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rip btcc 1958-2009

The fact that you have variety of cars with different strengths and weaknesses is what makes the BTCC so special, at least in my eyes.

Bit annoyed that WTCC style whining from the front wheel guys has got this brought in. RWD cars aren't even long for this world anyway with the new regulations the BTCC will be bringing in.

It's also a bit V8 Supercars, don't they mandate a gear ratio for each car before the races?
Don't need to go down that road thanks.....

TBH I'd rather see on of the three races as a rolling start and have the BMW's get back at them during the other two than this...

Plus it means when Plato is on pole there'll be no hope of the nearest BMW blasting past him into turn one any more either, and that's a tragedy

They'll be beside him and not in front. They'll take him out rather than the other way round

I don't recall hearing much whinging about the RWD advantage anyway

This is the biggest ever show of a RWD advantage at a start I remember in the BTCC:

From 1:15



I'm disappointed by the new rule. I'll miss this kind of thing happening.

If I am being honest I am not terribly happy with the rule change. For me it was just part of the show and anyway, the FWD cars had big advantages in some areas as well, but as Jon has said I do prefer this over rolling starts.


And on another note, Andy Neate has said he is 50/50 in joining the championship in 2010, in a BMW.

I miss pembrey

Pembrey bad circuit.

Would be nice to have a BTCC race in Wales though. The new Angelsey is good but unfortunately very remote so no chance of anything happening there:

That looks like the illegitimate bastard child of Mondello Park and Brands Hatch.

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Dan Wheldon ¦ 1978-2011
Marco Simoncelli ¦ 1987-2011
Jules Bianchi ¦ 1989-2015
Justin Wilson ¦ 1978-2015

Yeah, I know he's mad and I don't care. I do not care. I did not care then. I do not care now. I'm here to race him.

And Jason Plato would probably punt someone into the Irish Sea

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Dan Wheldon | 1978 - 2011

Have a look at an onboard lap though - some super-fast corners, elevation changes. Good tast.

It is a good track, but access is key. Are the locals interested? Ans would regular supporters be bothered to go all the way to North West Wales to watch a BTCC meeting. It would be like holding an F1 race in Istanbul... o wait

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Dan Wheldon | 1978 - 2011

I agree, it looks like a brilliant track. It's Mondello without all the shitty slow bits which ruin any chance of overtaking down the straights.

I'm not really fussed that its in the middle of nowhere; less chance of the NIMBYs interfering.

Another circuit which I believe would deliver good racing is Bedfordshire Autodrome. I know that it is first and foremost a testing facility and that there are no permanent grandstands but I don't think that would stop the facility putting on a good race. The problems can be fixed.

_________________
Dan Wheldon ¦ 1978-2011
Marco Simoncelli ¦ 1987-2011
Jules Bianchi ¦ 1989-2015
Justin Wilson ¦ 1978-2015

Yeah, I know he's mad and I don't care. I do not care. I did not care then. I do not care now. I'm here to race him.

Probably would get a bigger crowd then F1 @ Istanbul

Yeah

I quite like Castle Combe and its a shame they don't go there anymore. Ideal track is the first part of Brands (paddock hill, hairpin that i cant remember the name of ). Bit of Croft, Thruxton, Oulton Park, long Snetterton straight (complete with tree) and then Clearways at Brands to finish with. Build that Tilke

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Dan Wheldon | 1978 - 2011

Indeed. No access roads to the circuit, no car parks, appears to be on the outer reaches of nowhere. And then if you did get people in there isn't a lot of space to put them before they're falling into the Irish Sea.



It's just under 100 miles from Oulton Park so you might get the north-west brigade, but otherwise it would probably just be the locals. And as there aren't any Welsh drivers in the championship I can't see a lot of interest.

I think one of the reasons they redid the circuit was to try and get a BTCC round. I think its unlikely but I hope that does change because it is a rather good circuit. Same with the Combe.

Could be the the way to get interest from Welsh drivers.

I suppose as well, a good way to get Welsh interest would be to run some Welsh championships alongside the Touring Cars, similar to what they do at Knockhill, with the Legends and FFords.

I was there the year before the diggers moved in and they had big signs up detailing the plans for the circuit.
The track layout (using land reclaimed from the MOD apparently since all around it was Army training grounds before) was just the start of the improvements, Grandstands and access roads were planned, but I imagine their plans got credit crunched or something since they're not there yet.

Still, if you look at the map, the far left part of the track was what it used to be like. It was weird seeing FFords and Classic F3 Cars on what was basically a jumped up Go Kart track...
They've done a good job improving it from what it was.

Off topic point: I miss those Ecurie Ecosse saltire coloured Cavaliers - gorgeous colours.

On topic point: The legends drivers who have run at Angelsey have nothing but good things to say about it - it's worlds ahead of that horrible Mondello place.