Monday 14th October 2013

BTCC Brands Hatch 1992: Time For Tea?

"And Andy Rouse's body language says rage and fury!"

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Having watched the BTCC at Brands Hatch for the first time yesterday, it was straight to YouTube this morning to watch some of the old-timers at work (after all the important stuff was done, honest).

So today's teatime accompaniment is a few minutes from the 1992 race on the GP circuit. The Toyotas of Andy Rouse and Will Hoy are dicing for the lead with John Cleland's Cavalier, centimetres from each other throughout the lap in the best BTCC tradition.

The old corners of Brands are worth looking out for too. Graham Hill Bend as a near-flat sweeper seems more of a challenger than its current format, and seeing cars properly airborne through Dingle Dell is magnificent. Once you've seen James Thompson's crash there though, you'll see why it was revised.

As this is the BTCC, there is inevitably some very close inter-team racing. Rouse and Hoy get particularly tight round the back of the circuit which results in... Well, you'll have to watch the rest of the video to find out!

Enjoy.

 

 

[DISASTRA 5 0]

The red top working hard!;)

[anonymous-user]

If only BTCC was still like that!

[frodo_monkey]

This is the race that first got me into motorsport as a ten year old...

[Lowtimer]

Does anyone know what caused the Hoy / Rouse coming-together? Some sort of failure on the right-hand Toyota? It looks as if Hoy's car turned left pretty hard on the straight, into the Rouse car, and I can't really imagine either of them blowing a podium finish on purpose.

Edited by Lowtimer on Monday 14th October 16:19

[j90gta]

Proper racing with full varied grids and full grandstands. It's a shame that the BTCC is a shadow of what it used to be. The 1990's were probably the peak for saloon car racing in the UK. Where did it all go wrong?

[hillchilly]

Took my mind straight back to my GSi Cavalier!! My first "performance" car with 150BHP I thought I was John Clelland!

[b14]

j90gta said:

Proper racing with full varied grids and full grandstands. It's a shame that the BTCC is a shadow of what it used to be. The 1990's were probably the peak for saloon car racing in the UK. Where did it all go wrong?

What's wrong with it? I counted 24 cars on the grid on Sunday at Brands and the racing is really exciting, especially in the wet.

[MrKipling43]

j90gta said:

Where did it all go wrong?

[Janesy B]

j90gta said:

Proper racing with full varied grids and full grandstands. It's a shame that the BTCC is a shadow of what it used to be. The 1990's were probably the peak for saloon car racing in the UK. Where did it all go wrong?

The global economy.

[Devil2575]

j90gta said:

The 1990's were probably the peak for saloon car racing in the UK. Where did it all go wrong?

I was chatting with a bloke at work about this the other day. The modern day BTCC just doesn't do it in anything like the same way.

[Vocal Minority]

MrKipling43 said:

Fair point. Alfa introduced trick aero, it got expensive and not worth it for manufacturers.

[NotNormal]

Brings back memories as I was at that race at Brands, remember the incident well.

[philmots]

The golden years. It'll never be this good again.

I love how the cars look just like the showroom model with bigger wheels, they look daft these days with all the wings/scoops/arches etc

[Capri86]

If only they kept to the old formula of actual manufactures showroom models that the people could relate to owning. Cut back on the aero and expensive tuning (I accept some is needed for racing).

They’d probably end up with closer racing, reduced costs, more spectators and customers wanting to go and buy they top sports models, as they can see (virtually) the same car racing and their inner child pretending he’s in a racing car every now and again.

You’d also get back the healthy manufactures sporting rivalry and customer loyalty.

[Chunkychucky]

philmots said:

The golden years. It'll never be this good again.

I love how the cars look just like the showroom model with bigger wheels, they look daft these days with all the wings/scoops/arches etc

Couldn't have put it better myself, BTCC cars nowadays would look so much better even if Gow just banned the rear spoilers - can't remember the last time I saw an Avensis on the road with a rear wing and a front splitter..?

[markbigears]

I was there too! Didn't the the team boss of those last place BMWs getting sent to jail for drugs dealing? Although the "golden years" has to be Rouse in the RS500.

[Janesy B]

Chunkychucky said:

Couldn't have put it better myself, BTCC cars nowadays would look so much better even if Gow just banned the rear spoilers - can't remember the last time I saw an Avensis on the road with a rear wing and a front splitter..?

Can't remember seeing one with a rollcage too so we better do away with those too. Hurr.

[Maldini35]

BTCC is still pretty exciting.
Much as I love watching the 80's & 90's action it feels like a lot of rose tinted specs being worn.
Chances are peole will look back on the Plato/Neal battles of recent years with great fondness.

[The Wookie]

Chunkychucky said:

Couldn't have put it better myself, BTCC cars nowadays would look so much better even if Gow just banned the rear spoilers - can't remember the last time I saw an Avensis on the road with a rear wing and a front splitter..?

I'd probably agree, plus the one on our car is more useful for holding up mugs of tea than pushing down the back end when it's going round the track

[Bionic Billy Nav]

Anyone that actually watched the BTCC finale yesterday and doesn't think it's as good as the early nineties is a pillock imo and has no business being a Pistonheads member!