Monday 23rd January 2017

V8 Supercars at Gold Coast: Time for Coffee?

The V8 Supercars world is changing for 2017, so here's a reminder of the glorious (and quite recent) past

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Here's a fact for you: V8 Supercars is not called V8 Supercars any more. Yep, Australia's premier motorsport series, one that's admired the world over, is no longer just V8s. For 2017, as part of the new Gen2 Supercar rules, four- and six-cylinder engines are permitted, along with coupe bodies. So it's just Supercars. Seriously.

The racing will (hopefully) still be close and the tracks will remain spectacular, but it's hard to escape the feeling that something will be lost when the grid is no longer exclusively four-door V8s. They just make for cool touring cars, don't they? Without a Ford factory effort for 2017 as well (as was in 2016, in fact), it looks like being a very different season.

Perhaps we're being overly pessimistic, and hopefully V8 Supercars - sorry, Supercars - will continue to thrive as it always has. The V8s are remaining for 2017 at least. But with those Holden final editions announced last week though, it did make us rather wistful for the classic Ford v. Holden battles.

Of course there are almost innumerable race vids to choose from, all of them worthy of your attention. This particular one is notable for a great drive by Shane van Gisbergen, then a fairly unknown Kiwi driver but now one who goes into 2017 as defending champion.

There are bumps and scrapes throughout yet the duel with Jamie Whincup is largely fair; the street circuit looks really intimidating and the speeds high too, all accompanied by some proper V8 thunder. If the next generation of Supercars is anywhere near as good as this, then fans across the globe can rest easy.

Watch the vid here.

[Sources: Wikipedia, Supercars.com]

[Fishy Dave]

Sad times, the V8 Supercars are/were my highlight of racing on TV. Motors TV do a decent 2 part highlights programme each winter, worth searching for as I'm sure it will still be available as a repeat. Each time I watch this it prompts a scouring of classifieds for Monaro and VXR8......

[big_rob_sydney]

4 laps, no overtakes, missed chicane, missed gearshift, on a sequential gearbox no less..?

The most exciting thing about it was the commentators getting their panties wet over the non overtaking. Meh.

[JohnoVR6]

Here's another fact for you; it wasn't called V8 Supercars for most of last season either.

As for race clips, this has been my favourite for a while now;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAFRS5r2g8E

Oh...and it's vAn Gisbergen, not vOn.

[Nick928]

Love the V8 Supercars on Motors TV.
Don't know why as it's hardly that relevant (aside from the last few VXR8s for sale) to me but it just seems to be everything that BTCC isn't.
Maybe it's the noise.

Love it!

Edited by Nick928 on Monday 23 January 13:57

[Coatesy351]

There was no factory support from ford last season and everyone is running a V8 this year.

[Frimley111R]

This is like the BTCC. Only with faster cars. And much cooler cars. And much cooler engine. And not with modified versions of your mums hatchback. In fact it makes the BTCC look like the practice version of real racing.

[smilo996]

JohnoVR6 said:

Here's another fact for you; it wasn't called V8 Supercars for most of last season either.

As for race clips, this has been my favourite for a while now;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAFRS5r2g8E

Oh...and it's vAn Gisbergen, not vOn.

have to agree.

[Matt Bird]

smilo996 said:

JohnoVR6 said:

Here's another fact for you; it wasn't called V8 Supercars for most of last season either.

As for race clips, this has been my favourite for a while now;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAFRS5r2g8E

Oh...and it's vAn Gisbergen, not vOn.

have to agree.

Ah, apologies! Not been following as closely as I should have been. Sorted now!


Matt

[ZX10R NIN]

Here's my 2016 top three:

Winterbottom vs Mclaughlin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF070cqDPus

Tander spinning Coulthard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EqWpmCRIOo

Best moments:

End of a wet Eastern Creek race

https://youtu.be/y95imSdWHkk

Crazy Sydney 500 race

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jx4Vu-y1wQ4

Jamies 2.05 at the Mountain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_9JMqkO5VM

The standout for me was the end of the Bathurst races where JW seems to have a knack for snatching defeat from the Jaws of victory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vKCRh-5WTs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV3vP3UHLAQ

Then of course there's SVG who deserves his own section, the only man to have rules made to stop him going on the grass to cool his tyres!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAzcz6GPAUM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PLZBz1trrI

https://youtu.be/B-r2EfKiQYI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4Hq3defsTc

You have to see these guys going at it in Adelaide (Clipsal 500) especially turn 9

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Monday 23 January 18:33