Will contestants please take a step forward.

[PitMarshal]

As we now have a very-very-possibly-maybe race calendar, we now need some race drivers. Anyone want to hazard a guess? Will it be the usual suspects, or will new faces be enticed by the fact that the cars now have to turn in both directions?

[Nick Brad]

If it was B licence I'd be looking to put a car out there for 2009, I do know that there were new drivers in the works for this year, but I don't know what the current situation is on those so until the team involved steps forward with news, I guess they can't be counted.

[car20]

a realist point of view.

1- if it is on the powernights programme at least it has tv coverage it has been after,

2- adding a road course abliet 2 snetterton& silverstone now does add' a mix to those who have road course in their blood

3- if only 1 oval meeting at the rock in what ever form would at least now scare the pants off racer who are scared of the wall or not into it ( tony mumford springs to mind i believe he don't like the oval side of pickup racing)

4- opens up v8 racing to a new fan base that MIGHT come back if it looks good

BUT point 5- most v8 fans are into oval racing and after reading a few comments that it will take a big meet at the rock to bring back fans ,

6- my own view is that those that have an A licence to race the v8's aint been battering down the door to sign up when you have more prestiged racing that you could do.... A down grade to a B licence could be the way forward, the series is as cheap if not cheaper than alot of other B licence series and that COULD boost the grids up, BUT oval racing is and should be the stem of the racing .

7- more cars, more fans , more racing with more tracks willing to have the v8's, more sponsors . more money ;)

[Nick Brad]

3- if only 1 oval meeting at the rock in what ever form would at least now scare the pants off racer who are scared of the wall or not into it ( tony mumford springs to mind i believe he don't like the oval side of pickup racing)



I'll jump on that one straight away as it seems you've been mislead/misinformed. Tony DOES like to oval side and sees it an integral part of the pickup calender, the only part he doesn't like about the wall is the repair costs which is no different to any other driver out there, pickup or trophy cars. :laugh:

I was actually talking to him about an hr and a half ago, he'll be back on the oval this year with me talking in his ear again full time, (as well as doing my V8 Trophy duties).
There's going to be a few changes to his program this year, but i'll let him tell you all about that. Better yet, we may decide to make you wait until the first race to see for yourself. :p :

[racing59]

You mean he's leaving the safety pin in the hand grenade this year, err I mean, engine?

Or is he using oil in the sump, instead of nitroglycerin?

So.

Stepping up to the plate...... Me.

Regarding A-licences, there are very few championships that require A licences these days. The V8 Trophy was one of them because (a) one make with over 400bhp, (b) Rockingham Oval and (a).

I remember that Thundersaloons was National-A. The original TVR Tuscan Challenge was National-A. National Supersports were National-A, and Formula Saloons was National-A.

Strange how they all died.

Well, no, it's not. Thundersaloons was murdered. Tuscan's lost TVR's support and thus the interest of the big names, National Supersports went nowhere because nobody recognised it's place in the ladder, and Formula Saloons died because it was full of hyper-expensive-to-run Super Tourers, and some personality conflicts/politics.

Rob.

[Nick Brad]

You mean he's leaving the safety pin in the hand grenade this year, err I mean, engine?

Or is he using oil in the sump, instead of nitroglycerin?

Something like that, lol, although the changes I was referring to will be much more noticable to everyone!


......National Supersports went nowhere because nobody recognised it's place in the ladder...

Rob.

Plus I never heard of it which me being a self confessed Saloon car nut before oval racing took over my passion, I imagine it just got lost amongst all the other, more publicised rival series.

[racing59]

Right, Mr Mumfords changes.... now, he hasn't painted his car pink as well has he?

National Supersports was, obviously, a sportscar formula, along the lines of Sports2000, but more powerful - heading for the latter 200's. Radicals took the toll on the numbers, offering similar thrills for a fraction of the cost, and only needing a Nat.B licence.

National Supersports was really meant to be the final step before British GT's, but more people use Britcar, Porsche Cup, and others as their rung on the ladder to the premier sportscar/GT series in the UK. Or just go straight there because their wallet is fat enough to handle it.

The MSA tried to set up a "Motorsport Ladder", with routes to the UK's premier championships.

Single Seaters was easy. FBMW, FFORD, FREGGIE, F3

The Saloons and Sports/GT's disappeared when they wouldn't commit to the "TBA"s in the ladder.

For tin-tops, originally, it was to say something like.... Production Saloons (Nat B), Formula Saloons (Nat A)(and was in light type - as if it were pencil), then BTCC.
Though the MSA wouldn't sanction Formula Saloons as the feeder. There were no manufacturer back-handers to make it happen, so they "forgot" the idea.
Had they made it cast in black & white, Formula Saloons would have grown with people keen to "Step Up" to BTCC. However, FS had one thing against it. It was running with lots of ex-Super Tourers, and Thundersaloons, which made the cars far faster, and had more technology than the "premier" series, which is probably why they didn't go with it.

National Supersports was pencilled because it was shaky on numbers, and had it not been for an influx of uncompetitive Radical runners bolstering the grid numbers, the series would have died two years before it finally did.

As for publicity Nick, nothing below F1 get's hardly more than a 1 line mention in Autosport, so it's not surprising!