BTCC 2018 in-season discussion

[BobJones]

Simpson's learnt from three other teams, always wanted to do this, blah blah blah.

All very noble points, and probably true to an extent.

But you wouldn't do it part-way through a season, would you?

[Robin Marriott]

He’s got nothing to lose though, he’s not a championship contender in any way and as others have said, he can work out what his team is missing in the
Last 3 meetings and rectify that over the winter, allowing him to go for a proper campaign next year.

[BLiTZ]

I wonder what happens with the engine. Does Simpson 'own' (or however it works nowadays) the NBE lump that came with the car or do we suspect he'll shift to the TOCA unit?

Eurotech made a big thing about switching (back) to the Honda engines for this year (perhaps they planned on gaining data from the engine Simpson brought with him from his stint with Team Dynamics) so it suggests *insert Sean Bean - one does not simply...* run the NBE engine without deep pockets etc.

Putting my tin foil hat on for a second... What if Mr Tesco/Silverline/Adrian Flux has spotted another opportunity with a small team owner with seemingly deep pockets and has convinced them to join up for next year... (Perhaps one for the 2019 thread!)

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by BLiTZ

I wonder what happens with the engine. Does Simpson 'own' (or however it works nowadays) the NBE lump that came with the car or do we suspect he'll shift to the TOCA unit?

its his NBE engine. nothing changes

[Racer65]

Originally Posted by BobJones

But you wouldn't do it part-way through a season, would you?

Why not? It's not as though he's fighting for the championship so surely better to use the rest of this season to get the new team working rather than risk messing up the first couple of rounds next season as I said above?

They can go into the winter with a much better idea of what needs doing that way as well.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Racer65

Why not? It's not as though he's fighting for the championship so surely better to use the rest of this season to get the new team working rather than risk messing up the first couple of rounds next season as I said above?

They can go into the winter with a much better idea of what needs doing that way as well.

Presumably Eurotech have been running the car on a race by race basis, meaning that The Simpsons pay for one race at a time? I can't see how otherwise they could do this to them.

This reminds of a story back from the final race of the 1987 BTCC Season where a mysterious (and empty) transporter had turned up in the paddock and the story was that one of the cars would peel off the track before the end of the race, drive into the paddock and into the back of this transporter. Unfortunately the plan never worked out as the said car ended beached in the gravel somewhere around the circuit...

I'm not suggesting that Matt Simpson has been so underhand, it's just something that the situation reminds me of!

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by BobJones

Simpson's learnt from three other teams, always wanted to do this, blah blah blah.

All very noble points, and probably true to an extent.

But you wouldn't do it part-way through a season, would you?

I was going to say the same.

During the mid-season break maybe. Three races from the end of the year seems odd timing.

[Alfisti]

Maybe Simpson has something lined up involving others and wants to get a head start on his own?

Or maybe simply he thinks he knows enough to go it alone?

Time will tell!

[Evantra]

From their press release -

"We’re really excited to take the British Touring Car project in house, it gives us the opportunity to focus on our own setup and destiny with the aim of taking the base we have built and moving up to the next level. I’d like to thank Eurotech Racing for a fantastic experience in the first part of this season and wish them, Jack and Brett luck for the rest of the year.”

[aland]

Matt already has his transporter with awning, tools and hospitality bus also a squad of mechanics. Eurotech were only looking after the car on race weekends, dont forget he is a world champion on the short ovals. his truck is the immaculate one with multiple slide outs, his bus is a very impressive bit of kit too

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Presumably Eurotech have been running the car on a race by race basis, meaning that The Simpsons pay for one race at a time? I can't see how otherwise they could do this to them.



This reminds of a story back from the final race of the 1987 BTCC Season where a mysterious (and empty) transporter had turned up in the paddock and the story was that one of the cars would peel off the track before the end of the race, drive into the paddock and into the back of this transporter. Unfortunately the plan never worked out as the said car ended beached in the gravel somewhere around the circuit...



I'm not suggesting that Matt Simpson has been so underhand, it's just something that the situation reminds me of!

Tell me more, you’ve intrigued me!

[pimmy]

Dennis Leech ended up in the gravel in that race. I've never heard anything about this plan though.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Tell me more, you’ve intrigued me!

No names, no pack drill!

Originally Posted by pimmy

Dennis Leech ended up in the gravel in that race. I've never heard anything about this plan though.

It wasn't Dennis, actually I think I got the year wrong, it could have been 1988!

[KA]

Originally Posted by pimmy

Dennis Leech ended up in the gravel in that race. I've never heard anything about this plan though.

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

No names, no pack drill!

It wasn't Dennis, actually I think I got the year wrong, it could have been 1988!

Pretty sure it wouldn't have been Dennis Leech, as IIRC didn't he always run his own car?. I'm going to have to watch the videos of the final rounds for 87/8 now to see who falls off into the gravel and was run by a different team the next year!

[Moneyseeker]

Whilst we are ruminating, I wonder how Dave Bartrum really feels about this season? They have gone backwards and without MJ have no team leader or someone who can really wring the neck out of the car. They have three good cheque writers in the car, so no doubt the budget is healthier, but that is not translating into results.



I don't know how commited Tordoff really is, he seemed hacked off after Rockingham, not just about that weekend but the season so far in general.
https://www.touringcartimes.com/2018...ckingham-luck/

[Alfisti]

Tordoff to me seemed to not have his heart in racing even when he was at WSR and close to a possible championship: I have no issues with people with bags of money, but I do like to see enthusiasm - Sonic brings money and enthusiasm whereas I think Tordoff simply brings money.

[VIVA GT]

To be fair to Motorbase, the only luck they've had this season has been bad luck. Tordoff & Chilton bot appear to be decent peddlers and have often managed to make up quite a few places from poor starting positions, I think it's just circumstances that have prevented the results they deserved.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

To be fair to Motorbase, the only luck they've had this season has been bad luck. Tordoff & Chilton bot appear to be decent peddlers and have often managed to make up quite a few places from poor starting positions, I think it's just circumstances that have prevented the results they deserved.

Same old story. Can't be "bad luck" every year for the past 14 years!!

[aland]

in btcc when the difference between success and failure can be measured with a feeler gauge i wouldnt be hard on any team, this isnt the btc/s2000 days where there was small grids and cars that were just dogs. 31 car grids, a lot of control parts. every driver wants to win but it is just a bawhair between winning and losing

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

To be fair to Motorbase, the only luck they've had this season has been bad luck. Tordoff & Chilton bot appear to be decent peddlers and have often managed to make up quite a few places from poor starting positions, I think it's just circumstances that have prevented the results they deserved.

That's becoming an understatement.

[S griffin]

Chilton isn't too far off the championship lead, showing he's had a consistent season. For Tordoff though, how much bad luck has he had? When things run smoothly he gets results, but it hasn't been often enough

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Chilton isn't too far off the championship lead, showing he's had a consistent season. For Tordoff though, how much bad luck has he had? When things run smoothly he gets results, but it hasn't been often enough

I'd certainly say Cammish torpedoing him at the start of race one last weekend not Tordoff's fault!

[porsche962fan]

maybe "someone" cursed Motorbase really badly this season ?

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

maybe "someone" cursed Motorbase really badly this season ?

Are you inferring that Mat Jackson has a voodoo doll of Dave Bartrum and a big box of pins?

[porsche962fan]

I didn't say that but as things look for them thiis season you have to wonder