TCR Australia 2023

[Alan52]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

For the millions spent bringing man, woman and machine here from across the world.. it would probably be fair to say advertising and promotion missed out on the largesse

Bathurst is next week..

Other than the hardcore fans, who would know that?

The complete lack of publicity had me thinking a week ago that the international teams had pulled out.It wasn’t until something was posted on the Speed Series web site last week that I was finally convinced it was on.
Pretty pathetic effort from ARG.Also the Stan Effect doesn’t help spread the word.
As far as the catering was concerned I took my own but people in my group were able to get pizzas,pies etc.The usual outlets in the paddock but nothing outside there although there were minimal potential customers.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Mixer

Hey at least our drivers mostly stay on the track...

Internationals got some results finally but I am hearing nothing but complaints from fans who went that there was almost no catering available...

You expected the internationals would bring catering from Europe?

[racer69]

I attended both days with friends and had a great time. We talked a staunch “I hate TCR” guy into coming and on Saturday night said he’d do a day trip to Bathurst next weekend as he enjoyed the weekend.

Certainly improvements can be made, but the show itself was awesome from a spectator at T2 point of view.

Originally Posted by Mixer

Internationals got some results finally but I am hearing nothing but complaints from fans who went that there was almost no catering available...

There were two or three food outlets in the paddock area, plus the permanent ARDC cafe above the garages at pit exit

Perhaps there could have been a good truck at turn 2 or the last corner as that’s where most of the spectators were concentrated, but I’m not sure there was enough people at those spots to justify the spend

Originally Posted by Mixer

I am in a group where Supercars is banned and the members are pretty aggressive ARG fanbois, but there is rising feeling that nobody in that group even knew these events were on...

I would argue how any ARG “fanbois” could claim to not know the event was in.

They’ve hardly been kept a secret and ARG and the broadcasts have pushed these two events in their world all year

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

For the millions spent bringing man, woman and machine here from across the world.. it would probably be fair to say advertising and promotion missed out on the largesse

Bathurst is next week..

Other than the hardcore fans, who would know that?

Having the likes of Mostert, Bright, Caruso & Moffat in the series in the past hasn’t exactly brought bumper crowds, I certainly didn’t have any expectation of a crowd much bigger than what we got, especially the Friday part.

They probably could have advertised more, as a local I saw very little, but would a massive media spend have attracted more people?

The last non-Supercars show to attract anything approaching crowds was certain Super Touring events. Following that PROCAR crowds were small, even with Peter Brock in a Monaro, Super2 stand-alone rounds didn’t attract people, and the Shannon’s Nationals never did either.

One off events like the AGP, the 12hr now it’s established and for a time the Muscle Car Masters have been the only real exceptions.

[GTRMagic]

With no NRL or AFL matches on in Sydney this weekend, it should probably have been the best attended sporting fixture of that period

Somehow I doubt it was…

[Alan52]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

With no NRL or AFL matches on in Sydney this weekend, it should probably have been the best attended sporting fixture of that period

Somehow I doubt it was…

You are vastly overrating the profile of motor racing.Outside of Bathurst and F1 it gets close to zero coverage in print or electronic media that don’t have a commercial arrangement with the event.
Most people see cars as a means of transportation and have no interest outside that.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Alan52

You are vastly overrating the profile of motor racing.Outside of Bathurst and F1 it gets close to zero coverage in print or electronic media that don’t have a commercial arrangement with the event.
Most people see cars as a means of transportation and have no interest outside that.

I as always remain hopeful that an enterprising soul will do the graft and grind required to help lift the profile of the sport.

[chavez]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

With no NRL or AFL matches on in Sydney this weekend, it should probably have been the best attended sporting fixture of that period

Somehow I doubt it was…

Possibly more spectators that were at the last round of the WEC......with not much happening on a Saturday night in Bahrain.

[Umai Naa]

Besides the usual food outlets in the paddock, there's no incentive to explore and perhaps populate the grandstand or the hill at the top end of the track.

[Umai Naa]

Mr Clemente is back.

Mr Garland done. GRM are seemingly not willing to utilise their fleet of Alfas.

[Mixer]

Originally Posted by Umai Naa

Besides the usual food outlets in the paddock, there's no incentive to explore and perhaps populate the grandstand or the hill at the top end of the track.

I had complaints that people who were not regulars did not know about the cafe above the pits, which was the only one open all the time.

Originally Posted by Umai Naa

Mr Garland done. GRM are seemingly not willing to utilise their fleet of Alfas.

I guess they need to push the Pugs now but they should sell the Alfas

But maybe they don't want fast competition.

[Umai Naa]

The Renaults are still there, too.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Mixer

I had complaints that people who were not regulars did not know about the cafe above the pits, which was the only one open all the time.



I guess they need to push the Pugs now but they should sell the Alfas

But maybe they don't want fast competition.

Aren’t the Alfas almost out of homologation?

[Mixer]

Originally Posted by Umai Naa

The Renaults are still there, too.

Yeah but they are not even reliable enough to get to the end of the driveway to load onto a truck.

[Umai Naa]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Aren’t the Alfas almost out of homologation?

I don't think homologation runs out.

You just pay the fee to WSC every year.

There's still 2014 Cupras/Seat Leons racing in various TCR sanctioned series.

[one five five]

Originally Posted by Umai Naa

The Renaults are still there, too.

They could have rolled one out for Garland this weekend, it’s probably still in his colours from Bathurst last year too!

[Umai Naa]

Well at least MPC's Golf has been pulled out of mothballs.

For promotional purposes...

[bathurst77]

I was going to watch E.Ck last weekend..
Somehow went to wrong stream and ended up watching a fixture from NZ
DAmn it was good

Kiwis seem to be showing us the way!
Those highland muscle car races crap all over our TCM
and the other classes were great too.
Had a quick peek at some of eastern creek sun night and saw a load old crapped out excels... left them to it.

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by bathurst77

Had a quick peek at some of eastern creek sun night and saw a load old crapped out excels... left them to it.

Circuit Excels are finely tuned racing machines, thank you very much!

[V8 Fireworks]

Decent TCR Race 1 at Bathurst, but not quite a thriller unfortunately.

[GHOGH]

What type of spectator attendance was projected for the TCRs at Bathurst. The garage area appeared to have quite a few trucks, trailers etc but the spectator areas looked a bit light compared to 2021.
or will the crowd attend on Sunday?

[Umai Naa]

Probably half the 12hr crowd this year.

[GHOGH]

Originally Posted by Umai Naa

I assume they rebuilt that Audi at some point this year, after Mr Hanson hit everything and anything with it last season.

Another broken driveshaft on the Sunday at Bathurst for Mr Brown.

Pacey car but one might wonder if something is still bent or not quite right compared to the other Audi TCRs on the circuit.

Have to wonder in spite of the platitudes spoken at Sydney Motorsport Park and Bathurst whether the TCR circus takes one or more weekends to somewhere like Thailand (Buriram International circuit)or Malaysia (Sepang) next year or year after?

Peugeot 308 II production ended in 2021. TCR tech form for a model is valid (according to the tcr website) for 7 years after production stops.
Is this still on? (february 2023 post). Will GRM use the transient dynamometer and go overseas for full-scale wind tunnel testing?
https://www.tcr-series.com/news/item...he-new-308-tcr

Australian TCR 2023 1. Buchan 2. Sweeny 3. D'Alberto

[Umai Naa]

I've come to learn that most teams using the new Audi and Cupra have moved away from the Hewland transaxle that was originally spec'd, and back to the previous Sadev unit.

[Umai Naa]

Interesting to learn that a few local cars were DQ'd for technical breaches this weekend.

Having an international sherrif on hand will do that...

[Alan52]

Originally Posted by Umai Naa

Probably half the 12hr crowd this year.

I was at Bathurst for both albeit only on Sunday for TCR.The crowd would have been less than 5% of the 12 Hour crowd.If they are claiming anything different they are telling fibs.