|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
8 Jan 2001, 14:32 (Ref:57351) | #1 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 1998
Posts: 2,762
|
Taking a lesson from NASCAR, a new series has been born in Germany to contend for touring car honors. Tube-framed, 5.7 liter V8s, and silhouette bodiwork are all being combined to form the V8STAR, or V8 Silhouette Touring Auto Racing. The chassis are all constructed by Nitec, a division of Zakspeed and the Ford NASCAR derived engines are built by Jack Roush Engineering. The series has endorsement and backing power from German television RTL and daily newspaper giant Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (WAZ). At this time no factory involvement is present and factory logos are even being omitted for copyright reasons. Bodies have been produced to replicate an Opel Omega, a Lexus, an Audi A6 and a Jaguar S-Type. The cars cost around 265,000dm and engines running 72,000dm. The championship is worth 5 million deutsche marks making it a lucrative deal for privateer racers.
After initial tests at Estoril, the car ran with only minor teething problems and Porsche Supercup driver Altfrid Heger claimed the car was exhilirating to drive. It has a much more basso exhaust note and near 40% more power than the factory oriented DTM 4.0 liter V8 cars. The series will consist of nine races of 160km in length. The official calendar for the series is... April 28 Oschersleben May 12 EuroSpeedway Lausitzring May 26 Nurburgring June 6 Salzburg July 21 Nurburgring August 18 EuroSpeedway Lausitzring September 9 Hockenheim September 29 Nurburgring October 13 Oschersleben |
||
|
8 Jan 2001, 15:03 (Ref:57354) | #2 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 1998
Posts: 2,762
|
|||
|
8 Jan 2001, 19:58 (Ref:57413) | #3 | |
Race Official
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 8,961
|
Now, thats what my ideal BTCC car would look like. I'm off to Germany then!
|
|
|
10 Jan 2001, 07:44 (Ref:57795) | #4 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 6
|
Well, it's not a lesson from Nascar, it's a direct copy of Australian V8Supercars (the closest and most competitive motorsport in the world).
If you want to take a look then visit http://www.v8supercar.com.au |
|
|
10 Jan 2001, 09:03 (Ref:57810) | #5 | ||
Racer
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 165
|
The only things this class has in common with Aussie V8s, is that they are rear wheel drive and powered by a V8.Theyare basically a NASCAR ripoff, with classier bodies, and a chassis that is probably more advanced control chassis than NASCAR rather than the production based `V8 Supercars'. |
||
|
10 Jan 2001, 17:13 (Ref:57853) | #6 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 1999
Posts: 2,725
|
I remember a few people thought DTM2 was a rip off of V8Supercar as well. When living off the **** spewed out by Mrs. Cochrane & Sheen & etc. V8Supercar fans can be extroadinarily insular.
yours Mark Jones |
||
|
10 Jan 2001, 19:12 (Ref:57884) | #7 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 1998
Posts: 2,762
|
It doesn't really matter who or what a series is based upon. It could be argued that V8Supercars are touring versions of SCCA TransAm, but it hardly matters. The V8STAR program will allow privateers to compete for DTM money without having to butt heads with the factory teams. The cars look good, they should be quick and fun to drive and most likely produce a good show. It will not require sponsors with budgets the size of Gross National Products to field a car and be competitive in the series. With RTL and WAZ in on the ground floor, they are already guaranteed media coverage, so it is a win-win situation for those involved.
|
||
|
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Ansan, South Korea track revealed (Autosport article + supposed track map?) | StickShift | ChampCar World Series | 2 | 30 Jan 2005 05:15 |
V8STAR Teams? What is the future? | SFonseca | Touring Car Racing | 16 | 2 Dec 2003 15:18 |
German V8Star calendar | *formula3* | Touring Car Racing | 3 | 2 Dec 2002 21:40 |
Bleekemolen to V8Star | *formula3* | Touring Car Racing | 7 | 2 Oct 2002 14:14 |
Info and Pics on V8STAR? | Hobson | Touring Car Racing | 1 | 21 Jun 2001 19:17 |