[BTCC] Rounds 4, 5 and 6, Donington Park

[BtccLee]

There big boys, let them sort it out themselves (E:g: Shedden getting revenge at Thruxton)

[codename_47]

Originally Posted by garcon

Darling, the only thing that might raise my blood pressure is laughing at you too much.

This place is not hostile, it is a forum where grown ups can share their love of motorsport and their differing opinions on it. I have seen nothing I would describe as derision, but if there is you've brought it on yourself by posting before you think.

It's attitudes like this is the exact thing I'm talking about btw...well done for playing right into my hands...darling

[garcon]

Well that's one of the problems of conversing from behind a keyboard. I'm smiling as I type, and simply sharing what I think without any expectation that people should agree with me (they often don't).

My honest advice - which you are entirely at liberty to ignore - is to read what you're about to post before hitting submit, and not to take anything anybody says on the internet even slightly personally.

And maybe try to look for the positive in what people say rather than something to argue with. I've posted more in here today than I have for a while, and the vast majority of it has been supportive of the BTCC.

[snowen250]

On the whole i do think driving standards were much improved today.

Its just a shame Plato had to knock Shedden off, as before then i actually would have said he had a great drive through the field.

[barnettracing]

Originally Posted by garcon

Well that's one of the problems of conversing from behind a keyboard. I'm smiling as I type, and simply sharing what I think without any expectation that people should agree with me (they often don't).

My honest advice - which you are entirely at liberty to ignore - is to read what you're about to post before hitting submit, and not to take anything anybody says on the internet even slightly personally.

And maybe try to look for the positive in what people say rather than something to argue with. I've posted more in here today than I have for a while, and the vast majority of it has been supportive of the BTCC.

This.

Originally Posted by snowen250

On the whole i do think driving standards were much improved today.

Its just a shame Plato had to knock Shedden off, as before then i actually would have said he had a great drive through the field.

And this.

[crooky]

Plato was a disgrace there at the end and it did take the shine off a classy drive to the front.

But viewing the weekend as a whole I personally thought all three races were great entertainment just like last weekend. It's probably correct that a quality foreign driver would mop up the field like they've done in past seasons of the BTCC.

But most of them are in the WTCC (Muller, Menu, Tarquini etc) and that series has to be one of the most boring large championships around.

[trebor901]

haha BTCC is laughable, only given a 2 second penalty, no other punishment, utter disgrace BTCC is.

[barnettracing]

I think the penalty is a little on the lenient side but, being pragmatic, at least it puts the positions in the order they should have finished.

The problem with simply giving a two second penalty (and read this properly before you flame me BTCC guys) is that it doesn't stop Plato giving it a go again. If Shedden had been leading, Plato second and Jackson third at the time, Jackson would've won, and Shedden would've crossed the line in third. The positions would have been reversed and Shedden promoted to second. However, he would have lost a certain win. Is this a fair way to lose a motor race?

Over on the BTCC forum (naturally) some are defending Plato, saying that Shedden was 'driving like a granny' and that they would've done the same in the situation. Why don't the BTCC just introduce a 'no blocking' rule like Ropin' Randy did in Indycar a couple of years ago? That'd get rid of the problem and would open up loads of overtaking for the fans? Contrived, well, as we have seen on the Plato thread, the BTCC is designed to create excitement for the crowd through overtaking. That'd make it a given!

[BertMk2]

I only caught race 3 today, have to say for the most part I enjoyed it. I thought Wrathall had a good race, Gilham seemed to be going well, the two Eurotech Hondas were looking pretty racey (although shocking start by Smith). There was some very good side by side racing (shockingly even without contact at times ). Plato stormed through the field making good use of his cars strengths and the misfortunes of others - then it all got predicatable on th last lap. Not going to get passed, so punt. That's what's so enfuriating about him, he spends 18 laps showing everyone that he can overtake then pulls a stupid 'move' like that on Shedden (and yet again he's the main talking point).

I'll catch up on the other races at some point when the highlights are on, hopefully they're similar to the first 18 laps of race 3

[garcon]

Lenient but reasonable in the circumstances. Unless people actually want to turn the championship into a Neal/Shedden cartel?

[reed]

To get back on topic...Mat Jackson has been excluded for exceeding his boost limit. Win goes to Shedden (that will make him happy) then Plato in second and Gilham gets his first podium with third.

[awrb]

Originally Posted by BtccLee

There big boys, let them sort it out themselves (E:g: Shedden getting revenge at Thruxton)

that's where things start to get dangerous, and I hope Shedden is more mature than to do that.

In terms of commentary this weekend, Toby really got on my nerves. He seems to sound like a voiceover all the time, and tries to make every line sensational.

And I can't get used to is voice. At the beginning of one race he seemed utterly shocked that Aron Smith was ninth(?) on the grid, and then in disbelief that Adam's surname was Morgan!

Add that in with too many puns and 'clever' plays on words and I was just getting wound up with him.

I hope I can get used to him over the course of the season.

[Hubble]

Originally Posted by reed

To get back on topic...Mat Jackson has been excluded for exceeding his boost limit. Win goes to Shedden (that will make him happy) then Plato in second and Gilham gets his first podium with third.

Have you got a link to that...I can't find any reference to it on BTCC.net or Autosprout...

Cheers

Phil

IGNORE THE ABOVE

[garcon]

Have to agree on Toby (don't even know his surname). He was truly painful.

"a big shout out to..."

Give it a rest, you're a motorsport commentator not a fecking Radio 1 DJ. Who does he think he is, Westwood??

[Greem]

Highlight of the day for me: the crowd from Redgate to the Old Hairpin applauding Mat Jackson at the end of race 1. Not a boo in range. Genuine appreciation of a great drive, and it was nice to hear it.

[Hubble]

Originally Posted by garcon

Have to agree on Toby (don't even know his surname). He was truly painful.

"a big shout out to..."

Give it a rest, you're a motorsport commentator not a fecking Radio 1 DJ. Who does he think he is, Westwood??

Agreed...Moody is crap...

[Thaw Daggerslash]

Originally Posted by Greem

Highlight of the day for me: the crowd from Redgate to the Old Hairpin applauding Mat Jackson at the end of race 1. Not a boo in range. Genuine appreciation of a great drive, and it was nice to hear it.

It has always been like that. In all my time of going to BTCC (since 2003) I have never once heard the crowd boo a race winner. Same applies in F1. Booing the winner is the football fan mentality. I'd like to think motorsport fans are made of better stuff than that. :P

[Tom Bee]

Originally Posted by garcon

Lenient but reasonable in the circumstances. Unless people actually want to turn the championship into a Neal/Shedden cartel?

Disagree, I think he Plato should have been removed from the result.

[garcon]

Football fans don't often boo the winner. They're more likely to boo their own team for losing. Unless they're Liverpool, in which case they blame 'the conspiracy'.

Do tend to agree on motorsport crowds though. BTCC crowds can be partisan but they'll generally give due respect to every race winner.

[Tom Bee]

Originally Posted by Hubble

Agreed...Moody is crap...

Very easy to Criticise. I think for his 2nd round hes doing well.

[garcon]

True, it is. I'm sure he'll improve. I guess it's time to accept that Harvey never will.

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Thaw Daggerslash

It has always been like that.

For some drivers, I agree. But...

In recent years I've heard a *lot* of abuse from "partisan" sections of crowds, usually aimed at Dynamics, Aon or JP, most often when they've won. What I didn't mention earlier was the section of crowd overlooking Hollywood jeering (I use that word to be charitable) every time JP overtook someone. At the end of race 3 it went up several decibels!

There were a lot of "my driver can do no wrong" sitting behind me today... but like I said in The Other Thread, it is what it is. That's why the reaction to Jackson was worth mentioning.

Overall today was great, but that's because the bulk of the damage happened elsewhere on the circuit!

[Hubble]

Originally Posted by Tom Bee

Very easy to Criticise. I think for his 2nd round hes doing well.

It is easy to criticise...especially when someone is crap...

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by reed

To get back on topic...Mat Jackson has been excluded for exceeding his boost limit. Win goes to Shedden (that will make him happy) then Plato in second and Gilham gets his first podium with third.

Oops. Kicked up one too many gears eh.

[BillWiskins]

Toby Moody - not quite up to speed yet. Let's give the guy a chance, though shall we? As said, it's been two rounds. Lots of names/cars/teams to learn, and some duplicates in there too. Plus, he has fairly big boots to fill.

Watching Race One, I was actually wondering to myself that perhaps someone from the powers that be had had a word with the drivers about general driving standards - it was a great race, very little misbehaviour.

Inevitably, on to Plato: look. My default position falls just on the side of being pro-Jason. I like him. I think he's a terrific driver who never gives less than one hundred per cent on track.
Having said that, every once in a while (and yes, it is more frequent as of late) he seems to just step over the line in the pursuit of the win. Maybe it's ego-driven (no pun intended), maybe it's just getting carried away when success is so close. Whichever, it is infuriating after sensational drives (like Race Three) and it makes it tough to defend the guy when it keeps happening.
It does bug me though, when I hear 'should be banned' and 'trying to kill someone' and 'sent from Hell to destroy the BTCC'. It irks me. It's irksome. Every sport/series/thing needs an easy target for ranting and abuse and oh wait, no, it doesn't.

Having rambled all of that, I completely agree with his penalty for pushing Shedden.

Why can't we all just get along?