AUDI TTCR (TT Cup Racing)

AUDI TTCR (TT Cup Racing)

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SparrowHawk

Original Poster:

123 posts

143 months

Monday 23rd January 2023
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Hi Guys,

Are any PH'ers looking to race in this brand new BRSCC AUDI TTCR series in 2023?

"The UKs only one-make Audi series". It's being put together largely by the guys at SW Motorsports and is aimed at being genuinely affordable single-make racing. The build kits are £7999 plus the cost of the car, and a few additional costs to complete the build (eg. seat & extinguisher).

All-in the cars are available as turn-key race cars for £16,500 which appears bloody good value. They are 'club-spec' as I call it, rather than seriously comprehensive race car builds. For example the roll cages are bolt-in rather than some of the serious cages you see on something like, for instance, the BRSCC Fiesta Championship cars. And the suspension is just BC Racing, rather than for example AST suspension. But that results in a very affordable race car, which comes in at literally HALF the cost of a new Fiesta Championship car. And won't break the bank to repair after any damage.

There are reportedly already 35+ cars currently in-build.. which you'd hope would result in pretty healthy grid numbers. Which alleviates the main worry of any brand new series - that the uptake might be too low to make it workable.

Wondering if anyone on here is planning to race in it?



drmotorsport

747 posts

243 months

Monday 23rd January 2023
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I wouldn't bother dude - stick with the Fiesta wink hows that other TT series going... Its just yet another series from someone with a bright idea that will have to run alongside others on a combined grid (see Puma cup etc) diluting grids for years until people get bored with it. There's only a handful of TT's racing in the UK in total - I can't see the demand. Yes i'm a bit negative but seen this scenario plenty of times over the years..

SparrowHawk

Original Poster:

123 posts

143 months

Monday 23rd January 2023
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Definitely understand your pessimism there mate! Plenty of new series come along and don't quite take off.

Difference with this one is, those getting involved have the confidence that there are already over 30 cars bought / being built. So the main worry of 'lack of interest' seems to already be somewhat allayed.

Its being run in a similar way to the City Car Cup, and the grids for that series have been healthy; and the ethos of keeping the racing low-cost appears to have been maintained into its second/third seasons. So the TTCR will hopefully go the same way.

I'm pretty confident the series is going to work well. Just curious if anyone else on here has been paying close attention to it, and if anyone has already taken the plunge on a car?


indigorallye

555 posts

225 months

Monday 23rd January 2023
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drmotorsport said:
I wouldn't bother dude - stick with the Fiesta wink hows that other TT series going... Its just yet another series from someone with a bright idea that will have to run alongside others on a combined grid (see Puma cup etc) diluting grids for years until people get bored with it. There's only a handful of TT's racing in the UK in total - I can't see the demand. Yes i'm a bit negative but seen this scenario plenty of times over the years..
Ordinarily I'd agree, but this seems to be bucking the trend.
I can see it being very succesful.

Dynion Araf Uchaf

4,454 posts

223 months

Tuesday 24th January 2023
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SparrowHawk said:
Definitely understand your pessimism there mate! Plenty of new series come along and don't quite take off.

Difference with this one is, those getting involved have the confidence that there are already over 30 cars bought / being built. So the main worry of 'lack of interest' seems to already be somewhat allayed.

Its being run in a similar way to the City Car Cup, and the grids for that series have been healthy; and the ethos of keeping the racing low-cost appears to have been maintained into its second/third seasons. So the TTCR will hopefully go the same way.

I'm pretty confident the series is going to work well. Just curious if anyone else on here has been paying close attention to it, and if anyone has already taken the plunge on a car?
hehe

sure.

I've seen and heard that so many times it takes the piss.

No chance, way too expensive.

The last time I'd say that any new championship got a good start was probably the Type R trophy, before that Clios and before that Golf GTi's.. All of those started in the 750 MC.. (exc enduro stuff)

BRSCC is a busted flush.

SparrowHawk

Original Poster:

123 posts

143 months

Tuesday 24th January 2023
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That's fair enough, everyone has their own opinion. But I'd say that's a harsh criticism of the BRSCC, I've been racing with them myself and find it a great club - and there are a number of their series that I follow and thoroughly enjoy watching.

But specifically on this new series my interest is precisely that it is not an expensive series. Expensive is a very subjective word. But compared with the other modern single-make series out there, this TTCR Is looking very affordable indeed.

The likes of BARC's Mini Challenge or Ginetta Championship, and now the BRSCC's Fiesta Championship, are mega money and really not an option for many modest-budget club racers. If you want to be racing in a relatively up to date modern car (I guess I mean a car that is within 10 or so years old) then the market is actually not saturated, there are hardly any options at all.

Many of the affordable single-make series are in pretty old cars - there's nothing wrong with that, but for some it doesn't have the same appeal as lining up in a field of modern machinery. If there really are 30+ of these TT's currently being built then I think this series fills a gap perfectly. Will be interesting to see how many cars appear over the coming 3 months.

geeks

9,169 posts

139 months

Tuesday 24th January 2023
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Dynion Araf Uchaf said:
hehe

sure.

I've seen and heard that so many times it takes the piss.

No chance, way too expensive.

The last time I'd say that any new championship got a good start was probably the Type R trophy, before that Clios and before that Golf GTi's.. All of those started in the 750 MC.. (exc enduro stuff)

BRSCC is a busted flush.
Oh that settles it then, no one should launch a championship without having first run it past you then, Gotcha, that'll make life simpler.


SparrowHawk

Original Poster:

123 posts

143 months

Tuesday 24th January 2023
quotequote all
Type R Trophy looks pretty good to be fair. Has anyone raced in that, or been following it closely? The Civic Cup obviously still has a great following and solid grids too.

Those series I guess do fall into this bracket. But, the cars are ageing and although the newer FN2 Civics are allowed I think the uptake on those models has been really low. So neither of those series are really in modern cars. Cracking cars that they are (I've owned and raced a Civic Cup car myself).. the EP3 went out of production in what 2004? Or 2005? So these are old cars now.

There was clearly a gap in the market for a series with cars 5-10 years newer, but at the same entry-cost and running-cost.


Dynion Araf Uchaf

4,454 posts

223 months

Tuesday 24th January 2023
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geeks said:
Oh that settles it then, no one should launch a championship without having first run it past you then, Gotcha, that'll make life simpler.
yes it would certainly help if they did.

andy97

4,703 posts

222 months

Tuesday 24th January 2023
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It will be interesting to see what the grid numbers are like after the first 2-3 races, and we can judge then.
I guess if the take up isn’t great it can be combined with the BRSCC’s new “Evolution Trophy”, alongside other “emerging series” (BMW 1 series super cup, MX5 Mk4, Renault Cup and the , ahem, Classic VWs) or the cars can race in the 750 club enduro, MSVRs Trackday trophy or the CSCC’s Turbo Tin Tops, so pretty low risk if you build a car and the series doesn’t succeed.

mat205125

17,790 posts

213 months

Friday 27th January 2023
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andy97 said:
It will be interesting to see what the grid numbers are like after the first 2-3 races, and we can judge then.
I guess if the take up isn’t great it can be combined with the BRSCC’s new “Evolution Trophy”, alongside other “emerging series” (BMW 1 series super cup, MX5 Mk4, Renault Cup and the , ahem, Classic VWs) or the cars can race in the 750 club enduro, MSVRs Trackday trophy or the CSCC’s Turbo Tin Tops, so pretty low risk if you build a car and the series doesn’t succeed.
It'll be interesting to see how the championship copes with the supply requirements for used bolt-on bodywork in breakers.

Depending on how well the series is inclined to control "enthusiastic" drivers, will make a big difference to how easily someone can run their car, and the costs for the year.

If they can run it as a more gentleman type series, rather than an MX5 rubbins-racing series, they might be OK.

Also depends how well the powertrains cope with running hard in the races ..... are they AWD TTs, or FWD cars?

SparrowHawk

Original Poster:

123 posts

143 months

Friday 27th January 2023
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Front wheel drive, no Quattro. And its the 2.0 turbo engine, mapped to around 250-260bhp.

whp1983

1,171 posts

139 months

Friday 27th January 2023
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SparrowHawk said:
Type R Trophy looks pretty good to be fair. Has anyone raced in that, or been following it closely? The Civic Cup obviously still has a great following and solid grids too.

Those series I guess do fall into this bracket. But, the cars are ageing and although the newer FN2 Civics are allowed I think the uptake on those models has been really low. So neither of those series are really in modern cars. Cracking cars that they are (I've owned and raced a Civic Cup car myself).. the EP3 went out of production in what 2004? Or 2005? So these are old cars now.

There was clearly a gap in the market for a series with cars 5-10 years newer, but at the same entry-cost and running-cost.
Yep raced Type R trophy last two seasons, moving away to endurance racing now but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Well run and incredibly good, competitive drivers.

As with many single make ‘budget’ series there is some decent money being spent (I include myself in this) full team support, regular fresh brakes and tyres. But it is well scrutineered, well run and I’d highly recommend.

andy97

4,703 posts

222 months

Friday 27th January 2023
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SparrowHawk said:
Front wheel drive, no Quattro. And its the 2.0 turbo engine, mapped to around 250-260bhp.
Should be fairly robust mechanically. Similar spec to the TT Cup that ran in Germany in 2015/16 - except they had 300 bhp and (+30 bhp push to pass) and S-Tronic gearboxes. The SEAT SuperCopa’s were also similar mechanically with,I think, 330 bhp engines and DSG gearboxes.

andy97

4,703 posts

222 months

Tuesday 31st January 2023
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As an aside, what happened to the VW Racing Cup? Some nice cars in that; I particularly liked the Sciroccos and the body kit equipped Golf’s. And DSG gearboxes allowed, too.

kimducati

344 posts

164 months

Tuesday 31st January 2023
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andy97 said:
As an aside, what happened to the VW Racing Cup? Some nice cars in that; I particularly liked the Sciroccos and the body kit equipped Golf’s. And DSG gearboxes allowed, too.
I hadn't realised until now, but it seems to have died a death in '21. Seems to have been a part of the TCR UK setup - maybe not cost effective to have similar championships - albeit all VAG - on the same bill. The cars must have been pretty expensive to build / run.
My son raced in the VW Racing Cup back in 2003/4, when it was (relatively) low cost. After that, they seemed to push the series upmarket, outlawing the older cars, etc. which (I think) is why the Classic VW Cup was born.
Kim

andy97

4,703 posts

222 months

Tuesday 31st January 2023
quotequote all
kimducati said:
andy97 said:
As an aside, what happened to the VW Racing Cup? Some nice cars in that; I particularly liked the Sciroccos and the body kit equipped Golf’s. And DSG gearboxes allowed, too.
I hadn't realised until now, but it seems to have died a death in '21. Seems to have been a part of the TCR UK setup - maybe not cost effective to have similar championships - albeit all VAG - on the same bill. The cars must have been pretty expensive to build / run.
My son raced in the VW Racing Cup back in 2003/4, when it was (relatively) low cost. After that, they seemed to push the series upmarket, outlawing the older cars, etc. which (I think) is why the Classic VW Cup was born.
Kim
I think you are right. I thought it still existed but it seems not. I think the cars still appear in things like Britcar; not sure whether there are any in things like 750 club enduro or MSVR Trackday Trophy.

indigorallye

555 posts

225 months

Tuesday 31st January 2023
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40 plus kits sold for the TT’s according to the organisers.

bumskins

1,368 posts

15 months

Wednesday 1st February 2023
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indigorallye said:
40 plus kits sold for the TT’s according to the organisers.
Good that it's garnering such interest and a good idea to utilise the road cars for a race series.

Must admit, FWD and automatic doesn't float my boat for track work, but should result in some close racing at least.

mat205125

17,790 posts

213 months

Wednesday 1st February 2023
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bumskins said:
indigorallye said:
40 plus kits sold for the TT’s according to the organisers.
Good that it's garnering such interest and a good idea to utilise the road cars for a race series.

Must admit, FWD and automatic doesn't float my boat for track work, but should result in some close racing at least.
DSG isn't really automatic though is it? It's arguably closer to a paddle shift sequential race box in the way that the driver will interact with it (ignoring the details of what's occurring inside the casings)

Goes without saying, that I'd completely agree that a fluid flywheel slushmatic automatic would be horrible on track.