PITSTOPS: stay or go?

[RIKB]

One of the changes that BMP plan to impose next year is to abolish pitstops. Both races will be the same. A half hour race.

Now Vauxhall, the only manufacturer to have commited to the series so far, have said they want to keep pitstops, saying that it adds to the interest of the race, and that with the abolition of things like tyre warmers, pitstops cost nothing.

So the question for the panel is....

Should they stay or go?

[Danielsun]

You want a blunt answer? They should **** right off!

Vauxhall may still want them because they have a habit of being the quickest at it, but the truth is they spoil the racing, much like in F1 - although to a slightly lesser extent.

Drivers get into the 'pass them in the pits' mentality and that can only be bad. Throw 'em out...

[Heeltoe6]

Slightly off topic, but why the he11 does Charlie Cox always point out that the Hondas jack their cars higher up than everyone else. He says it every stop, but never says why its significant. Is it slower, faster?

[Crash Test]

Ditch em...

Ok, it might mix it up a bit, but as a spectator at the track they are a pain..

[Danielsun]

Couldn't agree more, Crash Test. While the cars do have the yellow strips on before the stops, it's still very annoying, because it's like watching three races within the one. I say three, as Class B could be termed a race of its own...

As for the Honda team, it's just because the mechanics don't want to bend down any further! Thompson's enough of a pain in the behind without having to go through back pain!

[Les]

Totally disagree with you all.

I love the pitstops for the reason that there are 2 or 3 races going on at once. I am sick and tired of 'hit the first corner first' and win it. Quite often the sprint race is watching a queue of cars going round and it's boring.

The only change I would make is to close the window up. The last few races the pitstops have been very early and then it's a glorified sprint for the last 20 odd laps.

When you follow Vauxhall you need all the help you can get. Plato has made a thing of getting out of the traffic, doing a few really fast laps and therefore gets further up the field.

[Crash Test]

But if the racing is ****, and you need something to spice it up, why not just have a reverse grid race? Or isn't there enough cars in the BTCC to warrent that?

The thing is it becomes confusing. Having been to a few endurance races, unless the commentators are right on top of things, you have no idea what's going on and who is really coming where...it works for TV, but not really at the track..

[Les]

I know one person who won't go for reverse grids and that's Derek Warwick - he hates them! It just happens that I was talking to him about the Tourist Trophy (you know the Mansell/Needell crump). In that the grid was reversed - (couldn't understand how Dave Pinkney was on pole!!).

It's bad enough now with the somewhat inexperienced Class B cars getting lapped one at a time. Can you imagine the carnage at the first couple of corners!!

Half the problem is what the audience want from a race - for me - lots of close cars, bits of bumper flying off and a close championship. The actually speed/performance of the cars goes right over my head!

[Danielsun]

I can't honestly see why Del Boy would not like reverse grid races. In his time in the BTCC - had the qualifying order been reversed - he would have been at the front in just about every race!!

[fatbloke]

Derek would say that, wouldn't he! I remember that race, and he was absolute dogshyte that day...

However, having coming from a stock car racing family, you'd have thought he'd understand the benefits it brings to the racing...

[Les]

I suppose he must look at it both ways now - cost of repairs as well as the potential finishing positions.

Does anyone else think that the Lotuses are looking tatty now? Some could do with a paint job.