TLs, TLs, TLs???

[GT 86]

You want to be a moderator Promax or just a tell tale tit?

[Samwhk]

Bit out of date here, but I remember as a young fella watching the original TraNZam Lights, VK-ish Commodores etc (before they starting doing horrendous things like grafting VS fronts onto VLs, why God WHY?!). Obviously, due to how long ago that was, there's very little I can find on the web regarding the series back then.
I used to love watching those big grids of the old cars, can anyone point me to where I can do some reading and or watching about the early days?

[Ugy]

http://www.valiant.org/nz.html

Bit to early for you young fella

[Samwhk]

All very interesting, and I've read a lot of that stuff before, but not really what I was after. Thanks for a decent read tho!

[promax]

Originally Posted by GT 86

You want to be a moderator Promax or just a tell tale tit?

just pointing out what you should already know doesn't bother me the slightest if you get banned

[raymond]

It would be really good club racer if the "more to come" was actually factual.

You have yet to front up with anything to back up your recent comments, and you're gonna give us more??

If you have a genuine ***** regarding MSNZ, then by all means put it on here, if it is real I will attempt to rectify the problem.

[Just Do It!]

That is very big of you, Raymond.

The main question upon the lips of many is what was the outcome down in Wellington recently.

I ask as a passionate fan, rather than someone who really cares whether TL, TLX, or V8ST end up winning the war.

MSNZ needs to keep being rattled.

[raymond]

Originally Posted by Just Do It!

That is very big of you, Raymond.

The main question upon the lips of many is what was the outcome down in Wellington recently.

I ask as a passionate fan, rather than someone who really cares whether TL, TLX, or V8ST end up winning the war.

MSNZ needs to keep being rattled.

Outcome of what?

[raymond]

...anything?

[raymond]

Anything at all???

[Mark Petch]

Originally Posted by raymond

Anything at all???

If it makes you feel better Raymond I still 'love' you!

[promax]

that's it???

not the outcome I expected

[raymond]

...so by the silence, I am assuming that there are no specific problems Mr. On-to-it.

However I have discovered a problem where the only declaration of love I have had since my wife wanted me to get a vasectomy, is from another man! ...and one that looks like he could have come from the private school system

[raymond]

Sorry, Mr. Just-do-it, not Mr. On-to-it...bit confused now...

[raymond]

...or a bit rattled?

[Goat Boy]

Raymond, I think Just Do It (or JDI as he was known years ago) only "pops in" for a few minutes and then departs again for many months, hence he has probably not seen any of your replies.

[GT 86]

Heres new hope for TLX although Nissan seem dubious with the current scene. Im sure SH and BB have been on the phone already pitching for this.


Nissan has flagged intentions to expand its involvement in V8 Supercars and other forms of touring car racing with its Altima model in future.
Nissan is barely six months into its campaign in V8 Supercars with the formerly Kelly Racing team but is forecasting that it will spread its tentacles further in Australasia.
The company is showcasing its Altima model through V8 Supercars ahead of the nameplate’s debut in the Australian market during the final quarter of 2013.
Any bold plans, however, are unlikely to be acted upon until the factory team is chalking up consistently strong results.
“Nissan will be looking at expanding our horizons into more teams on a customer basis,” Nissan’s motorsport manager Jeff Fisher told Speedcafe.com.
“Our ideal concept would be to have Altima manifesting itself across many forms of different motorsport.
“At the moment it remains a bit of a dream. We need to be able to walk before we can run.
“All of our attentions, money, effort, technical and human resources are going into being regular podium finishers
“Until we get there and we can manage that consistently moving beyond Nissan Motorsport as a factory team is not an option.”
Dunlop Series team owner Maurie Pickering (Finance Ezi) has already made an approach to Nissan about the feasibility of a customer Altima program, should he be able to secure a Racing Entitlements Contract in which to enter the main series.
“He has been delivered a message that we are not quite ready yet,” said Fisher of the approach.
New Zealand remains on the radar of any expansion plans for the Japanese company although the fractured touring car scene, currently split between rival V8 SuperTourers and NZV8s categories, is sending out confusing messages to any potential new player.
“I hear from the guys on the ground in New Zealand that they are struggling to interpret what a motorsport presence would look like for their market,” Fisher said.
“We would revisit any approach to NZ. I would want to have their (Nissan representatives) confidence that they can put it to work in NZ and put it together as a corporate property.
“Once they sign up for that mindset then we can look at what we want to do.
“Whether it be SuperTourers, NZV8s or whatever category it is at the time where the Altima would be the basis for that with the amount of work that Todd Kelly has done on the car.”
Globally Nissan is in the middle of a renaissance by re-inventing itself in different categories both in Japan and Europe, where it will launch its Garage 56 project for the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours later this week.

[raymond]

There's one (maybe two) already happening with the TLX chassis

[Icarus_nz]

Expressed as a percentage, that is INCREDIBLE GROWTH

[NZSTfan]

I read about this yesterday on speedcafe and it does throw some interesting things in to the pot.

On the surface of it all, I believe that this would suit the TLX class more than the ST class, as I can't imagine a 'manufacturer' wanting to run a donking great 7L GM engine in their Nissans.

However, the TLX class is currently under-represented (this may change this year however), and the teams/drivers are not that well known, except for the top 2 or 3 guys. ST on the other hand does have the big-name drivers and associated teams, and also has an international presence and is held in high regard overseas. I believe the reasons for this is quite simple. An ST car is controlled, and by all accounts is one hell of a race car, and could easily go toe to toe with a V8SC (CoTF). They are also quite robust (well, this year anyway) and as I understand it they are actually fairly cheap to run. I heard that Murphs car still has the same rear rotors as when that car was first put together. I have heard on the other hand however that the TLX cars do attract higher running costs, but this could just be pitlane BS....I don't really know TBH.

But I did have an idea thrown at me last week, that after some thought and consideration actually started to make sense and would indeed heal the rift between the two camps. Hear me out on this one.....

Why not run the ST's and TLX together in the same races? Sounds absurd right? well maybe not so.

If the TLX's could produce 580hp, which we know they can, then there is every chance that they would be able to compete with the ST's as far as performance goes. Whether or not the running costs would jump through the roof would be realised soon enough. BUT if the TLX's went better than the ST's then good on them for producing a decent race car. If the ST's were always quicker, then so be it. I am not just talking performance here either, I am also talking about reliability, running costs etc.

So imagine that the two camps came together and ran both types of cars in the same series. It would offer many advantages. First of all the grids would be huge, easily 28+,and would potentially have up to 5 manufacturers represented, Ford, Holden, Toyota, Hyundai, and Nissan. This would be akin to what the supercars will look like in 2014 when Volvo come on board with GRM, which takes their tally to 5 manufacturers.

if you wanted a 'DNA' based car you opt for a TLX, if you wanted a control car you opt for an ST.

Sounds crazy I know, but to me this makes sense as it gives everyone a fair slice of the pie. Punters and sponsors would have more choice/interest in the combined series, and that is better for everyone. People would also not be as confused as they are now when people mention 'New Zealand V8's'.

It also goes further than that too. If the two could combine then there would be no doubt in my mind that MSNZ would be right behind it. If that happens then just imagine what the NZGP could look like. TRS, FF, V8's (tier 1), TL's, GT86's, utes, Suzuki's, Honda cup, CMC etc. Now who on here would not pay to see that? I know I would. There would be no reason why these classes could not support all of the TRS series, and provide our overseas visitors with some excellent racing over a range of categories.

It would also mean that racing could be run over an extended calendar that runs through most of the year (expect the depths of winter). So we could have multiple rounds, hopefully at every major track in the country, with all of the support classes added on. TV coverage would be better as all of the energy would be directed in to these epic race weekends.

The TL class would grow to at least 15 or more cars, and that would develop our younger drivers.

Now this is quite a big thing to digest, but like I say the more I think about it (as a devoted ST fan), the more I think it makes sense.

Then, when a manufacturer such as Nissan does come sniffing around, then they have an easy choice to make.

It would also show the world that NZ can make it happen, and produce a racing calendar that is world class with top drivers/teams/cars/formats/sponsors etc etc.

It would also quickly deal to the s***house situation NZ tin top racing currently finds itself in.

Food for thought anyway, and no doubt this will not happen

[Sidewayz]

Im hearing ya STFan, it would make for some pretty good racing.

Firstly, Drake stated on the Puke show that the running cost of a ST for a season (to race at Hampton and Pukekohe), was 250k, which i my eyes is a stupid amount of money to run a control car.
On the other hand i was told, from a very good source that one of the TLX boys spend only 50k for the season, which including the 2 south island rounds.

Now that the people in charge of the classes has changed, some head way may be made towards a combined series.

[Swedish Brick]

Parity!
No I don't have a point, just wanted to be the first

Another option is just allow the STs to run manufacturer engines.

I also think Nissan are very unlikely to want to run a GM engine and think it will be TLX or nothing

[promax]

Originally Posted by Swedish Brick

Parity!

leave them in their respective classes.. than it ain't an issue more than one class racing in the same race isn't a new thing. hell the cars look different enough.. even for the casual fan.



do the ST boys and girls want to travel south though?

[NZSTfan]

Yes, a championship within a championship. It happens now in the nzv8 category, but one gets a gold star.
I believe that it would bury this feud forever. Well until the next big thing anyway.

[NZSTfan]

Yes, a championship within a championship. It happens now in the nzv8 category, but one gets a gold star.
I believe that it would bury this feud forever. Well until the next big thing anyway.