BTCC - Round 1 - Brands Hatch

[RoadRunner220]

Crafty_ said:

steve-5snwi said:

Not a bad last race, Turkington shows how to race and overtake without playing bumper cars unlike Neal .... That last corner Neal would have kept his foot flat to the floor.

He's wasted in touring cars imho.

My tip for the title this year, a great driver.

[steve-5snwi]

I think he is a safe bet for most bookies.

Nice to see the Subarus at the back and potato in the wall.

I thought collard was restrained and played the team part well.

[swooshiain]

Thought it was interesting how little focus there was on BMR today. No special pieces, no interview with Plato, only spoke to Scott when Plato buried his car in the wall; and then O'Neill's doom-and-gloom bit about them at the end. I wonder if that ties in with the debt that O'Neill was complaining about on Twitter a few weeks ago, or if BMR are having a bit of media silence to avoid awkward questions about Turkington's departure?

[l354uge]

swooshiain said:

Thought it was interesting how little focus there was on BMR today. No special pieces, no interview with Plato, only spoke to Scott when Plato buried his car in the wall; and then O'Neill's doom-and-gloom bit about them at the end. I wonder if that ties in with the debt that O'Neill was complaining about on Twitter a few weeks ago, or if BMR are having a bit of media silence to avoid awkward questions about Turkington's departure?

What the story with turks? I can't see why he hasn't been put in a gt car at Le man yet..

[Crafty_]

I think he's been hanging around in the bumper cars too long now. Its not really a career move to get involved with BTCC to me.
GT / endurance racing has got more popular recently but there are so many good drivers around - more than there are seats.

Darren Turner got out fairly quickly and has done well for himself since, but he's the exception to the rule.
If you ignore the "stars" such as Mr Plato and Neal its basically rich persons clubman racing, nothing wrong in that but its hard to take it as a serious series.
Plato, Neal etc like being big fish in small ponds.

Collard's lad has been able to make the switch this year - its not worth messing about in Cilos etc just to get to BTCC.

[rallycross]

Good to see them back on TV, thought the BMW white/red/blue/black livery looked fantastic.

As usual Matt Neil is a liability but never gets a penalty, the guy is a dirty driver should be getting fined/penalty points for his repeated accident causing moves.

Ingram was doing really well he should be a title contender this year, nice to see Chilton doing well on his return to the BTCC and in a brand new un-raced car as well.

Josh Cook was going really well, that team has never been anywhere near the front just shows what a class driver he is.

[swooshiain]

Quick summary of the drivers who ended up on the naughty step after today:

Race 1:

Josh Cook – Verbal Warning for an incident with Aiden Moffat
Chris Smiley – Verbal Warning for an incident with Stephen Jelley
Ash Sutton – Verbal Warning for an incident with Will Burns
Jack Goff – Verbal Warning for an incident with Rob Austin
Rob Collard – Verbal Warning for an incident with Mat Jackson
Michael Epps – Verbal Warning for an incident with Matt Simpson

Race 2:

Rob Austin – Four penalty points and exclusion from the results for an incident with Andrew Jordan and overtaking under yellow flags

Race 3:

Jeff Smith – Verbal Warning for an incident with Luke Davenport
Ash Sutton – Two penalty points and an official reprimand for an incident with Jeff Smith

Two strikes already for Ash Sutton. It really was a day to forget for BMR.

[Sebring440]

alsaautomotive said:

The wheels coming off issue has been known about since early testing.

Yes, that is correct.

alsaautomotive said:

Our guys (Handy) have said it's simply a matter of upping the torque....they've gone from battery guns to air.

Yes, that has been the advice from RML. Not a proper engineering solution, just tighten them up more. They're advising 550Nm now. Unbelievable.

The tubular hub section is weak and this immense torque figure will soon start to stretch the area of the tube not covered by the nut (ie, inside, nearest the hub face). But the usual cause for wheels coming off is (perhaps due to the agriculturally coarse thread on the hub and nut), the wheel nuts are backing off (loosening). The "safety pin" is badly designed, poorly located and inherently weak. It is simply not functioning. As the wheel nut backs off, instead of being stopped by the safety pin, the pin simply bends and ultimately breaks. As it breaks it rips out the pin holes on the tubular hub section. There is then nothing to stop the wheel nut loosening more. It does, the wheel vibration then causes further breakage and the wheel comes off. The driver feels an initial vibration and then he's lost a wheel.

Shocking state of affairs in a professional motor racing series in 2017. Yes, I'm talking to you, RML.