BTCC Masters: first 7 names announced

[Jonny Apex]

Cleland, Gravett, Harvey, Menu, Plato, Radisich & Tarquini are all doing it. The story's on www.btcc.net ...

Donington Park on 26 September is going to be amazing!

[Kicking-back]

This event is increasingly sounding like good news.

[OVERSTEER]

Thompson and Muller won't be competing, because apparently competing for a charity of their choosing is too much bother, basically because it's not driving a Vauxhall, strange how Thommo finds a way to drive a Non Vauxhall (An Alfa) at Donington for the ETCC race!

[mcurtis26]

The official line from vauxhall is that if one of their drivers has won the title that day, they do not want them to end the day driving for another manufacturer.

[mcurtis26]

I would expect rickard rydell to be announced soon as he is a seat contracted driver.

[Jonny Apex]

Originally posted by OVERSTEER
Thompson and Muller won't be competing, because apparently competing for a charity of their choosing is too much bother, basically because it's not driving a Vauxhall, strange how Thommo finds a way to drive a Non Vauxhall (An Alfa) at Donington for the ETCC race!

I don't think you can point the finger at Thompson for this, more Vauxhall who have blocked both their drivers from taking part. I would imagine secretly, inside that JT and YM are seething ...

[Kicking-back]

If I was Vauxhall, I'd have made the same decision.

[Neil Adams]

mullers already raced a seat

[Cryos]

Its gona be great, what has cleland be upto since his btcc retirement? It will be tight racing, all drivers are extreamly competitive. And most if not all are still activly competing, so its going to be an big spectial.

Will this event be shown on tv (sorry i dont know much about it) ??

[redshoes]

Originally posted by btcc-thunder
mullers already raced a seat

And a KIA (Andros Trophy ice racing) and a Ford Falcon (Aussie V8 Supercars), but not at a BTCC meeting when they were already driving for Vauxhall.

Lets face it, either Muller or Thompson WILL be champion this year and given the way the points scoring has gone so far that will not be decided until at least the final race meeting and possibility not until the final race. How will it look to Vauxhall if 5 mins after being awarded the championship trophy their driver celebrates by driving for another manufacturer.

[Carrie]

I like that little list It's a shame that Thompson and Muller aren't racing, but you can understand the decision from Vauxhall's viewpoint.

[Hazard]

I believe Cleland had a shot at the British GT series, but that didn't go too well.

I think Thompson's Alfa run is a bit different...basically there's a better chance that the Masters Race is going to be the big press hitter when it happens, and if Thompson & Muller competed too, they wouldn't even earn their seperate mention for becoming the BTCC champion.

The Ford Falcon comparison for Muller is a little weird, the Triple Eight race team, which run VX Racing in the BTCC, & Team Betta in Aussie V8's, use a Vauxhall in the UK, and the Ford in Oz, despite the obvious GM/Holden/Vauxhall link.

Muller will also drive for Team Betta again at Bathurst in November.

Since the threads here...and we have some early contenders...anyone want to hedge an early bet as to who might win out of this bunch? My suspicious side says Plato might have an advantage...but assuming everything is done fairly, probably Menu IMHO.

[touringlegend]

It's got to be Plato..he knows the Leon well enough.

Not surprised but very pleased to see those names confirmed for the event..re Thommo & Muller I'm not too dissapointed as in essence this race is about all the "old boys"...whereas Thommo & Muller are still competing.

[rdjones]

Good line so far, I did read somewhere that Frank Biela said he would be taking part too.

[touringcarnut]

Its going to be great to see these guys back in action, looks as if i'll have to get the tickets booked up!

[daz90]

Great stuff. Pity about Thomo and Muller not being there, but it's a race for the old boys and they are relatively new. Be nice to see some of the other 'old gaurd' competing too. Biela, Winkelhock, even some of the people who never won the title but came close.

[Hazard]

There would have to be...Gow said it's aiming to be a 20 car grid, and in 15 years, there aren't 15 drivers even able to fill 3/4 of that - considering three of the champs certainly can't go, whether by the almighty's decree....or the fact they've passed on ()

I believe Matt Neal was an early mention...perhaps further independants winners or #2's can make an appearance: such as Leslie & Reid?

[cory]

I think that Plato will have a considerable advantage over all the other drivers as by driving the BTCC SEAT in the BTCC proper he could theoretically complete 48 racing laps as well as the additional testing, practice and qualifying at Donny before the old boyz race even starts. Yes he will be racing two different cars that day but all the btcc laps he completes will effectively be free practice laps for the heroes race which only he can partake in !! Advantage JP me thinks

[Hazard]

On that point...I'd expect there would be some form of practice & qualifying for the Seat race? Without any laps in the Cupra's would be just mad! (Cleland might even be looking on the wrong side for the gearstick as he accelerates from the start!).

Also, couldn't think of any fair way of starting them...unless it's 1990 first going up, give the 'old boys' a starting advantage

[redshoes]

The SEAT Toledo BTCC and Cupra Cup cars are very different things so no real advantage there, however I'm sure JP would have driven a Cupra Cup car at some point in the last year. Given the calibre of drivers there a few laps in the car 12 months ago is hardly going to make that much difference.

As I recall the plan is to have one free practice and one qualifying session.

[racer69]

Any chance of Gerry Marshall, Andy Rouse, Frank Sytner or, dare i say it, Mike Smith getting a steer?

As mentioned just having the top drivers from 1990-onwards probably won't completely fill the grid (although, from my list above on Marshall didn't race after 1990).

Will be good to see, hoopefully we'll get some footage down here. (We're still waiting for the first BTCC round though, so could be a while )

[Jonny Apex]

Originally posted by Hazard
There would have to be...Gow said it's aiming to be a 20 car grid, and in 15 years, there aren't 15 drivers even able to fill 3/4 of that - considering three of the champs certainly can't go, whether by the almighty's decree....or the fact they've passed on ()

I believe Matt Neal was an early mention...perhaps further independants winners or #2's can make an appearance: such as Leslie & Reid?

Just to be clear, it's an 18-car grid and not just for champions, but other star names of the Nineties, eg. Radisich who has been announced.

So, seven down, eleven to go. I doubt very much indeed that Mr Gow will have any trouble filling those seats. Reading between the lines, his reserve list - ie. drivers who have called him wanting to take part - could probably fill the grid three times over and more ...

[rdjones]

Well 6 more names have been confirmed today, drum roll:- Jeff Allam, Julian Bailey, Frank Biela, Kelvin Burt, Frank Sytner and Patrick Watts.

[Craig]

Kelvin Burt?!!! Hardly a master is he? :confused:

[redshoes]

ditto Patrick Watts. Nice guy but hardly my first choice if we are talking about BTCC greats.

Where's Rouse, Neal, Ried, Aiello or Leslie?