[Woolley]

Speaking as one who has marshalled all the major touring car series (Aussie V8s, WTCC, DTM, BTCC) and hasn't read Mark's comments, here's my take on things.

BTCC. Other than the marshals who like to follow 'important' series, their is a general apathy to this series. Spectator crowds are good, but nothing on what they used to be. The cars are less than exciting and the racing - bumper car style - frankly deplorable. Awful driving standards which are having a poor effect on British racing in general. A couple of handsful of cars, few of which are really competitive. A small number of star drivers, including arguably one of the best Touring Car drivers in the World, otherwise home grown drivers, mostly providing a budget. Generally I try to avoid them. If I want messing around, I can go to the GP. British cirucits are generally fairly good with a wide variety. Promoter seems to think he's God, sometimes, and the politics is tiresome. 4/10

WTCC. Manufacturer series, star drivers, still not fully competitve across the makes and a lot of fiddling going on to try and sort that. Cars similar to BTCC, in being highly strung and not too exciting and races very short. A bit to much barging and shoving still. First year on their own without the GT series, remains to see how they'll go as a stand alone series. Better than BTCC, but I still wouldn't travel far for them. A mixture of great circuits and some seriously cruddy. Some politics, but mostly internal and not yet distracting. 6/10, possible improving.

DTM. Awesome racing cars, though not really Touring Cars in the true sense, really sports cars with a roof. Top flight drivers. Only two manufacturers, and possibly suffers from team orders syndrome. With official works teams, then unofficial works teams, the racing can't truly be called free some of the time, particularly when some questionable spoiling tactics get used. RAce format is good, and surprisingly for such high-tech cars, when they're allowed to race, they can. Circuits range from good to real Mickey-Mouse, but Norisring is spectacular. Limited politics mainly because the manufacturers are desperate to promote the series. 8/10

Aussie V8s. Beasts. Genuinely exciting cars which move around and allow you to see how hard the driver is working. Two manufacturers is not a hinderence as it is teams which are important, so there are no restrictions on racing. Brand loyalty from fans is both good and bad - genuine excitement when the team goes well accompanied by inability to look beyond the brand or driver. Your favourite driver/team/manufacturer can do wrong, your most despised opponent can do well, but the fans don't seem to notice that. Racing is good -the cars can pass, but less than pinpoint handling leads to some contentious accidents. Generally though, behaviour is pretty good, if application of the rules is sometimes suspect. Home grown drivers but with international profile, and a smattering of returning sons gives European fans a benchmark - we're well familiar with Courtney and Radisich, for instance, plus the addition of drivers such as Priaulx and Muller for the two driver races adds interest. Range of race formats makes for good variety, mixture of circuits from some kart tracks through to the awesome Bathurst - one of the world's great events. Street circuits are also much better than average. Politics are a real downside, particualrly the horse trading of cirucits by a promoter that's got a worse fault than thinking he's God - he seems to think he's Bernie. The shambles of China and the riding roughshod over NZ re street cirucits/Pukekohe was shameful. 8/10, would be 9 if not for the politics.

So Skaife has, IMO, a point. I've seen all of these series in the last 3 years. V8s are the only one's that made the eyes widen and the heart beat faster.