All-new V8 Championship To Join British F3/gt

[Craig]

Because Rouse's engineering know how largely relates to big high powered cars rather than to modern day Euro touring cars.

This is a message from Alan Gow which sums up my thoughts exactly:

It will have no impact on the BTCC at all.

The SCV8 is not a touring car or anything like it; it's not production-based, is not manufacturer supported, has no history or following and currently has no firm sponsorship or TV arrangements in place.

It is a space-frame chassis with fibreglass body utilising a generic V8 engine.....a few years ago there was a series for similar types of non-production-based cars, called "Thundersaloons".

Later, "Eurocars" also tried a similar (but more basic) concept. It too failed to capture any great support.

It is also similar in concept to a series in Germany, called V8stars, which has no impact at all on touring car racing and which has proven to be very thinly supported.

It will be supporting the F3/GT package, which usually plays to very small crowds compared to the BTCC.

Given that the concept and the car is not new and has been announced for the last 2 years, but failing to take off both times due to a lack of interest, it's future is still rather questionable.

[JR Ewing]

I think it's sounds great, and can hopefully be the final death knell for series that shouldn't exist as being far too tired - Tuscans, GTs, Eurocar (or whatever it's called now), or series that should never have existed at all - Focus Cup, Seats, ASCAR etc. etc.
Why anyone could prefer the BTCC snorathon is beyond me. This sounds like a professional race package of which, in my opinion, none exists in the UK at present...
Alan Gow's comments are very interesting as, if he saw no threat, he wouldn't be making press comments at all. To talk about it shows that he does have some concerns...

[ern]

I would love to see the business plan for the V8 Supercars, how did Andy Rouse get multi million pounds of backing for a championship now compared to the old Thundersaloons ?, this series was dying on its feet due to the massive costs involved before becoming Formula Saloons, how many V8's now run in that series, 2 or 3 and that is at national level run by enthusiasts not big sponsors.

There simply is not the sponsorship money around for another major series, surely they would be better off ploughing the TV money into some of the many good UK series still around instead of creating another white elephant.!!!!!!!!!!!!

[greenamex2]

What can I say that hasn't already been said.

1. ANOTHER one make series to spread entries more thinly.
2. ANOTHER Managing Directors playground.
3. A long long time ago 'manufacturers' (inc Rouse) used to go racing to prove that they were better than the others. Now it seems they are too scared of losing and go 'one make'. I am sure the fact that they stand to make money out of it is purely accidental.

Ultimately my thoughts count for nothing as I am a nobody club competitor not having (or wanting) big name sponsors and doing most of my own preparation/support. I doubt if the MSA OR the organising clubs would be too sorry if they lost my business. I believe they would all prefer a more 'targetted customer base'.

Rant over, back to earning more racing tokens before I get too depressed.

[Cynic]

Sounds like a good idea on paper, but it seems odd that just as the MSA are starting to seriously look at reducing the number of championships, along comes another one. And one which sounds suspiciously like a revamp of an already tried (and failed) format. It could be an ideal replacement for the Tuscans or then Porsches, but I can't see either of them getting the boot while the manufacturers are still prepared to suppport them. I'd love to see it work, but it looks like a good candidate to fall flat on it's face. Expect to see them in a 750MC meeting near you in five or six years time.

[ascarracinguk]

WHAT THE HELL IS THE POINT????? if you want v8s weve got ASCAR if you want touring cars weve got..well touring cars....its just another series to dilute the rest....BAD IDEA!!!!!

[GTRMagic]

I wouldnt think Andy Rouse had chosen to get involved in this to have no engineering competition, the truth may lay closer towards being unable to get a BTCC gig up after prodrive finally took the god-awful Mondeo's to the series win.... damaged the reputation did that one...

[Andrew Kitson]

It does sound good but I can't see it ever gaining manufacturer support. Why should they if the cars are to be powered by a 'one make' V8 - not of their design or supply? However, why should it need it? If it is spectacular with good drivers and affordable it should succeed.

Knowing of Andy Rouse's engineering skills - he showed me around the first prototype a couple of years ago - this will be a much better and sophisticated design than Eurocars which with respect, were glorified short oval hot rods.

When I first started watching the BTCC, called the British Saloon Car Championship back then, there were very few works teams - the BMC Mini's and Broadspeed Escorts were 'works' I suppose, but the racing was great with massive crowds everywhere, as big or bigger than the mid 90s BTCC and these 'works' cars could be beaten with almost similar equipment. Full grids and also some big, hairy, powerful, spectacular V8s at the front. It was noisy and a great spectacle - even when watching one car alone in practice powersliding. You can't say that about the BTCC today. Yes the modern BTCC can be spectacular too (only when racing together) but it lacks noise, sideways action and speed.

The DTM has all of these but also big manufacturer support with huge crowds. Look at the crowds at last weeks Norisring event - 128,000 paying spectators. It seems that this new V8 series wants what the DTM has got and the BTCC hasn't - power and the Wow! factor. What the BTCC should have done is adopted the DTM rules....

I hope this new idea succeeds but as pointed out above there will be casualties in other Championships as there are only so many funded drivers to go around.

[Larsen]

This sounds familiar to something a few years ago. When TOCA were deciding about the new regs for 2001, didnt Rouse produce a prototype of a V8 Saloon car (Peugeot styled body). I dont know whether it would actually be this at all but even if it was, i dont think it would take off.

[Muppet]

USA has NASCAR, Oz has the Aussie V8s and V8 Brutes, Germany has the DTM and V8 Star, the UK has ASCAR at Rockingham and wimpy BTCC.

We need an "ASCAR" for road courses.

I reckon the MSA should drop the BTCC (a white elephant if ever there was one) and replace it with a series with proper cars.

IMO

;-)

[rijkthebike]

at last someones seen some sense, rear wheel drive v8s in the uk.

The best thing they can do is get rid of the dull and boring current btcc rules. Lets give the v8's a chance if the rules/series works then it will be awesome.

Besides the British Superbike championship is a lot more entertaining and offers the fan a great deal more excitement the touring cars, always has done always will do.

[Keith Wheeler]

This project was damn-near stillborn 3 years ago and there is even less money about now than there is now. Aside from the money, i don't believe there are enough drivers to go round this and the other major championships. If it goes to the wall then blame the MSA for granting it a licence. Who said Interactive Sportscars / Ford Focus Cup?

[neilwaynesmith]

It was with some dismay that I read the announcement that "British motor racing is going to be revitalised by a major new series featuring V8-engined, 550bhp rear-wheel drive saloons next season".

Having read further, the release hints that this would be "high quality racing with dramatic cars and star name drivers, a format which is currently not seen in Britain, but is enjoyed in other countries around the globe with series such as the Australian V8s, DTM and NASCAR".

Excuse my ignorance but don't we already have ASCAR in this country? Doesn't that series already have star name drivers and the all-important television coverage?

As your own Marcus Pye correctly points out, we already have a glut of national race series and a fast-eroding supply of sponsorship money. It is an incompatible mixture causing drivers to 'rest' and grids to haemorrage support. The last thing we need is another "high-profile" series arriving in a blaze of glory, deafened by the sound of it's own publicity machine and blinded to the current reality of British Motorsport.

If you think I am being unnecessarily negative, think 'Focus Cup', think 'Eurocar' and it's terminally ill progeny, 'VSR'. I'm sorry gentlemen, but the last thing British Motorsport needs is further dilution caused by a short term series that will almost inevitably wither and die.

I would suggest that those involved help themselves to a large slice of reality pie and wash it down with a mug of sensibility. I am surprised at Andy Rouse getting sucked into this, I always thought he had more commercial sense than that.

[G.Walker]

A championship like this is what is lacking on the UK Motorsport scene, the spectators would surely love a major V8 rear wheel drive saloon championship!

BUT there are already too many series existing including the BTCC and ASCAR, both of which i find lacking major appeal. This championship needs to be pushed to the FORE FRONT of UK racing or there is absolutly no point at all. All we need is another EUROCAR shambles to further complicate this issue.

At least 4 championships need to be abolished before this is even remotely considered. We can only hope!

[neilwaynesmith]

In addition to ASCAR, if you want V8 power, we already have several fragmented championships, scratched together from the remnants of Eurocar, Thundersaloons etc, etc.

If this goes ahead it will only be a matter of years before the support and P.R. backup is withdrawn, forcing the series onto the club scene. Eventually the people who can afford to run the cars will drift away and the series will dwindle until ultimately it becomes a mere 'class' in a regional championship.

If the MSA have any sense (stop sniggering) they'll channel all of this newfound enthusiasm into developing ASCAR, perhaps taking it out onto a couple of 'road courses' to spread it's appeal to fans for whom a trip to Rockingham is not an easy venture?

What we need is a motorsports organisation with the balls to stop rolling over for the lure of large amounts of cash. To get up and say no.

And while they are at it, kill off or merge some of the twenty or thirty 'lame duck' series that are festering in the British scene.

[neilwaynesmith]

With the BRDC involved, one assumes that around 70% of the budget will be spent on nice looking but unsuitable hospitality venues, 15% on press releases and advertisements, 10% on the finest Krug and the rest on the championship. Ultimately they will realise they haven't got enough money and blame Bernie Ecclestone for whatever reason.

Incidentally, it will be a Ten round championship.

Rounds 1 & 2: Silverstone National circuit

Rounds 3 & 4: Silverstone International circuit

Rounds 5 & 6: Silverstone Club circuit

Rounds 7 & 8: Silverstone Stowe circuit

Rounds 9 & 10: Silverstone National circuit (with funfair and marching bands if budgets allow).

[carrera]

Alan Gow needs to get his facts straight, Thundersaloons were production based cars utilising 4, 6 or 8 cylinder engines and not in any way similar to this proposed series.

[Kicking-back]

There's a lot of negativity about the BTCC here but the simple fact is manufacturers want to use front-wheel drive two-litre cars because that's what they market and sell.

If you're Vauxhall it helps to market the Astra through your racing but you aint gonna sell many 600hp rear wheel drive cars.

And as for boring racing - blame the circuits - look at the last round at Rockingham - great stuff.

[JR Ewing]

Originally posted by carrera
Alan Gow needs to get his facts straight, Thundersaloons were production based cars utilising 4, 6 or 8 cylinder engines and not in any way similar to this proposed series.

I'd noted that but couldn't be bothered to write it.
Thundersaloons was never more that a souped-up club series. Sounds like he's running scared...

[Cynic]

If you're Vauxhall it helps to market the Astra through your racing but you aint gonna sell many 600hp rear wheel drive cars.

True, but then I don't see ASCAR fans rushing out to buy Chevy Monte Carlo's either. The BTCC has always had a merketing element because it's always used production-based cars. Rouse is clearly aiming for an entertainment factor here, and I think thatwould work. It's really down to whether the driver and sponsor interest is really there.

[Tim Harvey Fan]

What type of cars would this series have? Something like BMW 5-Series or more like BMW 3-Series?

[Sim_Da_BTCC_Man]

If Alan Gow doesnt sort the BTCC out (IMO he's screwing it more), then the BTCC as a whole is screwed by this new championship if it is succesful.

[touringlegend]

I think this new championship should be given a chance. Admittedly, it's another series that the UK could do without, but you never know what can happen. If it provides good racing, I'll watch it (if I can?)...

Andy Rouse has stated on the record they are not in straight competition with the BTCC - whereas it is aimed at manufacturers, the SCV8's only need the manufacturers blessing however if any works teams want to compete no-one will stop them.

I think it could attract many of the old BTCC Super Touring fans because of the shape of the cars.

However, I remain cautiously optimistic as to whether we'll ever see any decent sized grids in SCV8's...

[Snapper Baz]

Hang on a minute...arn't they trying to push for a bigger and better European TCC for next year...along with more entries for the BTCC...where are the drivers going to come from then? As Mr Wheeler said...it died a death a few years ago so how will it work for next year...it won't!

[Chris Y]

It didn't really die a few years ago, it was 'swept under the carpet' by BMP. That was before ASCAR, when there may have been a market for it, but now I'm not so sure.

You can't have these, ASCAR and Eurocar/VSRs - there's only so much space-frame V6/V8 the British public can deal with.