planed.
After failing to gain commercial interest the project was adopted somewhat and ended taking form of the actual Top Race V6.
With the TRV6 becoming V8 next year, I thought is was interesting bringing back its stillborn predecessor.

[S griffin]

That's an interesting story, it's good they sorted things out and they got one strong series out of it. It's all the better for it. I don't think a breakaway would have worked.

Gonna be interesting what happens with the upgrade to V8. Great memories

[TuteZaek]

It wasn't much of a breakaway but more of a continuation of the GTA, that was itself dying, using Traverso's figure as a selling point (and his desire of a 600hp series that he mentions in every interview till now).
After failing the project, he (Traverso) took the idea to the "rival" Top Race series that together with the Jaguar engines that FoMoCo (literally) dropped at Berta's door, served as a much needed change for the series that was turning weird, as after starting with Porsche 944's, 300zx's and Mercs, had Escorts and Neons fighting for the championship.