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I like Sheds, but its great to have Thommo back.[BTCC/STCC] 2009 Season
- kals
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Oh dear...
Autosport.com wrote:Vauxhall to pull out of BTCC
By Steven English Friday, April 17th 2009, 08:13 GMT
Vauxhall will pull out of the British Touring Car Championship at the end of this season.
Triple Eight Engineering is running three Vectras this year for reigning double champion Fabrizio Giovanardi, Matt Neal and Andrew Jordan, but Vauxhall will not continue in the series into 2010, citing the absence of rival manufacturers and the economic downtoun as the reasons for its departure.
Vauxhall's Andy Gibson said: "The company has enjoyed immense success with BTCC, both on track and as a focal marketing activity, however a number of factors have led us to take the decision to withdraw from the championship at the end of this season.
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank Triple Eight for turning our road cars into some of the most successful BTCC entrants in its history.
"I would also like to thank the drivers who have piloted our cars to victory. I would like to think we can end our run in touring cars with another title-winning season."
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Oh.... Well, BMW will probably be left to pick up the pieces. The series might become like the WTCC. Bye-bye BTCC.
- kals
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How can it become like the WTCC? The WTCC has 4 manufacturers competing in it with only 4 different types of car (5 if you separate the Leon petrol and diesel entries). The BTCC only has 1 manufacturer but 10 different types of car, and with them pulling out the series will be a 100% independant series. That is nothing like WTCC.
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Is it a bad thing that it will be 100% independents?
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- kals
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Not sure. 50% of me is saying yes, and 50% is saying no. The BTCC has been 100% privateer before, but that was back in the eighties when there were 4 classes. Without manufacturers it should allow budgets to decrease and smaller teams should be able to do better. Isn't STCC predominately privateer based? Maybe Jacob could confirm that, but afaik that series is very strong in numbers.
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STCC is mostly independant. Honda withdrew their factory support this winter, the Peugeot team is indie so are Alfa Romeo. Some teams, like Chevrolet and West Coast Racing are "dealer teams". Not really factory supported, but supported by the dealers in Sweden. Only real factory team is Volvo, which is run through the Polestar outfit.
But no one cares about the lack of factory teams here. There are two classes. STCC for new class and Semcon Cup for older cars.
But no one cares about the lack of factory teams here. There are two classes. STCC for new class and Semcon Cup for older cars.
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- kals
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What is the age difference between the new class and the Semcon Cup? Is it like the BTCC?
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Semcon Cup cars must be from 2006 or 2007 or older.kals wrote:What is the age difference between the new class and the Semcon Cup? Is it like the BTCC?
Maybe the new VW team is factory supported. I think they built the cars in the VW factory in Germany.
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- kals
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Mat Jackson has announced he will return to the BTCC this weekend at Thruxton in a private Chevy Lacetti to be run by RML. It is uncertain whether Plato will also be present.
- kals
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Three good races today but the winners of each race mirrored the results of Brands Hatch. Vauxhall won the first race, although with Gio this time. Gio was then passed on the final lap of race two to hand the win to a BMW, but it was Turkington this time round. In race three, the returning under financed Chevy won, but with Jackson at the wheel.
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Volvo 1-2 in the first STCC of the year. Great racing between the BMW drivers Björk and Göransson for third. Göransson won it.
20 cars entered for the race, 19 took the start. Previous years have had 3 or 4 drivers in the privateers cup, I think there was 7 or 8 today. STCC is healthy.
20 cars entered for the race, 19 took the start. Previous years have had 3 or 4 drivers in the privateers cup, I think there was 7 or 8 today. STCC is healthy.
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- kals
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I quite like the approach Alan Gow has taken here. This will open up the BTCC to far more entrants than in the past few years and alllows entrants to introduce far broader types of cars. It may also reinvigorate Manufacturer interest in the championship. On the flip side though it will be sad that we will no longer see BMW as part of the BTCC. I couldn't care less about Seat Leon TDIs.
Autosport.com wrote:BTCC unveils cost-cutting rules
By Jamie O'Leary Tuesday, June 2nd 2009, 10:14 GMT
The British Touring Car Championship will adopt an all-new technical rules package, designed to drastically cut the cost of competing, in 2011.
The 'Next Generation Touring Car' regulations will incorporate a switch to a front-wheel drive only, and 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine formula that rules out cars like the SEAT Leon TDI and the BMW 320si.
S2000 and BTC versions of these cars will still be allowed to compete with equalised performance levels until 2013, after which the NGTCs will have their performances enhanced, most likely through a ‘push-to-pass' mechanism.
Spec six-speed sequential gearboxes, ECUs, turbo wastegates, brakes, hubs, fuel tanks and steering racks will be sourced and price-capped by TOCA to ensure a reduction in spending, while a TOCA-branded powerplant will also be available for £25,000 per year for teams not wishing to conduct their own engine development programmes.
A move to 18" wheels, coupled with a predicted 300bhp output from the turbo engines, is expected to increase speeds, as is a move to slightly larger cars than currently.
Additionally, a full spares inventory and support service will be offered to teams on-site at races to eliminate the need for teams to carry huge numbers of, potentially unused, parts.
It is estimated that a full car, complete with engine, will be available for around £100,000 new, around 50 per cent of the cost of an S2000 machine.
BTCC Series Director Alan Gow said: "The broad concept for our 'Next-Gen' cars was that they should be larger than some current ones, be more exciting, faster, safer and also much cheaper to build, buy and maintain as well as provide a more 'level playing field', meaning even better, closer racing.
"These new cars tick all those boxes and more. Of course the best driver and team will still achieve the greatest success in our championship.
"But, as these new regulations will be much more restrictive on major expenditure, then a team's greater bank balance will not necessarily equate to greater success. And, in my view, that is exactly how it should be."
- Cheeveer
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Also on the flipside, it will eliminate old S2000 cars as I understand it, which will the first year tough on privateers. Fewer cars available etc...
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The S2000 category is a very good and afordable category. If they don't like it they should just improve it.
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Johnny Herbert is racing in the final three rounds of the BTCC for Team Dynamics
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