Thundersports

[simon drabble]

where have all the Thundersports cars gone?
Is there any series for them either here or in europe?

[Andrew Kitson]

I guess some are now in the Orwell Supersports Cup, also in the two Group C revival race series', sports 2000 etc. But there must be many sitting there waiting to come out again.

[simon drabble]

are there any series around at present where you can run a Sports 2000 with BDG especially in endurance series?
I have heard that there can be chassis flexing problems - can anyone who raced them in period advise if this is correct and what where they like to race?

[PaulSands]

Britsports?

[simon drabble]

well none have come out so far, this was one series I thought about as it seems you can build a Sports 2000 based thundersports relatively cheaply and it should be a front runner, the only aspect of Britsports that I am unsure about are the Radicals as they do not have a great reputation for clean driving

[PaulSands]

that sounds like fighting talk

[simon drabble]

did you read Marcus Pye's editorial in Autosport cpl weeks ago? I think the point he was making is probably right - the front runners are fine but the also rans are a little wild!

[PaulSands]

but as you'd be up at the sharp end what's the worry

[simon drabble]

because knowing my luck I would get caught up in it somehow!
I really hope that Britsports takes off as I love the idea of a modern Thunderports series - I wonder if the old Thundersports cars would be able to compete with the supersports etc.. for a start the modern ones are going to all have sequential gearboxes and generally 25 years development
If they are struggling to get the Group C grids maybe the organisers could restore Thunbdersports or have they? 1000km races sound superb

[jminsh]

Originally posted by simon drabble
did you read Marcus Pye's editorial in Autosport cpl weeks ago? I think the point he was making is probably right - the front runners are fine but the also rans are a little wild!

Is that not the same with most races.

[simon drabble]

have to say no!
I have raced with several series (albeit in historics)and have enjoyed some very close racing without the threat of being nurfed off - accidents happen of course but driving standards have always been very high (including contrary to reputation certain ex BMW main dealers!!)

[PaulSands]

Ahhh but Mr Frank would only nurf you if you were stopping him winning

[simon drabble]

that would probably explain why he has passed me cleanly!!!!

[PaulSands]

isn't it usually referred to as lapping?
sorry that was shooting fish in barrel scenario, just to good to miss

[jminsh]

You must be in different historic races to me as most of the tail enders may as well have usefull things like mirrors taped up or taken off .
However i do agree that for actual racing it can't be beaten as you don't tend to get many loons that seem to think racing means ramming off track like modern racing seems to now allow.

[simon drabble]

well I dont know what series you are racing in!
the only bad experience I have had was with an ex touring car driver who tried to nurf my off at Donington. Backmarkers involved in their own battle and not seeing me has been a problem in my Eleven as its quite low and the endurance races have taller GT cars. However that is easier to deal with as you then assume they havent seen you - being nurfed is a difficult one to predict!

[jminsh]

I take it you race in 50's sports cars with a lotus 11 ,I found this to be one of the worst places for cars wandering around on there own strange lines not even aware there was other cars on the track .I was in a Costin Lister Chev at the time which wasn't renound for being able to take avoiding action very quickly.

[simon drabble]

the hard core are fine but on the more glamourous meetings when occassional cars turn up I understand where you are coming from, however the sighting problems are more evident in the 2 driver endurance races where GT and Sportscars are mixed. Paul sorry just read your comment - lapping ? absolutely and when I can afford a Cooper Monaco I look forward to doing the same!!!

[PaulSands]

[jminsh]

Agreed Simon on the GT + Sportscar problem i also race in the French V de V endurance championship in a Chevron B16 against the likes of 911 porsches and E type Jags.So i find it better to wait till it's safe or till you know the've seen you before going past ie after the bend rather than the braking area.

[simon drabble]

what is the VdeV series like?
We were both at Charade at the same time this year, I was there with the Gentlemen Drivers Series
I like the idea of long distance races - longer term I think I will probably move to a more modern open sports racer and do more endurance
You must find a massive speed difference between the Appendix k cars and yours and I presume you must be on modern tyres instead of the Dunlops?

[jminsh]

Its brilliant fun and we do still have to run on dunlop cr28's.They do run another championship alongside the historic called the Moderne which will cater for almost any modern sports or GT car at proper tracks across europe.
Go to www.vdev.fr for championship details and venues.

[simon drabble]

seems that Sports 2000 derived Thundersports cars fall between two stools too young for something like VdeV or Orwell and too old to be meaningful in series like Britsports!
I certainly would not want to leave historics and having a car eligble for the long distance races is definately preferable.
Do you think the Spa 6 hour will creep their cut off fwd to 71 as well? If so the 23b's etc will suddenly be completely outclassed

[PaulSands]

Get a GT40

[jminsh]

I don't think the Spa 6 hours will move it's been pre 65 for ages It would open a bigger can of worms if they did.
I think maybe an Elva mk8 with a BMW engine would be a better choice than a 23B as they give us a run in the B16 aswell as being in the invitation class for the 6 hours at Spa