[BTCC] Rounds 4, 5 and 6 - Donington Park

[gregc]

Now that I've got round to watching the highlights at least, a couple of things I'd like to mention.

Firstly, I do subscribe to the "rubbin's racin'" school of thought, however from my point of view this means banging door handles/wingmirrors - not punting people out of the way because you can't manage a legit overtake. The Matt Neal Clearways move, for example, is not on in my view.

On the Shedden/Griffin/Plato incident I think it's important to separate the consequences from the cause. The end result was a pretty serious accident for Plato that caused serious damage to the car and could have been much nastier, however from what I've seen I think heaping blame onto Shedden isn't really on. To me it looks a lot like he was doing his best to avoid an incident - from Plato's onboard, at one point Shedden was slightly ahead, yet by the time he nudges Griffin he's behind both the Cruze and Focus. That would suggest to me he backed right out of it, knowing that three abreast through the Craners wasn't going to work, and it was a stroke of bad luck that he caught the back of Griffin.

Most of the others I agree were the result of pretty poor driving, which does need clamping down on hard. Someone mentioned earlier about deducting championship points, as opposed to points on a licence - why not both?

[Tim Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by benno123

I love the fact that the BTCC constantly throws up controversy, great racing, crashes, great drivers who arn't affraid to have a go and above all else ENTERTAINMENT! is this not the 'real reason' we watch motor racing?

Yes, but that entertainment can come in more than one way, and this is where people are disagreeing.

Those who can appreciate the skill of drivers in a close but clean race (regardless of whether a place changes hands) vs those who want the immediate and obvious competition and resolution with as much adrenaline as possible.

Shakespeare vs Seagal, if you like. I'll watch and appreciate Soper vs Rouse over and over. I enjoyed the "Under Siege" highlights of Donington, but it wouldn't stand up to repeat viewing.

[nickyf1]

Richard Gorranson fracturing his spine in a Super 2000 BMW at the Jyllandsringen today is a stark reminder that touring car racing is dangerous.

Like I said the other day, when Foster went of across the track, I just couldn't watch.

The BTCC needs to get rid of the reverse grid race 3, its nothing but a crash enducing gimmick. And while they are at it, lengthen races 1 and 2, perhaps even reintroduce the rolling start to try and get some space between the cars. Its the race formats fault as much as it is the drivers. The short sprints to the flag with the slow cars at the front and the fast cars coming from behind will always lead to dangerous pack racing. Some of the incidents were caused by poor judgement, for example, Mat Jackson going for the apex at McLeans, despite knowing that Chilton could still be on his inside. Sometimes its almost as if the drivers have no spacial awareness at all..

[benno123]

Originally Posted by Tim Wilkinson

Yes, but that entertainment can come in more than one way, and this is where people are disagreeing.

Those who can appreciate the skill of drivers in a close but clean race (regardless of whether a place changes hands) vs those who want the immediate and obvious competition and resolution with as much adrenaline as possible.

Shakespeare vs Seagal, if you like. I'll watch and appreciate Soper vs Rouse over and over. I enjoyed the "Under Siege" highlights of Donington, but it wouldn't stand up to repeat viewing.

Sir I salute you!

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by Jamesy-18

Gosh, give it a rest. No, I haven't being paying attention to every time cars rub paint work, because this is touring cars. This is the thing you come to expect from this form of racing. I've been enjoying the action more than moaning every time there's an incident for fear of sounding like a boring, bitter old man. The BTCC has seen plenty of exciting battles recently, so I think YOU'RE the one who hasn't been paying attention. There were some fantastic battles and racing at Donington, I should know, because I was there. I guess in all your moaning and criticising, you chose to concentrate on the negatives such as the crashes rather than the positives which was the great racing. But that's your problem more than the championship's.

This is touring car racing, not F1. Besides, what are the bumpers for?! I stress, I hate to see crashes and people getting hurt, what you and others have written in the last few pages I completely disagree with. I have no problem with how things are currently, and based on the increasing TV viewing figures AND numbers of people at the track, neither does the majority.

This type of stuff has ALWAYS happened in the British Touring Cars, whatever you say. You must be smoking something pretty good if you think otherwise. And if it annoys you so much, then simply don't watch the thing! I swear, some people seem to forget the "on" button on the TV remote also turns the TV off. It really isn't that difficult.

The BTCC is in fine health and fans were treated to some fantastic racing on Donington.

Did you even watch BTCC before 2005? It has always been an aggressive series, but it used to be fair and professional as well minus the odd exception.

Now it is just a destruction derby and I don't bother anymore.

But yeah, we're all just whingeing old men harking back to the medieval times of the, err, 90's.

[Super Hans]

I only got to see the races in full the other night. Thank God it was merely embarrassing, and not tragic, which it could've been. Touring cars is about close door-handle-to-door-handle racing, not pitching the other guy off towards a massive accident.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Did you even watch BTCC before 2005? It has always been an aggressive series, but it used to be fair and professional as well minus the odd exception.

Now it is just a destruction derby and I don't bother anymore.

But yeah, we're all just whingeing old men harking back to the medieval times of the, err, 90's.

Eh? That statements a bit of an own-goal isn't it?
If you don't bother watching it anymore then how can you possibly have an knowledgable opinion of what the racing is like now???

[Knowlesy]

I don't watch it live. I will sometimes record it and fast forward through it.

I would never pay to watch it trackside or go out of my way to sit down and watch it live on a Sunday afternoon.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

I don't watch it live. I will sometimes record it and fast forward through it.

Oh right. So you DO watch it then.
(That's exactly the opposite of what you said before so thanks for clearing that up.)

But if its so awful then why do you bother watching it and actually go out of your way to record it?

Very strange.....

[Knowlesy]

Calm down petal.

To me, being bothered about the BTCC would involve me going out of my way to watch.

I sometimes record it in case something of note happens. This is hardly the exact opposite. I never said I never watch it. Often I record it and delete it without watching.

I don't bother with the World Snooker Championship either, doesn't mean I don't occasionally watch it if I happen to be channel hopping.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

Calm down petal.

To me, being bothered about the BTCC would involve me going out of my way to watch.

I sometimes record it in case something of note happens. This is hardly the exact opposite. I never said I never watch it. Often I record it and delete it without watching.

I don't bother with the World Snooker Championship either, doesn't mean I don't occasionally watch it if I happen to be channel hopping.

Uhuh. Right. It all makes perfect sense.
You don't regularly watch the BTCC (even though you record the races) and you have a strong opinion on the standard of driving even though you don't regularly watch the races. Brilliant.

[awrb]

Originally Posted by touring fan01

Uhuh. Right. It all makes perfect sense.
You don't regularly watch the BTCC (even though you record the races) and you have a strong opinion on the standard of driving even though you don't regularly watch the races. Brilliant.

To be fair, I don't think you need to regularly watch the BTCC to have an opinion on the driving standards after the last round.

I really can't wait for Thruxton, just because its a chance to put Donington behind us. And I really hope drivers are a bit more sensible this weekend, but I just feel the quality in the field is lacking a bit this year.