[BTCC] BTCC 2017 Rumours & Silly Season

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by JDMROB

Good stuff. Will it be built the same as the Motorbase cars but with a toca engine?

every focus runs the Ford engine.

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by ExplodeTheApex

Absolutely fair play Stewart Lines. It must've been tempting to go again with the improved Focus but to get a deal done with Cook is a classy move.

people already forgot that he essentially copied Simon Belcher ?

[Liquoriceman]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

people already forgot that he essentially copied Simon Belcher ?

And hopefully what Warren Scott is going to to do too 😉

[JDMROB]

Originally Posted by Liquoriceman

See - if you do wish hard enough it can come true! I think Stewart will gain a lot of respect from fans in making this decision. 👍

Fingers crossed now for someone good in the last seat at BMR!

If these rumours of Mark Howard are true. He really is not going to stand a chance of getting anywhere near anyone else's pace? I can't see BMR doing it to themselves.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by JDMROB

If these rumours of Mark Howard are true. He really is not going to stand a chance of getting anywhere near anyone else's pace? I can't see BMR doing it to themselves.

major credibility issue if they do. the entire grid is now made up of very good drivers. howard will look even more second rate if that's even possible

[CM388]

Originally Posted by touring fan01

major credibility issue if they do. the entire grid is now made up of very good drivers. howard will look even more second rate if that's even possible

Especially considering he'll have to get used to a RWD touring car, when he didn't really set the world alight in FWD. Probably even more visits to the gravel trap in order!

[touringlegend]

Originally Posted by JDMROB

I can't see BMR doing it to themselves.

They parted company with Turkington, so I wouldn't say Howard was impossible.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by touringlegend

They parted company with Turkington, so I wouldn't say Howard was impossible.

JP's rules. Which, if your bringing in the major sponsorship, is fair enough really.

Like him or loathe him Plato is WAY better than Turkington at generating media coverage, particularly the wider, non-specialist media.

[JDMROB]

Originally Posted by touringlegend

They parted company with Turkington, so I wouldn't say Howard was impossible.

I think he left on his own accord

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

the grid just become even better

and interesting now Team Parker is effectively a 2 car team !!



Team Dynamics - Honda Civic - Matt Neal
Team Dynamics - Honda Civic - Gordon Shedden
Simpson Racing - Honda Civic - Mat Simpson

Eurotech - Honda Civic - Jeff Smith
Eurotech - Honda Civic - Jack Goff

Speedworks - Toyota Avensis - Tom Ingram

Handy Motorsport - Toyota Avensis - Rob Austin

PMR - Vauxhall Astra - Senna Proctor
PMR - vauxhall Astra - Tom Chilton

BMR - Subaru Levorg - Jason Plato
BMR - Subaru Levorg - Ash Sutton
BMR - Subaru Levorg - James Cole
BMR - Subaru Levorg - Mark Howard????

888 - MG - Dan Lloyd
888 - MG - Aron Taylor-Smith

WSR - BMW 125 - Andrew Jordan
WSR - BMW 125 - Rob Collard
WSR - BMW 125 - Colin Turkington

Motorbase - Ford Focus - Mat Jackson
Motorbase - Ford Focus - Martin Depper
Motorbase - Ford Focus - Luke Davenport

Cicely Racing - Mercedes A-Class - Adam Morgan

Laser Tools - Mercedes A-Class - Aidan Moffat

AMD - Audi S3 - Ollie Jackson
AMD - Audi S3 - Ant Whorton Eales

HARD - VW CC - Will Burns
HARD - VW CC - Mike Epps
HARD - VW CC - Jake Hill

Team Parker Racing - Ford Focus - Stephen Jelley
Maximum - Ford Focus - Josh Cook

BTC Norlin - Chevrolet Cruze - Chris Smiley
BTC Norlin - Chevrolet Cruze - Dave Newsham

I can't stop looking at this. Over and over. Think I might have a problem...

[auroan]

What's the source of the Mark Howard rumour ? Or is it just something someone had made up on a forum and it's snowballed.......

[Steel Wheels]

Originally Posted by auroan

What's the source of the Mark Howard rumour ? Or is it just something someone had made up on a forum and it's snowballed.......

Well it's come from the source that predicted Cook in for Lines, Goff at Eurotech, Turks & Collard at WSR, Jordan to WSR, Taylor-Smith & Lloyd at 888, the PMR Vauxhall deal..................the list goes on, so the track record is pretty good in my book

[auroan]

Originally Posted by Steel Wheels

Well it's come from the source that predicted Cook in for Lines, Goff at Eurotech, Turks & Collard at WSR, Jordan to WSR, Taylor-Smith & Lloyd at 888, the PMR Vauxhall deal..................the list goes on, so the track record is pretty good in my book

Who ?

[Liquoriceman]

Originally Posted by thlbtcc

I can't stop looking at this. Over and over. Think I might have a problem...

Should provide ITV with enough fodder for a really good preview show if we are lucky rather than half an hour before the first race.

[STAR Driver]

Originally Posted by JDMROB

If these rumours of Mark Howard are true. He really is not going to stand a chance of getting anywhere near anyone else's pace? I can't see BMR doing it to themselves.

Well, Team Dynamics did put Andy Neate in a third car last year, however briefly that lasted...

[BSchneiderFan]

Originally Posted by JDMROB

I think he left on his own accord

I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere about somebody leaving a Honda team. "My wife used to drive for WSR." "Was she fired?" "No, she went of her own Accord."

I'll get my coat.

[S griffin]

Now that Cook's been confirmed, we're now all looking forward to the new season, we haven't had a talented line up from front to near the back for donkeys. The best of British there. With seat's being filled by talented drivers everywhere, can they do it for the fourth BMR seat too? Thompson, Coronel, Caine, O-C, O'Neill.... That would make it complete

Let's count:
5 Champions
Plato, Neal, Turkington, Flash, AJ

Plus race winners in Chilton, Jelley, Tingram, Sutton, A.Smith, M.Jackson, Newsham, Collard, Austin, Morgan, Goff

Add in rising stars Cook, Hill, Moffat, Lloyd, Proctor and Whorton-Eales and now it really is looking in rude health, could see a very mixed season with this amount of talent

[Craner Curves]

Interview with Sam Tordoff which tells us the extent of the BMW support of WSR. http://www.dailysportscar.com/2017/0...-gt-world.html

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

Interview with Sam Tordoff which tells us the extent of the BMW support of WSR. http://www.dailysportscar.com/2017/0...-gt-world.html

It's probably still the case, but he is only talking about the historical situation when he was with the team - and he chose to leave quite soon after the end of his campaign.

Perhaps, since his time with WSR, there may be an increased BMW support? (Probably not, but we can't be certain yet)

ps, as he's talking about his switch to GT, he has decided to put a bit of spin on his views and make TC seem a worse place to be than GT.

[Rob877]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

It's probably still the case, but he is only talking about the historical situation when he was with the team - and he chose to leave quite soon after the end of his campaign.

Perhaps, since his time with WSR, there may be an increased BMW support? (Probably not, but we can't be certain yet)

ps, as he's talking about his switch to GT, he has decided to put a bit of spin on his views and make TC seem a worse place to be than GT.

That's my take on it as well, basically quite negative about BTCC. I can see the logic in what he is saying about how drivers can earn a living in GT racing, it's also probably a bit easier racing in British GT compared to BTCC also.

[Craner Curves]

He's not exactly telling lies though. Tom Onslow-Cole and Jonny Adam will testify that there's life outside it if you want to make a career of things.

[norwichsam1]

Funny you should mention that. I was at the Blancpain round at Brands last year and it was the nearest to being back at 1990's super touring BTCC. Grid full of international manufacturers/ works teams, top professional salaried drivers (amazing racing too!!). Dawned on me then that this seemed to be what touring car racing used to be and really somewhere up and coming racers can aim to get a paid factory drive. Something that has been sadly missing from the BTCC for years. It seems a travesty that with such an amazing grid for 2017, such large crowds & good tv, near enough the whole grid are self funded. Seems something is badly wrong with the BTCC's business model.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by Steel Wheels

Well it's come from the source that predicted Cook in for Lines, Goff at Eurotech, Turks & Collard at WSR, Jordan to WSR, Taylor-Smith & Lloyd at 888, the PMR Vauxhall deal..................the list goes on, so the track record is pretty good in my book

Let's hope he's done a Michael Fish with this prediction 😀

Mr Scott, if you're reading this and you've signed him then best order a shed load of spares... and hire another mechanic or two for fixing the wreckage 😣

[Rob877]

Originally Posted by norwichsam1

Funny you should mention that. I was at the Blancpain round at Brands last year and it was the nearest to being back at 1990's super touring BTCC. Grid full of international manufacturers/ works teams, top professional salaried drivers (amazing racing too!!). Dawned on me then that this seemed to be what touring car racing used to be and really somewhere up and coming racers can aim to get a paid factory drive. Something that has been sadly missing from the BTCC for years. It seems a travesty that with such an amazing grid for 2017, such large crowds & good tv, near enough the whole grid are self funded. Seems something is badly wrong with the BTCC's business model.

I guess that's the only thing missing from BTCC at the moment, pretty much every other element is there for me. It is a bit strange really when you consider the massive trackside attendance and TV coverage that series with a much smaller fan base can garner so many professional drivers. Would be interesting to see people's thoughts on that. This is in no way a criticism of BTCC at the moment, but if more of the current crop of undoubtedly talented drivers realise there is a living to be made elsewhere in motorsport, where does that leave BTCC in 5 years time. Things are looking good for the series at the moment, but there must be a long term plan. We've all seen how quickly an apparently healthy championship can be decimated in a matter of a couple of years.

[jsmee]

Originally Posted by Rob877

I guess that's the only thing missing from BTCC at the moment, pretty much every other element is there for me. It is a bit strange really when you consider the massive trackside attendance and TV coverage that series with a much smaller fan base can garner so many professional drivers. Would be interesting to see people's thoughts on that. This is in no way a criticism of BTCC at the moment, but if more of the current crop of undoubtedly talented drivers realise there is a living to be made elsewhere in motorsport, where does that leave BTCC in 5 years time. Things are looking good for the series at the moment, but there must be a long term plan. We've all seen how quickly an apparently healthy championship can be decimated in a matter of a couple of years.

The BTCC is widely seen as the pinnacle of British motorsport. This is the destination for most young drivers in the championship, only a minority choose to look elsewhere. Some end up moving to GTs but only out of necessity (budget etc). Look at Shedden, Neal, Plato etc - they're at the top of their game and happy to keep winning at the highest level in the UK. This is the case for most BTCC hopefuls.

Lets be honest, Tordoff's heart was hardly in it in 2016!