Discussion
Janesy B said:
Turkington and Plato got pole and 2 race wins at an event, but didn't finish as high up in the third race.
Speaking of what ifs, 200 points in the second half of the season for Jackson, probably would have walked away with the title this year if the pace was as good at the other tracks. Goes well even with full ballast. From 7th to 2nd with 75kgs.
The cynical part of me thinks the Focus has been allowed to 'over-perform' this year as it was never in contention for the title, but the organisers wanted to help them attract sponsors so there's another strong team there for next season.Speaking of what ifs, 200 points in the second half of the season for Jackson, probably would have walked away with the title this year if the pace was as good at the other tracks. Goes well even with full ballast. From 7th to 2nd with 75kgs.
egor110 said:
Would they be able run the new rs focus in btcc?
Nothing stopping them from running the RS with the current engine they're running.Edited by Janesy B on Sunday 11th October 22:06
Could they run the new RS? Well they could put RS stickers on the current car but they can't have 4WD or a 2.3 litre engine obviously. The cars are hardly production based anyway, with the RWD Audi and various teams running the Vauxhall based Swindon engine.
jamiebae said:
The cynical part of me thinks the Focus has been allowed to 'over-perform' this year as it was never in contention for the title, but the organisers wanted to help them attract sponsors so there's another strong team there for next season.
Could they run the new RS? Well they could put RS stickers on the current car but they can't have 4WD or a 2.3 litre engine obviously. The cars are hardly production based anyway, with the RWD Audi and various teams running the Vauxhall based Swindon engine.
I think if that was the case, James Cole would quite easily pass people on the straights but that doesn't seem to be happening? I don't think Honda or Plato would let that one slip. We'll see next year!Could they run the new RS? Well they could put RS stickers on the current car but they can't have 4WD or a 2.3 litre engine obviously. The cars are hardly production based anyway, with the RWD Audi and various teams running the Vauxhall based Swindon engine.
Thought the Smith blocking and the ease with which Shedden could pass some of the other cars in that final race was very telling. Shame he felt the need to bump Menu.
Great race though, really exciting stuff and even enjoyed watching Neal at the front. Do feel a bit sorry for Plato and I wish Turkington had done it again this year but overall such a good day of racing and a really good season to watch. I want to go to Knockhill next year, done all the others now!
Did laugh at Dan Welch having an off under the safety car though
Great race though, really exciting stuff and even enjoyed watching Neal at the front. Do feel a bit sorry for Plato and I wish Turkington had done it again this year but overall such a good day of racing and a really good season to watch. I want to go to Knockhill next year, done all the others now!
Did laugh at Dan Welch having an off under the safety car though
StoatInACoat said:
Thought the Smith blocking and the ease with which Shedden could pass some of the other cars in that final race was very telling. Shame he felt the need to bump Menu.
^ Agreed. There is too much fiddling going on behind the scenes. Agree with the comments about Jackson and Sheddon definitely had something going on under the bonnet...Rib said:
Just watched it. Agree with some of the others. Was a determined drive by seddon, but everyone just pulled over for him so not quite sure what all the hype was about, no mention from the commentators even when Jordan put his indicator on.
Both drivers are a worthy winner, both had great drives in the year and both had some less than great drives. You could argue that plato had more bad luck, and the Honda team ethics are 2nd to none, but that's racing, it's a shame that arrons lack of team work will linger over over for some people (I don't care if he's paying towards the team, it's a TEAM, the money that winning the title would have brought the team would be more than he's paying I bet!! As for next year, I'm not sure in would want someone in the team who doesn't play a team game.
Congrats to sheddon.
Winning the title doesn't bring a penny, there's no prize money in the BTCC for any title. In theory it just makes sponsorship a bit easier to get.Both drivers are a worthy winner, both had great drives in the year and both had some less than great drives. You could argue that plato had more bad luck, and the Honda team ethics are 2nd to none, but that's racing, it's a shame that arrons lack of team work will linger over over for some people (I don't care if he's paying towards the team, it's a TEAM, the money that winning the title would have brought the team would be more than he's paying I bet!! As for next year, I'm not sure in would want someone in the team who doesn't play a team game.
Congrats to sheddon.
VX Foxy said:
StoatInACoat said:
Thought the Smith blocking and the ease with which Shedden could pass some of the other cars in that final race was very telling. Shame he felt the need to bump Menu.
^ Agreed. There is too much fiddling going on behind the scenes. Agree with the comments about Jackson and Sheddon definitely had something going on under the bonnet...How often have in the previous 29 races has a car moved 15(?) places up the field?
Rarely if not at all.
I was enjoying race 30 until I twigged that the Civic was either suddenly faster or its competition suddenly slower. Maybe someone with more time and data could look at the lap time of Flash and the cars he passed.
Flash did benefit from several cars ahead of hm leaving the circuit.
He drove well but I suspect not as well as it looked.
NailedOn said:
Flash is a brilliant driver but....
How often have in the previous 29 races has a car moved 15(?) places up the field?
Rarely if not at all.
I was enjoying race 30 until I twigged that the Civic was either suddenly faster or its competition suddenly slower. Maybe someone with more time and data could look at the lap time of Flash and the cars he passed.
Flash did benefit from several cars ahead of hm leaving the circuit.
He drove well but I suspect not as well as it looked.
He was passing them with ease down the straights, when was the last time that happened in touring cars? Jordan even put his indicator on!How often have in the previous 29 races has a car moved 15(?) places up the field?
Rarely if not at all.
I was enjoying race 30 until I twigged that the Civic was either suddenly faster or its competition suddenly slower. Maybe someone with more time and data could look at the lap time of Flash and the cars he passed.
Flash did benefit from several cars ahead of hm leaving the circuit.
He drove well but I suspect not as well as it looked.
There is no way that could legitimately be called a 'race'. The only person who seemed to think it was a race was Jack Goff, he wasn't moving over for anyone.
DanielSan said:
Rib said:
Just watched it. Agree with some of the others. Was a determined drive by seddon, but everyone just pulled over for him so not quite sure what all the hype was about, no mention from the commentators even when Jordan put his indicator on.
Both drivers are a worthy winner, both had great drives in the year and both had some less than great drives. You could argue that plato had more bad luck, and the Honda team ethics are 2nd to none, but that's racing, it's a shame that arrons lack of team work will linger over over for some people (I don't care if he's paying towards the team, it's a TEAM, the money that winning the title would have brought the team would be more than he's paying I bet!! As for next year, I'm not sure in would want someone in the team who doesn't play a team game.
Congrats to sheddon.
Winning the title doesn't bring a penny, there's no prize money in the BTCC for any title. In theory it just makes sponsorship a bit easier to get.Both drivers are a worthy winner, both had great drives in the year and both had some less than great drives. You could argue that plato had more bad luck, and the Honda team ethics are 2nd to none, but that's racing, it's a shame that arrons lack of team work will linger over over for some people (I don't care if he's paying towards the team, it's a TEAM, the money that winning the title would have brought the team would be more than he's paying I bet!! As for next year, I'm not sure in would want someone in the team who doesn't play a team game.
Congrats to sheddon.
most athletes and sports people earn ore in sponsorship than they do actually doing what they do.
just think if Plato hadn't have dropped out of that race (croft??) to try and qualify further up for race two then he'd be champion today......
All ifs and buts I know but I thought that day he may rue that decision.
Also, the shedden drivers fan club was a weak display, it would have been a great show if they all had the balls of cleland, soper, radisich, winklehock, Harvey, Rydell, watts etc, But instead we have a bunch of wet lettuces with lovely indicators and manners to match.
All ifs and buts I know but I thought that day he may rue that decision.
Also, the shedden drivers fan club was a weak display, it would have been a great show if they all had the balls of cleland, soper, radisich, winklehock, Harvey, Rydell, watts etc, But instead we have a bunch of wet lettuces with lovely indicators and manners to match.
Good days entertainment. There's no love lost out there for Plato so it's not a huge surprise to see cars jumping out of the way to let the champion through. The whole family was entertained, even the wife was yelling at the tv which is usually reserved for Downton.
I did wonder why they were making a big deal of Shedden's brakes glowing red, is it that unusual?
If Jackson doesn't lift the title next year then there's something going wrong. Car of the field since it turned up, the others have some work to do....
I did wonder why they were making a big deal of Shedden's brakes glowing red, is it that unusual?
If Jackson doesn't lift the title next year then there's something going wrong. Car of the field since it turned up, the others have some work to do....
shake n bake said:
Also, the shedden drivers fan club was a weak display, it would have been a great show if they all had the balls of cleland, soper, radisich, winklehock, Harvey, Rydell, watts etc, But instead we have a bunch of wet lettuces with lovely indicators and manners to match.
I wouldn't mistake preference of champion for deference. In my experience there's definitely more of a shortage of manners than there is a lack of balls in the TOCA field! 
marshall100 said:
I did wonder why they were making a big deal of Shedden's brakes glowing red, is it that unusual?
There did seem to be something odd going on with flash's brakes. in race 2 his rears were red and the fronts not, in race 3 his fronts were red very early in the race and the rears not. when they were commenting on flashs fronts in race 3 nobody else had glowing disks.egor110 said:
Would they be able run the new rs focus in btcc?
They could run a Focus called an RS but it would just be the same it shared. Everything that makes an RS into an RS mechanically would be swapped for the standard NGTC parts. (Gearbox, brakes, suspension etc) The engine is too big at 2.3 litres so they would have to continue with the current NGTC spec Mountune unit. The most they could do would be to make the bodywork look a bit more like a road RS but even the Aero is standardised on current BTCC rules.The Type R that Honda race has the same issue, it's really just for marketing. The race car is a Civic shell with NGTC spec parts. They do have an NGTC spec engine based on the Type R one though as it's the correct capacity.
Edited by Marc W on Tuesday 13th October 12:39
Adrian W said:
you must know what really happened Ollie
I don't know of any skullduggery but I know who I'd prefer to be champion (or more precisely not be champion) 
The worst thing is I personally think Plato deserved the championship this year, perhaps if he treated people around the paddock a little better then he would be holding a bigger trophy!
In all honesty though I don't think he cares. Racing in BTCC is his livelihood and the dick dastardly image that fuels his celebrity is more likely to keep paying the bills than another championship IMHO. Like him or not he's a top driver and he doesn't really have anything to prove.
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