Where is Matt Neal?

[DJS]

Just got to Brands, the BTCC Teams are setting up, but where is Matt Neal?
Hot Gossip around the paddock says he is not going to make it due to the car not being ready!

[Robinho]

that would be a shock.

they've had the car out in testing and they hadn't finsihsed Sheddens but i would havet hought they had to be there with at least one car even if it wasn't perfect.

they might be running late but i'd be stunned if they didn't make it at all. i assume they have until tomorrow morning to get there, in fact it wouldonly take a team member to sign in for he team and wait for the cars to turn up later?

[DJS]

[quote="Robinho"]that would be a shock.QUOTE]

I totally agree, but I am telling you at present there are all the transporters getting into position and no Team Halfords to be seen!

I know all the Teams have an allocated slot time for parking up so I presume Team Halfords are towards the end.

[Alfa Fan]

I wouldn't worry. I really can't see Team Dynamics not appearing.

They have at least one Civic ready - which tested last week!

[BeansBeansBeans]

I'm fairly sure that they will turn up at some point, even with an under-tested car. After all, they will have contractual obligations to their sponsors.

Still, it's a great bit of paddock gossip to liven up a quiet Friday afternoon in the office.

Cheers, DJS!

[SEATFreak]

I think if I was a Team Dynamics fan I would still be a little worried even if they do make it. Although TD know every nut and bolt on the Civic won't fall apart, I am of the purely personal opinion the track time the team has had I don't think is nearly enough to show a relistic picture of the cars reliability and pace.

[kmchow]

But even if he's not on pace, surely it would be better for thousands of fans to be walking around and seeing the Halford's logo around the track/paddock (for marketing purposes)? Or are they more concerned about possibly being seen as a backmarker and be embarassed?

[Hazell B]

I know all the Teams have an allocated slot time for parking up so I presume Team Halfords are towards the end.

I may be remembering this wrong, but for the friday they all have a set time, say 1 to 1.20pm, for each team and it's usually about three in the afternoon for the latest slot. After that it's not like they'd turn a team away, though. Just moan at them and have a joke on TV :p :

[BTCC2]

TD would put at least one car out for Neal for him to pick up a couple of points which could be decisive come the end of the season.

[dwracing23]

Everyone has a time slot but on a Thursday afternoon!

[SEATFreak]

But even if he's not on pace, surely it would be better for thousands of fans to be walking around and seeing the Halford's logo around the track/paddock (for marketing purposes)?

:confused:

I know nothing about maketing and the reasons for a company marketing itself but although I think for marketing purposes yes it is great for TOCA and the MSA who govern the BTCC that Halfords, who are the surely the most recognisable sponsor anywhere in the BTCC (not just the paddock), although as series sponsor it is better to see Dunlop for marketing purposes, it has no bearing on me whether it is there or not. I am merely a spectator with barely enough knowledge to even be called a true fan.

It doesn't make me go "Gee, I am so glad that logo is here. It is such a reassurance to see the primary sponsor of the champions and the biggest team in the series around".

[Ian McC]

Well that turned out to be a lot of old cobblers, as expected :rolleyes:

[SEATFreak]

You know me (God forbid!), I am not one for letting anyone down Ian McC!! :p : :laugh:

[Ian McC]

I don't let anyone down Ian McC!! :p :


I was referring to the thread, not your post :)

[SEATFreak]

I was referring to the thread, not your post :)

Oh. Sorry for getting the wrong end of the stick. Did I take the thread off topic? I was always getting told off by everyone for taking threads off topic once upon a time. Not just for making nonsensial comments, not just maing posts long winded and not just being ill-informed. So forgive me for getting a bit paranoid about the way my posts are taken. :) ;)

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Well now you have taken the thread off topic :laugh:

[SEATFreak]

SEATFreak is back! :laugh:

Kidding.

Seriously though I think a BTCC without Halfords is the WRC without Subaru or F1 without Ferrari. That orange/black scheme is now synonymous with Team Dynamics and however much they may be my teams chief rivals I rekon the BTCC needs them in order the series is certainly sold to the corporate elite who dine in their comfortable seats in the covered PR tents. And who knows even fans. Banners are there to attract attention. That is the first thing I look for at Croft.

Imagine a series without them. Who else could take over?

[LiamM]

Imagine a series without Halfords

John Lennon's missing verse from Imagine

[SEATFreak]

:rotflmao:

Very funny Liam! :up:

Tho I don't think it could be easily worked in when you go through the lyrics. :)

[Steelrat]

:rotflmao:

Very funny Liam! :up:

Tho I don't think it could be easily worked in when you go through the lyrics. :)

I don't know ...

Imagine there's no Halfords
In the BTCC
And Vickie B-H
On ITV
Imagine all the drivers
In nothing but Trabants

Take it away .....

P

[BeansBeansBeans]

Turks might drive in a Beemer
But he's not the only one
Onslow-Cole has joined us
And so-o-o-o has Pocklington

Sorry.

[LiamM]

Oh my god, what have I started.

EDIT - Although maybe someone should lobby Alan Gow as for the official BTCC song?

[BeansBeansBeans]

Oh my god, what have I started

You should feel thoroughly ashamed of yourself.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

A song about Team Halfords

They have a brand new car
It's not a Jaguar
It slower than the SEATS
And it could catch FIRE, FIRE, FIRE, FIRE

but I don't want to talk about it anymore

:o

[kmchow]

What's the latest news, did even one of TD's Civic show up?

[Vez]

I guessing they did show up, as they qualified 9th (Matt) & 14th (Gordon).

[Nick The Flick]

The truck blew a tyre on the way to the track, hence the delay.

[kmchow]

Considering the cars were finished so late, their performance doesn't seem that bad? OTOH, I'm not sure if that's a reflection of TD's engineering capabilities or the other competitors lack of top level (racing) experience?

[m.lowe]

Where is Matt Neal?
proving the doubters wrong

Hope he has a better year than last year and the car does look nice

[Ian McC]

Where is Matt Neal?
proving the doubters wrong

Hope he has a better year than last year and the car does look nice

:laugh:

He won the championship last year, not sure how it can get much better than that!