BTCC Races 28,29,30 Brands Hatch GP

[BtccLee]

Maybe a bit early for this but it is finals day and a five-way fight for the title.

Gordon Shedden holds 23 points over Jason Plato but also 75kg of ballast that may hurt on the GP loop.

Plato will have 66kg and has recently been unhappy with the straight-line performance of the VW. Again ballast will hurt and in my opinion neither of the top two should qualify particularly well.

Then in third and 32 points back is our reigning champion Colin Turkington. Could do well with less ballast but will the VW be suited to the GP loop?

Next up is Matt Neal, having a far better year and maybe even a bet for pole with a quick and lighter Honda. He sits 37 points back, so an outside bet but could take his hopes to the second race.

Finally is Andrew Jordan, only a solitary three points within the title fight in a recalcitrant MG that may well go well at Brands.

Alain Menu may return and would not have to run ballast as a stand in for Warren Scott.

BMW's should fly in Kent and Josh Cook will run RML parts on the Chevrolet Cruze.

A very reliable (sarcasm alert!) ten day forecast indicates we may get a wet finals day again. Another factor.

Long and the short of it, is that this could all come down to qualifying. If Shedden can get ahead of Plato, expect him to extend the advantage in races one and two and then wrap up the title before round 30. If Plato gets ahead, maybe we will go all the way.

So place your bets.. The BTCC 2015 champion will be...

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

AJ would likely have been surprisingly close to the top had he not suffered the puncture at race 2 in Silverstone. Think about it - he was 7pts behind Turks prior to the race iirc, and ahead of him and Neal on track. A likely top 10 in R3 too. I have no idea how he managed that considering the MGs pace!

But it is what it is, Shedden will be hard to catch, especially if it rains, which is usually does.

And which midfielder will pull out the giant killing 2nd place in race 3 this year?

[porsche962fan]

Josh Cook with the much improved RML parts ?

on average Shedden can afford to lose 8 points per race to Plato and still win

[850Estate]

Shedden will be champion, ballast seems to have no effect on the Honda and it's wonderfully reliable, a BMW will win a race, Mat Jackson will win a race...and James Cole will get a podium...just not in the race I have him on the predictor!

It'll rain and be dark - adding to the drama - and thus leaving 1994 as the last fully dry season.*


*None of the above will end up happening now.

[redshoes]

I've always hated these stupid names RAR give to their cars, and the idea that they are the same cars year on year, but it seems that at Brands Austin will be in Sherman whilst Abbott will be in Sherman! Abbott's car is so badly damaged at Silverstone that it's having to be re-shelled, using the team's 'spare' shell, which is actually the original Sherman.

Dan Welch's car was also too badly damaged so he will be in the team's 'spare' car, i.e. the one that Andy Wilmot is no longer driving.

[tux]

You mean the Proton that doesn't actually work?

[850Estate]

Originally Posted by redshoes

I've always hated these stupid names RAR give to their cars, and the idea that they are the same cars year on year, but it seems that at Brands Austin will be in Sherman whilst Abbott will be in Sherman! Abbott's car is so badly damaged at Silverstone that it's having to be re-shelled, using the team's 'spare' shell, which is actually the original Sherman.

Dan Welch's car was also too badly damaged so he will be in the team's 'spare' car, i.e. the one that Andy Wilmot is no longer driving.

My road car has a name, it's a bit childish aye, but it makes paying the bills a bit less painful!

Or at least that's what I tell myself...

[porsche962fan]

so more *****ing about the EcoBoost engine has come

[Jiiiiiiim]

I see Gilham will definitely be in for the last round, the way things ended I would of been highly surprised if Gallagher had returned with Team HARD!

[BtccLee]

This is really cheeky but I don't suppose anybody has already figured out who will run softs when?

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by BtccLee

This is really cheeky but I don't suppose anybody has already figured out who will run softs when?

Just look for the Dunlop graphic from Silverstone, that'll tell you who has what left.

[skells22]

also we not had a wet race yet this year on the BTCC

[skells22]

time for a update and its replacement news A. Menu will take over W.Scott car for this round.

[BillWiskins]

Could make things interesting...

[emicen]

Menu didn't exactly set the world on fire last year. I think his presence will make the battle for the final few points places a touch more interesting but don't hope for much more.

[Inside BTCC]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

Just look for the Dunlop graphic from Silverstone, that'll tell you who has what left.

As someone asked...

Following Silverstone, here’s how the Soft Tyres will work at Brands Hatch on Finals Day:
• Race 1: Derek Palmer, Jason Plato, Stewart Lines, Tom Ingram

• Race 2: Adam Morgan, Aiden Moffat, Andrew Jordan, Andy Priaulx, Aron Smith, Dave Newsham, Gordon Shedden, Hunter Abbott, Josh Cook, Martin Depper, Mat Jackson, Matt Neal, Rob Austin, Rob Collard, Sam Tordoff

• Race 3: Colin Turkington, Jack Goff, Jeff Smith, Mike Bushell

As they have missed more than one round, the following applies to other drivers:

• Alex Martin can use the tyre in either race one or race three
• Dan Welch can use the soft tyre in either race two or race three
• Simon Belcher can use the soft tyre in either race two or race three
• James Cole can use the soft tyre a maximum of two times so will have to run the tyre in either race two or race three

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by Inside BTCC

• Race 2: Mat Jackson
• James Cole can use the soft tyre a maximum of two times so will have to run the tyre in either race two or race three

Why are Jackson and Cole different, haven't they done the same number of races?

[Tja]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Why are Jackson and Cole different, haven't they done the same number of races?

They've done four events each. I guess Jackson has used softs twice in R1 and R3 respectively, while Cole has used them twice in R1, and once in R2 and R3. Therefore Cole gets to chose whereas Jackson has to use them in race 2.

[S griffin]

It's great Menu is back. Let's just hope he gets round Paddock bend in all three races this time, without spinning

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

With BMR improving, I can see Menu fighting for the top 10, provided he does as S Griffin says and remembers how to turn around Paddock Hill bend...

[Inside BTCC]

Originally Posted by Tja

They've done four events each. I guess Jackson has used softs twice in R1 and R3 respectively, while Cole has used them twice in R1, and once in R2 and R3. Therefore Cole gets to chose whereas Jackson has to use them in race 2.

Correct - Jackson's usage so far is such that he has no option

[thlbtcc]

A nice aim for Menu would be top 10 in race 2 for a reverse grid draw. Would like to see that.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by Inside BTCC

Correct - Jackson's usage so far is such that he has no option

Thanks. I thought there must be some logic behind it.

So Plato with ballast and soft tyres for race one. Expect him to be down the grid in qualifying due to the ballast and looking to set a quick lap in race 1 to get a good race 2 grid. Question is, will the advantage of soft tyres over one lap be negated by the ballast?

Forecast for Sun looks dry but not especially warm. I can see the softs suffering a huge drop off in performance over a race distance.

[porsche962fan]

Matt Neal just confirmed that he will be rear gunner for Shedden

[850Estate]

Right then, let's find this out. Who's everyone supporting out of the realistic contenders.

It's Plato for me, would be delighted for BMR first of all and having a new team with a new car as champions would be great for the series. Also...I can't help but quite like JP at the moment. And that's not something I thought I'd be saying a few years ago!