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19 Dec 2009, 22:11 (Ref:2602513) | #1 | |
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Newbie - ish questions for V8 buffs
Can I ask some of you V8 vets some questions about the Aussie V8's. I've always been somewhat interested in the Australian Touring Car scene since I managed to see the whole of the 1987 season where Jim Richards and Glen Seton had a great battle. This year, I got satellite tv and was able to follow the season on Motors TV over here. So here goes;
The same guys seem to be at the front all the time and there are only a handful of guys who seem to be able to win - are there major differences between the cars or is it a case that some teams are better than others? Just one example, on in-car shots, some guys seem never to use the clutch for downshifts whereas others don't which leads me to believe there are car differences. The control v sprint tyre. Whats the thinkingbehind this? It splits the race up from the get go and seems to spoil head to head combat. I don't like it at all and seems too manufactured to me. Was this a new rule this year and what do you guys think of it? The season seems to be too long and spread out. Would it be better if it ended at Bathurst in October? I have a feeling that the series is modelling itself more and more on NASCAR. I don't think this is a good thing. Am I way off? What's the power output of these cars? Is it really 650 bhp from a 5 litre V8 engine? Why do the cars not spit flames the way they used to? I thought that looked really cool. Thanks in advance!! |
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All the same, isn't there a grand oul stretch in the evenings... |
19 Dec 2009, 23:16 (Ref:2602530) | #2 | |||||||
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Hi Graz, welcome to the world of V8 Supercars.
To answer some of your questions: Quote:
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I hope this helps you to understand & enjoy our series better. |
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19 Dec 2009, 23:35 (Ref:2602533) | #3 | ||
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Same guys up the front? There are some car differences, but mostly team and driver differences. Some guys like to use the clutch, some don't. Some teams can take a crap car and make it good, where some other teams can take a good car and make it crap ("engineer all the speed out of it" is a common accusation leveled at one particular team). There are no hopeless drivers in V8 Supercars. However there ARE some who would not be there if it were not for the money they have access to. Even Mark McNally who was consistently slowest all year, would probably be able to wipe the floor with most of us. He's not hopeless, but he isn't in the same league as the guys up the front. He isn't in a great car either, but there are some drivers (one of his team-mates, in particular) who are able to drive around the problems with a crap car and still get a decent result.
Control vs sprint tyre - new this year, and I believe abandonned for next year. I actually liked that one. Ending the season at Bathurst? Hmmmm I don't have a problem with a long season - I just wish they would get a consistent gap between rounds. The idea of ending the season at Bathurst is likely to inspire another round of the old "should Bathurst be part of the championship" debate that seems to spark up every time there is half an excuse. V8SC trying to be NASCAR? Tony Cochrane, who runs V8SC, is normally accused of trying to be Bernie Ecclestone rather than Tony George, but I suspect that you are probably right about them aspiring to be like NASCAR. NASCAR is pretty successful, so trying to copy that element probably isn't a bad thing. There are other bits that should be left for the Good Ol' Boys over in the US of A.... some like it, some don't. Power? Yes, 650-ish BHP from a 5L V8. The noise they make on the starting grid..... OMFG! Flames? Apparently they DO still spit flames, unfortunately they are clear flames due to the amount of ethanol in the fuel they use now. No doubt I will be corrected on some of this. |
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HSV - Sideways cars from an upside down country. |
19 Dec 2009, 23:45 (Ref:2602537) | #4 | ||||||||
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19 Dec 2009, 23:46 (Ref:2602538) | #5 | ||||||||
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Walkinshaw is (or was, Triple Eight switches to Holden next year) the only Holden team capable of winning a championship. With Ford, it was Triple Eight, remains to be seen if FPR or Stone Bros can challenge them. Every other team is just there to make up the numbers, occasionlly picking up a win here and there but nothing consistent over a year. Quote:
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A good thing? They could carve a hour or two out of some of those broadcasts. Quote:
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Anytime. |
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19 Dec 2009, 23:56 (Ref:2602541) | #6 | ||
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20 Dec 2009, 02:12 (Ref:2602565) | #7 | |
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20 Dec 2009, 02:20 (Ref:2602569) | #8 | ||
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Single 250 mile Sunday feature race, with 75 L fuel tank, with one winner would be better for fans IMHO. 4 races at Indy was such a non-event... (Fujitsus could be the main televised event on the Saturday of the meeting, even if it was on 7TWO it would be fantastic for that class.) Last edited by V8 Fireworks; 20 Dec 2009 at 02:28. |
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20 Dec 2009, 23:35 (Ref:2602983) | #9 | |||
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21 Dec 2009, 09:12 (Ref:2603100) | #10 | ||
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Just on the revs, it looks as though they don't rev much above 7,800. Is there a rev limit or is this a fuel save/engine save self imposed limit? |
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All the same, isn't there a grand oul stretch in the evenings... |
21 Dec 2009, 10:28 (Ref:2603114) | #11 | |
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Category mandated - electronically limited to 7,500 RPM
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26 Dec 2009, 00:57 (Ref:2605058) | #12 | |||
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You would have so much horsepower that you would be running 3.15 diffs everywhere that you currently run a 3.70 diff just to have half a hope of getting power to the road whilst limiting wheel spin. Good luck.....and Santa's been so you are a bit late there |
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Tranquillity - What happens inside Shane's race car. Chaos - What happens outside Jamie's race car. |
26 Dec 2009, 02:58 (Ref:2605074) | #13 | ||
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My view is that if they want to reduce costs, a 6 litre engine running lower revs might be a way to go.
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What if there were no hypothetical questions? |
26 Dec 2009, 06:17 (Ref:2605088) | #14 | ||
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One batch two batch, penny and dime |
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