[BTCC] Silverstone finale

[trebor901]

Has anyone ever had to collect their tickets from the track on the day of the race? just ive got to tomorrow, do you just go up to one of the normal ticket booths with proof of purchase and proof of ID? as the Silverstone website doesnt really explain it that well

[redshoes]

Ticket collection office is on the left side of the access road leading to the main gate.

[Thaw Daggerslash]

Things looking mighty tight in practice...

http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=6872
http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=6874

[medius]

Qualifying:

01 Matt Neal 59.131
02 Mat Jackson +0.035
03 Gordon Shedden +0.134
04 James Nash +0.177
05 Alex MacDowall +0.231
06 Tom Chilton +0.301
07 Jason Plato +0.376
08 Andy Neate +0.402
09 Tom Onslow-Cole +0.465
10 Frank Wrathall +0.474

Not looking too good for JP. I would not be surprised of the turbos all have some boost taken off before race one.

http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=6875

[Thaw Daggerslash]

I hope not. If they were a second off the pace, sure, but when it's that tight just leave it how it is. Not entirely sure JP really deserves the title after all he's said and done this year, but that's just my opinion.

[trebor901]

that Honda must be a dream to drive full ballast and still manages to get pole out of it

[TWRv12]

Hope Jackson or Nash steal it!

[Sodemo]

Neil Brown engines have always produced the goods in the BTCC. I remember the days of the Super Touring Accord and that thing had so much power, more than any other engine of the time.

See you at Silverstone tomorrow?

[TWRv12]

Onslow-Cole and Thompson lose fastest times, as they set them when yellow flags were out at the end of qualifying.

Should be starting from pit lane.

[el_cat]

Not sure if I've missed something, but what has happened to the Thorney Insignia? I take it it didn't run at all? Will it be able to start tomorrow?

[trebor901]

will be there tomorrow, gonna be awesome and i hope everyone keeps it clean because anything other than that would put a real downer on the hype surrounding this finale

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by el_cat

Not sure if I've missed something, but what has happened to the Thorney Insignia? I take it it didn't run at all? Will it be able to start tomorrow?

They had clutch problems so didn't get out in FP or Qualifying. TOCA said they would be allowed to start the race if they could complete the mandatory 3 laps out of session later in the day.

Unfortunately a red flag during the Ginetta race meant the timetable was behind schedule and they were unable to get out before the 6pm curfew. I don't know if they will get another chance to run laps tomorrow morning.

[Icebaby]

Originally Posted by TWRv12

Onslow-Cole and Thompson lose fastest times, as they set them when yellow flags were out at the end of qualifying.

Should be starting from pit lane.

Why was Plato allowed to keep his times when he clearly should have been punished after doing it again after the warning, discretion again as he's in the championship title battle?

[Craner Curves]

Thorney will be out at 9am tomorrow morning to get their laps in thanks to the BARC and Toca. From their Bookface page.

[Thaw Daggerslash]

I too will be there tomorrow. Second meeting of the year after Donington for me. Should be a cracking day, although there's reports of mixed weather for the day.

[skells22]

so far it is 1 win to Neal and 1 win to Shedden meaning Plato is out of the championship fight after the 1st two races today. just down to a all honda fight to decide who gets car 1 for next year

[skells22]

Matt Neal is this year BTCC champion! I understand he is now a 3 time BTCC champion.

[brands]

Enjoyed the mainly cleaning racing today and congrats to Honda and their drivers.

Hopefully that's the last time TV viewers will have to hear the continuous *****ing from a now ex-champion.

[ascarracinguk]

Originally Posted by brands

Enjoyed the mainly cleaning racing today and congrats to Honda and their drivers.

Hopefully that's the last time TV viewers will have to hear the continuous *****ing from a now ex-champion.

Whinging, yes, but if the shoe was on the other foot, Neal et al would be whinging too! In fact they have in the past. Chevy Were promised parity at the start of the season, and while I don't like Plato I agree with him that you have to be utterly blind to not see that the turbo cars just drive into the distance on the straights!

[FIRE]

Congrats to Neal.

[GolddustMini]

ill say something though, if chevy put a turbo engine in that car its going to be bloody quick, and we may see the bleeting coming from the NGTC teams next year when they spend the year staring at a faint blue blob in the distance!

[medius]

Just back from Silverstone, apart from a few sour faced Jobsworth circuit staff it was an enjoyable day in the stands. Lots of close racing in all classes, great to see my mate Matt Mason take his first race win in BARC Formula Renault and of course, Matt Neal taking the championship.

However, one nearly shocking incident came in BTCC race two. After the BMW spun and was collected by the Focus, the Safety Car came out whilst Rob Collard and Martin Byford made stops. I don't know if the TV coverage picked it up, but as marshals were on track to pick up the debris, Collard came round Woodcote and nearly ploughed into two marshals separately. Then approx 20secs later, Byford did the same. I think everyone in the stands had their hearts in their mouths at those moments.

[simon_blay]

As someone who has been marshaling a fair bit over the summer, it was funny how everyone reacted. I couldnt help but think the cars shouldnt have been doing that kind of speed whilst waved yellows were out whereas the majority of those sat around me were asking what the hell the marshal was doing on the track whilst cars were racing around!

Agree though, could have been very nasty

[Delenn]

Originally Posted by medius

Just back from Silverstone, apart from a few sour faced Jobsworth circuit staff it was an enjoyable day in the stands.

Don't get me started. Parking was a fiasco as usual - putting old people and people on crutches a mile away, with no transport back to the live circuit was ridiculous WHEN THE MAIN CAR PARK WAS EMPTY. Utterly pathetic.
I have to say we did get help from a couple of Group 4 guys, who did their best to help my mother and her dodgy hip! (Big thanks to them) Funny how Brands, Snetterton, Donington, Thruxton and Rockingham can all park all their cars in easy walking distance (for someone with a dodgy hip), but Silverstone fail.
Sadly, we can't risk being stranded there again, so I suspect we have visited Silverstone for the last time.

Whilst we are on jobsworth, with the PA saying over and over to hang around to see the presentation, they then herded us out of the grandstand whilst the presentation was happening. Granted, we were up the far end, but we could see a bit, and see the big screen perfectly.

So a great day was marred by a few jobsworths and lousy parking, then all put in perspective again by poor Dan Wheldon *sob*

[Paulaweybridge]

I had problems with the jobsworth circuit staff there too.. A few years ago I was on circuit ( signed in, of course, and wearing an official tabbard) taking fotos and there was a crash right in front of me. The race was stopped, no cars were running, the Clerk of the Course drove up, spotted me and I was summoned from behind the barriers to rapidly take fotos of the wreck.

Nobody was seriously hurt by the way.

A few minutes later, some jobsworth ran out in front of said C of the C and ordered me off the track. I naturally said that I had the clerk's permission but he said, "I don't care".

The C of the C was furious with him and told him to go away. I proceeded to take the required fotos as they needed to clear the wreck a.s.a.p and continue the meeting.

The jobsworth was ticked off eventually and was told that the C of the C is "GOD" ........

Anyway I watched the races on ITV4 today and well done Matt Neal.

ITV's coverage of the BTCC and support races is great and I love the virtual whole day coverage with adverts so I can prepare food and cups of tea.

Yes terrible news about Dan Wheldon.