BTCC 2018 in-season discussion

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by Nononsensecapeesh

What a waste of time, resources and everyone's sanity.

so ...like in politics

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

so ...like in politics

There's a reason I don't follow politics...

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by Nononsensecapeesh

What a waste of time, resources and everyone's sanity.

You might not think so if it was your money you had paid out to then receive sub-standard service...

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by peebee2

You might not think so if it was your money you had paid out to then receive sub-standard service...

BTCC is a very difficult one for sponsors really at the moment IMHO
Think about recent years, I mean no disrespect to the likes of Depper, Lines, Howard, Martin or the like, but because these gentlemen racers were often shall we say accident prone, they would be guaranteed time on TV.

Now we have a much more competitive grid and most of the gentlemen drivers have gone, so if your a top 10 challenger your getting TV time, theres not really as many drivers towards the back doing anything that will get the car on TV which cant be appealing for sponsors.
Nobody likes an accident, but Depper spinning or Howard getting in the gravel would get a bit of air time and publicity, 4 VWs trundling around with Stephen Jelley and Josh Price does not.... look at some of Platos comments over the last year regarding sponsors

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by btccbloke

BTCC is a very difficult one for sponsors really at the moment IMHO
Think about recent years, I mean no disrespect to the likes of Depper, Lines, Howard, Martin or the like, but because these gentlemen racers were often shall we say accident prone, they would be guaranteed time on TV.

Now we have a much more competitive grid and most of the gentlemen drivers have gone, so if your a top 10 challenger your getting TV time, theres not really as many drivers towards the back doing anything that will get the car on TV which cant be appealing for sponsors.
Nobody likes an accident, but Depper spinning or Howard getting in the gravel would get a bit of air time and publicity, 4 VWs trundling around with Stephen Jelley and Josh Price does not.... look at some of Platos comments over the last year regarding sponsors

This probably goes to why so many sponsors seem to be spread around the grid, rather than heavily backing a single team/driver.

AutoGlym, Wix, RCIB, Duo and more can all be seen backing multiple driver/car combinations on the grid - probably on the basis that if one of their sponsorships doesn't get airtime, another one will.

[S griffin]

Probably just a well sponsors aren't sponsoring just one car

[HopAlong]

With a lot of sponsors doing that, I wonder if the BTCC could do a contingency sponsor program like NASCAR?

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by crmalcolm

This probably goes to why so many sponsors seem to be spread around the grid, rather than heavily backing a single team/driver.

I always had the impression thats what Motorbase were doing last year with Jackson near the front and Depper spinning around at the back (.... tho he was a bit more steady last year)

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by btccbloke

I always had the impression thats what Motorbase were doing last year with Jackson near the front and Depper spinning around at the back (.... tho he was a bit more steady last year)

Is that what BMR's grand plan is - Sutton up the front, and Plato at the back?

Maybe that explains why they didn't get his car fixed for ages last year - they certainly got plenty of column inches off the back of Plato's woes?!?!

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by peebee2

You might not think so if it was your money you had paid out to then receive sub-standard service...

Well no, of course not, still doesn't help matters very much. Anyway, roll on Snetterton, regardless of whether Jake Hill gets the AMD seat or not.

[Evantra]

Don't think there's much money behind it, but Dennis Strandberg is now under HARD's wing so could be another candidate for Hill's replacement.

Personally - and probably incorrectly - I think we'll be down to 3 VWs for the rest of the season.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Don't think there's much money behind it, but Dennis Strandberg is now under HARD's wing so could be another candidate for Hill's replacement.

Personally - and probably incorrectly - I think we'll be down to 3 VWs for the rest of the season.

Could well be or at least for a meeting or two...

[BobJones]

@tonygilham34 - "Uh oh! @DunlopBTCC #TG34 #snug" https://twitter.com/tonygilham34/sta...44280012525569

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Originally Posted by BobJones

@tonygilham34 - "Uh oh! @DunlopBTCC #TG34 #snug" https://twitter.com/tonygilham34/sta...44280012525569

Wicked!

[Racing Harz]

Originally Posted by Evantra

Don't think there's much money behind it, but Dennis Strandberg is now under HARD's wing so could be another candidate for Hill's replacement.

Personally - and probably incorrectly - I think we'll be down to 3 VWs for the rest of the season.

Strandberg will miss VW Cup in Spa, because he has no money... so likely no BTCC.

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by Racing Harz

Strandberg will miss VW Cup in Spa, because he has no money... so likely no BTCC.

Yep, that's what I thought.

As for Gilham, I think that photo is just Tony up to his usual tricks... only 2 hashtags must be a new record!

[medius]

Matt James' post about an Autosport Plus article about how TOCA deals with non paying drivers and teams. It has revealed a few commenters with interesting experiences of a particular squad mention on this thread lately. Here is a reply, Name deliberately not mentioned for anonymity but it is a driver who has tested with said team but never raced so pretty credible source.


How does it want to treat the driver when they get ripped off?

I paid for a full BTCC test day only to be given a seat I couldnt sit in and had a very poor day because of it. My knees were literally jammed up against the back of the wheel and I had to wheel shuffle all day.

There are teams and one in particular that should be excluded if everything you hear about them is true. My experience certainly backs those claims up.

#NoPrep
#BentChassis
#PayMoreThanContract
#lyingToYourFace
#SportIntoDisrepute

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by medius

Matt James' post about an Autosport Plus article about how TOCA deals with non paying drivers and teams. It has revealed a few commenters with interesting experiences of a particular squad mention on this thread lately. Here is a reply, Name deliberately not mentioned for anonymity but it is a driver who has tested with said team but never raced so pretty credible source.


How does it want to treat the driver when they get ripped off?

I paid for a full BTCC test day only to be given a seat I couldnt sit in and had a very poor day because of it. My knees were literally jammed up against the back of the wheel and I had to wheel shuffle all day.

There are teams and one in particular that should be excluded if everything you hear about them is true. My experience certainly backs those claims up.

#NoPrep
#BentChassis
#PayMoreThanContract
#lyingToYourFace
#SportIntoDisrepute

Are we completely sure this is Team Hard? "#bentchassis" and "#NoPrep" suggests this could also be a Subaru or MG car the guy was testing

I am interested if this relates to the recent Snetterton tests which would narrow it to Hard or AMD

[medius]

My interpretation was that of the bent chassis being an Avensis based on the poster's history. I won't name a name as neither side is able to substantiate/defend the claim here. But it's on social media so must be true right? However, that makes several ex-drivers and business partners who have sold cars to the team in question now making a similar tune. Maybe the substance is there behind the rumblings?

Who knows for certain? It may come out one day.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by BobJones

@tonygilham34 - "Uh oh! @DunlopBTCC #TG34 #snug" https://twitter.com/tonygilham34/sta...44280012525569

I'm taking this (wrongly?) as a hint that TG is preparing to drive the ex Hill car himself - but it may not come to that if someone suitable opens their wallet to him.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by BobJones

@tonygilham34 - "Uh oh! @DunlopBTCC #TG34 #snug" https://twitter.com/tonygilham34/sta...44280012525569

#NoOption #CantFindAnotherDriver #RiskLosingTBL

[porsche962fan]

^ he could just drive himself indeed

but if there is nobody with budget wiling to come why doesn't he just offer a free ride to some talented driver to make the team look better ?

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

but if there is nobody with budget wiling to come why doesn't he just offer a free ride to some talented driver to make the team look better ?

How do you think his other drivers would feel? They are paying full price and some Johnny-come-lately gets a freebie.

And next year... every would-be driver would hold out paying for a drive knowing that if it got to the last minute and the team was desperate, they could pick up a ride for free.

[btccbloke]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

^ he could just drive himself indeed

but if there is nobody with budget wiling to come why doesn't he just offer a free ride to some talented driver to make the team look better ?

Tom Onslow Cole is one of the more talented peddlers, why he ended up testing with Team Hard is a bit beyond me, but he didn't exactly set any times to make the car look like it had much more potential.

The big mystery in all this to me is what is happening to respected engineer Geoff Kingston? hows he ended up in this shambles

[Alfisti]

TOC I believe tested as a favour for TG. I understand the latter highly valued the formers opinions and feedback on the car. So a genuine attempt to try and find some performance gains? And maybe a hope of enticing TOC into the race seat?