B-TEC Development Series News & Rumors 2016

[JDMROB]

Can't help but agree with the negative comments I'm afraid. Can't see the point in the whole thing. Going to be nothing like the BTCC, no one will want to damage anything so it'll be pretty much a processional affair. Hardly a great step into the BTCC. Ideal for the wealthy people who aren't rich enough for BTCC but want to 'race' a touring car I suppose but I cant see it taking off. Anyone half serious about progressing in tin tops is naturally going to do something on the Toca package.

Really don't know why Kieran Gallagher has entered. I'm sorry but he'd be far better off going into Clio's if he's serious about BTCC.

[kipper]

Originally Posted by fergus_r

Why is their first round at a big Easter Truck race meeting then?

Truck meetings aren't immune from having small grids on the support package - I can recall a truck meeting supported by one championship which mustered three cars for their triple header.

[sceptic]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Really, I thought that they pay their extortionate entrance fees in return for being entertained for the day?

Who pays extortionate entrance fees for club meetings?
Most of the tickets are priced between £8-10.

And Kipper is correct that the overwhelming majority of spectators have a connection to someone taking part.

As someone once said "In the BTCC, a spectator in the grandstand knows the name of every driver on the grid. In club racing, a driver on the grid knows the name of everyone sitting in the grandstand."

[Steel Wheels]

Might well see a few more drivers signing up now basically all the BTCC seats have gone!

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by Steel Wheels

Might well see a few more drivers signing up now basically all the BTCC seats have gone!

i don't see it. i don't know why anyone would even bother

[fergus_r]

The opening rounds have been cancelled, unsurprisingly.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by fergus_r

The opening rounds have been cancelled, unsurprisingly.

no. the entire series has been cancelled!
what a complete joke!

[Steel Wheels]

Originally Posted by touring fan01

no. the entire series has been cancelled!
what a complete joke!

Shame, nice idea, but wrong time, wrong set-up.

I think the thought was there would be a load of new cars build for this year, so plenty of spare machines kicking about, but that hasn't happened. Any new series like this needs to be on the TOCA package in my opinion.

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by Steel Wheels

Shame, nice idea, but wrong time, wrong set-up.

I think the thought was there would be a load of new cars build for this year, so plenty of spare machines kicking about, but that hasn't happened. Any new series like this needs to be on the TOCA package in my opinion.

Yep. It needed to be a support package for the BTCC. Give them 260BHP as a "lower formula" and bang, your done.

[850Estate]

Shame that this has been axed, but with only 1 confirmed driver it was always likely to be a struggle to get a grid of any sorts for Rd.1

Is there a PR about it anywhere?

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by 850Estate

Shame that this has been axed, but with only 1 confirmed driver it was always likely to be a struggle to get a grid of any sorts for Rd.1

Is there a PR about it anywhere?

There were the press releases about the series starting and Kieran joining and that's it as far as I can tell. There is a Facebook page which is a little shonky and lacking content and there's a man. From Australia. Can't remember his name, but he and Harrison were on stage at the Autosport show.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by thlbtcc

There were the press releases about the series starting and Kieran joining and that's it as far as I can tell. There is a Facebook page which is a little shonky and lacking content and there's a man. From Australia. Can't remember his name, but he and Harrison were on stage at the Autosport show.

but what happened with the big announcement of 6 ex cars from BMR and 2 run by rob Austin? the whole thing has shown to be complete ********

[Ry44]

http://us12.campaign-archive1.com/?u...&id=644a8087c3

Its Not happening this year

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Ry44

Its Not happening this year

Doubtful it'll ever happen. SCV8 anyone? T1?

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Doubtful it'll ever happen. SCV8 anyone? T1?

That's what I've been thinking. Usually when a series is postponed that usually spells curtains or it will get under way but die an early death

[fergus_r]

Only way this could have gone, I'm surprised anybody actually thought it could work??

[S griffin]

Well it had lots of merits and it worked fine in Australia, but if you're not getting the demand, you're not going anywhere

[Greem]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Well it had lots of merits and it worked fine in Australia, but if you're not getting the demand, you're not going anywhere

The V8 Development Series is a whole different proposition, though - support package to the main game at almost all meetings (barring the flyaways and I think the non-championship F1 round); straight progression path from DVS to the main game for drivers, engineers, technicians, pit crew and so on; sponsor/livery tie-ins across both series; various bits of TV coverage etc etc.

It's basically the V8 category B series.

Maybe this one was intended to be the BTCC category B series but IMO having it farmed out to club meetings rather than supporting the BTCC itself was possibly a mis-step. That and the resurgence (so it appears) of Britcar could be a bit of unfortunate timing all round.

I'm quite prepared to admit that I have zero knowledge of organising championships, mind you!

[kipper]

Originally Posted by Greem

It's basically the V8 category B series.

Maybe this one was intended to be the BTCC category B series but IMO having it farmed out to club meetings rather than supporting the BTCC itself was possibly a mis-step. That and the resurgence (so it appears) of Britcar could be a bit of unfortunate timing!

I think the basic problem is the Aussie Development Series is seen as the main route into a seat in V8 Supercars. As a result, it makes perfect sense for an aspiring driver to race in it and the whole thing perpetuates from there. The BTCC doesn't have any set feeder formula (my rough calculation is that the current 2016 BTCC drivers graduated from 18 different categories). As a consequence, the BTEC Series served no real point as it wouldn't necessarily help a driver into the BTCC as there would be more competitive - and cheaper - options. This was compounded by the lack of eligible (and competitive cars).

I don't think racing on a club package was necessarily a bad thing as a number of drivers have moved into the BTCC from such a level. Ultimately, the series seems to have been born out of a hope to create a market for second hand BTCC cars that would not be competitive in any other category rather than the need to create a genuine feeder formula.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by kipper

I think the basic problem is the Aussie Development Series is seen as the main route into a seat in V8 Supercars. As a result, it makes perfect sense for an aspiring driver to race in it and the whole thing perpetuates from there. The BTCC doesn't have any set feeder formula (my rough calculation is that the current 2016 BTCC drivers graduated from 18 different categories). As a consequence, the BTEC Series served no real point as it wouldn't necessarily help a driver into the BTCC as there would be more competitive - and cheaper - options. This was compounded by the lack of eligible (and competitive cars).

Don't forget that drives in V8SC are (from what I know) paid gigs, so aspiring drivers very much need to prove their meddle before they get picked up by 'main game' teams. To get into 90% of BTCC seats, all you need is a fat enough wallet.