BTCC 2013 support races - views

[datapost61]

Any views on what worked and what didn't last year?

Scottish Classics and Scottish Minis supported 2 rounds last year.

What did people out their prefer to see.

Modern, single make, close racing with up and coming drivers vying for the limelight
OR
Old memories, various cars and sub classes, close competition up and down the field (when producers remember the class structure!)

Just want to gauge opinion from those that count (you!)

[BtccLee]

Originally Posted by datapost61

Any views on what worked and what didn't last year?

Scottish Classics and Scottish Minis supported 2 rounds last year.

What did people out their prefer to see.

Modern, single make, close racing with up and coming drivers vying for the limelight
OR
Old memories, various cars and sub classes, close competition up and down the field (when producers remember the class structure!)

Just want to gauge opinion from those that count (you!)

The former. As much as I love classic cars and the spectacular racing we saw at croft and Knockhill last year I feel for an event such as the BTCC modern, close racing is best. The current line-up, including FFord, all produce good racing and variety. Young guns in the Juniors, BTCC aspirations in the Clio's, GT racers in the Porsches and GT Supercup and the F1 stars of tommorow in FFord

[markreeves]

Probably would never happen but I'd love to see a classic touring car support series like the championship on the Silverstone classic bill last year

[Sodemo]

My personal view is that the supports need to reflect what most people actually turn up for, ie close tin top action. Thats why the Clios and the Fiestas were crowd favorites, big grids, lots of doorhandle to doorhandle action. At one time there were just too many single seater series for me (F Vauxhall, F Renault, F Ford) etc.

I did enjoy the classics that appeared at Croft.

[davyboy]

In terms of support races it would be nice to see :

o Greater variety - More categories... add Minis, Sport Maxx, BARC Renault etc....
o Shorter races - the Porsche races are too long.
o One race per category - Three Ginetta Supercup races is boring.

[nickyf1]

I'd love it if a similar series to the Aussie Touring Car Masters was created. Old Group A cars and the likes..

[KayBee]

I'd love to see more local race series e.g. for Oulton North West Saloons and Croft Northern Saloons.

[NaBUru38]

How about a B-segment touring car championship? Fiestas, Corsas, Polos, Clios nad 208s, with some 200hp.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

How about a B-segment touring car championship? Fiestas, Corsas, Polos, Clios nad 208s, with some 200hp.

If they were to NGTC level, then they'd probably cost just as much to run as a full size touring car... but what I thought would be good is to run the Sport Maxx series [cars that are more to a standard spec.] as a support. They're cheaper to build and run compared to a touring car.

[stuart thompson]

The Minis or production BMWs would be a great addition.

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by stuart thompson

The Minis or production BMWs would be a great addition.

Would love to see a BMW 3-series cup or something like that. 20-30 beemers barreling around corners, great stuff. I think the last series even remotely like that was the Vectra V6 SRi championship which supported the BTCC, and folded at the end of 1999. Didn't have that many entries though from what I remember, 15-16 car grids, not great.

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by davyboy

o One race per category - Three Ginetta Supercup races is boring.

Then you're making people travel a long way for just one race. Or do you mean one race a day? Have a Saturday programme too.

The Porsches are just dull dull dull. I don't mind the Supercup that supports F1, but the GB series isn't interesting at all. The only times I've enjoyed it have been when it's been wet and there are tyre tactics and mixed up grids to spice it up.

I don't think I'll be along in saying the current Clios are nowhere near as good as the 2000-2006 variety. Witnessed some epic battles through the years in those. I think they messed up by not getting people to sign up to an exclusivity agreement, like every new gen of Porsche does. They had the big 40+ entries for 2007, then half of them disappeared to do club racing or Britcar in them.

GT Supercup is promising, big powerful cars with minimal grip. But they're obviously too expensive to run, otherwise the grids would be booming. Or is it because they can be used elsewhere and people would rather do other things?

Juniors can be entertaining when they keep it clean.

FFord was good whenever I saw it, I hope the turbo engines and wings don't make it just another generic single seater series.

I'd like to see some sort of feeder series to the BTCC, along the lines of the PTCT (formerly SportMaxx). Road tyres and a relatively showroom spec car to keep costs down.

I also liked the old ICS Touring Car Championship we used to have. People say classics can't be close, but I saw a few good races. Particularly when you have rain or a damp track and there are Minis fighting with Yank Tanks in a David v Goliath type battle.

I guess it's down to Chairman Gow wanting a nice tidy paddock with manufacturer flags, trucks and hospitality units everywhere. Not clubby racers turning up with the car on the back of a rusty old Transit and being tended to in the open air.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by davyboy

If they were to NGTC level, then they'd probably cost just as much to run as a full size touring car... but what I thought would be good is to run the Sport Maxx series [cars that are more to a standard spec.] as a support. They're cheaper to build and run compared to a touring car.

The Corsa OPC has 192 PS. There's no need to tune it.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

The Corsa OPC has 192 PS. There's no need to tune it.

Sorry I meant if the car was a mini version of an NGTC i.e. a fully fledged racing car with space-framed front and rears etc... If you're suggesting that they run a near standard spec. car, albeit a powerful one, then that's similar to the PTCT [formerly Sport Maxx].

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

Then you're making people travel a long way for just one race. Or do you mean one race a day? Have a Saturday programme too.

I meant one race over the weekend, but even one race per day would be better than what we have now. The idea would be to have more variety and less repetition.

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by davyboy

I meant one race over the weekend, but even one race per day would be better than what we have now. The idea would be to have more variety and less repetition.

It's probably because the TV coverage demands such a long day on the Sunday at most tracks. I remember when it was only on Motors live, the BTCC races used to be around 11-12, 1-2, then 4-5. But now they're going later than 5 a lot of the time, so it fits into their TV plans. So you need to fill all that time between 9am and the three BTCC races, including repetition if you must. All in the interest of the spectator at the track, so there are no huge gaps. Another factor you've got to consider if that there isn't enough paddock space at most of the circuits for taking anymore than four or five support series.

[davyboy]

I think paddock space is probably the main issue... specifically the amount consumed by non racing stuff like tractor/trailers and hospitality.

[kipper]

The downside of limiting support acts to one race per weekend is that it would reduce the number of races held over the weekend due to the increase in practice sessions. Also, due to paddock constraints, I suspect that some series would need to qualify and race on the same day, which may not be too popular with some spectators on the Sunday who would have become accustomed to having a day of solid racing.

[davyboy]

In days gone by there would be lots of variety, plenty of races and tons of entries. The difference being that pretty much all the support categories - and indeed some of the premier entrants - consisted of guys rocking up with cars on trailers... so paddock space wasn't an issue. If the same volume of racers were to enter a meeting today, their entourage, awnings etc... would probably require a space the size of the county of Northamptonshire !