Legends Cars / Pickups

[Ascar_Fan]

I see that the Legends will be surpporting the BTCC cars at Knockhill which I am very pleased about.

But does anybody know what sort of grid size the Pickups will have as they have rea;;y been struggling this year?

[woodyracing]

the pickups are really cool, but their numbers have been low.
At the last BTCC race at Oulton the pickups were combined with the V8 and V6 eurocars. Nice machines but needs to be more of them.

i dunno what will be at Knockhill though.

[AndyF]

The Pickups began really well, and last year there were over a dozen of them. Shame they have gone a little downhill!

[Stephen Green]

To be honest the whole Eurocar circus has degenerated since it's inception some years ago. With large losses incurred by the BRSCC in supporting the series it was bound to happen. Legends are the only category of the original Eurocar package to have flourished.

With drivers/teams like Mike Jordan moving on to other series there has been a dearth of new teams. Mores the pity really as it looked really good in its hay day!

Stephen

[AndyF]

I agree there. Perhaps they could amalgamate the V8s, V6s and Pickups together and run them as a handicap. They also still seem to be promting them as headline races!

[Ascar_Fan]

On Sunday I was really happy to see the Pickups with a larger grid compared to earlier in the year. Some new drivers was great to see I really hope this continues.

[Stephen Green]

Hi Andy,

There have never been enough of the V8's racing. I think the most I have ever seen in one race was 7 at Lydden Hill about 3 years ago.

I'm not too sure about the safety aspect of amalgamating the V8's, V6's and the pick-ups as the speed differential would be too great.

As a marshal I should point out that big speed differentials can be the cause of some nasty accidents, especially when you have novice drivers competing in the same race! In all cases, safety has to be the paramount importance I'm glad to say.

Stephen.

[EUROCARS]

I think the most V8's I have ever seen is about 14 which was when the EUROCARS package was booming. Such a shame them days have past us now but that just the way it is.

The Legends were the best thing to come out of the package and wil grow and grow. The National Championship is very competive and now with the Scottish championship things can only get better as there grids are growing all the time. I thought the Scottish Legends did well at Knockhill when they surpported the BTCC cars. It would be good if the National Championship would be able to get a surpport slot with the BTCC and show off.

[Dan Friel]

Was there ever a hey day for Eurocars?? i don't think so.. never seen a decent race. Legends are excellent however, and continue to grow.

Shame that the Eurocar package cost BRSCC 0.25 million last year in unpaid fees - will mean that this club will now struggle for a while.

[Stephen Green]

Tell me about it. I'm a member!!!

Stephen

[Ascar_Fan]

The EUROCARS have had many good races. I was a major fan and went to every round for since 94. The V6's in 1996 and 1997 were just so amazing with about 30 cars, very close racing and I used to get really excited when I was going to a meeting. The V8's did not have great grids but there were some great battles like in 1998 when Mike Jordan, Mark Willis and Stevie Hodgson had a great battles all season. Also the 1999 season when it was Kevin Clarke, Barry Lee and Mark Willis wow that was a good season. The Pickups were also very great very close racing and always racing side by side. I loved my EUROCAR rounds. Now thats finished I stick with the Legends were I watch most races. Plus now im getting really into ASCAR as some ex EUROCAR package drivers are competing in it.

[Stephen Green]

But hasn't Ascar gone bankrupt?

[Craig]

As a long-term fan of short oval racing, I was always disappointed by the fact that Eurocar never really took off as it could have.

Did once see an excellent V6 race - this year in fact - but that was mainly down to the circuit - Cadwell Park! Other than that, they never really did it for me

[Craig]

Stephen,
You are right that Ascar Ltd have gone pop - in fact before they even held a race meeting (!) but the series is set to continue with a new company backing it - thought to involve the people at the new Rockingham circuit at which many of the races will be held.

[Stephen Green]

I must agree with Ascar-fan, in its hey day I saw some really good V6 races, especially at circuits like Lydden Hill and the Indy circuit at Brands. Going round the hairpin at Lydden 3 abreast was exciting, even if it was a little stage managed at times. Barry Lee will be sorely missed by many in the racing scene for his cheery personality (forgetting his constant abusing the No Smoking in the pit lane rule)

Stephen

[Stephen Green]

Thanks Craig, I wasn't aware of that. I hope it's a success story for a change.

Stephen

[Craig]

Isn't Bazza involved with Ascar now, Stephen ?

[Stephen Green]

Not sure Craig, he could be, it's his sort of thing.

[Dan Friel]

Think Eurocars were best suited to some circuits.. as for 30 cars, I can't recall a race with more than 15 in it.. again perhaps because I was at the wrong circuits.

Always thought Barry Lee was pretty good - until he caused a red flag on purpose at Combe - got nudged off at Quarry, then spun on purpose at the chicane and refused to budge the car from the middle of the track(stuck in car apparently), plenty of marshals on the track when the pack came around again, red flags.. he selected a gear and drove off!! Best described as well dodgy..

When is the first ASCAR race??

[Craig]

What a cheeky git. Shame they couldn't do a Russell Spence on him and lift his car clear of the track - with him in it

When was that, BTW ? I was at the Eurocar meeting there last year, and have to say it was actually extremely tedious - especially when it was on the same bill as the Superlights!

[Ascar_Fan]

The V6's used to have 3 races were each driver would get two races. Which was the great years where entrys were massive.

The next ASCAR race is in late August, I shall have to check for you. I actually have herd that another 4 ASCAR's have been sold which made be more happy.

Barry Lee did start this yearin the V8's with a Jaguar V8 body shell. The he was gonna drive for Rick Tantons team in the ASCAR series but sadly he did not have enough money to take part. But I hear he is always in contact with the organisers.

Looks like Neil Cunningham will be racing in the ASCAR series now as he has manged to come up with enough funds.

Dan Friel - I remeber that meeting at Combe, bit naughty of him the commetator new exactly what he was upto straight away, he he he.

With the new organisers taking the roll of running ASCAR a lot of new teams have approched them and are looking to buy cars.

A driver I would really like to see in the ASCAR series would be Mark Willis, he is stuck under contract with Lars Christian Brask at the moment to drive the V8's which willis has rufused to do as he wants to do ASCAR.

[Chris Y]

I too have seen some pretty damn good Eurocar races.. I think even as late as 1999 they still had good grids (the V6s certainly). We watched a race at Mallory, and it was an excellent package then - with the Pickups and the Legends.

I think you're right though - the V6s have always propped up the V8s.. I am also a member of the BRSCC, and the face that they had to shell out so much to keep the series going saddens me.

[Stephen Green]

It smacks of bad management somewhere to me. In any other business heads would have rolled at such a calamity?

Stephen

http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/themarshalsclub

[Ascar_Fan]

A bit of good news for the Legends cars as the Scottish Legends cars have got another support with the BTCC this time at Croft. I hope sme time the the future that the National Legends Championships get to be a surpport.

[AndyF]

It would be good to see some other club series as supports.