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Old 21 May 2000, 15:57 (Ref:2654)   #1
Sparky
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Sparky should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid

I watched the Knockhill races this afternoon, and was surprised to see Radermacker leaning so heavily on Matt Neal.

I noticed a little close dicing with the class B cars too.

My question is; Do you think the Factory ST drivers don't have the 'regard' that ST Independants and Class B drivers do? It seems to me that the Indies and NSC cars are usually owned by the drivers. Do you suppose that these drivers might refrain from door-handling with the factory teams due to fiancial constraints? (Imaginary or not)
It just seems that Muller drives that Vectra like he hates it - you can tell it's not his own!
Or does the red mist descend and mask the financial pain involved with top level saloon car racing?
According to John Watson, "Matt Neal didn't have a straight panel on the car".
Who's look out is this? Team Dynamics? Nissan UK? Mr Neal himself?

Just wondering!

[This message has been edited by Sparky (edited 21 May 2000).]
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Old 21 May 2000, 19:24 (Ref:2655)   #2
Super Tourer
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Super Tourer should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridSuper Tourer should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridSuper Tourer should be qualifying in the top 3 on the gridSuper Tourer should be qualifying in the top 3 on the grid
Good question

The simple answer is budgets everytime.

As a factory driver you can trash a car and make no impact on a factory team. A works team pays drivers to race hard.

As a privateer team if you bend it you, you or your sponsors (if you have any) pay for it. So there will always be the 'I can't afford to trash it' scenario in an independent team.

I've been in the BTCC as part of an independent team and we literally could not afford to crash the car. Also as an indie team even if you have a year old BTCC car, you can never afford to run the car at the same level as a works team did.

You run the engines away from the edge, you run all the major components longer, etc.

Nissan spent over £10 million running the Nissan's in '99, if Dynamics are spending £500,000 - £750,000 you can see how they can never run the car at the same level.

As a works team if you break an engine - just reach in the truck for another - as an indie team, its another £15,000 bill for a rebuild....

Unfortunately its cash everytime - which is why private teams will never compete with works teams - regardless of whatever BTCC rules come in.
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Old 21 May 2000, 19:34 (Ref:2656)   #3
ganda123
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ganda123 should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
I think you've got a good point there, Sparky, but Matt Neal was sure bumping that car around on one hell of a tight line this afternoon!
And also following up your comment about Watson, I'm sure he's off his rocker and they need a replacement (a certain Mr. J. Cleland comes to mind immediately ) - I mean he said Rickard Rydell was a Labrador. Just what is that guy on!?
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Old 22 May 2000, 00:31 (Ref:2657)   #4
Sparky
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Sparky should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
Thanks Guys! That was pretty much the assuption I made myself, but I wanted other views on it.

I watched it with a friend, and all he could say was "Hey, Racin's racin', If you can't stand the heat, blah..blah...blah.."
I'm sure it's a little more involved than that.

I still remember Touring car racing when Patrick Watts raced a Mini 1275GT against the Jags and Capris and won the championship!

It seems it was a 'gentlemans' sport back then. If a collision occurred, it wasn't intended, or even described as 'door-handling' - it was an accident, not dirty tactics.

Now look at it. It's not bloody stock car racing - these are £200,000 racing cars. You could build an entire NASCAR for the price of a 6 speed sequential gearbox, and they treat 'em like bangers!

Unbelievable...
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Old 22 May 2000, 19:22 (Ref:2658)   #5
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Personally I think some of what Charlie Kox calls "a bit of hip and shoulder" adds to the spectacle of the race. Not outright punting each other off, but a little leaning on each other works wonders!

I do however think that saying the indys can't afford to mix it in the same way as the works boys is fair comment.
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Old 22 May 2000, 21:05 (Ref:2659)   #6
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There has always been a bit of 'harmless fun' between drivers in the BTCC. Much of this was due to the fact that the cars used to be so equal that they'd run doorhandle to doorhandle. However, with modern cars not being able to run so closely, much of this bashing and boring is wild lunges and really heavy handed driving - this is the real problem. I'm sorry to say it but, yet again, it shows how out of touch 'Super Touring' has become with it's roots.
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Old 23 May 2000, 06:54 (Ref:2660)   #7
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I agree with the large person.

An abiding memory is that of Gordon Spice with his front bumper under the rear bumper of Andy Rouse's Capri going through Paddock Hill Bend at the 1978 British GP support race. And these were TEAM MATES!!!.

A bit of rubbed paintwork doesn't actually harm anyone.

The problem now is as Fatchap says. Its desperate lunges from nowhere which cause the accidents.

BTW. There is an unwritten agreement that nudging and rubbing is expected in the BTCC.
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