V8 Supercars

[XitUp]

I just did a search and couldn't find a thread on this topic so you can come here to unleash your inner bogan.

How are you finding this season so far?

Which drivers teams do your support?

How would you feel about having more than two makes competing?


I'm supporting Bundy Red/Walkinshaw racing this season. Not had a great start but hoping that Fabian does well on his home circuit this weekend.

[The Wookie]

Can't say I follow it properly, but I was impressed at how consistent the action was at Adelaide, despite the fairly long race duration.

You can't really argue with BTCCesque race craft combined with big power, spectacular V8 noise, and proper, sideways RWD action

[ChuckieEgg]

I've only seen the first 3 qualifying and races so far but I've been enjoying it. The racing is good but also some of the techy stuff in the coverage has been quite interesting too.

I don't particularly support any one team, its just nice to see some fairly close racing with the high possibility of them going sideways. The first two tracks haven't been the best for the cars, bit wide I think. The 888 guys have done really well so far, I just hope they don't dominate too much and make this year boring. Am I right in thinking that Mark Skaife will join Craig Lowndes for the enduros this year?

2 makes is fine. Only problem at the moment is that Holden outweigh the Fords by quite a long way. I'm not really sure who else would join? Someone like Toyota copying what they did in NASCAR?

[XitUp]

There has only been three events so far this season (six races).

I'm not sure if Toyota would join in as they don't sell a rwd car down under.

[tim the pool man]

XitUp said:

There has only been three events so far this season (six races).

I'm not sure if Toyota would join in as they don't sell a rwd car down under.

Don't think that matters to Tony (I learnt the trade from Bernie) Cochrane. The once great ATCC is now a complete farce. All that matters is money, stuff the motorsport.

The existing cars bear almost no resemblance to the road cars anyway other than the rough outline shape. Toyota (or whoever they entice in) would also have to source a 1950 truck engine to fit in the cars to comply with the rules. I think the idea is to follow Nascar, won't that be exciting :yawn:

Oh and to the OP, I still watch occasionally, and always support Garth Tander, a local, his Dad used to help with my race car when GT was racing karts

[XitUp]

They use standard body shells.

Why would they have to use 1950's truck engines, Ford and Holden don't?

[tim the pool man]

XitUp said:

They use standard body shells.

Why would they have to use 1950's truck engines, Ford and Holden don't?

Sorry bit of sarcasm on my part but you are aware that the engines used are nothing like the engines in the current road cars? Holdens currently use 6 Litre variations of the Chev LS engines whilke Ford use the (5.4L?) "modular" OHC engine. The race cars both use ancient 5 Litre OHV engines. Toyota wouldn't have an engine like that available so I assume they would have to use a Ford or Holden one?

Edited by tim the pool man on Wednesday 14th April 10:32

[andy97]

XitUp said:

They use standard body shells.

Why would they have to use 1950's truck engines, Ford and Holden don't?

I think the body shells are modified substanially to look like the original type cars as, IIRC, the race car floor pans are meant to have similar wheelbase & track etc so that performance is as similar as possible.

[Jim Campbell]

I can't remember ever watching a exciting race. I would much rather watch a super GT or a DTM race. The cars being so Ancient is beginning to annoy me even though i know technical advancement and good close racing are not dependent on each other. The fact they are reckoned to be 7-8 seconds slower around Bathurst than a DTM car says to me they should give them much more downforce and leave the tire about the same. The extra downfoce would make them look much better i think. Super GT and DTM car look Badass whereas the V8's look like a taxi with a wing stuck on the back.

Ta

[Aused]

Just can't get excited about the V8 super taxis. The last time I remember Australian touring car racing being good was the Group A cars of the late 80s and early 90s. But the local rule makers threw their toys out of the pram when the local heavy metal was being made laughable by the competition. So don't agree with the evolution that got to V8 'supercars' either. Also don't agree with the yobbo/redneck culture that goes with it.

I am interested what image V8 supercars have in UK. From what I have read on here, Brits seem to see them as 4 door TVRs or something, but if you were over here you'd see it is closer to Vauxhall Chavelier.

Give me Japanese GT racing or similar anyday, or BTCC for that matter.

[onomatopoeia]

tim the pool man said:

XitUp said:

They use standard body shells.

Why would they have to use 1950's truck engines, Ford and Holden don't?

Sorry bit of sarcasm on my part but you are aware that the engines used are nothing like the engines in the current road cars? Holdens currently use 6 Litre variations of the Chev LS engines whilke Ford use the (5.4L?) "modular" OHC engine. The race cars both use ancient 5 Litre OHV engines. Toyota wouldn't have an engine like that available so I assume they would have to use a Ford or Holden one?

Edited by tim the pool man on Wednesday 14th April 10:32

Toyota created a 390cu (5.7l), 2 valve/cylinder, carburated, pushrod V8 specifically for NASCAR. I know that Roush Yates extract 875bhp from their 1950s Ford truck engines, I think TRD manage about as much from their purpose designed engines as the governing body is very keen on maintaining manufacturer parity.

If Toyota wanted in to V8 supercars they'd make an engine that complied with the series rules to do it.

[308mate]

Im convinced Toyota will produce a car for the new rules. Theyve been trying to shift a big sedan in Oz for years and despite them being very good cars with smooth engines, quiet interiors, good road manners and performance figures to match the boggo local 6cyl offerings, they just dont have the following of the local stuff.

I hope other manufacturers do join up. As long as it has 4 doors and a V8, let FWD and RWD run together I reckon. I'd like to see a V8 merc or Beemer or merc on the grid. They both have suitable platforms. Though I doubt there is enough private money locally to develop them or enough of a market to justify a factory team.

BTCC racing is only good because of success ballast and reverse grids. Which is far too contrived for my liking. There has to be some advantage to simply having the better car or driver.

Will still be a Holden man though, regardless of who else joins up.

[XitUp]

tim the pool man said:

XitUp said:

They use standard body shells.

Why would they have to use 1950's truck engines, Ford and Holden don't?

Sorry bit of sarcasm on my part but you are aware that the engines used are nothing like the engines in the current road cars? Holdens currently use 6 Litre variations of the Chev LS engines whilke Ford use the (5.4L?) "modular" OHC engine. The race cars both use ancient 5 Litre OHV engines. Toyota wouldn't have an engine like that available so I assume they would have to use a Ford or Holden one?

Edited by tim the pool man on Wednesday 14th April 10:32

GM still use OHV engines, and they are better than most OHC ones.

[ChuckieEgg]

XitUp said:

There has only been three events so far this season (six races).

I'm not sure if Toyota would join in as they don't sell a rwd car down under.

Sorry, meant the 2 races in Abu Dhabi and 1 in Bahrain. I've been a bit slack so far with lots of other things to watch.

Looks like event 4 is this weekend.

[touring fan]

308mate said:

BTCC racing is only good because of success ballast and reverse grids. Which is far too contrived for my liking. There has to be some advantage to simply having the better car or driver.

Youve got to be kidding, mate. What do you think they do in V8's?; its called parity!
Their strict parity regulations mean a Holden or Ford can't have any performance advantage over the other.
And that's not contrived to make the racing close?!

(By the way, I don't have a problem with the V8 parity rules. But its just a bit silly to have a go at another series for balancing out the performance of the cars when the V8's also do it - just in a different way)

Edited by touring fan on Wednesday 14th April 21:17

[308mate]

touring fan said:

308mate said:

BTCC racing is only good because of success ballast and reverse grids. Which is far too contrived for my liking. There has to be some advantage to simply having the better car or driver.

Youve got to be kidding, mate. What do you think they do in V8's?; its called parity!
Their strict parity regulations mean a Holden or Ford can't have any performance advantage over the other.
And that's not contrived to make the racing close?!

(By the way, I don't have a problem with the V8 parity rules. But its just a bit silly to have a go at another series for balancing out the performance of the cars when the V8's also do it - just in a different way)

Edited by touring fan on Wednesday 14th April 21:17

It's a valid point you make on parity, but it's worth rembering that in oz it's on a season by season basis, not race by race. Which I think is more credible for the series.

I'm amazed in btcc they don't electronically nobble anyone who runs away at the front, just for the the show.

[touring fan]

308mate said:

It's a valid point you make on parity, but it's worth rembering that in oz it's on a season by season basis, not race by race. Which I think is more credible for the series.

No, sorry, but its not on a season by season basis.
Its whenever one car has been proven to be better and the other 'side' requests (and is given) a parity adjustment!

But, even worse and unlike the BTCC, it effects the whole field of that model. So if, say, the Ford is proved to be quicker then all Fords are adjusted (i.e. slowed). So that means the slower teams using Ford's get even slower. That can't be right or fair.......if you are going to have parity to slow down the quicker car then great. But don't do it so that it also slows down the slower ones!

[Jungles]

XitUp said:

They use standard body shells.

Not really. The shells are taken from production cars, but the aerodynamic kits are standardised.

[XitUp]

Jungles said:

XitUp said:

They use standard body shells.

Not really. The shells are taken from production cars, but the aerodynamic kits are standardised.

Well yeah, and the Holdens use chopped floorpans. But it's a lot closer to production cars than a lot of top race series.

[XitUp]

Also, how much would it ps off Ford and Holden fans if Nissan entered a four door skyline with a V8, in the same colours as when it whooped everyone in the early 90's?