Gulf air Golf

[gttouring]

It seems the front drive 'gt' golf did reasonably well, curious isn't it. but with the advances in Front drive (wrong) drive cars and showings of mondeo and primera caliber we should've expected this...it does look rather pugnacious

[Graham Goodwin]

And it will complete the season in Brit GTs

[Les]

that's what Steve and Stuart are thinking but it will need some work on it.


GOLF GTI SURPRISES AT KNOCKHILL

A Volkswagen driven by Stuart Scott and Steve Wood made British motorsport history today (Sun) when it became the first-ever front-wheel-drive car to contest a round of the British GT Championship.

The Gulf Air-backed Golf GTI was in action at Knockhill, where it claimed some impressive scalps in the championship's GTC class.

In the first of the day's 40-minute races, Scott and Wood claimed a fine fifth in class, two laps behind the class-winning Porsche GT3 and ahead of a Ferrari 360 and a Lotus Elise.

They went one better in the second race, taking fourth in class at the chequered flag, this time behind a brace of Morgan Aero 8s and a Ferrari.

"We were really chuffed by the Golf's performance," said Ruislip-based Wood. "The Volkswagen more than held its own against some very much more powerful machinery, and the crowds loved seeing it in action.

"We were looking set for a podium placing in the second race until one of the Morgans nipped past a couple of laps from the end, but that was our only disappointment."

So successful was their foray that the duo plans to give the 1.8-litre turbo Golf, which is backed by Gulf Air, ART and Cambridge Business Travel, another British GT Championship outing in a fortnight's time at Silverstone.

"We will be looking at ways of extracting some more power from the engine," said Cambridge-based Scott, "so that we'll have the straightline speed necessary for Silverstone. The Golf should go well there." (ends)23024/NC

It did look good up there and if the rain had been an hour earlie they might just have won it.

[martinparsons]

My congratulations to stewart & steve, we are all becoming attached to that little golf.

[Les]

thanks Martin.
I must admit I will miss the EERC but they really fancy the higher profile GTs.

[stuartscott]

Thanks Martin for your kind words. It was good to meet you at Brands on the Podium. Sorry we won't be out to play again in the eerc

[JAG]

Do you think the British GT Championship should move to Belcar like rules were you can basically bring what you like. As it is the BGT teams that have competitive FIA/ACO spec cars seem to be spending a year ot 2 in BGT before moving up to ALMS/FIA GT such as PK SPort, GNM etc. The situation will only get worse with the new LM Tournament in Europe.

I believe BGT should attract 'Special'GT type machines such as those that compete in Belcar as they are more affordable than FIA/ACO spec GT cars and will not defect to FIA GT/ALMS/LMT after a season or 2.

[Smokey 6 litre]

i haven't seen it yet, whats the livery like, im looking but i cant find it.

[KA]

Originally posted by Smokey 6 litre
i haven't seen it yet, whats the livery like, im looking but i cant find it.

It's yellow- there are photos of it on the team's website, including quite a few from Knockhill:

http://www.wood-scott.com

[Les]

thanks KA.
It looks a treat - maybe better in the flesh than on a photo because of the gold hawk.

[jase]

Originally posted by Les
thanks KA.
It looks a treat - maybe better in the flesh than on a photo because of the gold hawk.

You mean like this this one?

Les, you going to be at Silverstone for the 3 hour race??

[Les]

Yes - I'll be there. The whole gang is going up Saturday but most are heading off to Thruxton on the Sunday but I'll be there with a camera. You going to be there?

[jase]

Yep, I'm about all 3 days, dressed in Orange this time tho'

[Les]

and there I was wanting some track shots!
Might see you about then.

[stuartscott]

Les, Tut tut and you of all people. It's not a hawk it's a ......? Answers please

[Les]

bummer - done it again - I can't get it right can I?

[429CJ]

That's a GT? Looks like ordinary Sport 2000/DTC car to me.

[stuartscott]

What's a sport 2000? I am sure it doesn't look like a VW Golf GTi Turbo!! or a DTC. Mind you for Silverstone we might be running with a new rear wing.

[JAG]

If the Golf is allowed I'd like to see some ex Super Touring cars fitted with bigger engines and maybe 4wd as you have with the A4 and Mondeos in Belcar.

[Les]

Now that could be interesting.

[429CJ]

From that picture it looks like ordinary production class touring car.

[stuartscott]

Thanks for the compliment

[Les]

I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not Stuart but I like it anyway.

[429CJ]

On the other hand, VW Beetle RS 2.8 V6...

[BSchneiderFan]

No offence to the chaps pedalling the Golf (and jolly well, too) but I really think the British GT Championship has lost its way when Golfs and Clios are racing. Either change the whole ethos and go down a Belcar-style, run-what-you-brung route, or else (and can we guess which is my favoured option, children?) run a series based on the FIA GT and N-GT rules (perhaps with a tertiary GT Cup class) which can act as an affordable but competitive arena for smaller teams or those with ambitions to do the FIA GT series in the future, like GNM and PK Sport have done. A championship in the UK will inevitably be cheaper, if only because of transport costs, but should be just as competitive. I really can't bear seeing the motley assortment of cars which is the British GT series at the moment.

Of course, if I had my way, most of the British GT races would be about ninety minutes long, with enduros at Silverstone and Spa, and would be shown live on Channel 4 (what else are they showing on Sunday afternoon? Horse-racing? Spare me!) with decent, well-informed but accessible commentary (Ben Edwards and Charlie Cox, anyone?). Decent prize fund, reprise of the Oulton Park Gold Cup and the Silverstone British Empire Trophy...

If only I were the dictator of sportscar racing. (But then, how often have you heard that refrain from me?)