BTCC 2011

ill go next year Colins still abit of a handful lol cant wait to take him tho

BTCC's first meeting at Knockhill was in 1992. This weekends meeting will be the 19th time the BTCC has visited Knockhill (Knockhill was absent from the 2003 calendar).

That 1992 weekend included a double header BTCC event, one of only thee double header events that season (the others being Donington Park and the Autumn Brands Hatch weekend). It also included the then British Rally Champion, Colin McRae, driving a Prodrive BMW, and being very very competitive. So, with Murray Walker announcing, here is the 1992 BTCC race weekend at Knockhill!

Looks like I ain't gonna make it this year.

Our first ''foreign'' driver of the season will be racing at Knockhill with Triple Eight. Clio Cup driver Aaron Smith from County Dublin will be making his BTCC debut in Tony Gilham's car for a one off appearance.

http://www.btcc.net/html/generalnews_detail.php?id=2588

first "foriegn driver" since the first round of last season nicky!

Marino Franchitti is apparently going to be the guest driver in the Ginetta Supercup race.

Bit more classic BTCC then? I'll try to do this for the remaining rounds too!

Some from the modern era then, 2005's meet, my personal third visit to Knockhill. It was very wet and very windy... But they did have a tent set up with a few Logitech wheels and Gran Turismo 4!

2005 was my first BTCC meeting, and the wettest one. Got thoroughly soaked through that day standing on the infield at Duffus Dip, but loved every minute. Was down at Butchers for the third race, cheering on Rob Collard for his first BTCC win.

Didn't see qualy today, and the replay isn't on the site, but good work by Arena to get the new Focus on pole.

Chilton leads Matt Neal, who's broken hand clearly hasn't affected him that much. Frank Wrathall and Rob Austin are third and fourth, great showing by the NGTC runners. Shedden, who was the pacesetter throughout practice got a disappointing fifth, followed by Plato in sixth. Seventh is championship leader Mat Jackson, then Alex MacDowall, Tom Onslow-Cole, and tenth is Rob Collard.

I am just awaiting Plato to moan moan moan oh why have got a slow car NGTC cars shouldnt beat me, dont you know who I am lol

Any weather reports for 2mw?

I'd imagine it'll be wet. Never been at Knockhill and it hasn't rained, even if it was only drizzle. Wet won't suit the Audi.

I can see Shedden steaming past the NGTC cars early doors, but I think Plato's championship will end here with that qualy. Never know though.

And so it begins...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/94229

LOL

Scot wrote:I'd imagine it'll be wet. Never been at Knockhill and it hasn't rained, even if it was only drizzle. Wet won't suit the Audi.

I can see Shedden steaming past the NGTC cars early doors, but I think Plato's championship will end here with that qualy. Never know though.

The only two times i've been where it hasn't rained (2004 and 2009) it was very cold and very windy. I've never been ''comfortable'' at Knockhill. 2002 was very very wet, a sort of steady drizzle. In 2005, it rained sideways...

And @ the NGTC peg back calls... The NGTC car is clearly quicker than the S2000 cars from a performance point of view, turbo boosts or not. But TOCA did say they would provide an equal playing field for this year by pegging the NGTC cars back.

TOCA have blatantly given the NGTC cars a boost break, which, when combined with the superior brakes, tyres and suspension, is just blowing away the S2000 cars. Imagine what someone like Neal or Plato could do in that Toyota or Audi?

2002's Feature Race. One word: Chaotic.

WOW!

In 2005, it rained sideways...

Haha, yeah, I remember holding my umbrella horizontally! I had it facing the Forth, so we'd watch the cars stream through Duffus and down towards Butchers, then peek over the edge of the brolly into the lashing rain to watch the cars come back up past McIntyres before losing them behind the hill in the infield, then picking them up again as they crested the start/finish line.

Great day! So wish I was going back there today...

All the best to TORA's Scottish contingent on circuit this weekend. Big cheers have to go out for Frank Wrathall and Rob Austin. Well pleased for the NGTC teams getting their act together AT LAST
Even Danny Welch looked like he was going to trouble the front runners during practice.

YEEHAA!!

Jackson off, c'mon Shedden!!!

Good race 1, Neal and Shedden on 160pts, Jackson on 158, championship is damn close!

Still wishing I was there...

Great win for Shedden, cracking bit of driving to take the opportunity to pass Neal, and really put the foot down once in the clear! Good drive from Wrathall too.

Good luck to Plato in race three, he's going to need it, but he's ballast free and has an open road.

Wow, what a day. Firstly, I got sunburned very badly!

Secondly, the atmosphere was just fantastic, absolutely huge amounts of people at the track, the car parks were at capacity, and it was hard to find a good clear spot to watch. The hairpin was almost like a small stadium, it was fantastic.

Race 2 and 3 were fantastic, I didn't realise how unpopular Jason Plato is till he and Boardman got together.. The whole crowd pretty much laughed and applauded.. Race 2 was brilliant, the whole crowd was just cheering on Flash to the end, and we all headed to the podium after with Flower of Scotland blaring through the PA system!

What a brilliant day. Awesome racing, brilliant atmosphere, many a grid girls to perv at, loads of walking, heading down to the pits and walking in amongst all the touring cars after the last race and no one stopping us, taking far too many photos, eating far too much junk and getting very very red.

Was about to photo-bomb the forums, but I'll restrain. I can only upload a selection and I will post a link. I also put a few (terrible) videos on my YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/user/Richy59?feature=mhee

I also have loads more on my phone so I will ge them tomorrow.

Richard, would it make you feel any better if I said I've seen worse quality video's on youtube? Some nice shots actually, especially of the cars going around the final corner.

I'm no good at memorising corner names, but it was awesome to see the cars two wheeling across the chicane. I hope someone was recording that at a very good angle because how cool would that look in slow motion?

Finally, they uploaded. Took ages and it's only about half of what I actually have but here's a taster...including Ian

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58952489@N08/

I wasn't sure which was best, the Leyland girls or the Silverline girls. But then I realised I was being silly by fretting over such matters, and that I could enjoy dat ass, no matter what logo was on it.

Great photo's mate, I think I may be in one or two of them (part of the crowd at the hairpin). I regret not taking more photo's myself, but ah, that's my problem.

I did capture the race 2 podium in its entirety, which could bring a tear to any proud Scotsman's eye. I'll try and get it up onto youtube.

DAN 2605 wrote:Richard, would it make you feel any better if I said I've seen worse quality video's on youtube? Some nice shots actually, especially of the cars going around the final corner.

I'm no good at memorising corner names, but it was awesome to see the cars two wheeling across the chicane. I hope someone was recording that at a very good angle because how cool would that look in slow motion?

Actually Dan, you are spot on, its called just that, ''The Chicane''!

I was down at Clark's for Race 1, Andrew Jordan definitely gets the ''Giampiero Simone Award for Two Wheeled Driving''.