2014 Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour: 7-9 February (Merged)

[one five five]

Originally Posted by bathurst

Ditto, they were way outside the rules

They weren't outside Ross Palmer's rules, who owned the category, the race & therefore the ruleset....

[bluesport]

Originally Posted by one five five

They weren't outside Ross Palmer's rules, who owned the category, the race & therefore the ruleset....

Let's just hope the B12hr doesn't end up like Ross Palmer's category and his ruleset.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

GRM need to get the Monaro band back together

As much as love those cars (ive got a treasured model at home) I dont want to see that happen at all.

If it aint FIA GT3 spec they can sod off! This race is doing quite nice with the FIA GT3 cars mixed with the proddies, if it doesnt land in either camp they shouldnt be allowed.

I have no problem with a one off Commodore like Mal's-let face it they're not gonna beat the GTs so let them run and enjoy themselves. If the likes of GRM try to enter with a V8 Supercar or the Monaro then they should be told in no uncertain terms-NO.

Mind you if GRM wanted to run a Camaro or Corvette GT3 then come on in guys

[Reload]

Originally Posted by rich07

As much as love those cars (ive got a treasured model at home) I dont want to see that happen at all.

If it aint FIA GT3 spec they can sod off! This race is doing quite nice with the FIA GT3 cars mixed with the proddies, if it doesnt land in either camp they shouldnt be allowed.

I have no problem with a one off Commodore like Mal's-let face it they're not gonna beat the GTs so let them run and enjoy themselves. If the likes of GRM try to enter with a V8 Supercar or the Monaro then they should be told in no uncertain terms-NO.

Mind you if GRM wanted to run a Camaro or Corvette GT3 then come on in guys

I'm hearing you as not only do I have a treasured model, but i had a yellow GTS Coupe sitting in the garage.
Loved the look and sound of the 2 cars, but we need to make sure that that doesn't happen again.

[KSM86]

Originally Posted by bluesport

Let's just hope the B12hr doesn't end up like Ross Palmer's category and his ruleset.

I dont think they will, i believe James Obrien was apart of the 24hour crew who ran it aswell, im sure he knows not to ever go down that path.

[bathurst]

Originally Posted by one five five

They weren't outside Ross Palmer's rules, who owned the category, the race & therefore the ruleset....

Yes that is correct, but they were the only cars Ross Palmer would allow to enter outside the rules, that's where it wasn't fair.

[Axeman444]

Originally Posted by rich07

Mind you if GRM wanted to run a Camaro or Corvette GT3 then come on in guys

what about a Chrysler?

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by KSM86

I dont think they will, i believe James Obrien was apart of the 24hour crew who ran it aswell, im sure he knows not to ever go down that path.

James O'Brien was not part of the 24 hour Ross Palmer crew but other than that, you're spot on - I can't see him ever going down that sort of path.

[KSM86]

Originally Posted by Tourer

James O'Brien was not part of the 24 hour Ross Palmer crew but other than that, you're spot on - I can't see him ever going down that sort of path.

hmm, i thought he mentioned it in an interview on speedweek a few months back?

[GROUPA]

Hope the Z4 stays in Australia

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by KSM86

hmm, i thought he mentioned it in an interview on speedweek a few months back?

James was the head operations guy at IMG running the Bathurst 1000 at the time of the 24 hour races.

[one five five]

Originally Posted by Tourer

James was the head operations guy at IMG running the Bathurst 1000 at the time of the 24 hour races.

That was the only thing that troubled me (probably wrongly) originally about the O'Brien connection with the 12hr and his previous links through IMG to V8Supercars (at least until Archer bought in), would V8Supercars try and muscle in on the growth of the 12hr.

Thankfully that hasn't happened and judged on 2013 and into the future we can have two successful and very different enduro's at the Mountain.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by one five five

That was the only thing that troubled me (probably wrongly) originally about the O'Brien connection with the 12hr and his previous links through IMG to V8Supercars (at least until Archer bought in), would V8Supercars try and muscle in on the growth of the 12hr.

Thankfully that hasn't happened and judged on 2013 and into the future we can have two successful and very different enduro's at the Mountain.

Amen to that.

The likelihood of V8s muscling in pre Archer were non existent, same as since Archer. Whilst James had worked with V8s as a promoter, no reason to think that he'd want to do so again for this very different event. V8s have plenty of work with their existing commitments too.

Closest he came to any V8 involvement was the WPS sponsorship and their ride car getting a workout at the event.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by Axeman444

what about a Chrysler?

The 300c safety car? Hahaha

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Tourer

The likelihood of V8s muscling in pre Archer were non existent, same as since Archer.

Some chat around the mountain during the 12 Hour suggested otherwise. It was only chat with no hard evidence but it did suggest the growth of the event had ruffled a few feathers inside V8SA and that there was desire of some involvement in the event.

Fingers crossed this doesnt eventuate.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Some chat around the mountain during the 12 Hour suggested otherwise. It was only chat with no hard evidence but it did suggest the growth of the event had ruffled a few feathers inside V8SA and that there was desire of some involvement in the event.

Fingers crossed this doesnt eventuate.

Agree - completely different types of event.

Hard to imagine why they'd want to get involved - they've got plenty to do on their own existing events and a reasonably strong 12 hour adds to the Bathurst aura in general.

[D.R.T.]

Maybe for the same reasons Bernie bought the WTCC in the late 80's while also running F1

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Maybe for the same reasons Bernie bought the WTCC in the late 80's while also running F1

Did he? I do remember his Procar idea - Brabham built an Alfa 164 in 1988 and demonstrated it at Monza - the idea was to have a support for F1.

If he bought the (then) WTCC I'd forgotten about it.

[peckstar]

wow imagine if you could get the millions of v8 fans to be interested instead of the few thousand GT fans.

The event would go off,

[one five five]

Originally Posted by Tourer

Did he? I do remember his Procar idea - Brabham built an Alfa 164 in 1988 and demonstrated it at Monza - the idea was to have a support for F1.

If he bought the (then) WTCC I'd forgotten about it.

FISA gave Bernie Ecclestone promotional rights to all FISA-sanctioned World Championships from 1987 onwards, thus in addition to F1 he picked up the then about to start WTCC & World Sportscar Championship, plus the WRC.

Strathmore had done all the groundwork throughout 1985 & 1986 to get the WTCC going, but were elbowed out in the new deal.

Bernie immediatley increased entry fee's & enforced strict entry rules (if you wanted to earn points) to steer the championship towards the professional works teams.

He had an ultimate goal of getting his PROCAR thing up and running, and indeed the axing of WTCC at the end of 1987 and the ETCC at the end of 1988 was seen as a way to clear the path for PROCAR.......which never eventuated

The World Sportscar Championship folded also under Bernie's watch 3 years later as well.... the conspiracy theorists summised that Bernie wasn't too upset both championships fell by the wayside, as it pushed the focus towards F1

Here is a video that explains a little of it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZl155k3iaM

Originally Posted by peckstar

wow imagine if you could get the millions of v8 fans to be interested instead of the few thousand GT fans.

The event would go off, .

V8Supercars couldn't get their millions of fans to attend the standalone Development Series events.... why would they attend a GT race instead?

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by one five five

V8Supercars couldn't get their millions of fans to attend the standalone Development Series events.... why would they attend a GT race instead?

and while you maybe right, they did manage to get bigger crowds than were at Bathurst the other weekend.

They did manage to get a bigger crowd to a "test day" though last weekend as well

they would bring in a rule that would see all of there drivers competiting in different entries. thus increasing the appeal and placing there marketing team into action

[bluesport]

Originally Posted by peckstar

wow imagine if you could get the millions of v8 fans to be interested instead of the few thousand GT fans.

The event would go off,

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by one five five

FISA gave Bernie Ecclestone promotional rights to all FISA-sanctioned World Championships from 1987 onwards, thus in addition to F1 he picked up the then about to start WTCC & World Sportscar Championship, plus the WRC.

Strathmore had done all the groundwork throughout 1985 & 1986 to get the WTCC going, but were elbowed out in the new deal.

Bernie immediatley increased entry fee's & enforced strict entry rules (if you wanted to earn points) to steer the championship towards the professional works teams.

He had an ultimate goal of getting his PROCAR thing up and running, and indeed the axing of WTCC at the end of 1987 and the ETCC at the end of 1988 was seen as a way to clear the path for PROCAR.......which never eventuated

The World Sportscar Championship folded also under Bernie's watch 3 years later as well.... the conspiracy theorists summised that Bernie wasn't too upset both championships fell by the wayside, as it pushed the focus towards F1

Here is a video that explains a little of it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZl155k3iaM

Oh, totally recall all that - Bernie being granted promotional rights by FISA. I just didn't recall that Bernie had "bought the WTCC" as DRT put it. Maybe this is what he meant. Not having a shot at you DRT by the way but I don't remember Bernie buying ETCC - promotional rights though, now that was a different story.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Tourer

Oh, totally recall all that - Bernie being granted promotional rights by FISA. I just didn't recall that Bernie had "bought the WTCC" as DRT put it. Maybe this is what he meant. Not having a shot at you DRT by the way but I don't remember Bernie buying ETCC - promotional rights though, now that was a different story.

Sorry mate - that may have been a vague description however the implications for the WTCC were the same. Bernie had control and tightened the noose and you saw the outcome - and the motivation for it was quite clear.

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Sorry mate - that may have been a vague description however the implications for the WTCC were the same. Bernie had control and tightened the noose and you saw the outcome - and the motivation for it was quite clear.

Impacted everything didn't it? Sports cars as well - many felt that he was setting out to destabilise / wipe out those categories to keep F1 on top and the focus for manufacturers.

Shame really - the Group A version of WTCC was much more like a genuine WTCC than the current version.