2017 Australian GT Championship

[mayhem]

I thought it'd be a good time to start a 2017 series thread following the strong announcement from GT boss Tony Quinn about the direction of the series and separating itself as just another V8Supercar support series after issues in being able to ensure scheduling and track time at Supercar events. More here:
GT Series to stand on its own feet

Amongst the calendar announcement is:
- Opening round at the Clipsal race
- Support category again at the Australian GP at Albert Park
- Good news for Tassie motorsport fans with the series visiting Symmons Plains in September
- A finale at Highlands Park in November
- No visit to WA

Calendar:

Date Series Track
March 2-5 CAMS AGT Championship Adelaide Parklands
March 23-26 CAMS AGT Championship Albert Park
April 7-9 CAMS AGT Trophy Series Sandown
May 26-28 CAMS GT Endurance Championship Phillip Island
June 9-11 CAMS AGT Trophy Series Winton
July 7-9 CAMS GT Endurance Championship Sydney Motorsport Park
August 4-6 CAMS AGT Championship Queensland Raceway
August 19-20 CAMS AGT Trophy Series Winton
September 1-3 CAMS AGT Championship Symmons Plains
September 8-10 CAMS AGT Trophy Series Phillip Island
October 27-29 CAMS GT Endurance Championship Hampton Downs
November 4-5 CAMS Australian GT Trophy Series Wakefield Park
November 10-11 CAMS Australian GT Championship Highlands Motorsport Park
November 10-12 CAMS GT Endurance Championship Highlands Motorsport Park

[Axeman444]

Bit of a concentration on Victorian tracks there... whats the geographical spread of competitors?

[mayhem]

Without looking too far into it, off the top of my head I'd say Queensland and Victoria?

Another point, with so many standalone meetings, will the Aussie Racers be used as supports for these meetings?

[peckstar]

any news of a TV package?

At this stage we will see more of the trophy series on TV

Hopefully we wont get a clash between the two series (shannons and Quinns) like we did this last weekend

[bludvl_x19]

Originally Posted by mayhem

Without looking too far into it, off the top of my head I'd say Queensland and Victoria?

Another point, with so many standalone meetings, will the Aussie Racers be used as supports for these meetings?

I've added to the calendar the events that I could find that Aus GT are a part of. Only two standalone meetings that are specifically Aus GT, the rest are a combination of supports and running on the Shannons Nationals card.

Date Series Track
March 2-5 CAMS AGT Championship Adelaide Parklands (Clipsal 500)
March 23-26 CAMS AGT Championship Albert Park (F1 GP)
April 7-9 CAMS AGT Trophy Series Sandown (Shannons Nationals)
May 26-28 CAMS GT Endurance Championship Phillip Island (Shannons Nationals)
June 9-11 CAMS AGT Trophy Series Winton (Shannons Nationals)
July 7-9 CAMS GT Endurance Championship Sydney Motorsport Park (Shannons Nationals)
August 4-6 CAMS AGT Championship Queensland Raceway (Shannons Nationals)
August 19-20 CAMS AGT Trophy Series Winton (Standalone*)
September 1-3 CAMS AGT Championship Symmons Plains (Standalone)
September 8-10 CAMS AGT Trophy Series Phillip Island (Shannons Nationals)
October 27-29 CAMS GT Endurance Championship Hampton Downs (Standalone)
November 4-5 CAMS Australian GT Trophy Series Wakefield Park (Shannons Nationals)
November 10-11 CAMS Australian GT Championship Highlands Motorsport Park (Standalone)
November 10-12 CAMS GT Endurance Championship Highlands Motorsport Park (Standalone)

*Whilst the date on the Speedcafe calendar is August 19-20th, Shannons Nationals are the weekend afterwards. Possibly a typo at some stage of the process.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by peckstar

any news of a TV package?

At this stage we will see more of the trophy series on TV

Hopefully we wont get a clash between the two series (shannons and Quinns) like we did this last weekend

I'm sure you'd love to see more of the Trophy Series on the telly as you'd see more of your beloved GT4s.

I really hope we avoid a repeat of this years Highlands where it wasn't televised at all (perhaps in NZ I'm not sure) because to miss out on the drama of a race where most of the titles were up for grabs was pretty disappointing.

Kudos for the live stream at Hamptons though, it was fantastic watching live as Scud and Dave Russell took a great win in the Lambo. I'm sure that's not cheap so without a sponsor etc I can see why it's not for every race.

[D.R.T.]

Great news for the category. After a breakout 2016, 2017 is shaping up to grow even more.

Quinn didnt speak to highly about the V8SC experience. A lesson for all there.

[mayhem]

Originally Posted by peckstar

any news of a TV package?

I owe you a beer Reload, 60 minutes on the dot.

Originally Posted by bludvl_x19

I've added to the calendar the events that I could find that Aus GT are a part of. Only two standalone meetings that are specifically Aus GT, the rest are a combination of supports and running on the Shannons Nationals card.

Nice Bludvl, thanks. Certainly strengthens the Shannons Nationals, who webcast each round I believe.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by mayhem

I owe you a beer Reload, 60 minutes on the dot.
.

There we go, he still thinks about me. That's lovely. XXOO

Release on Shannons nationals site

good that some of the enduro races are longer

[bludvl_x19]

Originally Posted by mayhem

Nice Bludvl, thanks. Certainly strengthens the Shannons Nationals, who webcast each round I believe.

That they do, through www.thenationals.com.au

The Nationals are proving to be a good framework for AusGT to run with, meaning that the organisation of the meeting is sorted along with other categories to run, broadcasting et al, leaving GT to come and do their thing. It's gotta be easier than TQ taking the entire series out on its own, at least for the moment.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by bludvl_x19

That they do, through www.thenationals.com.au

The Nationals are proving to be a good framework for AusGT to run with, meaning that the organisation of the meeting is sorted along with other categories to run, broadcasting et al, leaving GT to come and do their thing. It's gotta be easier than TQ taking the entire series out on its own, at least for the moment.

I think its important to remember that only 3(out of 9) of the main series races/events are at the Shannons Nationals events. 4 will be at stand alone events (the other 2 being Clipsal and the GP)

The 5 trophy series races will also be on at Shannons events (Same as this year), but they haven't exactly been packed grids. at least two of the 5 events had less than ten cars (lucky the MARCS were there) I guess we might have a few GT4s driving next in 2017 (hopefully a Stang) which might help and the SLS is eligible for the trophy series

It will be interesting to see how the Tassie round goes, hopefully the Tasmanian will come out to watch, reasonable gap between v8s and GT3 race there so they shouldn't cannibalise each other.

[Matt]

GT3's at Symmons should be interesting.

[peckstar]

live stream of all races

Except the two that are on TV

[D.R.T.]

That is pretty decent

[mayhem]

Might be a clever tie-in all round with Speedcafe. You'd imagine they will become a large(r) news hub for the series next year.

[Mixer]

Streaming is definitely the way to go if it is on a good enough backend. Especially with social media streaming is a huge gateway for sports that don't see the benefit in paying for free-to-air TV packages.

This is an interesting avenue for Speedcafe, but I feel like they have fingers in many conflicting pies.

Good on TQ for going his own way, he will make a go of it - but boldly stating "we are not a support category" and then racing on the Shannons Card is ironic in my book.

One would hope there is going to be some action regarding driving standards in AGT, especially after the carnage at Hampton Downs that has hampered a couple of team's B12H testing plans. Walkinshaw basically saying they are not going to race in the sprints because of too much damage isn't a good look... Although given a Walkinshaw driver caused the crash in this instance, Adrian Burgess' comments about driver quality in the sprint races is novel.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Mixer

Good on TQ for going his own way, he will make a go of it - but boldly stating "we are not a support category" and then racing on the Shannons Card is ironic in my book.

Not sure of the irony you have cited in regards to the Shannons Nationals? Who are they supporting on the Shannons bill?

[Mixer]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Not sure of the irony you have cited in regards to the Shannons Nationals? Who are they supporting on the Shannons bill?

Because it is basically one step above club racing.

[D.R.T.]

2 steps isn't it?

Club, State and then National racing? Correct me if I am wrong but the Shannons Series is a National Series?

Can you clarify who Aus GT is supporting on the Shannons Nationals though Mixer as per your previous posts?

[Mixer]

Pedantry. In professionalism & presentation the Nationals is one step above club racing, with a mishmash of categories racing in front of the pit crews (of which I have regularly been one), someone's brother in law and a goat.

I have no doubt that not paying to be on the TV card with VASC is probably a good move for AGT fiscally - after all we know who is paying the bills there, but I personally wouldn't be crowing about leaving supports for VASC and going racing with the Nationals.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Mixer

Pedantry. In professionalism & presentation the Nationals is one step above club racing, with a mishmash of categories racing in front of the pit crews (of which I have regularly been one), someone's brother in law and a goat.

I have no doubt that not paying to be on the TV card with VASC is probably a good move for AGT fiscally - after all we know who is paying the bills there, but I personally wouldn't be crowing about leaving supports for VASC and going racing with the Nationals.

Soooooooo you agree that they aren't supporting anyone.

The move is about about positioning and track access rather than the need to race in front of higher numbers of pit crew, in laws and goats.

Mr Quinn was very disappointed in the SMP experience with VASC in 2016 which despite a crowd and television didnt serve Australian GT much purpose.

Clearly the Shannons National isn't your cup of tea Mixer - but at least have a broader perspective to understand that nor is the VASC everyone's cup.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

2 steps isn't it?

Club, State and then National racing? Correct me if I am wrong but the Shannons Series is a National Series?

Can you clarify who Aus GT is supporting on the Shannons Nationals though Mixer as per your previous posts?

sports sedans? F3 productions cars, trophy series, shannons

Really they are 3 events on the shannons nationals card. Just a bit player filling a spot on an event card

[one five five]

Originally Posted by Mixer

Good on TQ for going his own way, he will make a go of it - but boldly stating "we are not a support category" and then racing on the Shannons Card is ironic in my book..

Was there an alternative?

They could run their own meetings, but they'd then need to find some support categories anyway for those meetings?

Shannons might be one stop above club racing, but it's also only one step below Supercars in the ladder?

[Bcarr6]

Originally Posted by Mixer

Pedantry. In professionalism & presentation the Nationals is one step above club racing, with a mishmash of categories racing in front of the pit crews (of which I have regularly been one), someone's brother in law and a goat.



I have no doubt that not paying to be on the TV card with VASC is probably a good move for AGT fiscally - after all we know who is paying the bills there, but I personally wouldn't be crowing about leaving supports for VASC and going racing with the Nationals.

I think the point of AUS GT going to the Nationals is that it'll be a big fish in a small pond instead of a small fish in a big pond.

The independence of running alone and in the Nationals means it can build its own name as an important series, not a support for VASC

To that point, I don't think it matters if the Nationals are generally lower level. The AUS GT will provide the series with a genuine legitimate set of races, and the rest of the Nationals will be fun fillers that will make for a nice varied day of racing.

It's better for AUS GT than trying to shine hidden behind VASC


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[Mixer]

Going to be interesting how well their standalone rounds are run, and how the entertainment stacks up for the punters that do show up.

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