Formula Saloons Launch - Page 2

Craner Curves · 6 Apr 2003, 12:54 (Ref:559933)

Was that the ex-DC Cook Tommy Rustad Laguna I saw in one of Redshoe's Archive photos?

ern · 6 Apr 2003, 19:40 (Ref:560446)

when will the Formula Saloons web site be updated to show all of the 2003 entries ?

Also will the Laguna run in the championship as I beleive it had to be towed round for the photo and never turned a wheel.

Tony_Simpson · 6 Apr 2003, 20:07 (Ref:560528)

The Renault is still under rebuild for the series. It was nearly finished but needs the finishing touches to it. It will be nice once it is out, looks great. And yes it seems to be the ex-DC Cook car.

As for the update to the web site, it states in the 2003 competition that the web site will be updated with all the entries about 1 week before the first race, which is next weekend hopefully.

kmchow · 8 Apr 2003, 01:02 (Ref:562311)

Quote:

Originally posted by garry
Steve's Audi is the last 4wd built and as far as I am aware was never raced especially in BTCC.

So the car never raced anywhere period? Or was it a BTCC backup car that was never needed.

Quote:

Peter the rules have not been changed to allow earlier cars we have allowed 97 onwards Super Tourers in since 2001.

Can you clarify this? My grammar and english aren't that good. So no pre-97 ST cars are allowed anymore? Or are their weights to equalize the two generations of cars? OTOH, I'm assuming by now, most people have already upgraded to post 97 cars on their own already?

Quote:

That would make 23 Super Tourers registered for the Championship however it is unlikely that they would all turn up at the same time.

What a sight that would be!!! Have you guys tried to encourage owners to perhaps try and race at one particular event in order to achieve a record ST starting grid??

PS: Do you guys have the Formula Saloons season I tape. I wouldn't mind paying 20-30Cdn for a NTSC copy of the Formula Saloons season!

Tony_Simpson · 8 Apr 2003, 16:44 (Ref:562955)

Quote:

Originally posted by kmchow

Can you clarify this? My grammar and english aren't that good. So no pre-97 ST cars are allowed anymore? Or are their weights to equalize the two generations of cars? OTOH, I'm assuming by now, most people have already upgraded to post 97 cars on their own already? [/B]

There has always been a class for supertourer cars since Formula Saloons started in one form or another. In 2000/2001 class E was introduced for post 97 cars to race in, and the pre97 cars were in Class B, to give them a fair chance, or so it seemed.

Throughout 2002 the general pace of the pre 97 cars was not much different to the newer cars and with the removal of Class D (now all in Class A) it seemed sensible to put all the supertourers in class B.

The Post 97 cars must have a 30kg weight penalty (total weight of 1080kg) to keep them in line with the general performance of all the cars.

Also the earlist Touring cars similar to the age of the Vauxhall Cavalier, pre 94/95 (the first cars with wings) are also allowed but depending on the car they will be allowed in Class C. This is due to the fact they have less power, smaller brakes, etc, etc and would get blown away by the rest.

Hope that helps.

kmchow · 8 Apr 2003, 19:24 (Ref:563098)

Thanks for the clarification of the rules/history! Cool. I tried checking the website, but it also, wasn't very clear as to the rules.

Quote:

Also the earlist Touring cars similar to the age of the Vauxhall Cavalier, pre 94/95 (the first cars with wings) are also allowed but depending on the car they will be allowed in Class C. This is due to the fact they have less power, smaller brakes, etc, etc and would get blown away by the rest.

But can these pre 94/95 Cavs take on the Class C competition. Looking at the rules, it seems they are outclassed? Or could the Cavs be caught in the middle? Can't match either classes? I guess the website didn't archive past years results.

garry · 8 Apr 2003, 20:01 (Ref:563144)

kmchow, the pre 96 Super Tourers are not totally outclassed, on paper they would not be as competetive as the newer cars but in the hands of the right driver they would not be far behind. Steve Hirst had a second outright in the dry in his 95 Audi last year and a win in the wet.
If they went into Class C they would be( again in the right hands ) too quick for that Class. This is why we have weighted the 97 onwards cars. However a 96 Car in the right hands has every Chance of winning against the newer cars as Andy Clarkin showed last year with 1 win, an dthis was without the weight difference.

kmchow · 9 Apr 2003, 06:10 (Ref:563540)

I'm not sure if people agree but do you think that especially the A4s and to a lesser degree, the BMWs, have remained incredibly competitive relative to the other makes of the same era? That's the impression I get from watching them in the Formula Saloons, STW and Australia?

**Snapper Baz** · 9 Apr 2003, 09:10 (Ref:563688)

It seemed a few weeks ago but I'm sure someone mentioned to me that the "V8 Eurocars" or what ever they are called this week-maybe joining the series. Gary, has this been talked about or was this just idle chat?

redshoes · 9 Apr 2003, 09:14 (Ref:563695)

I hope not. There was talk of VSR (Eurocars) joining ASCAR but that quickly died. Don't VSR cars have tube-frame chassis, which would put them well outside current FS regs.

garry · 9 Apr 2003, 16:40 (Ref:564140)

There are no plans to let any VSR's into Formula Saloons as they are spaceframes.

kmchow · 9 Apr 2003, 17:34 (Ref:564193)

The Formula Saloons should put an archive or summary of their past results on their website as well.

JMeissner · 9 Apr 2003, 19:26 (Ref:564366)

Have any of the ex STCC Tourers found their way to you Garry?

garry · 9 Apr 2003, 19:40 (Ref:564379)

Not yet the only new Super Tourers to the Championship are 2 1999 Mondeo's, 1 1997 Audi, 1 1997 Renault and hopefully 1 1997 Nissan and 2001 Alpha. There is rumours of a 1999 Renault later in the year but none of these are from Sweeden this year.
I am planning on going to Norway in July to see the races at the Artic raceway and speak to the drivers about putting on the Super Touring Car Challenge in England next year.

JMeissner · 9 Apr 2003, 20:41 (Ref:564465)

So the Super Touring festival or challenge is moved to 2004?

AndyF · 9 Apr 2003, 21:24 (Ref:564519)

It looks like the 2003 Formula Saloon Championship could be the best yet. Look forward to following it this year. Please keep us posted Garry & co

**Snapper Baz** · 9 Apr 2003, 21:35 (Ref:564532)

Glad to hear that the "Eurocar" thing was no more than a rumour-they seem keen to get back in to the limelight which I doubt will now happen.

kmchow · 10 Apr 2003, 05:22 (Ref:564761)

Can anyone help an overseas Formula Saloons fan by providing some sort of year end review? Are any of the Formula Saloons races rebroadcasted?

AndyF · 10 Apr 2003, 07:43 (Ref:564821)

There are some videos available by www.vfsvideos.co.uk. Click on the BRSCC link, and then Formula Saloons.

Bob Pearson · 10 Apr 2003, 10:24 (Ref:564914)

I was watching a V8 saloon race from Adelaide last night and noticed that they had a rule whereby if anyone took a place by contact with the other car he was expected to "redress" the situation by letting the car back past. I am pretty sure FS doesn't suffer from animal driving, but what an improvement such a rule would make to BTCC. It may even be worth watching again.

robertwest · 12 Apr 2003, 23:37 (Ref:567723)

I have the Laguna. It is a 1997 Williams Laguna. It is chassis No. 97/04. It was used by Menu in 1997 as his T car in his (Dominant) Championship winning year. This car was used at Silverstone in that year when it won. It was then used by DC Cook in 1998 and driven by Tommy Rustad. I got the car without engine and many other components. It has taken me two years to located everything I need and it is now 4-8 weeks away from running. I am more concerned about getting the car running but I have the opportunity to get the car painted in its original colours (blue/yellow) and to get it back to it's original livery. Car is very well known in this livery due to loads of documentation/books, and the cover of millions of copies of TOCA touring car for Playstation so I will get this done. Every item was specially made by Williams, absolutely nothing off the shelf so a nightmare to located but I am now really looking forward to using the car. I had hoped to get it ready to do pleanty of testing before season started but looks like I will race it as soon as it goes with just 1 or 2 tests. Its very nice that lots of people seem to have fond memories of the Lagunas so will be great to get it back on the track. Don't know how it will stack up against newer machines (or with me driving) but it should be interesting.
Rob West

kmchow · 13 Apr 2003, 22:05 (Ref:568530)

So you are going to race it in the original BTCC livery and not your own livery? Can you give a general idea as to how much it cost you to buy the shell and/or parts? Just a curious ST fan! Wish I won the national lottery this weekened?

robertwest · 14 Apr 2003, 18:27 (Ref:569306)

Wouldn't like to say how much it cost in case the wife see's. However I brought the car with many parts missing. In retrospect I should have brought a running car with a spares package for about £30,000.
The costs of spares and parts are quite high (in my limited experience), whereas the cars are a total fraction of their build cost.
I have some inventry from Williams that has costings of some parts on and everything is a fortune. Suspension with discs and calipers £15,000 per corner, heated plastic windscreen £3,500 etc.

I thought I would put the car back to it's original livery as I wanted the car as original as possible. I love the fact that the car dominated the 97 season and the car is well documented in books etc. I also thought that it would give me another angle when I sell the car. Apart from trying to attract someone who wants to race in Formula Saloons I may be able to get a collector or someone interested in Williams history. I have spoken to Johnathan Williams and he expressed an interest because they only have 1999 cars in their museum and he may be selling them. However they have the shell of the car that Menu used most of the season in one of Franks barns. However they do not have any other parts to complete. At first I got excited by this, then someone who knows Frank Williams told me that he is such a good business man/negotiater that It would probably end up in the museum with me paying them rent to keep it there.

**Craig** · 14 Apr 2003, 18:33 (Ref:569310)

Rob, best of luck in putting the car back to the original colours - I love to see a car running in original colours like that. That's one of the reasons I like Steve Hirst's Audi so much and also the Rapid Fit syle Mondeos.

Andrew Kitson · 14 Apr 2003, 22:37 (Ref:569545)

FS is going to be great this year!
I've also heard of plans for another Renault to join in for a race later in the year from Canada - the ex-Arena Spence car.
Hope the idea of getting Gerry Marshall into Baby Bertha for the Brands August round comes off, if they can get permission due to noise levels.

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