Powertour is dead, long live TOCA

[RickP:Clio51]

Press release yesterday states Powertour is not going to exist beyond the end of this year and all "entertainments" are cancelled from here on (parachutists etc)
Rumours Ford are trying to get Fiestas back into TOCA...

Were you one of the 197 (yes really, just 197) people who paid to get in at Donington? (I know they quoted a crowd of nearly 10,000, apparently this is not quite the truth)

RickP

[redshoes]

From what I've read it sound like the F3 and GTs will remain together for the now, it just the whole support and promotional 'package' which is dead. Sounds a bit like a return to the old 'Best of British' racedays with most meetings having F3 and GT plus a varying selection of supports.

I heard Fiestas have improved since Silverstone and were actually quite good at Donington, in which case welcome back to TOCA any time soon.

How many times have we said we want racing not marching bands, finally someone's taken the hint. F3 in particular is never going to appeal to the man in the street the way Touring Cars (should) do. It's always going to be an enthusiasts' meeting not a family day out so why try to make it something it's not.

On a wider note with FPA hitting the deck, Eurocars/VSR having to combine V6 and V8 classes, Pick-ups cancelling races due to lack of entries, and probably several other series struggling for numbers perhaps it's time for the clubs, promotors, and MSA to take a good hard look at the state of national motorsport.

[WoodyTJ]

Blimey Redshoes is on his soap box ...... but very well put!!!

[Dan Friel]

It'll be a good thing if it means the end to spread out diluted 2 day meetings.. I mean what a waste of everyones time...

Let TOCA be what it wants, and don't try to compete.. the real motorsport fan can't stand all the pit lane autograph type activities which pad out the day.. 5 races (not even any qualifying!!) on a day for 20 notes, I'd rather go to a GP at Silverstone.. (well ok, not quite).

Motor racing needs to rationalise, I don't think it's a crisis (yet) - it can be done properly - but no more good ideas like the Proton Cup!! As that's the sort of dire racing that really puts off the punter..

[Craig]

Blimey!

Let's hope this means that TOCATour and Powertour are combined... Would be kinda cool to attend a meeting featuring touring cars, production cars, FFord, F3, GTs, Clios, Fiestas...

[Les]

Maxi - I'll have Maxi back - hurrah!!

Bring back the Fiestas.

[Carrie]

I like Craig's idea

[Chris Y]

Craig's idea is good, but it will mean that when I take over the world (not long now), I'll have to cancel Mondays in favour of an extra day for the weekend, just to fit all of that motorsport in.

Sorry folks

[Dan Friel]

Not quite a new idea Craig, the french have been doing it for years - and it's proved very successful - huge meetings.. With packed weekends, loads of racing.

[Craig]

Who claimed it was an original idea ??

No, if you want something original, take guest series such as the Mighty Minis or historic touring cars and put them on the grid too... even if they're on the Saturday... go on BMP... you know it makes sense!

[THR]

personally...

i cant stand anything that isnt single seater or GT.

these road cars, wotever u do to them are just so bloody slow! in comparison.

i like it the way it is.
toca needed a few more races last monday. nothing on til 12!
was a bit slow. esp if it was raining.

havent been to powertour so dont know wot the format is.

were going to rockingham this weekend, for a two day event. get practice, qualifying on sat, 8 races on sunday.
racing starting at 10.
sounds like a bloody good weekend full of cars. the public just dont want to see the qualifying, they cant follow it. so leave it out on the day b4.

anyway.... in my experience, two day meets are to enable the pit crew to get lashed on the sat night! (and drivers to in hillclimbing!)

[Daz]

Toca have now got it almost right, but more races on the main race day would be better. The new rules are better for us the spectactor and also for the manufactures in keeping the costs down for the teams.

[Ross]

This is what a TOCA meeting should be like,

0930 Warm up: Touring Cars

1000 Sportscars
1035 Single seaters

1115 Pit walkabout
1200 Parade lap

1230 Touring cars
1330 Saloon cars
1405 Single seaters
1440 Saloon cars
1530 Touring cars
1630 Single seaters
1705 Single seaters
1740 Sportscars

This was the programe for the Donnington September meeting in 1996 come on people get it sorted.

[Daz]

The 1996 BTCC was one of my favourite years and I'd like to see the race format get back to those good old days.

[AndyF]

Horay! POWERSNORE is DEAD. Anyone got any ideas for a name for next year?

[woodyracing]

PowerTour is great, how can anyone say its not ?
Its got the awesome British GT, the F3, some good support races, channel 4 coverage, and the stunt planes and bikes just add to the fun.
A lot of people who go to these meetings, are race newbies, so its good to give them an exciting and varied day out.

With GT and F3, its gotta be one of the top British meetings, so i think it would be a shame to lose it.

Woody.

[AndyF]

But for races per £, Powertour is poor. Sometimes you're looking at £20+ for the Raceday, with only half a dozen races.