[iV8SC15R28R29R30] ITM 500 Auckland, Pukekohe: 6-8 Nov

[Mixer]

Bet we won't be hearing an apology from Tim Edwards as to the moron that caused that incident....

[Woolley]

Best quote for me was Frosty:

"We tried to stay off the kerbs because they're notorious here, the kerbs are quite bad for the tyres."

Good. That's the point of the kerbs. They're there to protect the verges at the edge of the track, they are NOT part of the circuit. Kerbs you want to stay off are good kerbs.

All they need to do now is introduce a proper deterrent for not skipping chicanes (a compulsory drive through if you put 2 wheels over a penalty line?) and then we can put the racing back where it belongs without this faffing about. The skill of motor racing is to go as quickly as you can on the track, and to encourage that there has to be a cost to going off it.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Woolley

Best quote for me was Frosty:

"We tried to stay off the kerbs because they're notorious here, the kerbs are quite bad for the tyres."

Good. That's the point of the kerbs. They're there to protect the verges at the edge of the track, they are NOT part of the circuit. Kerbs you want to stay off are good kerbs.

All they need to do now is introduce a proper deterrent for not skipping chicanes (a compulsory drive through if you put 2 wheels over a penalty line?) and then we can put the racing back where it belongs without this faffing about. The skill of motor racing is to go as quickly as you can on the track, and to encourage that there has to be a cost to going off it.

The problem for the kerbs in these parts is that when the car is completely over them, and the inside of the wheel then lines up with the outside of the kerb, the tyres are vulnerable to damage from the rough edges.

Wouldn't mind betting this was a cause (perhaps not the only one) of Mr Lowndes' tyre failure on Saturday..

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

The problem for the kerbs in these parts is that when the car is completely over them, and the inside of the wheel then lines up with the outside of the kerb, the tyres are vulnerable to damage from the rough edges.

Wouldn't mind betting this was a cause (perhaps not the only one) of Mr Lowndes' tyre failure on Saturday..

Then don't drive over them, simple. The track is the bit between the white lines. If you stick to it then you'll be fine.

The problem is, you add kerbs so people drive over them. So you add hard surface outside the kerbs and everyone drives over that. Meanwhile, the bit you're supposed to be on is waaaay over there, several car lengths away.

If the kerbs are a bit vicious then the problem goes away. And I don't mean vicious, one mistake and you're done, but vicious as in if you keep doing it, start making friends with the wall because you're going to pay a visit.

[peckstar]

Fans Flock to V8 Supercars at Pukekohe

another great crowd

The sky is falling, the sky is falling

[djr81]

Originally Posted by peckstar

Fans Flock to V8 Supercars at Pukekohe

another great crowd

The sky is falling, the sky is falling

Crowds are good in NZ. Less so in Australia.

Maybe if Skaife could spend more of his day talking Lowndes up things would improve.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by djr81

Crowds are good in NZ. Less so in Australia.

Maybe if Skaife could spend more of his day talking Lowndes up things would improve.

Crowds at Australian events are up this year

[djr81]

Originally Posted by peckstar

Crowds at Australian events are up this year

Not at the round I went to. Judging by the lack of gruntlement in the crowd about the lack of anything happening on track it wont improve next year either. How true this is for the remainder of the permanent circuit rounds I'm not sure but I suspect it holds.

Grid walks and interminable interviews for drivers on the grid may be great for the handful of people doing it and for tv but the punters who pay money at the track hate it. People turn up to watch motor racing. Somewhere this has been forgotten.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by djr81

Not at the round I went to. Judging by the lack of gruntlement in the crowd about the lack of anything happening on track it wont improve next year either. How true this is for the remainder of the permanent circuit rounds I'm not sure but I suspect it holds.

Grid walks and interminable interviews for drivers on the grid may be great for the handful of people doing it and for tv but the punters who pay money at the track hate it. People turn up to watch motor racing. Somewhere this has been forgotten.

No, not at all rounds, but total crowd is up

Crowds dont seem to have a problem with those thinsg you mentioned if they still turn up, you might be overplaying the hand

[djr81]

Originally Posted by peckstar

No, not at all rounds, but total crowd is up

Crowds dont seem to have a problem with those thinsg you mentioned if they still turn up, you might be overplaying the hand

Well after near on an hour before the main race of standing there watching nothing at all there were a lot of people saying stuff this for a game of soldiers. I was one of them. Cant remember scheduling that bad since the olden days when there were 2 x 20 minute heats and it was all done and dusted by 2.00pm.

[Samwhk]

Just got home from the weekend, was pretty good, and we enjoyed ourselves, apart from my pasty mate turning a lovely shade of pink! The one and only let down for us, and the majority of people we spoke to, were the supports. The muscle cars were great, the NZTC was better now they've combined the classes, but the ssanyongs, and the toyotas weren't the go. Bring back the GT's and SS2000! Punters want fast cars that sound great, and variety. Not 3 grids of slow as **** grocery getters.

[Samwhk]

Originally Posted by djr81

Well after near on an hour before the main race of standing there watching nothing at all there were a lot of people saying stuff this for a game of soldiers. I was one of them. Cant remember scheduling that bad since the olden days when there were 2 x 20 minute heats and it was all done and dusted by 2.00pm.

Yup, the gaps on Sunday were bad. The main grandstand didn't seem as packed either.

[sizzle]

Count me as a fan Woolley, same goes for the ridiculous rules on when and how much pressure has to be in tyres. Give them the tyres, use them how they like, gives free rein to strategy. Be of the understanding that there is a recommended minimum. You take the risk of running under that don't whinge if they blow

[Mixer]

Originally Posted by sizzle

Count me as a fan Woolley, same goes for the ridiculous rules on when and how much pressure has to be in tyres. Give them the tyres, use them how they like, gives free rein to strategy. Be of the understanding that there is a recommended minimum. You take the risk of running under that don't whinge if they blow

Except if there is a huge crash and someone gets injured or killed and then there are huge consequences. This is a workplace and subject to workplace safety.

[JC Ohope]

And equally I'm not sure Dunlop would be overly happy to see their tyres failing frequently as a result of people running pressures that are too low - just as Perelli was less than happy about the F1 tyre failures.

While safety is important, dollars talk too

[sizzle]

So get used to processions then. When every team loses the option of strategy that is what you are going to get. Either that or carnage because the only way to get past another car is a desperado move. If that is what you want your well on my Te way to getting it.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by sizzle

So get used to processions then. When every team loses the option of strategy that is what you are going to get. Either that or carnage because the only way to get past another car is a desperado move. If that is what you want your well on my Te way to getting it.

Strategy options are easy to put together, with new tyres allocated to practice,to qualifying, to each race, in sufficient quantities to give lots of options.

[chavez]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Strategy options are easy to put together, with new tyres allocated to practice,to qualifying, to each race, in sufficient quantities to give lots of options.

An example, please?

When was the last time a team tried a different strategy in one of the 200km races that was significantly different from the rest of the field and was successful?

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by chavez

An example, please?

When was the last time a team tried a different strategy in one of the 200km races that was significantly different from the rest of the field and was successful?

Perth. Will D. there may be others

[chavez]

Originally Posted by peckstar

Perth. Will D. there may be others

Thanks Peckstar, I had in the back of my mind it was an Erebus car, but couldn't recall when.

[one five five]

Originally Posted by peckstar

Perth. Will D. there may be others

Didn't half the field use the same strategy in that race, brought on by a badly timed safety car?

Davison saved his tyres well and benefitted, but Lowndes who he passed for the win was on the same strategy.

[JamesV8Fan]

I've waited for two days to express my opinion about Pukekohe, so let's go.

In the past championship rounds Ford hasn't been the car to beat. Triple Eight, HRT and TEKNO have the upper hand after Lowndesy victory at the Mountain. Nevertheless, PRA and DJR are two teams to fear as Scott Pye and David Reynolds demonstrated at Pukekohe.

And about the 'Frosty Factor'.... Is he feeling the pressure? I mean, if he is racing hard, I don't see his natural speed anywhere. He's been qualifying in the top-10, yes, but in race mode he stays way too quiet until someone hits him from behind or he makes a mistake like in the Gold Coast event (well, the car controller man is also the one to blame, all things said).

Another quiestion mark will be the performance of Jamie Whincup. If the giant has finally woken up, he'll be the judge of this year's title, so PRA must better watch out, he's going to "steal" key points and he knows how to tame Frosty.

Definetely, the championship will be decided at Sydney, and Frosty nor Lowndes love the street circuit at Homebush... In any case, it will be the 1st time in more than 8 years that Whincup won't be chasing for the title. Interesting, to say the least...

[sizzle]

Originally Posted by Mixer

Except if there is a huge crash and someone gets injured or killed and then there are huge consequences. This is a workplace and subject to workplace safety.

And political correctness wins again. If a driver makes a mistake and there is a huge accident and someone gets hurt come on down.
Have you considered the driver is already at fault for driving outside the confines of the track.
Listening to people in the garage complaining about the lack of strategy options due to everyone having to start on softs your on a winner.
Congratulations.

[Mixer]

Originally Posted by sizzle

And political correctness wins again. If a driver makes a mistake and there is a huge accident and someone gets hurt come on down.

It is not political correctness, it is a commercial reality.

If a driver has a huge accident and is injured or even worse someone in the crowd is injured, and it was proven to be preventable, then it is going to be actionable.