The BTCC Thread

[wev]

Sometimes, like today, watching these so called professional racing drivers is almost like playing Forza with randoms

[marsh]

Is it just me or has the red mist taken hold of this lot? seems very aggressive.....

[ryodi]

Push to pass seems to be the only way they can get past each other.

[Dudley]

Just because it wasn't corrected in here yet, the information that Jeff was in a coma was false, Luke unfortunately was and as far as I know still is.

[marsh]

I got it from the BTCC website, I didn't hear it mentioned during the race as I literally watched just the touring car races and went back to being in the garden. That is some good news, though driving standards yesterday would suggest it's just the start of a much bigger issue.

 

I must try and get a track day at Croft, it strikes me as a really interesting circuit.

[Dudley]

Yeah, the BTCC website got it wrong.

[ryodi]

A relatively quiet meet for a change but Rob Austin has taken out other drivers due to over optimistic overtakes in races 2 and 3.

[marsh]

That was a bit flat, I'm glad we didn't go to watch like we normally do. Interesting to see the gains from the scoobs though.

[Dudley]

I detest Snetterton 300, it's added a pointless inner section that serves only to ruin the main straight and it means paying spectators only get to see the cars actually pass them 12 times a race, which is just shit.

[marsh]

I disagree, it's generally a decent facility. I've never been round the newer sections of track so from a drivers point of view I can't say whether it adds anything (aside from some mileage) the bombhole is really the only place to watch in my opinion as that's generally where I've seen the most action.

[Dudley]

And that's on 200.

 

And if they used 200 you'd see the cars more than once every 2 minutes.

 

Snetterton isn't my problem, them making it worse in every way adding the extra 100 is.

[SharkyOB]

On 7/31/2017 at 16:20, Dudley said:

I detest Snetterton 300, it's added a pointless inner section that serves only to ruin the main straight and it means paying spectators only get to see the cars actually pass them 12 times a race, which is just shit.

 

Totally agree with this. Really like Snetterton but the 300 layout adds nothing except length. I also think the signs showing the names of the corners are ridiculous. 

[Dudley]

And the reason they need those is that most of the circuit is entirely featureless with near identical turns.

[ryodi]

After a clean first race the second race is carnage. Jordan has no luck at all when he's in the middle of the pack.

 

EDIT: I take it back, Jordan outbraked himself and set off the chain reaction.

[Dudley]

The kids outdid themselves in the Ginettas too.

[kiroquai]

In fairness to Snetterton, it does feature the most excited-looking tree you're ever likely to see.

 

 

[marsh]

When you consider that appears to be a skoda approaching, an excited tree is quite a feat.

 

Glorified Wood etc...

[marsh]

Away from some race in a Belgian forest, the BTCC heads off to Rockingham, a track that promises so much but tends to deliver a handful of pile ups going into the first hairpin bend....

 

I was supposed to be going, but with arrival of a dog in our household, I'll have to settle for ITV4's generous output.

[ryodi]

Rockingham always looks like a ghost town on tv with all those empty stands. Do oval races even take place there because I have vague memories of a UK stock series that went around tracks the wrong way years back that didn't last very long but definitely visited Rockingham.

[ryodi]

It's a shame it's not red but it'll be good to have Alfa Romeo back in the BTCC

 

 

Race 1 has been a procession so far.

[Dudley]

To be fair it may be red by the time it debuts, they've just thrown this year's livery at a road car so far.

 

Still good to see as many marques as possible.

[marsh]

On ‎27‎/‎08‎/‎2017 at 11:04, ryodi said:

Rockingham always looks like a ghost town on tv with all those empty stands. Do oval races even take place there because I have vague memories of a UK stock series that went around tracks the wrong way years back that didn't last very long but definitely visited Rockingham.

 

I think it still exists in a somewhat diminished form, but yes, there is, or certainly appears to be free seating aplenty. I must go one year as it offers by far the best viewing of a race going.

[Dudley]

ITV said they're "not allowed" use those grandstands.

 

Which is probably about as accurate as the official MotoGP coverage claiming Silverstone don't open grandstands because they don't provide a good view of bike racing.

[marsh]

There's a lot of that going on at Silverstone, you can go to the WEC and most of the stands are empty probably because it means they have to hire someone to man them. Last time I was at Snetterton for the BTCC some people behind said that viewing and seating at Rockingham was by far the best they'd been too and you'd think filling 52,000 seats would be easy. I was under the impression that wherever you parked your bum you could see the whole circuit.

 

Would have been perfect for WRX.

[Dudley]

Which if you think about it is pretty disgusting for a "World Championship".

 

More to the point is that they deliberate leave the good ones closed and only ever use them for F1, and open the ones with worse views first for other events.

[marsh]

That was.......er....dramatic. Two was toss off for the final at Brands (really) Turkington vs Sutton. I can't see it going to the final race, but it's not unusual for them to be banging doors for the trophy on the last lap.

 

Subaru gets my backing.

[SharkyOB]

That Sutton penalty in race 2 was terrible luck for him (3rd strike meaning he was put to the back of the grid).  The punishment didn't really fit the crime as his move round the outside of Turkington was nowhere near as dodgy as loads of moves you see in the BTCC.  Sutton's fightback in race 3 was amazing though, he'll be a worthy winner if he finishes the job at Brands.

 

Great seeing Rob Huff back, hope we see more of him in the future.  WTCC is boring compared to our national championship.

[marsh]

It did look like a big grid, even at Silverstone which can make most series look a bit inadequate at times. I'd expect a few bigger names to sign up for next year what with the DTM turning to shit and the WEC spreading itself a bit thinly. Gow will be looking to increase berths I reckon.

[ryodi]

He'll have to get rid of a few privateers to make space if that's the case the grid now feels like the most you could safely race around some of the smaller tracks.

 

What on earth happened to Turkington in race 3 as well, from a position of strength to a lap down in no time.

[Dudley]

The grid is indeed capped at the 32 we currently have.