BTCC of the 2000's by Nicky

Introduction

It occured to me on the evening of the awsome finale from Brands Hatch that the BTCC has made its way through another decade, and decades are very important in motorsport, the Nineties for the BTCC were the most famous of its life, with manufacturer support and a massive following in the UK and Europe. But what happens when you take away all the manufacturers, who leave due to increasing prices of Supertouring, and almost zero independants, also because of the increasing prices? Take that with the controversial technical rule changes, a change in management, and a final blow from the FIA, who created the ETCC and, ultimately the Super 2000 formula, and you get the 2000's of the BTCC, I'm gonna use this thread for us to discuss and examine what has happened in the past, what should happen in the future, share my personal experiences of the BTCC, and to present to you my Top Ten's. Over the weeks I will slowly reveal my personal Top Ten Cars of the 2000's, and my personal Top Ten drivers of the 2000's, which could possibly lead to more discussion, especialy with the controversial positions I have in mind

The British Touring Car Championship has been through some rough times, but Alan Gow sure knows how to turn the BTCC around, thats for sure.

So lets stop constantly looking in the nineties, lets have a look at what we have had for the past 10 Seasons, appreciate what we have today, and look to the future in the coming-soon 2ltr Turbo NGTC era

Its funny you should start this thread as only yesterday i was watching the first half of the 2005 season (The first for the astra and legendary Integra) and it rasied one question to me...

What ever happened to Dan Eaves?

Dan Eaves returned this season to drive the Cartrage World SEAT for the frst half of the season.

Slider S15 wrote:Its funny you should start this thread as only yesterday i was watching the first half of the 2005 season (The first for the astra and legendary Integra) and it rasied one question to me...

What ever happened to Dan Eaves?

At the end of the 2005 season, IIRC at the end of season dinner bash, Dan Eaves declared that he was going to challenge for the title after his strong showing in the Integra. Matt and Steve Neal didn't like this, as he would be challenging his own team-mate in an equal car. He was dropped by Dynamics, who managed to keep the Halfords sponsorship that Eaves had brought to the team. With no money, no sponsor and no drive, Eaves was unable to compete.

There was talk for ages about Eaves and Colin Neill, who ran Clyde Valley Racing, getting back to the grid. CVR tried to get two Lacettis for 2007 but plans were scuppered by money. Eventually, they met up with Phiroze Bilimoria, who had connections with Cartridge World, and plans were put in place for a 2009 campaign with Eaves and Bilimoria driving. For some reason - probably money again - Bilimoria left the team and Neill struck a deal that brought in Adam Jones and his Air Cool outfit (run by GR Asia) under the Cartridge World name.

For the first half of the season, the team ran the two but money was tight Eaves was desperately unlucky, but eyebrows had to be raised when they had no spare engine at one of the meetings this year, leaving Eaves on the sidelines. With Eaves seemingly not paying for this drive, having been part of the creation of it, he was dropped as money ran out, and paying driver Shedden came in. As we know now, Jones dropped out. It seems that CVR could no longer run the team as Jones' backers had not stumped up the cash, leaving little option but to withdraw from the BTCC.

And now Eaves, the unluckiest man in BTCC, disappears back into the woodwork, his comeback a shambles. Doubt we'll see him again, now that his three-race-wins-in-a-meeting record has been broken by the legend that is Jason Plato.

Shame, I liked Dan Eaves.

Yeh i liked him too. ITs bad to hear it happened like that though. It seems really bad to drop a driver so willing to fight for the championship next season. Who knew what they would face in 2006 at that point? They may have needed him to come up and do it if neal got hurt or penalised or had some bad DNF's. Better one of your own cars wins it (even if not the prefered car) then someone elses surely.


But hey im not Steve Neal...

TOP 10 CARS OF THE 2000's


So, its 2004. Since 2001, Vauxhall have dominated in the Astra, thining interest in the series being lost to Eurosports LG Super Racing Weekend and the ETCC has not helped, dispite Manufacturer participation from Honda and MG.

SEAT decided to run their succesful SEAT Toledo Cupra in an assault on the BTCC, and while this car is perhaps not the most iconic car of the 2000's, or the most succesfully used by privateers, it marked a big turning point in the BTCC: the first Super 2000 spec car. This was the start of Alan Gow's plan to make the BTCC an S2000 series.

The Toledo itself enjoyed great performance, winning multiple races with the returning-fan-favourite Jason Plato and Rob Huff behind the wheel through most of 2004 against Vauxhall, and into 2005 against Vauxhall, and the all-new Halfords/Dynamics Integra. However the Toledo was replaced by the infamous SEAT Leon that went on to further challenge Vauxhall and Dynamics and in later years, the influx of privateer run BMW's in 2007.

It was a vital car in the 2000's, but it isn't as well remembered as some others, and dispite being run by Maxtreme in 2009, it was never succesfully run again after SEAT Sport dropped it, and thats why its at #10.