2008 Best Of The Rest

[Eurotech]

Barring VXRacing, SEAT Sport, Team Halfords & Team RAC who do you think will be the best of the rest in 2008?

1)Mike Jordan
2)Mat Jackson
3)Rob Collard
4)Steven Kane
5)Matt Allison
6)Harry Vaulkard
7)Andy Jordan
8)John George
9)Adam Jones
10)Michael Doyle
11)Erkut Kizilirmak
12)Martyn Bell
13)Somone else that I have forgotten to put down.....

[mattie007]

Jason Hughes - has done very well in the MG, so a newer Honda Integra should give him an extra second a lap and a put him in the top 10 maybe?

[VkmSpouge]

I think it'll be Mat Jackson again.

[DazzlaF1]

Well i'll go with

1. Mat Jackson
2. Rob Collard
3. Mike Jordan
4. Matt Allison
5. Steven Kane
6. Adam Jones
7. Andrew Jordan
8. Harry Vaulkhard
9. Erkut Kizilirmak
10. Jason Hughes
11. John George
12. Martyn Bell
13. Chris Stockton
14. Alan Taylor
15. Stuart Oliver

Haven't seen much of the others to make a sound judgement

[SEATFreak]

Mike & Andrew Jordan (Team Eurotech):
Last year especially showed me what Eurotech can do with the Integra. In the right hands the Integra is a very competitive car and Eurotech has proven they are the "right hands" because no other team has been able to do so well with the Integra. To come third in both Independent title races last year in a car that really is in my eyes already something of a old car is a fantastic achievement. I predict they will do as well again in the Independent championships.

Rob Collard (Motorbase Performance):
Stephen Kane is an unknown to me. I don't think I have seen him race and if I have his name in print hasn't ever struck me as one that sometime in the future would be the driver that would go on to drive for Motorbase in a BMW 320si in the BTCC. But I am of the opinion in the right car with the right setup Rob Collard is a driver with something to offer. And the 320si is that car. I think it is a car that has, I think, let few teams down. I predict this coming season Rob could pose a threat to the likes of Mike Jordan, Adam Jones and Mat Jackson.

Mat Jackson (BMW Dealer Team UK):
Same established team as the one that was at Jackson Motorsport but with none other than the UK's BMW dealer on board I hope this should make them even more competitive. All I know is what the Autosport article states that the UK dealer will not be offering financial support but for them to have the official BMW dealer for this country with them is a big deal for me. I predict Jackson will be a very strong driver.

Adam Jones (Team Air Cool):
Adam did well with the old Toledo but I don't know it stacks up against the Leon. It might prove to me it can do better than the Toledo. If it does then a top 4 spot is very possible.

Those are my best of the rest.

[MBailey06]

I'm surprised you say you have never seen Steven Kane race, because if you went to any BTCC meets last year you will have. He was a title challenger in the Porsche Carrera Cup for Motorbase, so I wasn't surprised he was picked as he is a quality driver.

[SEATFreak]

I'm surprised you say you have never seen Steven Kane race, because if you went to any BTCC meets last year you will have. He was a title challenger in the Porsche Carrera Cup for Motorbase, so I wasn't surprised he was picked as he is a quality driver.

Well I am sorry for being such a big let down...again.

I am not Mystic Meg and as far as I am aware no boffin has cracked time travel yet. I did actually say that it would have not occoured to me on seeing his name he would one day compete for Motorbase in the 2008 BTCC season. And that is the key for me. Recognising a name through the BTCC. Because just on his own merits Steven Kane to me is just another driver with nothing special or recognisable about him who races whatever he is currently racing. Last season it was the Carrera and this season an ex-Schnitzer WTCC beemer. You may know the CV of every driver going but if not knowing as much makes me a bad person then so be it.

In any case I have counted the roster in the programme and their was 13 drivers running at Croft. He wasn't even a name that was amonst 12 others.

I think it is a little unfair even by this forums standards to expect me to have known who Steven Kane is.

When you first saw Tom Onslow Cole did you think "that lad will be racing for VXR in the 2008 BTCC season?". Did you think when you first saw Nick Adcock "one day he will be racing for Xero Competition in the 2008 BTCC season?"

[Iain]

Because just on his own merits Steven Kane to me is just another driver with nothing special or recognisable about him who races whatever he is currently racing.

2001 BRDC McLaren Autosport Young Driver of the Year Award winner says he may possibly be half decent.

Also, you say the BMW 320si has let a few teams down? It won races with every driver that used it in the BTCC last year, has a BTCC Indie drivers and teams title to it's credit and two WTCC titles.

[MBailey06]

Well I am sorry for being such a big let down...again.

I am not Mystic Meg and as far as I am aware no boffin has cracked time travel yet. I did actually say that it would have not occoured to me on seeing his name he would one day compete for Motorbase in the 2008 BTCC season. And that is the key for me. Recognising a name through the BTCC. Because just on his own merits Steven Kane to me is just another driver with nothing special or recognisable about him who races whatever he is currently racing. Last season it was the Carrera and this season an ex-Schnitzer WTCC beemer. You may know the CV of every driver going but if not knowing as much makes me a bad person then so be it.

In any case I have counted the roster in the programme and their was 13 drivers running at Croft. He wasn't even a name that was amonst 12 others.

I think it is a little unfair even by this forums standards to expect me to have known who Steven Kane is.

When you first saw Tom Onslow Cole did you think "that lad will be racing for VXR in the 2008 BTCC season?". Did you think when you first saw Nick Adcock "one day he will be racing for Xero Competition in the 2008 BTCC season?"

It wasn't a criticism, it was just a sweeping statement letting you know the facts, in no way did I mean to hurt your feelings.

[SEATFreak]

Also, you say the BMW 320si has let a few teams down? It won races with every driver that used it in the BTCC last year, has a BTCC Indie drivers and teams title to it's credit and two WTCC titles.

"I think it is a car that has, I think, let few teams down"

In other words what I tried to imply to everyone, the teams it has let down are few. If I had wanted to say it has let a few teams down I would have insered "a" between "let" and "few".

"Well I am sorry for being such a big let down...again".

That is where you will find the biggest let down in the BTCC Iain. :laugh:

This forum is such a minefield for comments. One has to be so damn careful of what he/she says in case they easily get taken out of context. :(

[speedy king]

Change the record PLEASE. You just need to stop being such a wet blankett, your as bad as others for taking comments out of context and dont do yourself any favours.

[tyreman2]

I think Adam Jones will be the best of the rest,in fact i think he will do better than that.Although the Leon will only arrive a few days before the first race at Brands, GR Asia's experience of running the car should enable them to get up to speed very quickly.Data that the team have from last year show the Leon to be a much quicker car than the Toledo (except top speed)and they have the experience of running the car at most of the BTCC tracks whereas last year they had no relevant previous experience.I know that if you give Adam a descent car he will win races.(ala Lambourghini)

[Eurotech]

wet blankett.

Blanket has only one 't'.....

........If your going to argue at least do it properly!!!!!!!

[Robinho]

Mat Jackson, Mike Jordan, Matt Allison, Steven Kane, Adam Jones, Andrew Jordan - don't think there will be much between these guys at most races

[SEATFreak]

I think Adam Jones will be the best of the rest,in fact i think he will do better than that.Although the Leon will only arrive a few days before the first race at Brands, GR Asia's experience of running the car should enable them to get up to speed very quickly.Data that the team have from last year show the Leon to be a much quicker car than the Toledo (except top speed)and they have the experience of running the car at most of the BTCC tracks whereas last year they had no relevant previous experience.I know that if you give Adam a descent car he will win races.(ala Lambourghini)

I mentioned above that I really have no idea how the Leon stacks up against the Toledo being as uneducated as I am at knowing how to judge the fundemenal difference in pace and performance between two differing cars but in what way is the Leon quicker than the Toledo? Or are you speaking specifically about the difference between the GR Asia Leon of this season and the Team Air Cool Toledo of last season?

[Iain]

Blanket has only one 't'.....

........If your going to argue at least do it properly!!!!!!!

If you're going to be pedantic, at least use the right punctuation. ;)

[tyreman2]

Iam specifically talking about the GR Asia car's because thats the only data i have seen.however i think it's safe to presume that the same goes for all Toledo's v Leon
Adam had the ultimate Toledo with the best of everything available from SEAT on it so i don't think you would find a quicker Toledo but the green Leon did not have the latest spec on it so the difference will be even greater with Adam's new Leon



I mentioned above that I really have no idea how the Leon stacks up against the Toledo being as uneducated as I am at knowing how to judge the fundemenal difference in pace and performance between two differing cars but in what way is the Leon quicker than the Toledo? Or are you speaking specifically about the difference between the GR Asia Leon of this season and the Team Air Cool Toledo of last season?

[DazzlaF1]

Mat Jackson, Mike Jordan, Matt Allison, Steven Kane, Adam Jones, Andrew Jordan - don't think there will be much between these guys at most races

Dont rule out Harry Vaulkhard, i have a feeling he'll suprise a few people

[BDunnell]

If you're going to be pedantic, at least use the right punctuation. ;)

:laugh:

[Brown, Jon Brow]

If you're going to be pedantic, at least use the right punctuation. ;)

I love it!!! Well spotted. :up:

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Matt Jackson will be the best of the rest. I think he can only do better than last year with the season of experience he has under his belt. Maybe the new team name is the first step towards a full BMW works team next year, which could add extra motivation for him. He's the driver I'll be supporting anyway.

[BDunnell]

I'll be interested to see how the Eurotech Integras go this year. The cars aren't that new any more, and I wonder how much more development there is in them, but the team has built up plenty of experience with them and Jordan Jr obviously went very well at the Rockingham test.

Still, I too am pretty sure that Jackson will be best of the rest, and Jones will definitely challenge him.

[cos]

I'm sure Jackson won't end up as any of "the rest"; top 5 this year surely?

[SEATFreak]

Dont rule out Harry Vaulkhard, i have a feeling he'll suprise a few people

He's one I have never thought about.

I hope he does. And not because he is a Geordie racing for a northeast team. As has been mentioned elsewhere on this forum, unless it is just me, in which case I am not surprised in the least and quite happy with that, am I right in thinking SCC talent do seem to almost have a very good inagural season in their new BTCC car than drivers from other TOCA support series who have come in?

I am not in the slightest a good judge of talent, that is why I depend on you people 1001%, but I think specifically about the jobs Mat Jackson (though I think having a car as competitive as the BMW 320si has helped), Dave Pinkney (??), Tom Ferrier, Rob Huff and Gordon Shedden did when they first came to the BTCC looking from the vantage point of a follower of my status. I don't think they did badly at all. That is what I like to think.

But then I tend to think the best of everyone who hasn't gotten on the wrong side of me.

[Iain]

Just a coincidence I think. Pinkney and Ferrier weren't newcomers, both having raced in the BTCC and other large touring car series before. While you could argue that Jackson and Shedden were ready for the step up way back in 2002, after their production class success in 2001, but the money wasn't there to graduate. If anything, the SCC kept them racefit until they were able to move on up. If Huff had been an independent in 2004, I doubt he'd have shown so well, but with SEAT behind him, he really couldn't fail.

[SEATFreak]

Just a coincidence I think. Pinkney and Ferrier weren't newcomers, both having raced in the BTCC and other large touring car series before. While you could argue that Jackson and Shedden were ready for the step up way back in 2002, after their production class success in 2001, but the money wasn't there to graduate. If anything, the SCC kept them racefit until they were able to move on up. If Huff had been an independent in 2004, I doubt he'd have shown so well, but with SEAT behind him, he really couldn't fail.

Totally agree 100%.

The fact Pinkney & Ferrier had raced before in the BTCC doesn't prove the SCC helped them develop. It just means it probably kept them race-fit.

Shedden and Jackson were ready anyway; irrespective of the SCC.

And as for Huff it was that factory backing that made the Toledo the car it was in 2004.

I see the SCC really benefiting, for me, people like David Nye and Martyn Byford; drivers who have spend most of their past in championships like the Ford Fiesta Championship and other similar series. For drivers like Carl Breeze and as we established Dave Pinkney and Tom Ferrier, drivers who have raced before in the BTCC, I see it really keeping them racefit till they get a bigger drive back in the BTCC.