[BTCC] Rockingham - Rounds 22, 23, 24

[porsche962fan]

first news is that Goff returns for the rest of season

[Craner Curves]

No Paul O'Neill in the other Insignia due to increased ITV commitments with Steve Ryder being otherwise engaged at the Goodwood Revival. I'm sure Tony will fill the seat with somebody else in the next ten days!

[cos]

No more TOC "after both he and Team HARD agreed that further development of the VW Passat would be of benefit to the team ahead of the 2014 season"... yet "The car will still be utilised on race weekends for us to further develop some of [HARD's] young VW Cup drivers".

http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=3535

[medius]

AKA, Tom's money that his sponsors brought (Rockstar, Casio, Miltek etc) has run out, and the begging hasn't worked quickly enough for Owy, so its 4 pay drivers this weekend for The Rock.

Warren Scott (Passat),
Jack Goff (Insignia),
TBA (Passat),
TBA (Insignia).

[porsche962fan]

was there any other team in BTCC history with sooo many driver changes during the season ???


or HARD established an absolute record in this matter

[cos]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

was there any other team in BTCC history with sooo many driver changes during the season ???


or HARD established an absolute record in this matter

GA managed seven drivers back in 2004....

[Craner Curves]

"Obviously this negates our long-term deal." I'm not surprised one bit. I can see him going off to do more with Aston Martin. He's wasted doing bit-part BTCC seasons.

I don't get why they have to issue these rubbish press releases though? Just cut the crap and tell us straight: the money's run dry and we need to have more rentadrivers to make ends meet.

[steve_r]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

I don't get why they have to issue these rubbish press releases though? Just cut the crap and tell us straight: the money's run dry and we need to have more rentadrivers to make ends meet.

I'm sure propective and current sponsers would be less than impressed if a driver came out with something like that. They would quite rightly expect drivers to be very careful in what they say to the press, hence the PR bull that is banded about by most drivers (in all series, not just BTCC).

[Sodemo]

A shame, Onslow Cole is a great driver, to lose him off the grid is a big blow.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

I don't get why they have to issue these rubbish press releases though? Just cut the crap and tell us straight: the money's run dry and we need to have more rentadrivers to make ends meet.

Exactly. We've talked about this before. We all know the score, why not just tell it straight like John Thorne did. It comes across all the more sincere, genuine and authentic... and the honesty is appreciated so much more by the fans.

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

A shame, Onslow Cole is a great driver, to lose him off the grid is a big blow.

Very much agree.

AmD made some interesting comments about 2014 'transfers' in the driver market that didn't involve them! Any link with TOC I wonder, seems he has stated him missing the rest of the season 'obviously effects our long term contract', which is such a shame! Hopefully he will get a decent developed car for 2014.

[Aunt Sally]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

A shame, Onslow Cole is a great driver, to lose him off the grid is a big blow.

I would be amazed if don't see TOC back before too long!!!

Let's face it, without TOC, team Hard will be nothing in the BTCC. Team Hard should be doing their youth recruitment in something like the VW Cup, Oh! They already do!

Their practice of trying new drivers out in odd races should not be done in the BTCC... Liam Griffin will agree with that I think? And it is my opinion that it is lowering the stature of the championship!

[Sodemo]

I'm half expecting him to pop up in the 3rd Motorbase Focus...

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by Aunt Sally

I

Their practice of trying new drivers out in odd races should not be done in the BTCC... Liam Griffin will agree with that I think? And it is my opinion that it is lowering the stature of the championship!

also the 16 year old in the Cruze who in interviews and ontrack looked really out of his depth

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

also the 16 year old in the Cruze who in interviews and ontrack looked really out of his depth

No he didn't. He spoke well and didn't throw the car off the track. He only went off because the suspension snapped on a kerb, which the team thought was weakened from the aftermath of the Croft crash.

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by Aunt Sally

I would be amazed if don't see TOC back before too long!!!

Let's face it, without TOC, team Hard will be nothing in the BTCC. Team Hard should be doing their youth recruitment in something like the VW Cup, Oh! They already do!

Their practice of trying new drivers out in odd races should not be done in the BTCC... Liam Griffin will agree with that I think? And it is my opinion that it is lowering the stature of the championship!

It looks like Tony wants to keep Tom on board for 2014, though I'm sure TOC might have other ideas. Obviously Howard Fuller still hasn't found enough backing otherwise I would of thought he'd be in the VW (like he is registered in the entry list).

Nothing wrong with giving young guns a chance but only when they've achieved good results in lower categories, for once I'd actually give up the higher grid numbers as opposed to the of 'rent a drive at each round' theme that's becoming to common!

Gilham obviously knows he needs the guys like TOC & O'Neill to move forward, but will we see this?

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by Jiiiiiiim

Nothing wrong with giving young guns a chance but only when they've achieved good results in lower categories, for once I'd actually give up the higher grid numbers as opposed to the of 'rent a drive at each round' theme that's becoming to common!

I agree, but some fans seem obsessed with obtaining this 32 car capacity grid no matter what the quality is.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Originally Posted by Jiiiiiiim

Nothing wrong with giving young guns a chance but only when they've achieved good results in lower categories, for once I'd actually give up the higher grid numbers as opposed to the of 'rent a drive at each round' theme that's becoming to common!

I don't mind the 'rent a drive' sort of thing that the series is for some teams, because it gives new drivers a chance to prove themselves as quality drivers. I know most of them are in effect pay drivers, but I don't mind it as long as they don't ruin the racing.

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

I don't mind it as long as they don't ruin the racing.

See Aunt Sally's point about Liam Griffin. His hattrick chance was ruined when Gallagher did a Colin McRae on him at the hairpin.

[Moneyseeker]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

"Obviously this negates our long-term deal." I'm not surprised one bit. I can see him going off to do more with Aston Martin. He's wasted doing bit-part BTCC seasons.

I don't get why they have to issue these rubbish press releases though? Just cut the crap and tell us straight: the money's run dry and we need to have more rentadrivers to make ends meet.

Yep, I suspect he will be an AMR driver next year as the main focus.

[davidjones]

To add more confusion to the TOC story, from his website, and was posted this morning - Wednesday, 04 September 2013 09:07

"That was a disappointing end but we have got lots to look forward to now. We are going to Rockingham on September 15, and that is a track that should play to the strengths of our car. By working through the set-up changes that we did in Scotland, we have a greater understanding of how it works and what differences the changes in set-up make to it. It is easy to forget just how new this project is and we are building up our data the whole time. The more we learn, the faster we will get and Knockhill was another building block in that knowledge."

http://www.tomonslowcole.com/news-20...nd-out-for-tom

by the sounds of that looks like as of this morning he was still expecting to be driving at Rockingham...

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

See Aunt Sally's point about Liam Griffin. His hattrick chance was ruined when Gallagher did a Colin McRae on him at the hairpin.

Gallagher seems below par in Scottish Legend cars. There's obviously no way he's up to touring cars. That was very disappointing. And has the McRae video really gone viral in the motorsports community?

[BtccLee]

Originally Posted by Aunt Sally

I would be amazed if don't see TOC back before too long!!!

Let's face it, without TOC, team Hard will be nothing in the BTCC. Team Hard should be doing their youth recruitment in something like the VW Cup, Oh! They already do!

Their practice of trying new drivers out in odd races should not be done in the BTCC... Liam Griffin will agree with that I think? And it is my opinion that it is lowering the stature of the championship!

Which is precisely why Alan Gow wants to cut it out next year. And what Gow wants you imagine he will get...

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by Biscuits In A Red Bull

Gallagher seems below par in Scottish Legend cars. There's obviously no way he's up to touring cars. That was very disappointing. And has the McRae video really gone viral in the motorsports community?

If you have the signatures, you can race sadly. Given that the McRae incident happened 21 years ago, I'm sure it's been seen by most people!

[RED55]

Shame Tom is out , but when will some of you understand that these young kids getting the drives are not being giving the golden ticket ! they are driving because they are paying to drive, Team Hard have let it go too far now , Gow needs to block all these new one round drivers , it brings nothing to the series other than the stigma of the rich kids get the drive not the Talent and when the next red flag or car wreck happens .Even PON proved out of the seat too long can be an issue !

Hopefully these hot shots will be prove their worth by getting the cars into the top 6 ! and the rubbish about needing to develop the car ! wasnt superstar Tom brought in to the team to do just that .

Mind you I dont suppose any of it matters because Its all about the stories and who gets the most PR in a week on BTCC official website , its not been much about the racing lately ! .