BTCC Round 7,8 and 9 Thruxton 2018

skells22 · 12 May 2018, 12:34 (Ref:3821688)

Next weekend the BTCC cars go to the fastest track in the UK which means its the normal no soft tyre round. I wonder if there any more safety impovements after last year one of the races was stop for a hour to repair the armco

BillWiskins · 12 May 2018, 16:58 (Ref:3821748)

Looking at the circuit from above via Google Maps satellite, significant changes can be seen at and around Church corner and its run-off area:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.20.../data=!3m1!1e3

I assume this is part of the work to re-profile the run-off to make it slope uphill rather than down.

Alfisti · 12 May 2018, 19:20 (Ref:3821803)

Good to see 😀

Simon Belchers accident the other year was truly terrifying to watch. Thankfully both Simon and the Toyota were tough old things!

luckn002 · 13 May 2018, 12:18 (Ref:3822055)

Last year's race winners were Neal, Collard and Turkington.

Honda are going to be very, very strong as usual round Thruxton. The Mercs will be right up there too, but I think it will be Motorbase coming in with 3 racing winning drivers, an ideally suited car and little / no success ballast who will have the best weekend.

Matt K · 17 May 2018, 13:51 (Ref:3823033)

Hopefully this time, the luck will be on the Chilton and Tordoff's side. They're faster than their results indicate. I think Cammish will be one of the favourites to win.

Alfisti · 17 May 2018, 17:52 (Ref:3823073)

I'm fancying Eurotech and Norlin this weekend. The old Honda is very good as are Goff and Smiley. Nash and Smith are getting there...

Think the new Honda will be good but not yet good enough. Expecting the Subarus to be at the wrong end of the grid. Would like to see Mr Collard pick up a win!

touring fan01 · 17 May 2018, 19:34 (Ref:3823101)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillWiskins

Looking at the circuit from above via Google Maps satellite, significant changes can be seen at and around Church corner and its run-off area:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.20.../data=!3m1!1e3

I assume this is part of the work to re-profile the run-off to make it slope uphill rather than down.

that reprofiling was like that last year.

Craner Curves · 17 May 2018, 19:50 (Ref:3823105)

I wonder what the high temperatures will do for the tyres at the Hampshire speed bowl.

AdrianM · 18 May 2018, 06:51 (Ref:3823168)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillWiskins

Looking at the circuit from above via Google Maps satellite, significant changes can be seen at and around Church corner and its run-off area:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.20.../data=!3m1!1e3

I assume this is part of the work to re-profile the run-off to make it slope uphill rather than down.

The google earth picture of Thruxton is dated 9th of April last year so that's the way the track was raced last time around.

VIVA GT · 18 May 2018, 07:02 (Ref:3823171)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt K

Hopefully this time, the luck will be on the Chilton and Tordoff's side. They're faster than their results indicate. I think Cammish will be one of the favourites to win.

I agree, so far Motorbase appear to have had everything but good luck. The cars clearly have pace and the drivers can all peddle well. Hopefully this weekend the gods will shine on them favourably.

Sodemo · 18 May 2018, 07:08 (Ref:3823172)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

I wonder what the high temperatures will do for the tyres at the Hampshire speed bowl.

If it’s hot, you can bet that Gow will limit the number of laps because the FWD cars will get tyre failures otherwise. They could always use less front left camber, but yknow, politics and all that.

S griffin · 18 May 2018, 08:03 (Ref:3823176)

Been a few weeks, so glad BTCC is back this weekend. Hopefully we'll have more surprises in store

porsche962fan · 18 May 2018, 08:48 (Ref:3823181)

Quote:

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

I agree, so far Motorbase appear to have had everything but good luck. The cars clearly have pace and the drivers can all peddle well. Hopefully this weekend the gods will shine on them favourably.

wonder if Chilton regrets not staying in the Astra as ginger demonstrated

Matt K · 18 May 2018, 09:00 (Ref:3823184)

Quote:

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

wonder if Chilton regrets not staying in the Astra as ginger demonstrated

Honestly saying I doubt it. The Focus is also very pacey

**BertMk2** · 18 May 2018, 09:01 (Ref:3823185)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sodemo

If it’s hot, you can bet that Gow will limit the number of laps because the FWD cars will get tyre failures otherwise. They could always use less front left camber, but yknow, politics and all that.

Expect safety cars for just about anything - gives the tyres a breather and can reduce the number of laps (I know they add laps on if the safety car is out - but only up to a point).

S griffin · 18 May 2018, 09:07 (Ref:3823186)

Cole has been the most consistent Focus driver so far

RS67 · 18 May 2018, 09:28 (Ref:3823187)

Quote:

Originally Posted by S griffin

Cole has been the most consistent Focus driver so far

Only in terms of Chilton and Tordoff being more unfortunate during the actual races. Good to see him doing well none the less. Cole really seems to have improved after last year's pole and win at BMR. There had been comments of that win was down to lack of ballast and boost adjustments, but at the end the day he still had to be able to drive the car.
He certainly seems to have gelled with the RS, not quite as fast as his stablemates have been, but he has been close on times and his battling craft during races is a lot more committed than he seemed to be in the past. Certainly wouldn't have expected him to be the lead Motorbase driver after both race meetings.
My concern over how quick the Eurotech Honda's have been so far means Simpson is qualifying too far up the grid. I get unnerved for anyone in his vicinity during the races.

Londoner · 18 May 2018, 19:31 (Ref:3823300)

Sweepstakes on how far up the field that backmarker gentleman driver Jason Plato gets his Subaru on Sunday? My guess is 17th.

I don't really understand why he's seemingly content with bumbling around miles off the pace. What's happened to the passion, the fire, the dirty tricks? At this moment it'd actually be less strange if he left the team mid-season rather than sticking it out in this purgatory.

porsche962fan · 18 May 2018, 19:39 (Ref:3823302)

JP is 30th in the standings around folks like Smelt, Jelley , Thompson

oh how the mighty have fallen ...

hope WSR finally sorted out Colin's electric gremlins , maybe Dick needs to call some priests to perform some exorcism on that car

52Paddy · 18 May 2018, 20:12 (Ref:3823304)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Londoner

Sweepstakes on how far up the field that backmarker gentleman driver Jason Plato gets his Subaru on Sunday? My guess is 17th.

I don't really understand why he's seemingly content with bumbling around miles off the pace. What's happened to the passion, the fire, the dirty tricks? At this moment it'd actually be less strange if he left the team mid-season rather than sticking it out in this purgatory.

So I've been totally out of the loop for years but have caught up on seasons past over the last few months. Really excited to see the full grids, different marques and so many potential race winners. But what has gone wrong for Plato? It seemed like he was well able to keep up with the development of the Subaru when he first drove it in 2016 but in the space of a few months (beginning of 2017) he just completely fell off the saddle...it's one thing to see such a fiery and successful driver get 'past it' but it's almost like two complete extremes from one season to the next and that is strange. Is there some detail I'm missing? The wiki page says that an accident in early 2017 broke his chassis which plagued him for the rest of the year but that seems a little nonsensical.

S griffin · 18 May 2018, 21:34 (Ref:3823314)

He just seems to give up when the car is not to his liking

luckn002 · 19 May 2018, 09:19 (Ref:3823355)

In sharp contrast to the season so far, looks like it's going to be hot and sunny over the weekend. Hopefully we don't see a repeat of 2016's punctures!

luckn002 · 19 May 2018, 09:23 (Ref:3823357)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Londoner

Sweepstakes on how far up the field that backmarker gentleman driver Jason Plato gets his Subaru on Sunday? My guess is 17th.

I don't really understand why he's seemingly content with bumbling around miles off the pace. What's happened to the passion, the fire, the dirty tricks? At this moment it'd actually be less strange if he left the team mid-season rather than sticking it out in this purgatory.

Honestly, I think Oulton and Croft will decide it. If he can't be in the top ten in the RWD tracks then I don't think he'll be back for Snetterton. This weekend I'm expecting "the car isn't suited to the circuit" excuses!

porsche962fan · 19 May 2018, 12:56 (Ref:3823372)

Cammish top in FP2 along side Turks

did Dick really do exorcism on that car ?

Turks really needs a good weekend for once

52Paddy · 19 May 2018, 13:16 (Ref:3823375)

Quote:

Originally Posted by S griffin

He just seems to give up when the car is not to his liking

But then why remain for third year? I think he needs to get his act together before the season is out or he'll have difficulty getting back on the pace. The new crop of young guns (Ingram, Smiley, Cammish, Cook, Morgan et al) are not going to make it easy for the wiley old fox. Those boys can race hard!

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