TOCA Tour or Powertour ?

[Craig]

I know a great deal of us are BTCC fans here but, after seeing the BTCC Tour and Powertour packages for next year, which are you most likely to frequent ?

[Carrie]

Depends which one is at the nearest track I guess or if they're not worth it then neither.

[Craig]

I think they should only clash a couple of times according to the provisional calendars which i've seen. Powertour certainly looks much more promising to me at first glance...

[Chris Y]

I'd quite cheerfully pay for just Clios in the TOCA package, but I have to agree that the Powertour is looking the favourite right now.

[cool_runnings8]

TOCA with Rick + team, but F3 is definitely not to be missed!!

[MichaelC]

Should I have enough time to frequent anything other than my desk next year (and I really do hope to get to more than one meeting this time!) I suspect the PowerTour is favourite, but it depends what the supports look like on the TOCA package.

[Les]

As much TOCA as we can get to plus any Powertour within a days march. The expense!!!

[Dan Friel]

Powertour is way stronger..

Can you imagine enduring 3.5 hours of touring car practice alone on the saturday.. I shall not be there!!

[Craig]

Guess it really depends on how the new BTCC works out doesn't it ? And the support package - if they can get that right, then the TOCA Tour might just retain some degree of importance, otherwise i'm still saying Powertour...

[RickP:Clio51]

Right, thats it.

The show will be what it is about and you wont want to miss the show that is the Clios alone (well spoken Chris Y, anyone would think I was paying you), the cars are now as easy to find as rocking horse sh*t so we should see a full 32 car grid everyround of next season... bear in mind that this years carnage was caused with a field that wasn't a lot bigger than 23/24 on average and that sounds like 33% more fun.

Recall that Mr West told us directly that he as only inviting support races and sideshows that take your breath away with the machinery or with the quality of the racing and then think back to those 3 retired mechanics and their dog that made up the Powertour crowd last year.

I was told that at the Donington round, only 11 people actually paid for their tickets at the gate!!!! All the others were complimentary. Don't know how true this is but never met anyone who went!

They don't have TOCAs promotion budget, infrastructure or professionalism and I am convinced they will struggle to compete.

I'm blacklisting Dan and Craig. This is sacriligous speak and I won't tolerate it!!!!!!!!!!

Unless of course I can get a GT drive and then long live Powertour...

Me biased?

Never

RickP

[redshoes]

Don't know how true this is but never met anyone who went!

You have now. As I recall Woody, Carrie, Craig and a few others were there as well.

[cool_runnings8]

I was there too! And I still say F3 is the best series to go see(after Clio's of course)! Especially next yr when Craig is going to be starved of beer for every race that Gary Paffett wins...

[Craig]

Rick - that sounds pretty close to what the original incarnation of PowerTour was intended to be. It didn't work then - and it is quite amusing to look back at some of the comments made at the time by TOCA and Alan Gow...

A bit of off track entertainment is good - the military jets at the World Superbikes and the post-race concert at the Silverstone Powertour meeting spring to mind. But, at the end of the day, we go to these events to watch racing - not marching bands. And I don't think anyone has to mention Terry Grant or the pillocks on motorbikes pulling wheelies!

They don't have TOCAs promotion budget, infrastructure or professionalism and I am convinced they will struggle to compete.

Tell me if i'm wrong, but aren't both series now owned and promoted by BMP ?

[MGF]

Sorry folks, but I think that Powertour kicks Toca's Butt (can I say that?).

In 99 I went to 2 TOCA meeting's.

I was pretty impressed I can tell you.

But this year I went to the first Powertour visit to Silverstone. CHRIST!! .... now I was even more impressed !! I'm not going to start knocking TOCA. They have had a tougth year all in all, but the powertour bring's so much more.

And with the expected GT field to be in excess of at lest 30 cars at EACH race I think that it is going to be the one event that everyone must see!!

[Craig]

I agree with you to a point MGF. I think that Y2K's Powertour was very good - though not on a par with the TOCA package maybe. The lack of racing on the Powertour was it's only downside (apart from the dire MGFs...!) but the roles seem to have been reversed in 2001. A very full package of quality racing is on the cards for Powertour, whilst TOCATour is left trying to find guest races to fill out the raceday.

It's a real pity we cannot merge all the top series into a single package and hold them over two days every couple of weeks. Can you imagine the atmosphere on the Saturday night at the circuit ? I believe this is the way it's done in Germany...

[MGF]

I'm in absolute agreement with on holding all of the races in a two day event Craig.

But the only down side is that the ticket prices would probably start to sky rocket.

As far as racing goes, both Toca and Powertour (specifically the GT's and F3) had good racing this year. And (Unfortunatly) the MGF's did dissapoint at the last meeting of the year due to the lack of entries. This could be something to do with Rover (MG) withdrawing it's support I heard.

So, Bring on the first race in both series... I think that TOCA and Powertour enthusiasts are in for a year of classic racing!!

[Craig]

The MGFs were porr rght through the year - not just at the final race. They always looked good on TV though which amused me Must be cos I don't like watching hairdressers cars buzzing around a race track or something

If they were to merge the two series (it'd never happen, of course) then prices would surely come down as BMP would simply book security, grandstands, etc. for an extra day - rather than having to put that infrastructure in place for two seperate meetings.

[MGF]

Hairdresser's car indeed!! Cheeky monkey!!

[Craig]

Funny how Lotus Elises and MGFs always looked interesting on TV, but failed to live up to that when you were trackside

[MGF]

I still think that one make races are good fun regardless if they are MGF's, Mini's or Fiesta's, but I have to admit that the real reason for visiting Powertour for me is the Thundering GT's.

I dont think that you can really beat the sound of a Marcos as it bellows past you !!

[Craig]

Yes you can... meet us at the ALMS meeting at Donington this Easter and i'll explain..

One make series - yep, agree generally. It's just the MGFs and Elises don't do anything for me. Maybe we are spoiled with the brilliant Clios and Vectras over the past couple of years though ? And Mini's ? Well... they're Mini's - they'll always be a larf

[MGF]

Sounds good to me!!.... erm... if I can afford it that is....

[Dan Friel]

It'll be an interesting year.. unless touring cars are excellent - (I think the old National Saloons still will be...) - i really believe the focus will switch to GT's and F3's.. 2 good packages together - a strong partnership, with good promotion. Touring cars have little back up..

It's just the 2 days of TOCA looks a little weak, a fun fair can only make up for so much!!

[Craig]

Oh, I don't know, I can't make up my mind... I think i'm just gonna have to bite the bullet and do as many of each as possible

[WoodyTJ]

How about we wait and see ..... the season seems a long way off yet! But ....

BTCC = Matty
Clio's = Rick

....is getting my vote!