Who Misses the 1990's BTCC? Long Post Warning ;)
Discussion
Clivey said:
That is awesome. My Dad was driving company cars whilst I was growing-up and had a long line of Vauxhalls (which I still think were good cars despite what the badge-bores say), needless to say, I sat there religiously in front of the TV, willing the Vectras to at least beat their frog-eyed Ford rivals. I was another who spent hours on ToCA (now look what you've done, I'm digging it out again!) re-running the races to achieve the result I wanted when watching the TV.
Now If I could find an immaculate post-facelift Vectra GSI (1999-2002)...
...the other half just wouldn't understand.
I think my profile has a picture of it.
I found a bunch of photos taken from the 1992 BTCC round at Oulton Park. I will endeavour to get them scanned and online. We had corporate hospitality from ICS Bailey (as they were then) who sponsored Toyota so were in the tower on the main straight. I was 8 years old at the time and gutted that we weren't sat at my favourite spot on the infield at Cascades. Great days.
I remember there was a Renault Laguna homologation model called the 'Airflow', or something similar that ran the BTCC spec rear wing and front splitter to enable the BTCC car to be run, maybe 93-96 ish. I've looked all over google for a picture of one but can't see any!
Remember the Volvo estate run by Rickard Rydell and Jan Lammers ? Used to look like a big tank, but went well as I recall.
I remember the 1 minutes silence at the Snetterton BTCC meeting (2nd May ?!) the day after Ayrtons death, the atmosphere that day was so subdued, can remember it so well.
My dad used to be director of engineering at Hornby (makers of Scalextric) and due to various motorsport contacts we used to get free tickets to BTCC, F1 and Euro Rallycross events, was wonderful.. So lucky, those were the days ! I can remember loads of meetings at Brands between 1992-1996 ish
Such a shame that the proper Dingle Dell has now gone 
Frank Bielas 96 (97?) champ winning A4 is now in the Brentford Audi dealer on the elevated section of the M4 in West London, along with some Group B swb quattros
Remember the Volvo estate run by Rickard Rydell and Jan Lammers ? Used to look like a big tank, but went well as I recall.
I remember the 1 minutes silence at the Snetterton BTCC meeting (2nd May ?!) the day after Ayrtons death, the atmosphere that day was so subdued, can remember it so well.
My dad used to be director of engineering at Hornby (makers of Scalextric) and due to various motorsport contacts we used to get free tickets to BTCC, F1 and Euro Rallycross events, was wonderful.. So lucky, those were the days ! I can remember loads of meetings at Brands between 1992-1996 ish
Such a shame that the proper Dingle Dell has now gone Frank Bielas 96 (97?) champ winning A4 is now in the Brentford Audi dealer on the elevated section of the M4 in West London, along with some Group B swb quattros
Edited by tylerama on Tuesday 22 February 14:47
tylerama said:
I remember there was a Renault Laguna homologation model called the 'Airflow', or something similar that ran the BTCC spec rear wing and front splitter to enable the BTCC car to be run, maybe 93-96 ish. I've looked all over google for a picture of one but can't see any!
Both Renault and BMW homologated new wing and splitter packages in time for the 1994 British GP support race, in an effort to catch up with Alfa. From the one I remember someone at work having, the 'Airflow' was a pretty bog standard looking Laguna, just with a rubber splitter and wing.
IainW said:
tylerama said:
I remember there was a Renault Laguna homologation model called the 'Airflow', or something similar that ran the BTCC spec rear wing and front splitter to enable the BTCC car to be run, maybe 93-96 ish. I've looked all over google for a picture of one but can't see any!
Both Renault and BMW homologated new wing and splitter packages in time for the 1994 British GP support race, in an effort to catch up with Alfa. From the one I remember someone at work having, the 'Airflow' was a pretty bog standard looking Laguna, just with a rubber splitter and wing.
The 850 Estate Racer tipped the balance for helping my father get into T5's (with alot of bigging up from me and a certain Clarkson (who was raving about them too at the time). Awesome missiles Great racing back the - naft budgets though.
Mind DTM in the mid 90 was the Best from a tech point of view (racing Mega too - just Faster!).
Great racing back the - naft budgets though.Mind DTM in the mid 90 was the Best from a tech point of view (racing Mega too - just Faster!).
SHutchinson said:
Funnily enough, I've recently sold a car you might like. I sold my 2000 W'reg Persia (aubergine colour) 2.5 V6 GSI to a friend a few months back. It now just lives in his garage and gets waxed, he might drive it some day. I believe it's still in the Total Vauxhall BHP league table too.
I think my profile has a picture of it.
That's a stunning-looking example...however, the main thing that's stopping me from buying one is the old "never drive your heroes" adage.I think my profile has a picture of it.
- I loved my Dad's Vauxhalls when I was growing-up but as soon as I became old enough to experience the thrill of driving for myself, I realised that I dislike the handling behaviour / character of modern front-wheel-drive cars that are set-up to "safely understeer" at the limit (I realise I drive one at the moment, but it's just a shopping / commuting / weekday car and will be changed when insurance costs allow me to drive something that I'll actually enjoy driving).
I find FWD very one-dimensional as you can only ever get understeer under power. - To me, it feels unnatural and compromised - I can't escape the feeling that I'm driving a tarted-up shopping car and not a "proper" driver's car.
- Maybe I should go for an Omega MV6 instead!
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