Should V8 Supercars go overseas ??

[Matt H]

Hi.

Here is a poll, and spots for your opinions. should V8supercars go overseas ? end of story.

[marcus]

I voted Yes , so why not ?

[racer69]

Keep the Championship in Australia.

If Cochrane wants to push on with his obsession of oversea's races (which he has been promising each year since 1996), then run them as non-championship races at the end of the year. eg..after NZ, have a special race in Dubai one year, China the next, Sepang the next.....

[Matt H]

diotto racer69, but make thoise overseas rounds a rolling championship perhaps, or even two rounds per year and make them the overseas v8 challenge,

[stmookeyj033]

ONly in New Zealand. Have 2 rounds ther if you have to.

[GTRMagic]

I can see with the demise of V8SC in the UK, and the launching of the Monaro and HSV products there, that Holden will be interested in seeing their cars race there at some stage.

The US is also a possibility given the same vehicles are now for sale there too.

But poor old Ford, without much of an export market for Falcon beyond South Africa and th elike, will not get a benefit from it at all...

[Big Trev]

NZ is not overseas (my opinion - OK!)

[Archer]

Australia and New Zealand Championship (65%/35%) with Holden and Ford V8 Supercars! No Jap manufactuers!!!

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Big Trev
NZ is not overseas (my opinion - OK!)

One of the roughest stretches of water in the world - I hope you are a good swimmer in your opinion!!!

[Tazio]

A couple of races a year O S is fine, but remember that part of Champcars problems stemmed from to many overseas races alienating the racefans and diluting their sponsorship base

[jas105]

The last time I looked, it was the 'Australian Touring Car Championship'
Meaning Australian Cars (Holden Commondore/Ford Falcon), Austarlian Circiuts(including NZ.)

[nicko]

it would be good if they could have a Auckland street race and another race in New Zealand on a south Island Race Track (Ruapuna Raceway). Its a great combination. If you aussie guys are a wee bit upset like tracks like philip island are being axed then maybe they shouldnt go to eastern creek twice.

[GTRMagic]

Originally posted by jas105
The last time I looked, it was the 'Australian Touring Car Championship'
Meaning Australian Cars (Holden Commondore/Ford Falcon), Austarlian Circiuts(including NZ.)

Is the winning driver actually awarded the title of Australian Touring Car Champion?

I thought the position Marcos Ambrose now holds is 2003 V8 Supercar Champion, of the V8 Supercar series presented by Victoria Bitter and Bigpond?

[Mattracer]

NO! NZ shopuld be included because of the quality NZ drivers competing here and because Ford/Holden sell cars in NZ but that should be it. The only thing sold in China would be he HSV bicycles.

Ambrose could be the Australasian/Pacific Region Touring Car Champion presented by VB and Big Pond.

[deeks6]

I voted yes...with a proviso.
There is no hope of the series succeeding overseas with just Holdens and Falcons.
As i've said before, make the Konica series the ATCC (and a feeder) and bring in other makes and make the main game an Asia-Pacific-South Africa series. Those other countries can have a feeder series too...then culminate the lot into a Speed Week at Bathurst - Tourers, 24 Hour, F3...everything in one massive celebration of motorsport for a week.

[mjt57]

The series has limited sponsorship here in Oz. Australian corporations who have the bux are notoriously tight when it comes to sponsoring off-shore events and drivers.

Also, taking races overseas takes races away from local tracks. And this hurts the local tracks, which in turn will hurt the other classes that rely on exposure at V8 events in order to survive.

Right now, there's the spectre of a number of tracks closing. Oran Park, I believe, is under threat from expanding urbanisation. Lakeside's gone. Malalla isn't doing much, Wannaroo was touch and go for a while, none of the Tassie tracks are getting a guernsey, Phillip Island has been shut out, Sandown's likely to become another housing development and Calder is out in the cold.

For Victoria that leaves Winton (which is a lot further from Melbourne that Phillip Island is), the AGP support event, invite only, thanks. NSW has E. Creek and OP for now. I dunno much about Wakefield Park. QLD has QLD Raceway, but that track's as boring a a Scalectrix track, and isn't Hidden Valley under the microscope?

So, for me, the idea of offshore events isn't a good one.

[Bigguy]

Camrys and Magnas are Australian cars too. It is time we got rid of this cr@p that only Holden and Ford are "Australian" Instead of stupid races bemusing people in other countries, how's about getting at least Toyota onboard here, and putting an end to this sham. After all, they're not really even Holdens or Fords are they?

Maybe Kes Weel should get Dencar to pump out a few "blueprint" Camry shells....

[Ozfords]

The world can take the main series, it will leave room for the more exciting local Konica Minolta Series!! Who knows there could be more better televising of this series if were to become our local form of V8 entertainment.

If it goes international I swear in 2010 Ford will be contracted to provide engines.


Ozfords

[Mattracer]

Originally posted by Bigguy
Camrys and Magnas are Australian cars too. It is time we got rid of this cr@p that only Holden and Ford are "Australian" Instead of stupid races bemusing people in other countries, how's about getting at least Toyota onboard here, and putting an end to this sham. After all, they're not really even Holdens or Fords are they?

Maybe Kes Weel should get Dencar to pump out a few "blueprint" Camry shells....

They may be built in Australia, but do they get the looks, stares and bar room debates going like the Ford/Holden rivalry does? This is what the whole series is actually built on- the perception of the contemporary Aussie muscle car rivalry, the pure grunt of the big V8. Camry/Magna debates are more often at the RSL and the Bowls club and not about what's in the car park either.

[Grahame West]

Yes please. I've always been a big fan of Aussie V8's Fair enough if not a championship round but would be great to see them in Europe/UK. One of my unfilled ambitions is to go to Bathurst as either a fan or to marshal. I maybe old grey by the time I get the money together but one day I'll be over.

[Bigguy]

Mattracer, can't you see this is a chicken/egg thing? BECAUSE of the closed shop between GMH and Ford, Toyota and Mistubishi are not ever playing in the same paddock.

If V8 Camrys were competitively participating in the V8 series, over time they would build the same sort of following. That is >exactly< why GMH & Ford don't want them in!

[grumpy1]

Mattracer I don't know what bowls or RSL club your talking about but in my local ones there are more dunnydoors and coons than Jap makes.
On that point neither GMH or Ford are Aussie as you put it.Toyota and Mitsubishi do more test design and development work in Aus than the other so called aussie cars.
Neither Holden or Ford would welcome the other two because it would mean they would have to spend more money to catch them.Toyota & Mitsubishi have well developed racing programs OS who would,could and have built cars to compete here only to be refused.I for one think that attitude needs to change if this series is going to survive the OS experiment.The Chinese have no idea what a Falcon or a Commode is but the Camray and Magna shapes are recognizable to them.
Just one more point the new Magna VRX has more go than a SS or the XR6T.Look for the comparison testing between the 4 sports models in an upcoming Wheels mag(sorry don't know when they publish it).I think all Holden and Ford fans are in for shock.

The Grumpy1

[Panzer]

I voted yes. There is always a lot of talk about drivers not having the money to be able to compete, of teams of haves and have nots, surley with races in ... say China, Malayisa, or anywhere else broarden the sponorship base and allow the sport to become more professional. Lets actually pay the drivers for sticking their necks on the line every time they go out to entertain the us. I know the drivers would welcome that.Perhaps a race in Japan they love fast cars and would go ape over OZ V8 muscle cars.
You don't have to take away the OZ rounds just add the OS ones. F1 has 18 rounda this year. Perhaps overseas rounds would give Australian companies some advantage in getting their products excepted there. Idon't kmow. Just some thoughts. But lets go.

[Archer]

Guys Guys Guys

C'mon here, think about it seriously through the eyes of the bogan commoner on the hill with his mullett, blue singlet, stubbies & VB.

We are all racing enthusiests, competitiors etc. And through our knowledge of different series' world wide we can see benifits and down sides to the manufacturer / OS rounds debate.

But seriously, with the series as successful as it is now, do you seriously wanna go stuffing around with it?!

IF IT AINT BROKE DONT FIX IT!

Holden Vs Ford, 13 round Championship, 10 Aus, 3 NZ would be perfect.

A third manufacturer will ruin the great series we have on a COMMON level. Its a heritage thing, it goes back to our fathers (and grandfathers for some), its an Australian rilvery, V8 HOLDEN versus V8 FORD, could you imagine, seriously open your mind a little here and imagine throwing a CAMREY or a MAGNA in that mix, DONT BE RIDICULOUS!

This is not and open wheel catagory or rally catagory, or 2 litre milk carton touring cars where multiple manufacturers is common and accepted...

This is UNIQUE, This is OUR OWN!

If you wanna watch Magnas, Camerys, or similar insignifcant cars is Australias heritage, go and watch the excitment of the BTCC, Audi versus Pergeot, YAY!

The sheer thought of a Camery or Magna in a catagory with V8 Falcons and Commodores if laughible and very, very lame.

Casting business views to one side and looked at through the eyes of commoner, this is the second worse mistake AVESCO could make, the first would be off sure events (except NZ). But hay, if you want to end up like CART/Champcar/OWRS or whatever, go ahead TC!

[Kixx]

NO NO NO they should not!!!

Main reason: It has already seen the demise of Phillip Island. It's a tradition for me. Lining up at the gate at 5:00 am to get our spot. Bacon and Eggs for brekky trackside. It will never be the same.