BTCC street race, possible?

[Sodemo]

Just thinking of ways to spice up the BTCC and spark new interest in the series, and ive always thought a street race would do just that.
The BTCC had a few years at the Birmingham Super Prix from 1987 - 91? approx and I went to 3 of them (only living 8 miles from bham).

Would this not be a viable option?
Would the BTCC organisers consider it as a feasable scenario?

Lastly, do you think the old Birmingham Super Prix circuit would meet todays safety standards?

[Rob29]

A man with the same dreams as I. I envisaged a street racing tour with a mobile circuit which could be dismantled and reassembled in a different city for each round.

[Surtees]

That would be fantastic! They used to have kart races through the streets of some cities a while back.

I doubt it would happen because of safety issues and insurance? And the problems of stopping and diverting traffic? And where on earth would all those team huge transporter vans etc park up? I guess it depends which cities are best suited for such a thing.

[Eddie_harasym]

I also love the idea, and would like to see a Revival, but I think its a lost dream.

I've always thought somewhere like docklands could be a possibility. Other than that somewhere like the Albert Dock complex or Maybe the NEC site?

[Carrie]

I would love to see what Touring Cars are like on a street circuit because the Birmingham Superprix was before I started actually going to races.
In reality, I can't see it happening. Surely the logistics of organising such an event would be enormous, as I imagine would be the cost as well.
I'm sure that safety standards would be much tighter today and would make such an event a nightmare to try to organise.

[Rob29]

They are very successful in USA & Canada. Think,Toronto,Montreal,Vancouver,Trois Rivieres,Long Beach,Washington,Miami,St.Petersbrg,Denver

[rdjones]

I saw a post over on the TOCA tour website forum a couple of months ago about a street race, and from what I read I think the Richard West siad was that it will not happen due to the expence.

[kmchow]

That would be cool to have BTCC cars race at a street course. I think it really puts the idea of touring cars into perspective. Every day grocery getter cars with a little time, love and car can be turned into racing cars.

[Reido Rules]

The race has to be in the right place it would have to be where people cared, NOT LONDON,(don't ask me why, but I don't htink a London race would be successful0 Birmingham, Mnachester, or even Newcastle, sport and competition will bring fans out in their drobes in these places.

Street racing would show case the sport very well, and would attract new fans.

It's easy enough to close of cities for gay rallies, so why not racing?

Unfortunately the old route has a hell of a lot of speed bumps on it now, but I think the problems are pollitical rather than cost wise.

What about an air field race the DTM have done it before and all the races have been great to watch at such venues. So I suggest east Midlands airport, and it wouldn't affect the airport so much as it has masses of Apron, and abondoned runways, it's not so busy and the cargo terminal which is huge in terms of space goes days without use, and if it could advantage DHL who own it that it would advantage them then I think this could be viable.

[Rob29]

East Midlands Airport is right next to Donington Park,so I can't see any point in going there. Germans used NATO bases,because they were available.Just had to get the base comanders approval.Since new circuits at Oschersleben,Lausitz & Saschenring were built the airfields have all been abandoned.
London Docklands seems a good place to look at.Excellent public transport links and the Dome could serve as the paddock!

[Alfa Fan]

It is in Autosport! Richard West says he wants one and the locations under consideration are Manchester, Liverpool and Belfast

[Sodemo]

Wow, just call me mystic Ben.

[Carrie]

In that case, can we have Manchester please

[Jimeth]

one round piccadily would be amazing!

[Cosworth_RS]

How about no Street race! (stupid idea!, but Mr West hasn't been short of them in the past) and a meeting a Rockingham.

Beats me why TOCA arent concentrating on returning the BTCC to its former glory days of the mid 90's than silly ideas such as this.

[Reido Rules]

I think that variation in winners is needed before variation in races.

There are lots of disused air bases around for an airfield race, and they always provide open racing with the track width.

[Sodemo]

But the BTCC needs its own Monaco

[Paul Rayner]

Originally posted by Cosworth_RS
How about no Street race! (stupid idea!, but Mr West hasn't been short of them in the past) and a meeting a Rockingham.

Beats me why TOCA arent concentrating on returning the BTCC to its former glory days of the mid 90's than silly ideas such as this.

Sounds like Rockingham is on the cards, and I can't see a street race happening unless the rounds increase.

As for a silly idea, why? It would get the series massive exposure, attract thousands of new fans, and you can guarantee that the press would get hold of it as it'd be compared to Monte Carlo and it'd close down part of a city!

[El_Gibleto]

Based on the experiences of the Birmingham circuit, any potential street circuit would face tremendous opposition from the exciting circuit owners, remember the btcc is "owned" by BMP, a cartel of the current circuits. Not a group that is likely to promote a new venue in direct opposition to their own facilities.

A street circuit would add another element to the series, but it is probably too difficult a challenge for some of the drivers involved in the series.

[Rob29]

Truth is that that all of the circuits currently used by BTCC are so bad for spectators you would have to pay me go. Every time changes are need in the interest of safety,they just move the crowd further away,and wonder why they stop coming. When is the main stand at Brands going to be replaced?
When the Birmingham Superprix was going, Brands held a F3000 race the week before but attracted a fraction of the crowd at Birmingham.

[racer69]

Why does the BTCC need a street race to attract new fans, where were the street races in the mid-90s, yet the fans still showed up. It's the racing that is important.

With BMP running it, it is also unlikely that the circuit owners would want to give a race to a venue which will not contribute to motor racing at any other time during the year, plus the circuit promotoers will lose money.

If you need one though, how about come and take one of our (V8Supercars), their trying to get them going everywhere over here, to the detriment of permanent circuits.

[Paul Rayner]

Firstly, you've got to realise that this is only a remote possibility. Richard West has not ruled it out, and said that they might consider having a street race in the future. TOCA and BMP consider lots of things, I'm sure they've probably considered making minis a permanent support race at some time, but that doesn't mean that it's actually going to happen.

There is no way that TOCA/BMP would ever do this unless it was going to be profitable, they run a business! They wouldn't do it unless there was something to gain, but that might not necessarily be directly in profit at the meeting. A showpiece event would gain extra exposure for Touring Cars from the media, extra hype, and extra crowd numbers. As you're taking the racing to the people, there are going to be more there than if you host it in the middle of nowhere.

Imagine they had a season opener at Manchester or Liverpool. Instead of the usual 15,000 at Oulton, about 50 miles away, you might get 30,000. Then when they visit Oulton later in the year some of these new fans are probably going to go to Oulton as well, as they've had a chance to experience what Touring Car racing's like up close. Then you'd get a crowd of between 15-30,000. That would be a direct benefit to BMP.

It could be a good thing to happen, it would be something different. It's not the only way to get new fans, but it could be a way. If it's worthwhile to do it in other countries then why not here?!

[Sodemo]

Why don't they apply to run it in Birmingham again? Please!!!

[El_Gibleto]

It won't happen in Birmingham. Motorsport isn't a politically correct sport, so the current city council (Labour controlled) would not support any revival plans.

[theracegypsy]

Great dreams, but England has never been the land of public street races, Birmingham was a glorious short term political exception so the council could get developers interested in the site.

Using different circuit types gives the need for different driver atributes. Working CART like I do you see all the circuit types, road circuits, street circuits, airfield and ovals, banked and flat. Each requires something different of the driver and team, and it is in that that CART's strenght lies. (and believe me they have enough weaknesses) but it does change the racing, so beware what youy are asking for.