Plato to ASCAR

[BRT]

Well its been announced that Plato has got a drive with Bintcliffe Sport in ASCAR. HMMMM that could be interesting.

[Adam43]

Warren Hughes, Kelvin Burt and Darren Turner are all going to race in ASCAR too!

[Adam43]

Is Plato is one step closer to his dream of racing in NASCAR?

[Speedworx]

Rob Collard is also going to do some ASCAR races this year. Its seems more people like ASCAR than like the new BTCC.

[Adam43]

Does ASCAR have a telly deal?

I ask because I was wondering if it was easier to get sponsorship for ASCAR? Presumably a year in ASCAR is a lot cheaper.

Is Cleland going to compete in it this year? Or is he too busy watching Rallys nowadays.

[touringlegend]

It may be spectacular for the drivers in those machines, but is this something the public in Europe want to see? Europeans like Touring Cars better.

Good luck to Plato by the way...

[cos]

I know Channel 4 are showing ASCAR highlights...probably on Saturday mornings, but I'm not sure.

[Speedworx]

ASCAR has Channel 4 deal.

[calcium]

I don't know all the ins and outs of Nascar,is it heading more for the Oval style racing??

[Radisichrox]

Huh. After watching the Daytona 500 today I don't think there's any lack of drives in Nascar, so if Plato shows himself off well in ASCAR then he could be in the frame for a drive.

That said, (and what I have said in the past) Nascar owners tend to be very *particular* when choosing their drivers. Just at today's Daytona 500 there was the first woman to drive in it since 1980. She finished too, which was a great acheivement! Anyway, (perhaps my American chums can help me with this) Nascar owners have never really gone outside of the southern states to find their drivers. I don't think I've seen a Nascar driver from up north near me (I.E. New York, New Jersey, Massachusets) in my life. Chances are they wouldn't want a British guy to drive one of their precious Chevys. It makes me dissapointed as I could probably see Plato drive.

Nascar is really based around oval tracks, but they have 2 road races, one at Watkins Glen and the other at Sears Point.

[RickP:Clio51]

Mmm Plato: Stock Cars

Mmm Seems appropriate?

RickP

[rustyfan]

The "Southern Flavor" isn't nearly as strong as it was just 5-6 years ago, and the following are some drivers not from the South (disclaimer: I'm not too good at the geography of the US, so please do correct me if I'm misplacing any of the states

Johnny Benson, Michigan
Dave Blaney, Ohio (heh is this the south? I have *no idea* here )
Kurt Busch, Las Vegas
Ricky Craven, New England
Jeff Gordon, California
Robby Gordon, California
Kevin Harvick, California
Jimmie Johnson, California
Ryan Newman, Indianapolis
Tony Stewart, Indianapolis

If Plato could show he's got what it takes and also would have the possibility to lure some sponsors with him, I'm sure he could land a ride in NASCAR.

[Stephen Green]

Lovely comment Rick

What circuits is Ascar running on and when, anyone know?

[rustyfan]

I just wish ASCAR got some extended European TV-coverage... there's no way for me to see it at the moment

[Stephen Green]

Rusty, Can't you receive Channel 4 through Sky digital in Sweden?

[AndyF]

Originally posted by Stephen Green
Lovely comment Rick

What circuits is Ascar running on and when, anyone know?

I don't know any dates - but I assume there are likely to be some dates at Rockingham as last year!?

[Adam43]

2002 ASCAR calendar (www.ascar.co.uk)

April 15/16 testing/rookie training Rockingham
April 22/23 testing/rookie training Rockingham
May 4/5 Rounds 1 & 2 Rockingham
May 24-26 Rounds 3, 4 & 5 Eurospeedway
June 8/9 Rounds 6 & 7 Rockingham
July 20/21 Rounds 8, 9 & 10 Eurospeedway
August 3/4 Round 11 & 12 Rockingham
August 24/25 Rounds 13 & 14 Rockingham
*September 13/14 Round 15 Rockingham
*September 20/21 Round 16 Eurospeedway
October 5/6 Rounds 17 & 18 Rockingham
November 16 Awards Evening TBA

They should have a couple of rounds on the Mallory Mile!
A bit more variety.

[touringlegend]

I presume Plato will need to go to the rookie training?

[rustyfan]

Originally posted by Stephen Green
Rusty, Can't you receive Channel 4 through Sky digital in Sweden?

Dunno - I don't have a dish, and I wouldn't want to get me one (not exactly super-cheap) and not knowing for sure if I could tune into that.

The ideal for me would be to get Channel4 through my digital cable service: I'm already pestering the provider about making a deal with DSF to add it to the available channels, so I'm sure they wouldn't mind me pestering them about Channel4 & Channel5 (to get the NASCAR Busch Grand National coverage) hehe

I wish there was a sports-channel spanning across Europe dedicated soley to motorsports. That would be heaven.

[Stephen Green]

Thanks Adam and good luck Rusty!

[rustyfan]

from Autosport.com:

BTCC champ Plato sets sights on Busch -- NASCAR aspirant switches to ASCAR stock car series

British Touring Car Champion Jason Plato has set his sights on racing in the Busch Grand National NASCAR series in 2003 after signing up for the British-based ASCAR stock car series for this season.

Plato, who won the BTCC crown for Vauxhall last year, has switched disciplines for 2002 and will race on the ovals at Rockingham in England and Eurospeedway Lausitz in Germany. He sees his long-term future, however, in America and hopes to use his maiden season in ASCAR as a springboard to NASCAR's Busch series, second only to the Winston Cup.

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Read full article here

[touring fan]

I read that the part of the prize for winning the championship is a test in a winston cup car.
(BTW, there was a british driver who did one or two races in busch. I think his name was Steve Hodgeson )

[rustyfan]

Originally posted by touring fan
I read that the part of the prize for winning the championship is a test in a winston cup car.

Yeah.. the article I linked to above sorta mentions that as well

[touring fan]

I think that's where I read it earlier.