2010/11 Argentine Top Race

[NaBUru38]

It's Argentine's proper stock car series, that is current road cars barely modified for racing: proper production-based engines, no rear wing, really small tyres, etc. These are obviously less performing than TC, TRV6 and TC2000.

Class 3 is for C-segment cars: Civic, C4, Focus, León, 307, Astra. Class 2 is for B-segment cars: 206, Clio, Gol, Fiesta, Corsa. It was originally for Argentine-build cars (hence "Nacional"), but later Brazilian cars were allowed and now you can find the European León.

Some current Class 2 drivers are Carlos Okulovich, Emanuel Moriatis, Josito di Palma, Fabián Yanantuonni, Marcelo Bugliotti and Ezequiel Bosio - you probably heared of them in other championships. Esteban Tuero used to race there too.

[Speed-King]

Yet another Argentinian Touring Car series

I'm not sure if you know it, but Argentina really seems like touring car heaven to me.

Much like what Germany had in the mid-90s with DTM, the Supertourenwagen-Cup, and the Super-Production Deutsche Tourenwagen Challenge....

[NaBUru38]

Best of all, top drivers are repeated, so you get to find 15 or 20 truly good ones fighting for each of the three major championships. And some are teammates in one championship and direct rivals in another. There are two 60min cable television shows on Monday night about these championships, Última Vuelta on Fox Sports and Mesa de Campeones on El Garage. There you can see interesting discussions.

[Belatti]

Well, thats a slap for Top Race. Many "top" drivers already left and now these.

Also the ACTC broke links and Codasur will do the Top Race technical management (is this corret?) in its way to a South American championship.

I hope that will open the door for S.A. F3, I would like to see more F3 races here.

[Belatti]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Yet another Argentinian Touring Car series

I'm not sure if you know it, but Argentina really seems like touring car heaven to me.

Much like what Germany had in the mid-90s with DTM, the Supertourenwagen-Cup, and the Super-Production Deutsche Tourenwagen Challenge....

Sadly, to the ones who like formula or sport cars more than touring cars (like me) that is a bad thing. With TC and its 4 classes, TC2000, TRV6, TN class 2&3, Turismo Pista class 2&3 (the TN version of the ACA, as TN is owned by ACTC) there is no place to Formulas or Sport prototypes.

Last week at Olavarria I went to see TC Mouras (that would be TC level 3 if you know what I mean) that was racing with Sport Prototypes and Metropolitan Formula Renault (there is also National FR, FR plus and F4 that use basically the same cars) as supporting series. There was a 40 car TC grid, 13 FR and 12 SP cars...

I may add that the TCM race was much more boring that the other two races.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by Belatti

I hope that will open the door for S.A. F3, I would like to see more F3 races here.

I agree. It would be cool if the South American F3 grew to include more non-Brazilian entries and get more media coverage. Not only to export drivers - new TR and TC2000 drivers shouldn't be jumping straight from FR2.0.

As long as the four major tin-top championships keep doing their business, they won't leave room for any major sports prototype championship. Now, if the Turismo Nacional dropped to a support series of the TC2000 or TR with non-top drivers or if TC2000 and TR merged, that would leave room for one.

[Belatti]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

As long as the four major tin-top championships keep doing their business, they won't leave room for any major sports prototype championship. Now, if the Turismo Nacional dropped to a support series of the TC2000 or TR with non-top drivers or if TC2000 and TR merged, that would leave room for one.

TN belongs to ACTC and thats the "rival" of CDA (ACA). It has a story of its own (even longer than TC2000) and it will never become a support series of it.

TR was created by Urtubey aiming to be the 2nd series of Argentina (behind TC that arguably can´t be dethroned) and that involves being better than TC2000....

[NaBUru38]

Yes, of course it won't happen any soon.

[NaBUru38]

This weekend, the Top Race is having at Paraná the last race of the year (not of the season, they do it July-May). Several drivers are joining the TRV6, among them Mariano Werner and Henry Martin.

[NaBUru38]

Paraná final race:

1. Agust�*n Canapino (Mercedes-Benz)
2. Guido Falaschi (Ford)
3. Juan Bautista de Benedictis (Mercedes-Benz)
4. Gonzalo Perlo (Ford)
5. Ariel Pacho (Mercedes-Benz)
6. Brian Smith (Ford)
7. Diego Avent�*n (Ford)
8. Emiliano Spataro (Volkswagen)
9. Norberto Fontana (Volkswagen)
10. Rafael Morgenstern (Mercedes-Benz)

Spring stage standings:

1. Agust�*n Canapino (Mercedes-Benz), 61
2. Emiliano Spataro (Volkswagen), 51
3. Guido Falaschi (Ford), 50
4. Jose Mar�*a López (Ford), 47
5. Juan Bautista De Benedictis (Mercedes-Benz), 40
6. Gonzalo Perlo (Ford), 39
7. Brian Smith (Ford), 34
8. Norberto Fontana (Volkswagen), 34
9. Ariel Pacho (Mercedes-Benz), 29
10. Mart�*n Serrano (Mercedes-Benz), 24

So if my math is correct, these are the final stage standings after the spring stage:

1. Agust�*n Canapino (Mercedes-Benz), 10
2. Emiliano Spataro (Volkswagen), 7
3. Jose Mar�*a López (Ford), 6
4. Guido Falaschi (Ford), 5
5. Juan Bautista De Benedictis (Mercedes-Benz), 1
5. Omar Mart�*nez (Ford), 1

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

The 2011/12 Top Race season starts this weekend. As in 2009, the season will comprise four stages (with three round) plus a two-round final stage. The calendar is incomplete, only the first six races (ie two stages) are known:

July 25 - Interlagos, Sao Paulo
August 29 - Termas de R�*o Hondo, Santiago del Estero
September 19 - Gálvez, Buenos Aires (la Carrera del Año)
October 17 - La Rioja
November 21 - General Roca, R�*o Negro
Dicember 12 - Paraná, Entre R�*os

Did anyone think that this July-to-May season format would survive? Wrong! Just like the 1996/97 Indy Racing League season, the 2010/11 Top Race season will go from July 2010 to December 2011.

Originally Posted by Alejandro Urtubey, Top Race president

We have worked to return to the championship format from February to December. We arrived to the conclusion that it was not a good idea to schedule dates in summer because it was very hard to do so.

The 2011 part of the season will be:

February 5 - Buenos Aires
February 27 - Santa Cruz do Sul, Brasil
March 20 and April 3 - La Plata and Salta (order TBD)
April 24 - Punta del Este, Uruguay
May 15 - TBC
June 19 - Paraná
July 31 - São Paulo, Brasil
September 4 - Termas de R�*o Hondo
September 25 - Buenos Aires
October 16 - TBC
November 20 - Comodoro Rivadavia
December 18 - TBC

So the season will comprise 19 races, at least four of them outside Argentina. The first three of 2011 will make the summer stage; the next three the autumn stage, the next three the winter stage; and the final four the final stage.

[Belatti]

I heard a lot of rumours about top race.

Currently there are 2 divisions: TRV6 and TR series (4cil)

In the future there would be 3: TRV8, TR series (junoir or 4 cilinders) and TR Senior (for veteran drivers) using the current V6s

The V8s will have the new "DTM" looking chasis presented in 2010.

Another rumour is that its getting increasingly difficult for the TR to survive: since they split from "Carburando" they TV ratings and track attendance has diminished and many "top" drivers left.

I hope it gets what it needs to be a good alternative.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Did anyone think that this July-to-May season format would survive? Wrong! Just like the 1996/97 Indy Racing League season, the 2010/11 Top Race season will go from July 2010 to December 2011.

The 2011 part of the season will be:

February 5 - Buenos Aires
February 27 - Santa Cruz do Sul, Brasil
March 20 and April 3 - La Plata and Salta (order TBD)
April 24 - Punta del Este, Uruguay
May 15 - TBC
June 19 - Paraná
July 31 - São Paulo, Brasil
September 4 - Termas de R�*o Hondo
September 25 - Buenos Aires
October 16 - TBC
November 20 - Comodoro Rivadavia
December 18 - TBC

So the season will comprise 19 races, at least four of them outside Argentina. The first three of 2011 will make the summer stage; the next three the autumn stage, the next three the winter stage; and the final four the final stage.

Did anyone think that this July-to-December season format would survive??? Wrong!!! Due to sanctioning changes, the 2010 season has been declared over and this weekend begins the 2011 season! Therefore 2010 TRV6 leader Canapino and 2010 TRS leader Tato Salaverr�*a have been declared "Clausura" champions!

There have been several team and brand changes. Most notably, 2010 Copa América champion Guido Falaschi now races for Mercedes and Norberto Fontana isn't racing this weekend.

[kurski]

Drivers and Teams 2011:

Jose Maria Lopez, Oil Competicion
Emiliano Lopez, Oil Competicion
Jose Passadore, Tauro Sport Team
Juan B De Benedictis, Tauro Sport Team
Roberto Urretavizcaya, Halcon Motorsport
Gonzalo Perlo, Azar Motorsport
Matias Jalaf, Crespi Competicion Alp. Skate
Emiliano Spataro, Midas Racing Team
Juan Cruz Alvarez, Midas Racing Team
Guido Falaschi, Sportteam TRV6
Agustin Canapino, Sportteam TRV6
Omar Martinez, Schick Racing
Brian Smith, Schick Racing
Nicolas Cotignola, Schick Racing
Mariano Werner, Schick Racing
Gabriel Furlan, Mitsubishi Racing
Rafael Morgenstern, Mitsubishi Racing
Esteban Tuero, GT Racing
Gustavo Tadei, GT Racing
Marco Di Palmas, MDP Racing Team
Nicolas Iglesias, Vitelli Competicion
Edgardo Laveri, Vitelli Competicion
Ariel Pacho, CR Competicion
Alejandro Gonzalez, Tauro Sport Team
Ivo Perabo, RV Sport Racing
Nestor Girolami, RV Sport Racing
Fabian Flaque, San Juan Top Race Team
Henry Martin, San Juan Top Race Team
Sergio Guarnaccia, Guarnaccia Competicion
Mariano Acebal, Canapino Racing
Oscar Sanchez, Canapino Racing
Matias Rodriguez, ABH Sport
Diego Aventin, Halcon Motorsport
Gustavo Micheloud, RV Racing

[FIRE]

All fulltime entries? Healthy grid.

[kurski]

Originally Posted by FIRE

All fulltime entries?.

Yes.

[NaBUru38]

Mmm... Top Race drivers come and go the whole time. They have lost several top drivers, only 8-12 remain depending on the definition of top. TC and TC2000 entries are far more stable and gather nearly every top driver.

But yes, Argentine's four major championships have 30+ grids the whole time. TC has a 42 cutoff and the Turismo Nacional has just too many drivers eager to race.

[NaBUru38]

Buenos Aires I final race:

1. Agust�*n Canapino (Mercedes)
2. Omar Mart�*nez (Ford)
3. Brian Smith (Ford)
4. Henry Martin (Volkswagen)
5. Juan Cruz Alvarez (Mercedes)
6. Emiliano Spataro (Volkswagen)
7. Néstor Girolami (Ford)
8. Jose Maria López (Ford)
9. Gustavo Tadei (Ford)
10. Mariano Werner (Ford)

Uruguayan Tato Salaverr�*a won the Top Race Series race.

Pictures and more pictures

[NaBUru38]

Santa Cruz do Sul final race (pictures):

1. Juan Cruz Álvarez (Mercedes-Benz)
2. Marcos di Palma (Volkswagen)
3. Néstor Girolami (Ford)
4. Agust�*n Canapino (Mercedes-Benz)
5. Ariel Pacho (Mercedes-Benz)
6. Rafael Morgenstern (Mitsubishi)
7. Ivo Perabo (Mercedes-Benz)
8. Guido Falaschi (Mercedes-Benz)
9. Emiliano Spataro (Volkswagen)
10. Mariano Werner (Ford)

Standings after 2 races:

1. Agust�*n Canapino (Mercedes)
2. Juan Cruz Álvarez (Mercedes)
3. Néstor Girolami (Ford)
4. Ariel Pacho (Mercedes)
5. Emiliano Spataro (Volkswagen)
6. Omar Mart�*nez (Ford)
7. Marcos di Palma (Volkswagen)
8. Mariano Werner (Ford)
9. Brian Smith (Ford)
10. Gustavo Tadei (Ford)

[Speed-King]

If nothing else, a nice mix of brands on top, but then that does of course not mean a whole lot in TRV6....

What kind of silhouette do they run on the Mitsubishis?

[NaBUru38]

Can't find a rear end picture.

[Speed-King]

Thanks, looks pretty good. Seems to be a bit of importer backing behind hat effort...

[NaBUru38]

Olavarr�*a final race:

1. Emiliano Spataro (Volkswagen)
2. Jose Maria López (Mercedes)
3. Omar Mart�*nez (Ford)
4. Gustavo Tadei (Ford)
5. Juan Cruz Álvarez (Mercedes)
6. Juan Bautista De Benedictis (Mercedes)
7. Brian Smith (Ford)
8. Esteban Tuero (Chevrolet)
9. José Pedro Passadore (Volkswagen)
10. Henry Martin (Mercedes)

Summer Stage standings

1. Juan Cruz Álvarez (Mercedes) - 5 pts for the Final Stage
2. Emiliano Spataro (Volkswagen) - 4 pts for the Final Stage
3. Agust�*n Canapino (Mercedes) - 3 pts for the Final Stage
4. Omar Mart�*nez (Ford) - 2 pts for the Final Stage
5. Néstor Girolami (Ford) - 1 pt for the Final Stage
6. Jose Maria López (Mercedes)
7. Gustavo Tadei (Ford)
8. Ariel Pacho (Mercedes)
9. Brian Smith (Ford)
10. Juan Bautista De Benedictis (Mercedes)