The Lower Leagues

Speed-King · 23 Apr 2014, 17:03 (Ref:3397343)

I thought it might be a good idea to create a catch-all thread for all the GT-series that normally don't warrant their own bespoke thread on here, so probably most anything below the national top-series of the UK, France and Germany.

Series that would fit in this thread are:

Germany: DMV-Tourenwagen-Championship, Spezial-Tourenwagen Trophy (don't let the names fool you both are very heavy on GTs)
UK: Britcar, Bute GT Cup
France: VdeV
Italy: Italian GT, Coppa Italia, etc.
Scandinavia: Swedish GT, various Thundersports/Special Saloon series
Spain: Iber GT
BeNeLux: Supercar Challenge, BRCC

(and more)

I'll start with something from the UK: A packed entry list for the opening round of the GT-Cup this weekend at Donnington.

Also starting this weekend: Belgium's BRCC, where the field will be lead into the 3 hour race by 8 GT3 cars and as announced today an SRT run Corvette C6R GTE!

Hawkwood · 23 Apr 2014, 17:49 (Ref:3397374)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speed-King

I'll start with something from the UK: A packed entry list for the opening round of the GT-Cup this weekend at Donnington.

A big grid, with some spectacular cars (the Mosler and Marcos in particular).
Four classes going on in there, what's the difference between them?

MagVanisher · 23 Apr 2014, 18:20 (Ref:3397388)

Please add some coverage on Trans-Am Series too so I can request a mod to close the thread since it needs more love.

If not, that's okay.

Speed-King · 23 Apr 2014, 18:26 (Ref:3397391)

GT-Cup-classes:

Quote:

There will be four groups defined by original manufacturer stated specifications comprising of;

GTO Open specification cars (subject to meeting balance of performance),GT3 and modified challenge
cars
GTC Late model year Challenge and Cup specification cars, with performance balancing where required
GTB Early year Challenge and Cup cars with minimum specification changes together with modified
saloon base vehicles
GTA Lower powered Cup, Challenge and One make series cars

What I like best about GT-Cup is that they do a really good job at presenting themselves. After each race they have some - by club racing standards - very watchable videos online.

Another series that'll be starting this weekend is the DMV-TCC with a pair of 30 minute sprints at Brno: Entry list here (pdf download).
12 full-on GT3s in a field of around 40 cars. Other notable entries are two 997RSRs (one of them turbo-charged) and Perti Kuismannen with his trusty GT1 Viper and Rock Media's Pagani.

**joeb** · 23 Apr 2014, 18:32 (Ref:3397394)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

Please add some coverage on Trans-Am Series too so I can request a mod to close the thread since it needs more love.

If not, that's okay.

Feel free to discuss Trans-Am here. Although it is more of a touring car series in my mind.

nobster · 23 Apr 2014, 19:16 (Ref:3397413)

Super car challenge has some nice cars in the field, last year a Mc Laren, corvettes, porsches, ferrari, vipers all took part. On motors tv they show the highlights of the races.

Speed-King · 23 Apr 2014, 19:22 (Ref:3397416)

Quote:

Originally Posted by nobster

Super car challenge has some nice cars in the field, last year a Mc Laren, corvettes, porsches, ferrari, vipers all took part. On motors tv they show the highlights of the races.

Things have changed for the worse this year though... They had their first races last weekend and much of the GT1/2/3-machinery is gone with silhouette cars of different types taking their place.

Race results.

IndyMeister · 23 Apr 2014, 19:51 (Ref:3397428)

DMV starts its season at Brno this weekend:
12 GT3 cars on the entry list (+ 9 Porsche 997s and a few GT2s):
http://www.dmv-tcc.com/events/2014/T...enn-CZ-53.html

And if you don't know what you are doing in the next few day, thi might interest you

:
http://www.dmv-tcc.com/marketplace.html

Mr Pink · 23 Apr 2014, 19:59 (Ref:3397431)

Modsport in Sweden has some pretty cool cars (among others the Speedlab Corvette which has a thread on here somewhere). The classes are based on kg/hp.

http://www.modsport.se/index.php?page=foerare-team

fergus_r · 23 Apr 2014, 22:23 (Ref:3397482)

GT Cup is a pleasant surprise this season, having occasionally struggled to even make double figures these past few years. Should be a good championship if the numbers keep up for the whole year.

MagVanisher · 24 Apr 2014, 06:46 (Ref:3397577)

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeb

Feel free to discuss Trans-Am here. Although it is more of a touring car series in my mind.

Well, there's some GT cars in the TA3 class with marquees such as Porsche, BMW, etc.

But anyway, the Trans-Am series is gaining step-by-step with TV and media coverage deals being formed on the series. While the TA1 class is important since it's on par with NASCAR in terms of horsepower, I think I'm interested in the TA2 class since it's a pony car class with Ford and Chevy battling out with their respective Mustangs and Camaros.

Plus, it's the ideal class where it needs to inject some manufacturer involvement and modern technology, becoming what is essentially the American version of Super GT/DTM. Of course, it's not gonna happen because Trans-Am can't afford to lose the TA1 class.

That's my take on Trans-Am. As for the news, it's straight from the website itself.

Coach Ep · 24 Apr 2014, 14:09 (Ref:3397731)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

That's my take on Trans-Am. As for the news, it's straight from the website itself.

which can be found at www.gotransam.com

Maelochs · 24 Apr 2014, 14:28 (Ref:3397747)

Any series which wants to hold my attention (and is too small for television) needs to stream races--even replays--or I just can't get too excited.

Every time I have seen T/A at a track the cars were cool, but I haven't seen T/A in a couple years ... I have no clue what's up with it.

As for all the other interesting series ... well, they sound interesting (a series which is basically run-what-you-brung with a bhp/kg standard? Excellent!) but my days of following racing by outdasted magazine articles, or even up-to-date web articles, are over. I want to see the racing.

TheNewBob · 24 Apr 2014, 17:13 (Ref:3397810)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maelochs

Any series which wants to hold my attention (and is too small for television) needs to stream races--even replays--or I just can't get too excited.

Every time I have seen T/A at a track the cars were cool, but I haven't seen T/A in a couple years ... I have no clue what's up with it.

As for all the other interesting series ... well, they sound interesting (a series which is basically run-what-you-brung with a bhp/kg standard? Excellent!) but my days of following racing by outdasted magazine articles, or even up-to-date web articles, are over. I want to see the racing.

That all costs money. Since these are 'lower' level national/club series then I think thats expecting a little too much. Nice to see some teams installing cameras in their cars for all to see on YouTube, though.

I like championships that accept wide varieties of machinery. Britcar is pretty good for variety but the OTT noise limits and recent grid sizes (as well as a lack of support races) have put me off. Weather permitting I may well have a trip to Donington this weekend for GT Cup - looks like most series in those MSVR-organised meetings have some really big grids.

Speed-King · 24 Apr 2014, 18:07 (Ref:3397834)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maelochs

As for all the other interesting series ... well, they sound interesting (a series which is basically run-what-you-brung with a bhp/kg standard? Excellent!) but my days of following racing by outdasted magazine articles, or even up-to-date web articles, are over. I want to see the racing.

Have a look at GT-Cup's coverage from last year then: Link to Rd.1 2013.

Overview of all 2013-videos.

As I said, those highlights programs are pretty well done, though the product that they can work with varied from round to round with capacity grids occuring as well as weekends when they were barely getting into double digits.