[BTCC] Race 4, 5 & 6 - Thruxton, Hampshire - 26th April 2009

[helterskelter]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Word from Thruxton is that Thompson car is in identical livery to when Shedden was in it. There's no new sponsors, or at least nothing noticeable, so it's anyone's guess where the money to pay Thompson is coming from.

Plato and Jackson's cars have extensive RML branding. Plato's has Silverline down the side, Jackson's has PCC.

I suppose that, if it is so, the only thing one can think of is that the already existing sponsors payed something more to get Thommo in the car. I don't think that after Brands Hatch Team Dynamics have found a 100,000£ cheque in the garden, brought in by the wind

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by helterskelter

I suppose that, if it is so, the only thing one can think of is that the already existing sponsors payed something more to get Thommo in the car.

That's possible, although seems strange that they didn't do so from the start of the season. Given that Shedden claims he knew nothing about this there's obviously more to this than they are making out.

FP1 now over - http://www.tsl-timing.com/toca/2009/91703trg.pdf
Gio fastest, followed by Turkington and Jones.
Strong showing from Adam Jones, especially as his teammate is 8 places and nearly 1.5s back.
O'Neil in 11th in his first session back, 5 places and 0.9s better than teammate Bell.
Plato had front suspension failure and only managed one flying lap, but still enough for 12th.
Chilton/Morrison were 19th/22nd and 5-8mph down through the speed traps. Whatever engine problems they had at Brands don't appear to be sorted.

[FIRE]

Even if there's no increase in sponsorship I can imagine both Team Dynamcis and sponsors prefer to have Thompson in the car.

[crmalcolm]

Thompson looks to be getting to grips with the car quickly,

9th in P1, 6th in P2.

Jones is also looking impressive with 3rd in both sessions.

Shaping up for an interesting quali.

[Matt_S]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

As nice a guy and decent a driver as Paul is - top 6?

You were saying?

[redshoes]

We know the Integra goes well at Thruxton, just as Dan Eaves, but that's still a hugely impressive performance from Paul.

10th is a good result for Mat Jackson considering he's had no time in the car. Still 0.7s slower that Plato so hopefully there's more to come, although 0.3s quicker than Vaulkhard. Speed trap results are interesting - Plato and Vaulkhard fastest at both timing points, Jackson some way back.

[NendoShisu]

1 Fabrizio Giovanardi Vauxhall Vectra 1m17.985s 1 -- 108.75mph
2 Matt Neal Vauxhall Vectra 1m18.305s 7 +0.320s 108.31mph
3 Jason Plato Chevrolet Lacetti 1m18.326s 5 +0.341s 108.28mph
4 Andrew Jordan Vauxhall Vectra 1m18.354s 6 +0.369s 108.24mph
5 Colin Turkington BMW 320si E90 1m18.407s 8 +0.422s 108.17mph
6 Paul O'Neill Honda Integra 1m18.708s 8 +0.723s 107.75mph
7 Adam Jones SEAT Leon 1m18.830s 10 +0.845s 107.59mph
8 James Thompson Honda Civic 1m18.916s 10 +0.931s 107.47mph
9 Dan Eaves SEAT Leon 1m18.952s 11 +0.967s 107.42mph
10 Mat Jackson Chevrolet Lacetti 1m19.018s 9 +1.033s 107.33mph
11 Jonathan Adam BMW 320si E90 1m19.091s 12 +1.106s 107.23mph
12 Robert Collard BMW 320si E90 1m19.386s 11 +1.401s 106.83mph
13 Harry Vaulkhard Chevrolet Lacetti 1m19.447s 15 +1.462s 106.75mph
14 Stephen Jelley BMW 320si E90 1m19.528s 8 +1.543s 106.64mph
15 Martyn Bell Honda Integra 1m20.136s 10 +2.151s 105.83mph
16 David Pinkney Honda Civic 1m20.174s 12 +2.189s 105.78mph
17 John George Honda Integra 1m20.486s 15 +2.501s 105.37mph
18 Martin Johnson Vauxhall Astra Coupe 1m20.865s 18 +2.880s 105.88mph
19 Tom Chilton Ford Focus ST 1m21.110s 11 +3.125s 104.56mph
20 Liam McMillan SEAT Toledo Cupra 1m21.141 3 +3.156s 104.52mph
21 Alan Morrison Ford Focus ST 1m23.461s 8 +5.476s 101.62mph

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Speed trap results are interesting - Plato and Vaulkhard fastest at both timing points, Jackson some way back.

They are... look at the two Arena Fords... my God they may as well put the cars back in the truck, 7mph and 9mph slower than Plato is horrendous.

[rdjones]

I am really suprise and pleased to see Paul O'Neill so far up the grid. I think a lot of people in the BTCC Paddock will be happy with result today. But what is wrong with the Arena Focus's they are long long way of the pace.

[ukaskew]

Were the Clio drivers ok today? Probably precautionary but at least one seemed to go off in an Ambulance after the huge first lap shunt.

[Hazard]

Grid for Race 1

1 -Fabrizio Giovanardi - Vauxhall Vectra - 1:17.985


2 - Matt Neal - Vauxhall Vectra - 1:18.305


3 - Jason Plato - Chevrolet Lacetti - 1:18.326


4 - Andrew Jordan - Vauxhall Vectra - 1:18.354


5 - Colin Turkington - BMW 320i - 1:18.407


6 - Paul O'Neill - Honda Integra - 1:18.708


7 - Adam Jones - SEAT Leon - 1:18.830


8 - James Thompson - Honda Civic - 1:18.916


9 - Dan Eaves - SEAT Leon - 1:18.952


10 - Mat Jackson - Chevrolet Lacetti - 1:19.018


11 - Jonathan Adam - BMW 320si - 1:19.091


12 - Rob Collard - BMW 320si - 1:19.386


13 - Harry Vaulkhard - Chevrolet Lacetti - 1:19.447


14 - Stephen Jelley - BMW 320si - 1:19.582


15 - Martyn Bell - Honda Accord - 1:20.136


16 - Dave Pinkney - Honda Civic - 1:20.174


17 - John George - Honda Accord - 1:20.486


18 - Martin Johnson - Vauxhall Astra - 1:20.865


19 - Tom Chilton - Ford Focus ST - 1:21.110


20 - Liam McMillan - SEAT Toledo - 1:21.141


21 - Alan Morrison - Ford Focus ST - 1:23.461


Car graphics courtesy AndyBlackmoreDesign / SpotterGuides.com

[Icebaby]

Well done Paul O'Neill the qualifying performance of the day, some shoddy performances by others in identical cars tho.

The Focus is looking a dead duck, maybe Arena should have gone down the customer car route instead.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by Icebaby

The Focus is looking a dead duck, maybe Arena should have gone down the customer car route instead.

It certainly would have been significantly cheaper, that's for sure. The problem seems to be the engine... but I honestly thought they'd solve that pretty quickly as you don't need to test to get that sorted... it can be done on a dyno. Maybe there's something fundamentally wrong with the Ford powerplant in S2000 configuration ?

[Icebaby]

Originally Posted by davyboy

It certainly would have been significantly cheaper, that's for sure. The problem seems to be the engine... but I honestly thought they'd solve that pretty quickly as you don't need to test to get that sorted... it can be done on a dyno. Maybe there's something fundamentally wrong with the Ford powerplant in S2000 configuration ?

Yep good point, they even stated they had resolved the engine issue after Brands, it seems strange as they have done loads of testing.

[Tim Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by Icebaby

Well done Paul O'Neill the qualifying performance of the day, some shoddy performances by others in identical cars tho.

Can you qualify that remark further? The Integras are now among the oldest cars on the grid, and they aren't at the back. There's only newer cars and better-funded teams ahead of them, so I don't see what's shoddy about that. Rather that Owy put together a very good lap and is a decent driver.

I hope that AON get the Focus working. Fair-play to them in bringing some variety to the grid - it'll be sorely needed in the coming years, if BTCC isn't to become the WTCC +1 year championship.

Icebaby - What exactly do you have against the drivers at the lower end of the grid? Do you not realise that there simply is not enough money or interest in the BTCC to support a raft of salaried drivers? The privateers you seem so disparaging about are the life-blood of the championship, without them the grid would be in single-figures!

[awrb]

I don't think he meant the Sunshine cars, just some team mates. And since it was Icebaby, it was probably RAC and Dynamics he was referring to.

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by davyboy

It certainly would have been significantly cheaper, that's for sure. The problem seems to be the engine... it can be done on a dyno. Maybe there's something fundamentally wrong with the Ford powerplant in S2000 configuration ?

That's the problem. It runs fine on the dyno, it's when it's in the car that it goes wrong.

[Icebaby]

Originally Posted by awrb

I don't think he meant the Sunshine cars, just some team mates. And since it was Icebaby, it was probably RAC and Dynamics he was referring to.

U know me too well !! but not RAC Jelley as he had a big off before qualifying so it was proberbly the car not feeling right.

Dynamics and Sunshine team mates was my reference point, just too far off their team mates to be excused.
Vaulkard beaten by another new comer in identical car showing he still needs to raise his game.

Thompson and Plato also did well in a car they are learning.

[m1fcf]

Originally Posted by Icebaby

RAC Jelley as he had a big off before qualifying so it was proberbly the car not feeling right.

But the guy he had the off with, is the guy on pole!! So now, is it the driver or the car?

Bit of a 50/50 incident but both cars were damaged to the same extent.

[awrb]

VXR 1-2-3 for race one won by Gio. Turkington fourth, O'Neill managed fifth and all three Chevy's were in the points.

What happened to Thommo right at the end of that race, just dropped back a lot.

Strange incident with Jelley and Collard, bad luck for Rob really. And what was that safety car about? There was nothing dangerous on the track (as far as I could see), no stranded cars were moved, it was just pointless.

But that was so much better than Brands, not one dodgy move in there, just a lot of good, clean racing

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by awrb

And what was that safety car about? There was nothing dangerous on the track (as far as I could see), no stranded cars were moved, it was just pointless.

Tim Harvey thought it was for Liam Mcmillan's stranded car but that had been there 5 or 6 laps before the safety car came out and there seemed to be no attempt to move it.

Unless there was some other debris that the cameras didn't pick up on it look like another 'TOCA' safety car

[awrb]

Turkington takes race two from Giovanardi with a great move on the last lap! A shame for both O'Neill and Eaves. The O'Neill incident was just bad luck really, it was bound to happen, but did Leason hit Eaves?

[Suze]

believe safety car was a 'Toca' one for 'debris' - although marhals did appear on track at Woodhams Hill IIRC but couldn't see if anything was there.

[Craner Curves]

Strangely quiet in here after a race weekend!

How long did it take to get John George's car recovered after his customary shunt in race 3?!

Much better driving standards than Brands, the drivers more or less treated the place with the respect it deserves. Decent day's racing, if a little processional at points going by the TV.

[Icebaby]

Safety car spoilt race three, not needed as George was well of the track and we had to indure too many laps under these conditions. The Safety car is thrown out too often IMO for pointless reasons.

Team AON look awful, my goodness will they see out the season at this rate as its looking pointless.

Thompson hooking up the Dynamics well and Jackson,Jones and O'Neill did great jobs for their teams. How could Bell be so far off his team mate in a car that favours Thruxton, not good at all.