Steve Soper retires

[Larsen]

first of all..i'd like to say that this is my first post that i've done for a very long time (unless i forgot about the few earlier last year )

anywayz...back to the post...i think its a great shame that Soper is retiring...he has brung alot of experience to Peugeot and almost won them their first race last year. If Vic Lee are going to be running the Lexus's, i bet Soper will bring the team up to the front. Right now, the BTCC needs the good oldies of the BTCC to remain but i guess David Leslie and Anthony Reid will fill that spot for him.

So, whats next for Vic Lee since they have lost a driver who had alot of valuable experience of racing?

[Larsen]

WOW...i actually posted a topic not taken yet in the BTCC Forum lol

[Radisichrox]

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
He can't be retiring! Where'd you find out about this? I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!!!!

[touringlegend]

There are a few sites carrying this news story, redshoes is one, so it seems pretty official.

www.redshoes-racing.com
Steve Soper has confirmed that he is retiring from motorsport. Speaking to DailySportscar.com, the former Peugeot works driver admitted the decision had been prompted by an end of season shunt at Brands Hatch. Although Soper appeared uninjured he has since taken medical advice and decided to call it a day.

[Michael H]

This is disappointing for Steve.
He would have been great at the wheel of a Lexus.
However, he has had an absolutely brilliant career, but only one title to the best of my knowledge: Japanese Super Touring champion in 1995
He has also won at Spa, Nurburgring, Macau many times.
He also raced at Bathurst twice, I think. Once in a Rover, then in the Texaco Sierra, winning the 1987 Bathurst 1000, only to be disqualified a few months later. He did not return to the Mountain. Who can blame him. But it would have been nice for him, and us fans, to be able to see him fly across the top of the Mountain.

All the best to him in whatever he does in the future.

[Eddie_harasym]

Guess that means we won't see him and clelnad in a race again then

[Stephen Green]

I agree, he will be missed. The days of Smokin Jo and Steve in a VLM Beemer were always ones to remember. Good luck Steve in whatever it is you decide to do now.

[Marshal]

There was an interesting interview with him at the Goodwood Revival Meeting last year, where he commented on how fed up he was in the BTCC (I'm paraphrasing here) and how much he was enjoying the Historic scene, and how he'd like to do more of it in the future. Does this announcement mean he is never donning a helmet again, or just that he is quitting from professional racing?

[touringcarnut]

its such a shame. he is such a great driver. i really thought he'd carry on for a couple of more years. i don't think that there has been anyone more exicting to watch in the btcc than steve.he is just too cool! this is real disappointment.i can see why perhaps he wanted to call it a day, but im think i speak for everyone when i say how much he will be missed.

[Aidan J Harvey]

He's not dead you know. He's only retired. Everyone has a shelf life. I guess Steve is past his in his opinion.

Not as if he contributed much to the BTCC since 1993 anyway.....

[AndyF]

I don't think he will 'hang up the gloves'. With so much experience the lure of racing will probably attract him to Goodwood etc.
Soper vs Gerry Marshall in a pair of Cortinas - better than the British GP anyday!

[Stephen Green]

Now that WOULD be worth going to see! Great idea Andy!

[Reido Rules]

I think Sopers passion wasn't in it at times this year and he found it a bit of a long haul.

He will be missed by nearly all BTCC fans I would imagine. But It's time for new heroes and legends to be created.

I think he's pride was snapped in half at times, and his state of mind isn't perfect for hard racing and he's taken the same policy as Damon Hill, and the racing really wasn't stimulating him.

[Aidan J Harvey]

Originally posted by AndyF
I don't think he will 'hang up the gloves'. With so much experience the lure of racing will probably attract him to Goodwood etc.
Soper vs Gerry Marshall in a pair of Cortinas - better than the British GP anyday!

He raced an Austin A40 there in 2001.

[Radisichrox]

Originally posted by Aidan J Harvey
He's not dead you know.

Good comeback.

I don't think I can forget the in-car clip of him at Mondello this year, when he goes from 6th gear down to 1st in something like 1 second. Incredible.

[Stephen Green]

Whatever he decides to do in the future, you can't take away that he was a damn good driver in his time. I really do hope he does some historic or classic car racing and allows us to see his excellent driving skills for a few years yet!

[runnyhunny]

In Autosport, it says that Steve is retring because he injured his back in the Brands crash, and doctors have advised him that a further such crash would be NASTY.

He said it was a shame, since he had MORE THAN ONE offer on the table for 2002.

A great shame indeed.

[touringlegend]

There are a lot of "what if's". If he was offered a Vauxhall drive, where would he be now?

[Reido Rules]

Where he is, probably, because medical problems do not change depending on which team you drive for, I don't think Steve was not willing to risk the possible permanent damage full stop.