Autosport Top 10s

krt917 · 27 Dec 2009, 12:06 (Ref:2605348)

Hi all,

I wasn't sure where to put this, but I suspect someone can move it if I've got it wrong!

Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment, or maybe it's something to do with Christmas, but I'd like to hear what people think about our National Top 10 Drivers of 2009. As you can imagine there was quite a lot of debate about it before we ended up with the list below. So what did we get right, what is wrong, and who'd we miss? Feel free to PM me as well.

In this instance, our definition of national is series below British F3 and BTCC that appear regularly on those packages, plus FPA.

For the record, here's our list:

1. Dean Smith
2. James Calado
3. Josef Newgarden
4. Tim Bridgman
5. Nathan Freke
6. Phil Glew
7. James Cole
8. Sarah Moore
9. Chrissy Palmer
10. Richard Plant

Cheers,
Kevin Turner
Autosport

alias99 · 27 Dec 2009, 17:05 (Ref:2605418)

Daniel Cammish should surley make that list?? Just my opinion

FBMW98 · 27 Dec 2009, 17:40 (Ref:2605424)

Quote:

Originally Posted by alias99

Daniel Cammish should surley make that list?? Just my opinion

why? all the above are multi race winners....despite a reasonable season, I don't think Cammish won any did he?

alias99 · 27 Dec 2009, 19:10 (Ref:2605442)

I think he had a pretty outstanding season in probably one of (if not the most) competitive national championship this year. He finished 6th overall inspite of missing 2 rounds and could have been 5th only behind Cole, Newgarden, Palmer, Findlay who all had significantly more car racing (mainly FF) experince than he did and all of this was done in a Spectrum which isnt the first or probably second choice chassis in the championship. At the same time he ran away with the Scholarship Class taking more wins than anyone else in the UK. Overall a very very good season and in my view deserves to make the list.

At the end of the day its my opinion and KRT wanted further input which I have provided.

strider · 27 Dec 2009, 22:48 (Ref:2605489)

Quote:

Originally Posted by krt917

In this instance, our defi/nition of national is series below British F3 and BTCC that appear regularly on those packages, plus FPA.

If that's the case, why did Sarah Moore get the Club Racing Driver of the Year Award at the Autosport Awards? Surely it should have gone to a genuine club racing driver?

Deemun · 28 Dec 2009, 00:06 (Ref:2605512)

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider

If that's the case, why did Sarah Moore get the Club Racing Driver of the Year Award at the Autosport Awards? Surely it should have gone to a genuine club racing driver?

Agreed! Malvern & Butcher would have been two obvious candidates for this if the interpretation of "club" award corresponds to what most people think it should be. Still at least they were the well deserved rivalry of the year in another of the Autosport top 10's

**gomick** · 28 Dec 2009, 09:01 (Ref:2605573)

I like Tim Bridgman - has won 3 championships in the last 4? years.... Anychance of an F3 drive in 2010?

krt917 · 28 Dec 2009, 11:39 (Ref:2605621)

Thanks for the responses everyone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alias99

I think he had a pretty outstanding season in probably one of (if not the most) competitive national championship this year. He finished 6th overall inspite of missing 2 rounds and could have been 5th only behind Cole, Newgarden, Palmer, Findlay who all had significantly more car racing (mainly FF) experince than he did and all of this was done in a Spectrum which isnt the first or probably second choice chassis in the championship. At the same time he ran away with the Scholarship Class taking more wins than anyone else in the UK. Overall a very very good season and in my view deserves to make the list.

Had Cammish's early season form continued for the whole year, he would have been a strong candidate. But he fell away a bit in the second half of the season and team-mate Daniel Erickson got the upper hand - and won a race. I do believe Cammish is a promising talent, though, and am looking forward to seeing what he does next year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider

If that's the case, why did Sarah Moore get the Club Racing Driver of the Year Award at the Autosport Awards? Surely it should have gone to a genuine club racing driver?

Good question! All I can say is the people that set the criteria for the Autosport Awards - and the criteria used - are different to the ones we use in the magazine. Strange but true. I agree it seems odd, but it's been like that for ages.

We did do a Top 10 Club Drivers as well, in which Butcher and Malvern were second and third respectively.

lauder · 28 Dec 2009, 11:59 (Ref:2605629)

Didn't he drive in bF3 in 2005?

**chunterer** · 29 Dec 2009, 18:57 (Ref:2606101)

Quote:

Originally Posted by lauder

Didn't he drive in bF3 in 2005?

I thought it was the same guy too?!

If it is, Mark Blundell was backing him after his dominant FBMW campaign but the jump to F3 wasn't a good idea in hindsight and he went to the States in FAtlantic or something after that and his career came off the rails?

Nice to see Nathan Freke making that top 10. He is a fine driver whose single seater career post FFord never got the breaks because of financial problems. A typical obstacle for talented UK drivers, particularly ones from the Midlands!!

I hope he carves out a professional Touring or Sportscar career at least.

strider · 29 Dec 2009, 19:20 (Ref:2606116)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gomick

I like Tim Bridgman - has won 3 championships in the last 4? years.... Any chance of an F3 drive in 2010?

As others have said he did British F3 in 2005 with Hitech.

He was quick enough, but lacked the emotional maturity at the time. The low point was at Monza where he led the second race by virtue of jumping the start, persistently ignored signals telling he had been given a drive-through penalty for the start and then persistently ignored the black flag!

I think he actually finished first on the road, but had no time to enjoy the podium because he was dragged off for a chat with the the Italian Race Director, who by this time was incandescent with rage!

In the next race, his team-mate at the time, Marko Asmer, was leading on the first lap, but Tim was having none of that, short-cut the Variante Ascari and speared Asmer's car up the rear! Team relations were never quite the same afterwards...

For all that, I quite like the guy and am glad he has managed to make a career for himself in Porsches.

Last2LiftOff · 29 Dec 2009, 23:15 (Ref:2606212)

Anyone know what Ms. Moore is doing next year?

08u05 · 30 Dec 2009, 01:00 (Ref:2606244)

She will be attempting to defend her title in the new G40, with the possibility of gaining some single seater experience.

strider · 30 Dec 2009, 01:30 (Ref:2606246)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex K

2006, Danny Watts drove car, written off by Senna at Snetterton, to a win at Thruxton. Great driver 1 of the most remarkable comebacks I have seen in BF3.

And unstoppeble Perez, powered by NBE engine raced great races at Monza. What a year it was for "privateer" engines.

Not being rude or anything, Alex, but doesn't this post belong in the other thread I started? The one about BF3 races of the decade?

If you agree, perhaps some kind Mod could move it across.

**gomick** · 30 Dec 2009, 10:03 (Ref:2606318)

Think that step that Tim Bridgman did in 2005 from FBMW to BF3 was probably far to big for him at the time - reckon he would do good now in F3, be a shame to see him lost to Carrera Cup again for 2010...

**chunterer** · 30 Dec 2009, 21:33 (Ref:2606571)

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider

Not being rude or anything, Alex, but doesn't this post belong in the other thread I started? The one about BF3 races of the decade?

If you agree, perhaps some kind Mod could move it across.

Done

strider · 31 Dec 2009, 21:39 (Ref:2606912)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunterer

Done

Thanks. chunterer, you're a mate.

Alex K · 1 Jan 2010, 10:43 (Ref:2607015)

Quote:

Originally Posted by strider

Not being rude or anything, Alex, but doesn't this post belong in the other thread I started? The one about BF3 races of the decade?

If you agree, perhaps some kind Mod could move it across.

Good point strider, I was looking for that post in the thread and thought I've not submitted it

.

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