Whatever happened to this place?

[Allyc85]

Perhaps the BTCC isn't as popular as it used to be.

So very wrong, its gettin more and more popular every year

[reidy_fan]

i have noticed that this forum was very quiet during the season, also a lot of the regulars from a few years ago have gone, guys like iain, dave brockman, suzy, owyfan, knock on just to name a few. one geezer that seems to have gone from the net totally is seat-freak, he used to post here and .net all the time. know the dude had his probs but he was basically sound. also what happened to beansbeansbeans, met him at donny a few years ago. possibly facebook has something to do with it aswell as a lot keep in touch through that

i disagree with the comments about the .net forums, yes there is a few insects on there that froth a bit but there is a lot of hardcore btcc fans that travel the rounds not to mention quite a few team crew and quite a few of us marshals. the mods on there are very tight so any froth gets nipped in the bud, guys like ed1 who is a pretty sound bloke

[Sarah]

The build up to the races is very quiet I remember the good old days people arranging to meet etc. As you say people seem to post more on the official one. Don't think it's becoming less popular at all just there are more ways to keep in touch.

[BTCC2]

Is SEATfreak still around?

[LiamM]

Is SEATfreak still around?

He was banned a while ago, permanent I think, so unless he's here under an alias, he can be found posting on the Touring Car Times forum........

Everyone else probably has there hands full calling each other on the F1 forum

[Allyc85]

Why was he banned?

[Iain]

I think this place used to be so popular because it was frequented by people who all went to the races and met up, then got home and spoke about it. Then started building up to the next meeting. Since we all sort of went our seperate ways around 2005-ish, the forum's definitely quietened down since then. As happens with big groups, they usually splinter off into smaller ones and that's what happened to us. That and the fact a lot of us grew up and got lives outside of the forum (forum engagements, marriages and babies) and the BTCC. Most of us do still keep in touch though thanks to Facebook. When you take away all those people, it's difficult to replace them. Not saying that with any disrespect to the new folks, but there's never been the same atmosphere round here since, which is a shame really. When you take away that link between people, it's just strangers posting to eachother on a messageboard if you know what I mean. It was a good forum to post on. Easygoing too, no over-zealous moderating or bans being dished out like other places as generally everyone behaved themselves and there was good banter.

There aren't many of the old crew who still go to the races. 100%/75%Vauxhall Fan/Civic Boy/Astra Boy still goes to some, as does The Rat Fan. Apart from them and MattL, I've not seen anyone else from the olden days this season. I cut right back this year, I only did 5 meetings out of 10, although you could say 4, as I went home after race 1 at Donington because I got absolutely soaked and preferred to watch it from a warm house, rather than dry out, then get wet again as there was nowhere to shelter at that dump.

I'll be honest and say I didn't really enjoy this year. Too many times I came home feeling disappointed and fed up with all the stock car driving tactics that seem to be encouraged rather than clamped down on. It's partly why I'm drifting towards sportscars and GTs these days. Still, the best man won in the end and that ended it on a high note for me. Think I'll be cherrypicking my favourite events next year and see what happens.

[kmchow]

Another reason why it's a lot quieter is that SpeedTV stopped carrying the BTCC/WTCC/DTM and V8 supercars. They're concentrating more on Nascar and motorcross. The closest thing they carry is the World Challenge. There's hardly any Works support in the BTCC. The WTCC manages to have 4 works teams.

[Bezza]

I think this place used to be so popular because it was frequented by people who all went to the races and met up, then got home and spoke about it. Then started building up to the next meeting. Since we all sort of went our seperate ways around 2005-ish, the forum's definitely quietened down since then. As happens with big groups, they usually splinter off into smaller ones and that's what happened to us. That and the fact a lot of us grew up and got lives outside of the forum (forum engagements, marriages and babies) and the BTCC. Most of us do still keep in touch though thanks to Facebook. When you take away all those people, it's difficult to replace them. Not saying that with any disrespect to the new folks, but there's never been the same atmosphere round here since, which is a shame really. When you take away that link between people, it's just strangers posting to eachother on a messageboard if you know what I mean. It was a good forum to post on. Easygoing too, no over-zealous moderating or bans being dished out like other places as generally everyone behaved themselves and there was good banter.

There aren't many of the old crew who still go to the races. 100%/75%Vauxhall Fan/Civic Boy/Astra Boy still goes to some, as does The Rat Fan. Apart from them and MattL, I've not seen anyone else from the olden days this season. I cut right back this year, I only did 5 meetings out of 10, although you could say 4, as I went home after race 1 at Donington because I got absolutely soaked and preferred to watch it from a warm house, rather than dry out, then get wet again as there was nowhere to shelter at that dump.

I'll be honest and say I didn't really enjoy this year. Too many times I came home feeling disappointed and fed up with all the stock car driving tactics that seem to be encouraged rather than clamped down on. It's partly why I'm drifting towards sportscars and GTs these days. Still, the best man won in the end and that ended it on a high note for me. Think I'll be cherrypicking my favourite events next year and see what happens.

Good post Iain.

I think its clear that things have become less exciting on the forum thesedays.

Back between 2001 and 2004 was probably the peak for the forum in terms of having a core of regular posters who also met up and spoke externally to the forum as well. I met up with some guys once in 2005 and enjoyed it - Hazell B mainly, Civic Boy and some others were there. I Met Meat Loaf - whatever happened to her? was there too. Iain, we met, briefly, as well

Unfortunately it seems to have drifted on since then and I have only been to Oulton Park and nowhere else for the last three seasons, even missing there in 2006.

I still enjoy the BTCC but not as much as in the past, I have gone F1 mad completely now and the BTCC forum is not as exciting thesedays.

My last months post about Matt Neal would have got about 50 members complaining a few years ago, now it barely raised a sound ! Ian McC, BeansBeansBeans, RaddersUK, etc would be on me like a flash

Still I pop in from time to time, although I find that some members post on all sections of the Motorsportforums without having the necessary knowledge of each motorsport category. This irks me, and it has happened in this thread just to back that up!!

You never know there may be a second wind, but the BTC

[Daniel]

Still I pop in from time to time, although I find that some members post on all sections of the Motorsportforums without having the necessary knowledge of each motorsport category. This irks me, and it has happened in this thread just to back that up!!

Should there be some sort of test Bezza? I don't mind if you come to the WRC forum and post even if you're not as knowledgeable as some others there.

I know most won't agree with me and that's fine. I respect your right to have an opinion and I think people should do likewise for me. it's my opinion that the BTCC has gone backwards in many ways and there are other people around who agree but unlike me they can't be bothered having an argument with people who don't want to listen.

Like Iain I don't like the fact that it's become a bit bumper carish and I also hate silly things like when they had the wheel of grid place choosingness. I mean that was just silly and the sort of thing you'd expect to see down at the local grass racing circuit. Perhaps it's just the fact I'm not British but the WTCC offers a much better level of driver skill and manufacturer involvement for me and as such is a better series for me as someone who appreciates good motorsport whether it's in my backyard or on the other side of the world.

It's funny you mention the type of people that met up Iain, in the World Rallying forum there are people who will meet up at WRC events a few times a year every year and have a fantastic time, yet every time I've tried to suggest a meetup at the Cambrian rally (my local event) people aren't really bothered. If people get to know each other outside of the forum that's when the forum will really pick up and become interesting. going to an event and being around likeminded people rather than just casual spectators just makes it so much better.