Super Touring beyond stuffed

[Crash Test]

In the latest move by Toca Australia, they have out forawrd a proposal to Cams that would allow sequential gearboxed cars into under 2ltr Sport Sedans. This would allow the existing teams to continue running their cars, or let them be sold off.

However at the moment, H patterns and H patterns only are allowed in the class, which is fair enough, as it keeps costs down, and is hte same for all classes. If it comes to a vote by the competitors, they will never let it happen. If U2ltr cars were allowed sequential boxes, then some of the big cash outright opperators would kick up a stink...not what we want.

The only car that would change over with ease would be the BMWs, as their design allows for either H-pattern or sequential (apparently).

Also Toca is going to concentrate on Future Tourers, and slowly phaseout the STs. But while there are still STs in the field, they will give the FTs an absolute hosing, so why would you run an FT?

Maybe STs could be given a special class of Historic tourers... They could theoritically run in the Sport Sedan, but would be unable to score championship points...

[kmchow]

Crash Test wrote:

>This would allow the existing teams to continue running >their cars, or let them be sold off.
>
This is good potential news.

>Also Toca is going to concentrate on Future Tourers, and >slowly phaseout the STs. But while there are still STs in >the field, they will give the FTs an absolute hosing, so >why would you run an FT?
>
But realistically, how many teams would continue to struggle with a ST car, when they could be spending time/money to help develop the cheaper FT? Of course, I would still go to ST racers, biased and stubborn as I am!! ;-) I would also stay to see the FT of course.

>Maybe STs could be given a special class of Historic >tourers... They could theoritically run in the Sport >Sedan, but would be unable to score championship points...
>
Man, it feels so weird to read you are now referring to ST as "historics"! =( Generally, I think of historics are something at least 20-30 year old! Yeah, yeah, I'm very aware that ST has practically been canned.

[Crash Test]

But people don't give a rats about FTs either. There are many many cars in the country that have been converted/able to be converted to FT spec, but it only ever gets 4 or 5 competitors.

This is good potential news.
It is potentially good news...but it aint going to come true...

[kmchow]

Redshoes Racing posting the announcement that the SATCC or South African series has been canned for '01 after Audi pulled out. But I don't understand the reason for that as it still had 3 works teams of Nissan, BMW, Opel plus privateers? The decision was reached after discussion with remaining teams. I guess the 3 would probably follow Audis' lead? Sighhh... What has happened to ST and 4 door sedan/saloon car racing??

OTOH, I've heard a prediction 2 years ago that Prototype/Le Mans racing cars would be the popular racing challenge now. I guess they were right!! Sigh...

[RIKB]

Hmm! I think that Alan Gow, and TOCA were on the verge of re-inventing Super Touring with the hen proposed 2001 rules.

But then two different blankets were pulled from under him. 1st a couple of the manufacturers who helped write the new rules pulled out, and then the MSA awarded the running of BTCC to BMP who have devised their own set of super production plus rules.

Its probably to sweeping a statement to say that ST's demise coincided with Gow's but it does make you wonder.

[redshoes]

That is a sweeping statement Rik, but not that outragous.

Personally I think the manufacturers themselves need to take a lot of the blame for the demise of ST. For years they've been complaining about cost yet when TOCA do something about it by banning testing Ford happily travel all the way to an airfield in Spain just to get around the rule.

The new rules proposal certainly didn't help matters. No new manufacturers were prepared to built a new ST in 1999 knowing that it would be virtually redundant when the new rules were phased-in in 2000. By the time we reached 2000 the new regs had been pushed back to 2001 and by then everyone had lost interest.

[Super Tourer]

I agree with Redshoes, manufacturers have always and will always bleat about costs, when the very last thing they want to do is save money. I agree with the Prodrive/ spain point, which as well as costing more was also in my opinion against the spirit of the rules. Plus how many times did Prodrive push the rules to the limit (rear wings, Oil feed tanks????)

But I don't think that change the rules will really change anything as far as car makers are concerned. The 2001 series hasn't even turned a wheel yet but Vauxhall have already reduced their 'involvement' by 50% by not supporting a second two car team and BMP have reduced the grid further by canning their plan to back a two car team.

If they can't afford to fund a team to keep their series alive, who can??? Who are 'all' the teams that Ford and Peugeot are expecting to buy and run cars. It will not cost much less to do the BTCC as a privateer (class A) than it would have done to do indie super touring and how many teams did that??? And more car makers have said they need to do an international series than a domestic one in future.