Hello everyone, it's been a while, but then it's been a while since there's been something controversial to comment about
I personally really like the potential shown by the new V8 Supertourers, particularly the fact that they look to be kick-a** fast, especially compared to the current ancient NZV8's that should have been put out to pasture 5 years ago. There had been lots of talk of a new shape and new tech replacement for the current cars, but I guess it takes a very long time to settle on a format that will keep costs down.
However, it now appears that we may have something of a split in the V8 community now, with the Supertourers getting announced and then Lo! A few days later a hurried response by VEEGA for their car of the future, coupled with a sly dig at the idea of a "one make" style of car.
Well I can say this, in the V8 Supercars (Oz) apart from the actual engines which get supplied by Ford or Chev, there is almost nothing about a V8 Supercar that resembles anything that you could buy from your local Ford or Holden dealer - and yet there is still rabid support for those marques over in Australia for this series. It's all about perception, you see, and because the cars look a bit like your regular taxis then the average Aussie Joe isn't too bothered about the technicalities of it. The cars are so close in performance and have so many shared parts that it comes down to how well the team prepares the car and how good the driver is (a lot like A1GP was too).
It's never going to be a completely level playing field for that reason, but I'm not sure it should be either. The way I see it, if the Supertourer guys can get their new cars out and racing first, and particularly once we start to see some different body shells, then they will have the jump on the NZV8's because we aren't going to see their new cars until next season (assuming that they run to plan).
The Supertourer guys have been very careful not to pitch their series as a direct challenge to the Tier 1 NZV8's, but you'd have to wonder why else they'd do it? Reading Mark Petch's earlier posts when he was on TEEGA, he was saying the same thing about the new NZV8's as he is about the Supertourers, but then suddenly he's off doing the Supertourer thing - makes you wonder if there was an element of furstration at the length of time it was taking to get something going in TEEGA.
I for one am looking forward to seeing the Supertourers in action, I hope they are fast and loud like a good race car should be!
And by the way, it's good to see they will be using Hampton Downs, which is without doubt the best motorsport facility in New Zealand if not Australasia as far aas quality of track goes, and which is consistently snubbed by MSNZ for its Tier 1 series - I wonder if someone at MSNZ got upset at something that someone at HD said....??