[BTCC] BTCC 2017 Rumours & Silly Season

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

Yeah Smith IS Eurotech.

Fixed that for you

[Alfisti]

My money (and I haven't placed a bet in years) is on Smith (ATS that is, not Jeff) in a berth at 888.

That berth will become available (already is?) as young Sutton is on his way across the workshop into the Subaru vacated by Turks.

I am nearly as confident in the above as I was about Turks out at BMR and young Jake Hill to continue at #HARD.

Mystic Meg tells me Rob Collard and Turks will both be at WSR so long as the bank job planned for next week is pulled off successfully... 😉

Let's hope Mark Howard isn't the get away driver...

[porsche962fan]

what about Dan Lloyd ? and Cook

[el_cat]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

Yeah Smith is with Eurotech.

I was referring to Aron Smith (or Taylor-Smith now), as the original post mentioned a race winning driver which of course Jeff Smith is not.

Personally I can't see any way the cards will fall that doesn't end up with ATS at 888. Which would naturally leave Sutton going to BMR. I guess that leaves Cook staying at 888 as none of the other seats seem a natural fit

[luckn002]

Jelley at Parker - who saw that coming?

[psq43]

Originally Posted by luckn002

Jelley at Parker - who saw that coming?

Not me. Safe pair of hands, who should get far better results, with much less damage in that car.

[thlbtcc]

Good news indeed - http://www.touringcartimes.com/2017/...h-team-parker/

Very strong grid now. Will take some FWD learning for Stephen, no doubt, but another race winner.

[Rob877]

Seems like a big leap in quality for the grid this year, providing Turks, Collard, Cook, Sutton and Taylor-Smith manage to stay on the grid. Pretty much every driver has a proven in background in other series or is already holding their own in BTCC. Just the way it should be for the premier series in this country.

[porsche962fan]

7 seats in 3 teams remaining




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 - Warren Scott ???
BMR - Subaru Levorg - James Cole ?

888 - MG - Josh Cook ??
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 - Stewart Lines

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

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by Rob877

Seems like a big leap in quality for the grid this year, providing Turks, Collard, Cook, Sutton and Taylor-Smith manage to stay on the grid. Pretty much every driver has a proven in background in other series or is already holding their own in BTCC. Just the way it should be for the premier series in this country.

[porsche962fan]

Aron Tayler-Swift at 888 ?

[Greem]

Chuffed to bits for Jelley. Good to see him back in top-line competition.

And no, I didn't see that coming either!

[Craner Curves]

Great news for Jelley. Someone who didn't deserve to drop out, but the loss of RAC backing meant he couldn't afford it.

I actually found out a fascinating fact about him. His mum designed the famous Admiral England football kits of the late 70s and early 80s!

[S700UBO]

if the guesswork and "insider knowledge" shown in the list works out....... best BTCC season EVER? on the cards

Good to see some of the top drives and drivers getting in early

[Jiiiiiiim]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

Great news for Jelley. Someone who didn't deserve to drop out, but the loss of RAC backing meant he couldn't afford it.

I actually found out a fascinating fact about him. His mum designed the famous Admiral England football kits of the late 70s and early 80s!

Really pleased to see Jelly back, he has tried returning a few times & I think he tested for Motorbase, it will certainly help Team Parker move up the grid. Good to see they are running Stewart Lines' car for him too under the Maximum banner, which makes sense and should ensure he has the Focus set up well.

Providing there are no major upsets in the remaking seats, the depth of quality of the field is impressive and looks to be the best for some time. Could make it more interesting for those trying to fight back through the field after a race 1 or 2 incident

[steve_r]

Delighted that Jelly is back. When he last drove in this series, I seem to remember that he really was beginning to put in some top class performances towards the end of the season.

I hope FWD is to his liking.

[stuart thompson]

Is anyone actually going to post who he's signed for or have I gotta get searching? Lol

[stuart thompson]

Edit just seen

[Sodemo]

Great news on Jelly, some top talent on the grid in 2017.

[S griffin]

I don't know why I thought Taylor-Smith was at TGR, but anyway still great having Jake back, with promising rookie Burns alongside. At least the VW is a proven race winner, hopefully it isn't too long in the tooth

Jelley at Team Parker isn't too much of a surprise considering he drove for them in Porsches. It's great to have him back, it's just a shame he couldn't build on his 2009 season when he couldn't get the budget together. I just hope he adapts quickly to FWD, but anyway he's sure to be better than what the loose cannon Alex Martin

[luckn002]

" Lines, 53, fell from a pushbike two weeks ago and has been immobile since.

Lines is unable to drive his Ford Focus at the opening round of the year at Brands Hatch on April 1/2, the team will have to field a substitute driver to make sure it fulfils the terms of its TOCA BTCC Licence (TBL) to enable it to contest the rest of the season.

"We could look to put an up-and-coming racer in the car if I can't do it," said Lines. "

So potenially no Lines for Brands - any idea who the up and coming racer could be?

[thlbtcc]

Is it time to get excited yet? I think it might be...

As someone has already mentioned, one puncture or off and you could find it very difficult to make your way back through in 2017, especially in the second half of the season when rookies and returning stars get up to speed with things and the teams get a handle on the new tyres.

It think it was Matt Neal at the Autosport show [paraphrasing] who said that the whole field could be roughly within 1 second of pole qualifying. Let's hope so.

[S griffin]

It's a hard one who's gonna replace Lines, no one else was rumoured for that seat

[mark_l]

Originally Posted by S griffin

It's a hard one who's gonna replace Lines, no one else was rumoured for that seat

I would of thought Lines would of only been doubtful for round 1, maybe Dan Lloyd could be given a run if Lines isn't fit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[S griffin]

Yeah Dan Lloyd would be an excellent replacement, it's just a shame he can't get a full season together