Current BTCC drivers who raced in BTCC supporting series' before racing in the BTCC

Invincible · 23 Dec 2001, 11:31 (Ref:189021)

I've probably just won the award for the most confusing title for a thread!

But I was just looking through the programme of my first BTCC race at Oulton Park and apart from the BTCC (obviously), there were current BTCC drivers racing in all but 1 of the supporting championships.

Here they are:

VECTRA
5 DAVID PINKNEY
21 ROB COLLARD
44 GAVIN PYPER

RENAULT SPORT
16 TOM FERRIER

FORMULA FORD
57 JOANNA CLARKE

RENAULT SPIDER
2 ANDY PRIAULX
4 PHIL BENNETT

FORD FIESTA
21 NICK BEAUMONT
25 GARETH HOWELL
52 GORDON SHEDDEN

Look through your BTCC programmes and see which BTCC drivers have driven in the supporting championships on the weekend

invincible

**Craig** · 23 Dec 2001, 17:07 (Ref:189107)

I don't understand the question ?

redshoes · 23 Dec 2001, 19:51 (Ref:189149)

Try to stay awake Craig. The question is which current BTCC drivers have raced in a TOCA support series.

A quick check down this year's entry list reveals Invincible has missed quite a few.

John B&Q - Fiestas
Mark Blair - Vectras
Jason Plato - Renault Spiders
Peter Cate - Fiestas, Vectras and Elises
Mark Lemmer - Vectras
Andy Neate - Fiestas and Elises
Simon Graves - Vectra
Jim Edwards Jnr - Clios
Mat Jackson - Clios
Tiff Needell - Elises, Spiders (and maybe Vectras and Fiestas)
Joanna Clarke - Clios as well

**Craig** · 23 Dec 2001, 20:35 (Ref:189158)

Sorry Nigel... thought it was advice rather than a question

Simon Pullan · 24 Dec 2001, 10:42 (Ref:189340)

Warren Hughes: F3

Takuma · 24 Dec 2001, 14:45 (Ref:189400)

Simon,

F3 was NEVER NEVER NEVER a support to the btcc, upto 1992 there were a number of meetings, usually at Silverstone and Donington Park where the two series were joint "top of the bill", a situation to be repeated, in an attempt to help stop thte rapid decline in btcc attendances, in 2002.

Whilst Warren Hughes was in F3 in 1992, with Pedro Diniz at Edenbridge racing. he has never driven in a btcc support race.

Simon Pullan · 24 Dec 2001, 17:03 (Ref:189415)

Sorry Takuma, I didn't mean it in a bad way. Most of my early races were at Donington and we always used to see Touring cars and F3. I didn't realise that the two championships did not run parallel. I was hedging my bets that Warren first raced in F3 when it still ran with Touring cars. When you say upto 1992, does that include 1992? If so, I wouldn't have been far from the truth, only wrong in that it wasn't a support.

Takuma · 24 Dec 2001, 17:24 (Ref:189417)

Yes Simon it included 1992, at Silverstone, Donington and Thruxton. In ALL cases the F3 series had JOINT TOP BILLING.

Just to remind you that British F3 is actually the highest level of racing in this country, both in terms of its place on the FIA ladder and the quality of preparation and engineering within the series.

From an engineering viewpoint there are more options for adjustment on an f3 car than in f3000.

And as you know the top caterham cars are almost as fast if not faster than currewnt spec btcc cars.

kristof14 · 24 Dec 2001, 18:10 (Ref:189422)

ooooooh sorry! calm down its christmas eve! so the guy made a mistake! and who cares if the caterhams go faster? the quality of racing is nowhere near as good, speeds no good if the drivers are a pile of poop!

Aidan J Harvey · 24 Dec 2001, 18:33 (Ref:189425)

Quote:

Originally posted by redshoes
Try to stay awake Craig. The question is which current BTCC drivers have raced in a TOCA support series.

Jason Plato - Renault Spiders

I thought the question was about current BTCC drivers?

**Craig** · 24 Dec 2001, 19:39 (Ref:189440)

Quote:

Originally posted by kristof14
ooooooh sorry! calm down its christmas eve! so the guy made a mistake! and who cares if the caterhams go faster? the quality of racing is nowhere near as good, speeds no good if the drivers are a pile of poop!

Now who's making a mistake ?

Seriously, have you actually seen a Caterham race ? Now *they* would really be a superb support series for the BTCC... Mr West, are you listening ?

Takuma · 24 Dec 2001, 20:07 (Ref:189453)

Craig,

The reasons you have stated are exactly why Caterhams will NOT be a support series for the BTCC, they would spectators realise how poor and "self-important" the btcc has become.

**Craig** · 24 Dec 2001, 20:11 (Ref:189455)

The reasons it'll not become BTCC support is that the Caterham people do not want it to be. They believe they get better value for money/exposure by highlighting their own race days. And they're probably right, which is a shame as BTCC fans would absolutely love them, i'm sure. If the organisers of the series really believed they faced competition from other series why did they keep crowd favourites such as the Clios and welcome others such as the Porsches and FFords ? I'm afraid I don't buy that at all...

redshoes · 24 Dec 2001, 20:34 (Ref:189460)

Surely it's as much to do with the fact that Caterhams run as a package. Same with the Mini Se7en/Miglia, it's an all or nothing deal and there just wouldn't be room for all the Caterham series to run at a TOCA meeting.

Aidan J Harvey · 24 Dec 2001, 23:12 (Ref:189496)

Quote:

Originally posted by Craig Antill

Mr West, are you listening ?

Not unless your name has 3 letters, begins with an 'L' and ends in an 'S'.

Radisichrox · 25 Dec 2001, 13:28 (Ref:189532)

Quote:

Originally posted by kristof14
ooooooh sorry! calm down its christmas eve! so the guy made a mistake! and who cares if the caterhams go faster? the quality of racing is nowhere near as good, speeds no good if the drivers are a pile of poop!

Ha!

BTC-P fan · 26 Dec 2001, 01:29 (Ref:189624)

Is Gareth Howell the only driver to have competed in a support race and both rounds of the BTCC on the same day?

Minardi fan · 26 Dec 2001, 23:08 (Ref:189776)

Quote:

Originally posted by Aidan J Harvey

Not unless your name has 3 letters, begins with an 'L' and ends in an 'S'.

Miaaaaaaow!!!

Les · 27 Dec 2001, 22:32 (Ref:190145)

Quote:

Not unless your name has 3 letters, begins with an 'L' and ends in an 'S'.

Las, Les, Lis, Los, Lus, Lys??

ok so my name is amongst that lot - so I presume you mean me!

So what's your problem?

my motto - if you don't ask, you don't get! - you should try it sometime