back markers

[touring guy]

hi everybody,

is it me or does it seem that the same drivers are always at the back of the field in the btcc races.i am not knocking them for competing but what do the likes of bell,doyle,taylor,erkut get out of the series apart from telling people they are touring car drivers.even in qualifying they struggle with times.

just my observation......

[LiamM]

Everyone you have just named there are on tight budgets and are in old out-dated machinery, hence for their participation at the back. Each team will have their own goals, but im sure they all want to the best BTC-Spec racers (bar the Jordans)

[Robinho]

if i had the money i'd be right out there with them, and in all probablility, much as i would love to rate my ability the reality is i'd be running round at the back with them, but as long as you've got someone to race with then i'd be happy just to be competing. as their budgets are inevitabley tight they can't afford the best cars and in all honesty, some of the guys aren't professional racing drivers, but guys who want to race cars at the highest level possible - fair play to them, the sport needs their sort, IMO it makes it much more accessable to the fans to have teams and drivers like Bell, Erkut, Taylor, George, Hughes etc

[cazvxr]

Having just spent the weekend working alongside Mickey and his fantastic team i would just like to say that these "back markers" work their n**s off to get the car out.Everyone mucks in and works hard even Mickey gets his hands dirty.They work on very tight budgets as Big sponsors are hard to find and keep hold of,when Mickey finished 15th on the 1st race the grin on Mickeys Dads face said it all.Most people do not see what goes on behind the scenes,how much work and prepairation goes in even before the car gets onto the track.You will always have "back markers"-thats racing!

[RED VXR]

Having recieved a phone call late Thursday evening via Nick Leason (NJL racing) I had the pleasure of working for Michael Doyles team In-Tune Racing. Michael is a fantastic guy with a great attude towards his racing. Hes got total backing from his dad, a very good engineer Wayne and a great technician Ash. I had a great weekends racing not quiet going to plan in race 2 but the race 1 result proved that theres a star in the making, and if called upon again i will be there again to help in any way poss to get michael out on circuit and see his dad smile. If anyone had wandered past the pit garage they would of seen a team not just racing, but there enjoying themselves which in my opion is what its all about. If it wasent for teams like In-Tune Racing and NJL Racing the BTCC wouldnt be what it is.

[nik]

It's called an enthusiast, and enjoying racing in the sport they love.

Simple.

[racer69]

If everyone who didn't win didn't bother you'd barely have more than 10 cars on the grid....

[SEATFreak]

It's called an enthusiast, and enjoying racing in the sport they love.

Simple.

I think that might be, altleast in part, driving teams to want to buy cars and want to go racing. Enthusiasm and love.

I think they realise with the money they have for operating they won't win the Independents trophy anytime soon but they know that atleast they have a car for their money that enables them to race in the pinacle of racing in this country. The BTCC.

Might certainly Motorbase Performance (BTCC & Porche Carrera GT), Team Eurotech (BTCC & British GT) and Robertshaw Racing (BTCC & Clio Cup)possibly be showing that enthusiam, again atleast in some small way, by competing in more than one championships?

[Mark]

It shows that it's not all about winning and those private teams are what the BTCC is all about and has always been about IMO, the manufacturers come and go but it's the independants who give the series its depth.

Yes, they are not competing for wins but they have their own goals which for some may be just to take part, as that is difficult enough in itself!

It's the same in the likes of F1, when Super Aguri scored a single world championship point it was like they'd won the world championship to them.

[Les]

how can I match anything that has been said before.
That's why I go all round the country watching these guys race. The look on their faces after a good race result beats the pants off Giovanardi or Plato winning the championship. Seeing any one of them on the podium would have me in tears because I know how much hard work they have put into getting their cars out on track.
To see Mickey upset because a stupid piece of cardboard has ruined his weekend and maybe his season when VX or Seat or Halford just swap engines at the drop of a hat. To know that VX will probably strip those cars back to the bare shell and rebuild them by Croft whereas Mickey and his dad will clean and prepare theirs after work.
To me you could remove the whole of the front of the grid and just bring out my mates at the back or better still get them some more sponsors so that they get decent cars, full time staff and they will be at the front.