GT4

[taffyracer]

does anyone have any ideas how GT4 will be intergrated into BGT next year, what teams are planning on running cars etc, any thoughts and how it will be viewed, a stepping stone to GT3 or as a pointless class?

[teamHOLDENracing]

I enquired about GT4 in BGT for 2008 and received the following answer:

"The GT4 class for 2004 is working progress, I will tell you more as soon as possible"

I haven't followed it up but remain potentially interested, not for 2008 but thereafter. GT4 is a good concept, keeps costs relatively low and if a decent grid of roughly comparable cars could be assembled it would be good racing.

[taffyracer]

yes I have had the same sort of reply, I do like the sound of a class that could act as a stepping stone and provide the cars with a clear upgrade path without costing the earth

[Dragaan]

Could this mean an end to the Cup Class? All though that would be a great shame, a whole new class might actually boost numbers up and increase therefore the competition. I look forward to hearing more on the subject. Maybe Jeff could add a few more pieces to the puzzle.

It'll be good to see you racing again, Taffyracer. Would you be bringing the Beemer or something else?

Edited by Dragaan on Tuesday 14th August 17:59

[teamHOLDENracing]

I thought the Cup Class was dead at the end of 2007 regardless, though I cannot for the life of me remember why I thought that (I know it wasn't from an internet forum!)

I think it may have been when I was having discussions with SRO about getting the Sagaris into BGT. It will never be a GT3 car but if we built enough cars we may have got it into the Cup Class (there will be 5 completed by September). Then for some reason that avenue was closed off

[taffyracer]

Dragaan said:

It'll be good to see you racing again, Taffyracer. Would you be bringing the Beemer or something else?

Edited by Dragaan on Tuesday 14th August 17:59

Would be good to be out racing again, this season has been the worst ever, 2 DNF's, 2 missed rounds and 2 engine rebuilds, disastrous! I'm very intereted in the BMW Z4 naturally but if I can get Ginetta to return my emails then i'd be interested in discussing options with them as well, the sagaris would make a great GT car, pity. I'd like to get moving but won't do anything until more info on the class is available.

[teamHOLDENracing]

Our 'issue' is that whilst we are using a TVR bodyshell, TVR chassis and running gear and a TVR engine, not all of them originated from the same car!

That and the car is bloody quick means we would be protested....

Shame, it would add variety to the BGT field

[taffyracer]

Yes it is a shame, I spoke to someone at the end of last year that was selling Sagaris kits, can't remember his name and he never sent me any info and lost his details, I thought then based on the spec that it would be devastatingly fast and maybe too embarassing for the usual BGT brigade to be beated by a car costing 1/3 of theirs!

[teamHOLDENracing]

You sent me an e mail too, which I did reply to

[taffyracer]

Yes I seem to remember you did, cheers

[s.m.h.]

teamHOLDENracing said:

I enquired about GT4 in BGT for 2008 and received the following answer:

"The GT4 class for 2004 is working progress, I will tell you more as soon as possible"

I haven't followed it up but remain potentially interested, not for 2008 but thereafter. GT4 is a good concept, keeps costs relatively low and if a decent grid of roughly comparable cars could be assembled it would be good racing.

The SRO need to even the playing field out, the whole idea is that its a cheap(ish) entry into GT racing. Problem is you have some cars straight from the manufacturer then some that have been buggered about with.No proof of power outputs or anything. Plus its driver eligibilty is a bit strange, ranging from gentleman drivers to ex-pro's! Still there were quite a few at Spa a few weeks ago and some close racing.

[taffyracer]

Ì spoke to a team today about possibly running in GT4 and it seems they ahve already had enquiris from like minded drivers, so it might gather momentum and actually take off. I'd be seriously interested in talking to other like minded drivers about getting something off the ground

[Chris Patey]

As there bringing the GT4 class in does that mean that only cars that race in the european GT4 championship will be allowed or can the cars that race in the GT cup now such as the morgons and ginettas continue?

[taffyracer]

I'm not sure but I suspect it'll be the GT4european type cars, the regs for GT4 are very strict and the cars are very standard so i suspect the current cars will be outside those regs, but like I said, i'm not sure

[s.m.h.]

Yes they are strict on the modifying of the cars but as of yet I havent seen any form of equalization of the current field of cars. All the N24's are factory built yet the Mustang and 350 etc are built away from the manufacturer and homologated like this. I cant see low production cars being let in unless they meet the power to weight ratio acceptable for the series. The idea is all the cars are the same, just driver ability differs. Though 2 identical cars built by 2 independant builders have to be the same? Not sure how theyre going to do that.

[pofg]

As I understand it, only 1 independant builder holds the franchise per type of car, if you want to build one, you have to do it to the franchise holders exact spec and hence the homologation papers.

Taffyracer, I have a shot at a GT4 project, but at the moment I'm struggling to convince myself that there are going to be enough cars to make a decent race of it, whether I want to fly to the UK 8 times in a year and whether I want to run in the second division of Brit GT's... last I heard SRO were looking at about 6 cars being out there.

We've heard of the following:

3 * RPM Ginetta (Which will be GT4 light and run on road tyres right? Not true GT4)
2 * Aston N24 (rumour)
1 or maybe 2 * pofg project (not sure if SRO are counting us yet... they are aware so maybe)

Guess that is their 6 cars... anyone heard any whispers of others?

[GrahamG]

According to the SRO GT4 handouts the GT4 light part on tyres applies only to the European Series so unless there was a mistake there the RPM Ginettas can run on slicks in the UK

Certainly heard of two Astons (Beechdean and one driven by Michael Mallock) plus probable/possible fourth Ginetta

[Dragaan]

I found out about another possibility yesterday that hasn't been listed here, but I'm not in the position to say who or what.

[renkadima]

George Mackintosh made an early announcement about taking a serious look at running an Exige in GT4 next year. That's probably the sixth car referred to by SRO.

[Scuffers]

in simplistic terms, GT4 cars will have to be homologated in the same way GT3 cars are...

ie. without manufacturers active support and involvment, it's not going to happen.