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small grizzle - I can't bring myself to get out of bed at 3am to watch V8SC from Texas. Where is their core market, the US or AU? I like the idea of races in other countries, but I will be firetrucked if I am getting out of bed at this stupid time of the morning to watch. Not very well thought through, V8SC!
Okay, end of whinge :vader:
Learn to use a DVR. That's the way of life to me. Most Formula 1 races are not even held on American continents.
To me, the biggest difference between V8SC and NASCAR cars is that NASCAR cars look hideous. Even after fitting more palatable noses, I still can't stand fake painted headlights and ghetto rear endsof NASCAR's CoT. V8SC cars manufacturers made a good effort at making the cars look stock.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheFamousEccles
V8 Supercars start with the shell of the road car.Quote:
Originally Posted by zako85
The Holdens, Mercs and Nissans all have strips either cut out or added back to make the cars fit the dimensions but the Ford Falcon does not. The Falcon from the outside is the road car except for the front splitter, the rear wing and skirts.
Admittedly, DRS looked good at Hockenheim but V8SC doesn't feel the need to run DRS and nor do their aero package spoil the show. Given that DTM requires 2 second interval for activation tells you how too dominant aero is in DTM.Quote:
Originally Posted by dj_bytedisaster
Regards to Texas/COTA, the racing was pretty good. On paper the short circuit looks and feels Mickey Mouse - apart from pit straight its endless corners, one after the other.
The full circuit is begging for an enduro.
Which from 2016 will cease to exist. Ford is announcing the end of manufacturing in Australia as I type this.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rollo
Totally begging for an enduro. Sprint races are good and the mid-distance races are too (Clipsal, Sandown, etc), but another long race - minimum 8 hours - would be ideal Imo. Enduro races bring into play tactics and durability, which are present in sprint races admittedly, but this is the long-form and things change.
While I'm tangenting here, I would like to see the Clipsal 500 return to being one 250km race on the Saturday - result, podium, parc ferme, line up on the grid in the finishing order of Saturday's race, and have at it for another 250km. Results would be podium of 2nd race, and overall round winner. Happy times ensue.
Instead of Surfers', get the international drivers for Austin enduro.
Yep, I didn't think it was worth the effort of watching live either.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheFamousEccles
Here's hoping I need to get used to it.
Meanwhile, in AMG land: Erebus testing steering solutions ahead of Darwin - Speedcafe
Volvo - V8SC? Kinda, sorta, maybe....
Date set for Volvo V8 Supercars announcement - Speedcafe
Hope this happens as another make would be good, but I would be worried that based on the Erebus example starting this late for a new car for 2014 means it is unlikely to be competitive in 2014.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheFamousEccles
WT
Not with GRM.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheFamousEccles
Toyota, Chrysler tips to join V8s
It is believed within V8 racing that Chrysler is close to committing to backing a team from next year.
The American make has again been linked with Melbourne-based Garry Rogers Motorsport, which came close to securing an alliance for this year.
If anything, Garry Rogers Motorsport is likely to be running with Chrysler 300s next year.
If the Volvo rumour turns out to be true, I would expect it to be with either Brad Jones Racing and or Dick Johnson Racing following Ford's announcement to scale back its racing operations.
I don't likes to watch race of WTCC and BTCC cars. BTCC cars looks attractive as compare with WTCC Cars. I have watched the race but not impressive.
Does Volvo produce any V8 engines to enter this series? I believe the V8 used in XC90 might have been dropped.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheFamousEccles
They don't need to.Quote:
Originally Posted by zako85
CoTF regs allow you to "debrand" an engine to install in another car.
The New Generation Of V8 Supercars
A manufacturer wanting to join the V8 Supercars Championship could even come along with their own V8 engine, used under a parity system to ensure it's on par with the current units in the class, or use a 'category' engine if they wish to go with already-established technology.
- From the V8Supercars own website.
Volvo could whack a Ford, Holden, Aurora, Merc, Kia, Hyundai... Snickers V8 in there if they wanted to.
Well, I don't know whether to be pleased that Volvo are going to join the fray, or to be peeved at the torrent of bulls**t and deliberate obfuscation from GRM. I know that when contracts are being negotiated that those involved play their cards very close to their chests, but...
"Garry Rogers meanwhile told Speedcafe.com that a potential Volvo tie-up was “news to me”.
“I take absolutely no notice of any paddock chat because that’s exactly what it is,” he said of the Volvo talk.
The cagey veteran admitted that he is working hard on securing a factory deal for his team, but suggested that having a new car ready for next season would be difficult.
“It’s a process that has been ongoing for quite some time and it’s very frustrating but you’ve just got to keep working, it’s all you can do,” he said of courting a new marque."
Now this...
Rogers: Volvo deal a perfect 50-year present - Speedcafe
Good on him I guess, but I do have an irrational dislike for out and out bulls**t and Rogers is a past master.
Anyway, it will be interesting to see how they fare - V8SC as opposed to DTM? An interesting choice for an European manufacturer, I guess they see the worldwide coverage of V8SC as being better than the DTM (Erebus doesn't count IMO, it's a privateer with some AMG support, rather than a full factory blessed outing).
Oops! :) :) :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Rollo
WT
Oops is right... I must humbly commit Seppuku for my disgrace.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wasted Talent
Polestar undaunted by V8 development challenge - Speedcafe
More news about the motor for the new Flying Swedish Valiants (Australian members will know what I'm on about :D ).
It's nice that Volvo is working on its own V8 engine. Using a generic engine would have been a bit farcial considering how many mechanical components are already standardized in V8 supercars (I believe transmissions, brakes, and some other parts are shared). It looks like they will resurrect the short lived Yamaha V8 engine that was briefly used in XC90 and S80.
Crazy move. Volvo should be in DTM if anything, not V8SC.
I get the feeling it's more of an importer-led programme than being controlled direct from Sweden. Good to see them enter, the Nissan is looking a lot more on the pace, which should encourage any newcomers.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndySpeed
GRM getting backing from Volvo Australia, engines from Polestar.Quote:
Originally Posted by Iain
Similar deal with Erebus Motorsports - their engines come from Germany via HWA.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AndySpeed
Well working for Volvo, there is a fair bit of excitement. I think its to do with the fact, the series runs in, obviously Australia, but the USA get a race as well. 2 places Volvo are trying to target selling more cars.Quote:
Originally Posted by Iain
Plus Polestar, is set up from the company that was TWR. They did a fair bit in AustraliaQuote:
Originally Posted by wedge
I didn't know that about Polestar. I know TWR are still involved with running Holdens.
Finally, Yamaha's jokes of transversely mounted V8 engines are going to be put to a good use. The versions installed in real world cars were failures. The original Yamaha V8 engine was the 3.4L engine installed in North American Ford Taurus SHO 1996-99. The expensive engine had a bad reputation of grenading itself by spinning cams just after the warranty expired and for being not much powerful than the 3.0L V6 Duratec installed in the base models of Taurus.
Having not learned anything from this experience, Ford contracted once again Yamaha to design and build a V8 engine to be used in Volvo and Lincoln cars early in the last decade (underscoring how hapless Ford had become in the early 2000s, being unable to design on its own a compact DOHC V8 engine for car use). The new 4.4L Yamaha V8 provided you with the screaming 311 horses, which was decidedly embarrassing if you compared this even with the top 6-cylinder engines of that time (e.g. 3.5L V6 in Infiniti G35). The engine was discontinued once Volvo came up with its own better designs for cars like S80 or XC90. Of course, the race spec Volvo engine will have to do very little with the now discontinued production block. So the V8 engine still has a small chance to a glorious redemption, now in motorsport.
I heard the V8SC Volvo is a local distributor's project, and this is why they're entering in V8SC and not in say DTM, although the step from V8SC to DTM is not as difficult since the specifications were designed to bring these two championships closer.
I think the NGTC cars would be more impressive to watch if they cornered faster. They just look really heavy in the corners so it hardly looks like the drivers are pushing.
I thought Polestar came from Flash Engineering?Quote:
Originally Posted by big_sw2000
You're right. They evolved from the first incarnation of Flash Engineering.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndySpeed
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
A short interview with Jason Bright, covering Le Mans, Allen Simonsen, and the Townsville race this weekend.
http://www.speedcafe.com/2013/06/28/...le-mans-debut/
A very late reply to the thread creator. I don't know if it was mentioned before but I suggest you to follow SuperGT. Also there are some rumours/information about a merger between DTM and SuperGT.
Mercedes and Nissan involvement in the V8 Supercars resembles Toyota's enterance to NASCAR. It was such an exciting move! Moreover, Volvo's attendance to V8 Supercars may boost the series' international expansion.
It remains to be seen about V8SC and their international expansion - current management are now talking down future international race plans and looking to go regional in Australia instead (similar to the Townsville race).
I would be very keen on a V8SC race @ Spa or Donnington, for arguments sake, but reality is a bit closer to home IMO
Under FIA rules, a European race will never happen unfortunately.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheFamousEccles
I think the BTCC and WTCC are almost as good as they can be, just a few tweaks would make them better.
I like the direction that the WTCC is going in for 2014 - they should finally look fitting at circuits like Monza as they would have to power to actually get round the lap in under 20 minutes - but I fear the cars may look a bit over the top. If they just increase the wheel size to 18" and have a slightly bigger rear wing they'd be something close to how the Super Touring cars looked. The ridiculous new rear wing size and silly wheelarch & door sill extension make them look to much like a wannbe DTM car (this is all based on the look of the Citroen C-Elysee WTCC car). The main technical advantage the WTCC cars (current and 2014 onwards) have over the NGTC cars is the smaller engine producing similar power. I can't stand the sound of the BTCC cars and can't help but think they'd sound better with less cubic capacity screaming away to get the same result.
BTCC has good racing - it's hard to argue with that. But I don't need to see it three times spread between 11am and whenever it finally finishes later that evening - if they went back to the two race format I don't think we'd lose anything and potentially the teams would be spending even less by doing less miles per weekend. From a technical side (other than the engines) they need to get rid of those side skirts. I couldn't quite tell why NGTC cars don't quite look as spectacular as the new rules sounded. Then this week's Autosport SuperTouring fest opened my eyes. It's the side skirts that ruins the look in my opinion - big wheels yes, big rear wing yes, front aero yes, but no side skirts!
From a sporting point of view there are two small problems: one is the lack of international stars; and the other is the independent teams being some manufacturers' only involvement in the series. There's not much the BTCC can do about it having only a few top national drivers and the rest (though competent at touring car racing) being guys who have come up through the support categories. With the WTCC having people like Yvan Muller, Rob Huff, Gabriele Tarquini etc it's hard for the BTCC to appear as nationally diverse or with as high a level of driving talent. The number of manufacturers present in the BTCC has increased but when it's Vauxhalls run by 'Team HARD' or a VW Passat run by..... err the same team, or an Audi run by 'Rob Austin Racing' it loses a bit of credibility. Me and am I'm sure plenty of other BTCC fans would prefer to see Insignias in Vauxhall colours, Audis in Audi Sport colours and Fords in Ford colours. More manufacturer teams to add to Honda and MG would give the championship much more credibility in my opinion.
As for DTM and V8 Supercars - I haven't seen V8s enough to form a sound opinion of them but still prefer it to the DTM. DTM is just a cross between touring car racing and GT racing. It also seems to have fallen into the same trap series like GP2, GP3, WSR, Auto GP and from 2014 Super Formula (formerly Formula Nippon) have fallen in. To wit they have decided to copy as many things from F1 as is possible all the while not realising it only makes their boring series even more boring! Also I find the cars ugly with way too much aero on them.
Some time in late 2010 I randomly tuned to SpeedTV channel. They were just starting the show about the 2010 Surfers Paradise V8 Supercars race. After seeing that glorious finish, I knew I was hooked. Take a look at this:
2010 V8 Supercars Gold Coast Race2 - YouTube
also 2011:
Finish of race 1 in V8 Supercars on Surfers paradise - 2011 - YouTube
Unfortunately, we don't get very good coverage of DTM, BTCC, Fia GT1, or WTCC in the US. You had to wait until the end of year to see race summaries. From what I have seen, I though V8 Supercars is the best, with BTCC also quite nice. DTM seemed kind of boring. The DTM races look to me like F1 in 2011, but without DRS. Very little overtaking and wheel to wheel racing, at least in races that I have seen.
I remember watching that race and was totally amped by the wheel to wheel action. I am not a fan of the Surfers track (funnel?) but it came up trumps in that race. Cool post, Zako.
Is any racing event goind to held except WTCC and BTCC cars? Name the place and the date with complete prescriptions.Quote:
Originally Posted by Edward Ronald
Counting Scale