British GT 2006
Discussion
Looks like the cars will be going that bit quicker this season. Amazing that the Avon's are that much quicker in the cold compared to the Dunlops!
www.crash.net/news_view~t~Avon-complete-strong-tyre-test-~cid~14~id~124929.htm
www.crash.net/news_view~t~Avon-complete-strong-tyre-test-~cid~14~id~124929.htm
steveherb said:
Yeah, but, no round at Thruxton this year. Big 'BOO' for SRO, we've been going to this round for years, but obviously not this time around. And there's no 70's saloons there this season either! Flip me, looks like I wont be spending any cash with Thruxton this year.
No Thruxton and Brands clashes with LMS at Donnington I can see there will be no BGT for me this year!
A link that may be of interest, the Monaro testing.
www.ee-sport.com/newsite/index.php
go to the bottom and click on silverstone test
www.ee-sport.com/newsite/index.php
go to the bottom and click on silverstone test
I wish the Brit GT series could be different. I used to be a big fan of it when the GT1 and GT2 cars used to compete.... as in the likes of the McLaren F1 and the Sintura etc.
I know the main reason why these classes were dispanded was due to cost but I think the Brit GT needs a revamp.
By using the same class structure as the FIA GT it seems to only serve a purpose of a testing ground before the successful teams commit to spending the extra for the Euro series.
To change the Brit GT into someting unique I think it would be a good idea to re-instate the GT1 and GT2 classes so that privateer enthusiasts can run these monster cars again.
In my opinion the Brit GT is borderline with touring cars as to the spectacle and pace levels of the races. For a GT race you really need the BIG step up in pace and power levels to bring in crowds.
I'm not knocking GT racing as I'm still a fan and watch it on TV... just that it doesn't have the same impact to draw me out to the tracks in real life.
Bring back the good old days ;-)
I know the main reason why these classes were dispanded was due to cost but I think the Brit GT needs a revamp.
By using the same class structure as the FIA GT it seems to only serve a purpose of a testing ground before the successful teams commit to spending the extra for the Euro series.
To change the Brit GT into someting unique I think it would be a good idea to re-instate the GT1 and GT2 classes so that privateer enthusiasts can run these monster cars again.
In my opinion the Brit GT is borderline with touring cars as to the spectacle and pace levels of the races. For a GT race you really need the BIG step up in pace and power levels to bring in crowds.
I'm not knocking GT racing as I'm still a fan and watch it on TV... just that it doesn't have the same impact to draw me out to the tracks in real life.
Bring back the good old days ;-)
It's all about team incomes and costs, just running in GTC costs an arm and a leg and that's not always sponsored. We run our car on the tightest budget we can with little or no sponorship and that can cost some teams £10k a round 
so god knows how much a GT1 car would cost, some say £25k a round !!!
If we as teams, had start money from the tracks we race at, which could only happen if we could draw substantial crowds at fair gate money or smaller support levels on higher entrance fees, plus some TV revenue, and proper series sponsorship then more teams would be able to afford to run better or more exciting cars. If we continue to rely on personal and or limited sponsorship monies, nothing much is going to change. A lot of existing sponsorship money goes in the wrong direction, it's kind of like the national health service, small budgets for doctors, nurses, and Patience's, big pay packets for administrators, managers and so called health chiefs that spend most of their time buggering up the system.
It will require someone like Jonathan Palmer who already runs a few circuits to make the changes that we would all like to see, he knows what a mammoth task it is and as an ex driver knows what should be done, he's made a considerable difference already but there's a long way to go. In essence the whole motorsport industry needs radical change from the MSA downwards, it needs to be in the hands of like minded entrepreneurs such as Palmer who are not just out to feather their own nests, for in my humble opinion, Palmer is genuine in his desire to make advances that until now have been Taboo !!, and yes, all the various clubs need to be amalgamated so that self interest,politics and the "king of the shit pile" aspects are removed.
So if you are still around in 50 years time, you just might be lucky enough to see motorsport as it should be, I'll be watching from cloud nine, or eight in my case
>> Edited by Racing Rod on Thursday 13th April 15:06
so god knows how much a GT1 car would cost, some say £25k a round !!! If we as teams, had start money from the tracks we race at, which could only happen if we could draw substantial crowds at fair gate money or smaller support levels on higher entrance fees, plus some TV revenue, and proper series sponsorship then more teams would be able to afford to run better or more exciting cars. If we continue to rely on personal and or limited sponsorship monies, nothing much is going to change. A lot of existing sponsorship money goes in the wrong direction, it's kind of like the national health service, small budgets for doctors, nurses, and Patience's, big pay packets for administrators, managers and so called health chiefs that spend most of their time buggering up the system.
It will require someone like Jonathan Palmer who already runs a few circuits to make the changes that we would all like to see, he knows what a mammoth task it is and as an ex driver knows what should be done, he's made a considerable difference already but there's a long way to go. In essence the whole motorsport industry needs radical change from the MSA downwards, it needs to be in the hands of like minded entrepreneurs such as Palmer who are not just out to feather their own nests, for in my humble opinion, Palmer is genuine in his desire to make advances that until now have been Taboo !!, and yes, all the various clubs need to be amalgamated so that self interest,politics and the "king of the shit pile" aspects are removed.
So if you are still around in 50 years time, you just might be lucky enough to see motorsport as it should be, I'll be watching from cloud nine, or eight in my case
>> Edited by Racing Rod on Thursday 13th April 15:06
racind rod - fully agree with you there... the whole thing from the top levels needs to be looked at and changed.
Too many people demanding too higher a pay packet to do this that and the other.
I think the amount of rule changes you see each year in the 'blue' book doesn't help things either. You develop a car to a certain spec, race it, test it, develop it more.... and then the very next year the whole entry spec changes and you're back to square one having to spend money and time developing a race car to the new spec.
I think if they left the GT1, GT2 classes in place with the same rules and spec then over the years as materials and production costs to manufacture come down it would have been an affordable class to run. The problem was that each year as mentioned above they change spec rules to make what they keep calling 'close racing' and in turn made it more expensive to re-spec the car for the next season's racing.
I'll keep watching GT racing on TV as I'm a racing driver myself and I own a GT car. Just got to hope that things are re-vamped to bring in the crowds again.
Too many people demanding too higher a pay packet to do this that and the other.
I think the amount of rule changes you see each year in the 'blue' book doesn't help things either. You develop a car to a certain spec, race it, test it, develop it more.... and then the very next year the whole entry spec changes and you're back to square one having to spend money and time developing a race car to the new spec.
I think if they left the GT1, GT2 classes in place with the same rules and spec then over the years as materials and production costs to manufacture come down it would have been an affordable class to run. The problem was that each year as mentioned above they change spec rules to make what they keep calling 'close racing' and in turn made it more expensive to re-spec the car for the next season's racing.
I'll keep watching GT racing on TV as I'm a racing driver myself and I own a GT car. Just got to hope that things are re-vamped to bring in the crowds again.
AJI said:
racind rod - fully agree with you there... the whole thing from the top levels needs to be looked at and changed.
Too many people demanding too higher a pay packet to do this that and the other.
I think the amount of rule changes you see each year in the 'blue' book doesn't help things either. You develop a car to a certain spec, race it, test it, develop it more.... and then the very next year the whole entry spec changes and you're back to square one having to spend money and time developing a race car to the new spec.
I think if they left the GT1, GT2 classes in place with the same rules and spec then over the years as materials and production costs to manufacture come down it would have been an affordable class to run. The problem was that each year as mentioned above they change spec rules to make what they keep calling 'close racing' and in turn made it more expensive to re-spec the car for the next season's racing.
I'll keep watching GT racing on TV as I'm a racing driver myself and I own a GT car. Just got to hope that things are re-vamped to bring in the crowds again.
It's Ironic isn't it, they make all these spec changes to promote closer racing but for whom? the vast crowds of supporters that we don't get !!!! Sure, we need to put on a good show for those who spend their time and money to support us but my guess is that they would be much more interested in a strong element of consistency and the ability to get behind teams that they wish to support for more then one season.
As drivers, and I'm sure you will agree, things are bloodly well close enough thank you very much
>> Edited by Racing Rod on Thursday 13th April 15:06
Racing Rod said:
It's all about team incomes and costs, just running in GTC costs an arm and a leg and that's not always sponsored. We run our car on the tightest budget we can with little or no sponorship and that can cost some teams £10k a round
If we as teams, had start money from the tracks we race at, which could only happen if we could draw substantial crowds at fair gate money or smaller support levels on higher entrance fees, plus some TV revenue, and proper series sponsorship then more teams would be able to afford to run better or more exciting cars. If we continue to rely on personal and or limited sponsorship monies, nothing much is going to change. A lot of existing sponsorship money goes in the wrong direction, it's kind of like the national health service, small budgets for doctors, nurses, and Patience's, big pay packets for administrators, managers and so called health chiefs that spend most of their time buggering up the system.
It will require someone like Jonathan Palmer who already runs a few circuits to make the changes that we would all like to see, he knows what a mammoth task it is and as an ex driver knows what should be done, he's made a considerable difference already but there's a long way to go. In essence the whole motorsport industry needs radical change from the MSA downwards, it needs to be in the hands of like minded entrepreneurs such as Palmer who are not just out to feather their own nests, for in my humble opinion, Palmer is genuine in his desire to make advances that until now have been Taboo !!, and yes, all the various clubs need to be amalgamated so that self interest,politics and the "king of the shit pile" aspects are removed.
So if you are still around in 50 years time, you just might be lucky enough to see motorsport as it should be, I'll be watching from cloud nine, or eight in my case
>> Edited by Racing Rod on Thursday 13th April 15:06
well said that man
Thats right. It's running now but we haven't had the chance to test it yet and decided that Brit GT is not the championship to risk embarrassment in. We haven't even tried the Avons yet and without us Avon haven't been able to do any development so the tyres are not likely to look good.
Basically the problem has been the lack of time to prepare the car as the Britcar people left us hanging until about six weeks ago and until we had an answer from them we didn't know what championship (hence rules) we were building the car to so couldn't touch it. I picked up the engine at last on Monday and the plan was to fit it Tuesday, map it Wednesday, test at Snett on Thursday then head to Oulton on Friday. Unfortunately an oil leak lost us a day pulling the engine out again having got it up and running Tuesday evening so now we have it mapped and just needs a spanner check and set up before we hit the track next week for tyre testing.
Basically the problem has been the lack of time to prepare the car as the Britcar people left us hanging until about six weeks ago and until we had an answer from them we didn't know what championship (hence rules) we were building the car to so couldn't touch it. I picked up the engine at last on Monday and the plan was to fit it Tuesday, map it Wednesday, test at Snett on Thursday then head to Oulton on Friday. Unfortunately an oil leak lost us a day pulling the engine out again having got it up and running Tuesday evening so now we have it mapped and just needs a spanner check and set up before we hit the track next week for tyre testing.
randy said:Hi Randy. Seems your season hasn't exactly started the way it should have, especially considering the high you and Simon were on at the end of last year. Here's hoping you get your maladies sorted soon and get on the track competitively. I'll be going along to some of the BGT rounds so will wave the metaphorical Team Scandal flag for you.
Thats right. It's running now but we haven't had the chance to test it yet and decided that Brit GT is not the championship to risk embarrassment in. We haven't even tried the Avons yet and without us Avon haven't been able to do any development so the tyres are not likely to look good.
Basically the problem has been the lack of time to prepare the car as the Britcar people left us hanging until about six weeks ago and until we had an answer from them we didn't know what championship (hence rules) we were building the car to so couldn't touch it. I picked up the engine at last on Monday and the plan was to fit it Tuesday, map it Wednesday, test at Snett on Thursday then head to Oulton on Friday. Unfortunately an oil leak lost us a day pulling the engine out again having got it up and running Tuesday evening so now we have it mapped and just needs a spanner check and set up before we hit the track next week for tyre testing.
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