BTCC 2012

Racing and Chaos = Free to air on ITV4
Non-Racing and penalties for sneezing = £40 a month on Sky Sports.

Shutting Up.

We're entitled to our opinions Matt, thats what the forum is for. We're discussing the BTCC, not TORA race standards or general practice. If we don't like how some of the current BTCC drivers are handling themselves on the circuit then we are allowed to express our views on it.

I forgot about Collards 'donut' where he basically turned into oncoming traffic and nearly beached his car. He won't even get a slap on the wrist for that.

Richy wrote:I forgot about Collards 'donut' where he basically turned into oncoming traffic and nearly beached his car. He won't even get a slap on the wrist for that.

Should get points. I'll be checking the MSA site for that later on....

Matt wrote:um.... bit extreme isn't it?
Plato's pass on Andy was nothing compared to some of the stupid drving we saw earlier. And quite frankly, considering what I spend most weekends doing I'm in a faaarrrrr more authoritative position to say what looks dangerous than you...

This is most dickish thing I have read on this forum, nice one.....

And for the record the marshalling was abit embarrassing today as well....don't get me started.

Just finished watching it and...I dont get it. At all.

Honestly, I think people just pick as many holes as they can in a BTCC race..

Agreed with the marshalling. Did more damage to cars than the gravel trap did. Shocking.

nickyf1 wrote:Honestly, I think people just pick as many holes as they can in a BTCC race..

Honestly, I feel the same way now Ive begun to understand it.

Ian, read it in context with the rest of my posts and you'll perhaps understand why I say that.
I don't want to see drivers, marshals, spectators hurt. Duncan's post implies that I do, or don't care. Which is rather.... incorrect.

I have to agree with Matt here.

People seem to blow things out of proportion with the BTCC, in a snobby sort of way almost.

I don't know if any of you watched the WTCC or the Italian Superstars today, but they were both equally boring as hell.

nickyf1 wrote:I don't know if any of you watched the WTCC or the Italian Superstars today, but they were both equally boring as hell.

I didn't, and honestly? Im glad. Anyway, I hope Jordan keeps up his momentum, and for the MG to win again!

Great watching! so glads its back:)

Having done work for the MSA as a scrutineer and worked with lower levels of motorsport teams (mostly rallying to be fair) in motorsport the pressure to preform for your sponsors and also for you team/ family is huge.Today was racers who all wanted to win, mostly take huge risks financial and need good results.Some racing was a bit close to the line but as Plato (i think said) "if you able to deal it out you have to be able to take it back".Love him or hate him the guy and 888 have done an amazing job just to get the MG on the track.It takes alot of know how and experience in such a short time.Well done to them and all the teams with the new NGTC cars.
Think some people should stick to watching F1, gt racing etc

Back to the racing tho, thought there was a good few people who impressed me today Aron Smith had to great overtakes and Ollie Jackson has the talent to run in the top 10.Ive also got a soft spot for the proton dont know why.Pity Frank Wrathall couldnt get his Toyota out:( really think hes going to be a front runner this year.

WTCC was boring as hell I agree, BTCC is always a bit mad which makes great watching, hopefully there will be some good racing when I go to Oulton Park again this year. Lovely track to have just 40 minutes down the road.

I'll have to see about doing some BTCC races with you guys on here, still tied up with my current championship for the next 2 weeks though : /

I said elsewhere that the marshalling was a bit worrying at times - I'm sure the MSA and BARC will have something to say about it all. Whilst it is tough at times, at other times it needs common sense and taking a step back from the moment.
Unfortunately, today's marshals seemed to be disorientated and, at times, clueless. I'm just thankful that there was nothing MAJOR they had to deal with - like Hunter Abbott's GT crash at Oulton in 2008. God only knows what would have happened then.
I can't help but think this is due to the massive drive on marshal recruitment over past couple of years - a drive that says "don't worry about training - come a few times first".

Still, the big name drivers did their usual "spectacle" racing - it wouldn't be the BTCC if there wasn't some controversy over the course of a weekend.

Wow, there's a lot of bollocks in this thread today.

I've only seen the BTCC races, but for me the racing was entertaining, the action was thick and fast, and best of all the NGTC cars were competitive straight out the box. I'd rather watch that again than any GT race ever, IMO, as I find them sleep-inducing.

You know what you get with the BTCC. It's not changed in the 8 years I've been watching it. While the driving standards are not always great, today's racing certainly wasn't the worst I've seen (Donny 2011), and there was nothing different from any race round the Indy circuit in the last decade. It's like complaining about Frankie Boyle's jokes - you know what he's like, and if that offends you, don't go and see him.

The cars looked great - I never minded the MG in the first place. The Civic is stunning. The NGTC cars were, for the most part, right on the pace, think the S2000 hybrid guys got a massive shock today. Well done to 888 for building such a beast of a car, and to Plato for wringing its neck in each race. Think Plato deserved that win tbh, Jordan was clearly slower and driving a very defensive race. Given the nature of the track, the ol' punto-to-pass was fair enough.

BTW, Richy, this is the Auto-Express mockup of what the new Type-R will be like http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/273562/honda_civic_type_r_is_back.html.

From a recent tweet;

"Jason Plato and Rob Collard have been fined and given three point endorsements on their licences for incidents today at Brands Hatch"

Agree totally with you Scot. Drivers have been reigned in with 4 wheels off too. Pleased that Race Control has taken a firm stance on standards. The MSA and FIA are being tough on this sort of thing this yeara dn for the most part it seemed to have been taken on board by the drivers.

Having been at brands hatch today maybe it didn't come across on the tv, but, when plato overtook mat there was never any contact, yet when plato was in front all of a sudden, tap tap, nudge nudge and plato's rear diffuser was hanging off and when we looked closer plato's bumper spaces were really closed up.

Matt Niel, please, rubbing is racing but have the same professionalism that every one else extends you, play fair and stop driving like a red neck with a hard on!

Matt sorry was not ment to be a post having a go at you.

Look to be fair BTCC for a while now has piss poor driving standards, yes money tight and guys want to race but did any 1 watch ginetas or clios? If grass route drivers think its ok to punt some 1 off where do they get from,

Yes I agree back in the 80's and 90's the same was happening but not as often.

Will see how season goes but until ITV take that big arse away from plato its going be the jason plato show once more

Driver of the day: Andrew Jordan

Kept calm when his car got damaged in race 1 and showed he has the speed, along with great overtakes and defending, to the BTCC's youngest champ.

jason plato is a menace...

lol, the marshals are messing up everything on the focus.

good to see btcc is back

Yea Matt sorry I did not mean to implicate in what I said I just meant that some of the crashes were very serious and its lucky we have not had any major injuries in either support or BTCC races.

Overall racing was fun to watch will see at Donni if every 1 has calmed down a bit.

I'm afraid Donnington lends itself to clumsy racing..

Yea last year example lol

But you are all right it does what it says on the tin.

Nicky have you seen of any of the TTA?