Back at Thruxton for the BTCC

After a couple of years absence, I was back trackside for the BTCC. Since our last trip in 2011 the championship has leapt forward again. The S2000 cars are all but gone, just a handful in the Jack Sears Trophy, NGTC is go! 2lt turbos with FWD or RWD and a wide variety of manufactures entered, its like the good old days again! Wanting to do the usual pitlane walkabout to harvest some new posters as well as a trawl round the paddock I left at silly O'clock. Wandering into the touring car paddock I had a quick look in a few garages before joining the huge queue for the pitlane.





The queue moved quickly and as in previous years, it paid to avoid the high profile names. The queue to see Honda and MG were vast and I doubt people at the back saw anything else all day. I managed a handful of posters and postcards and some goodies too.







With the pitlane crowds herded back to the outside of the circuit, I nipped back down the tunnel for a paddock wander, first up was the BTCC garages again, some many new cars. MG, Honda, Audi, Ford and VW just some of the makes that now support or have privately run cars in the series.













Out of the garages and the smaller teams had set ups as well as the support races.





Support for the three main races comes from a variety of tintop and single seaters. The Porsche Cup, Ginettas, Clios and Formula Ford. I managed to get to the 911s just as they were heading out and got caught in the best traffic jam ever!







The Ginettas caters for kids aged 14 and up, its scarey to think while some teenagers are bumming round doing nothing, others are racing at national level and doing a great job.





The Clio cup is pocket sized touring cars from Renault.





The weakest and the newest support race is for the new Formula Fords, they've added wings to the cars these days, but with such small grids it was the big let down of the day.





With the racing already under way I made my way out to the chicane for the end of the Ginetta race and the first of the Porsches.









Next up was the first of three BTCC races, the massive grid stretched all the way back to the chicane, it was going to be close racing. Fortunately the organisers installed a massive screen showing the ITV4 feed so once the cars were out of sight we could still keep up with the action. Lap after lap the Honda of Jordan held the lead. Sadly the harsh nature of Thruxtons high speed corners took its toll, and a half a lap from the end the front left gave up. Honda still claimed the win with the works car of Matt Neal, but there was an audible sigh of disappointment from the huge crowd.











With the race over, the hike to the complex began, never one to stay in the same place for too long! The Clio race was under way and the pocket rockets were bumping and hustling round. I watched the last few frantic laps from here.





Then it was time for a pint and more Ginettas,







The second touring car race was stopped in the opening laps for a massive shunt by a Proton, after the safety car things closed up, but it was another Honda win.











We hung around for the only single seaters of the day, the Formula Fords, now with added wings front and rear but a grid of about 10 cars, it failed to do anything. Cars were spaced out and it was uneventful. Maybe a bigger grid or maybe get rid of the wings and make it cheaper to boost the numbers.





Using the dull FF race to head back to the paddock, I went damage spotting. The details were sketchy and I haven't watched the TV coverage yet, but the back of the Welch car was not looking good.



Elsewhere it was a time for squaring up and making sure everything was in order for the final race of the day.













I'm not sure how they did it, but with time to spare and plenty of tank tape, the car was on its wheels and on the grid.



The last 911 outing of the day had finished and a suitable spot was found back at the chicane. The top 10 finishers had been partially reversed and they were ready for another 16 mad laps.



















A bit too much kerb hopping a couple of laps from home sent Plato to the pits with a puncture. I have never heard so much cheering from a crowd, the place erupted with joy, I don't think he is liked that much by the fans!



With a late spin, the race ended as a Honda 1-2-3, the Swindon team had done well getting all the wins of the day.



And that was it, a brilliant days racing, scorching weather for most of the day and a bag full of posters for the study. What more does a motorsport fan need? The rest of the photos can be found here

Steve.

London Rally for Heros

I first heard about the London Rally for Heros whilst at Brooklands earlier this year. The first rally staged near London for a couple of decades. As the date got closer more details came out and it turned out the majority of the stages were being run on MOD land and out of bounds to the public. The only two spectator stags would be at Brooklands and at Rushmoor Arena, home to the Tempest Rally in November. I appreciate the event is being run to raise money for a charity, but the organisers wanted £20/car to get into Rushmoor (compared to £5/person for the Tempest) and a further £10 each to get into the Mercedes World stage adjacent to Brooklands (museum entry was included, but I've been too many times to count!). As I had no takers to come with me I abandoned the idea until about 11pm the night before when my brother decided he fancied a run out in his Caterham in the sunshine. So at 9am we were set, 7 loaded and away we went.



As we arrived and paid our carparking fee we were asked by a marshal to "give it some stick" when we got in, the land is private and a long tarmac straight. I think he heard us all the way! Parked and loaded with cameras we headed down to the spectator area.



As we got closer a fellow Caterham driver stopped for a natter and said that the views weren't that good with a long straight and a gravel curve all that could be seen, however he had been told by the marshals, the service park was nearby and we were welcome to wander in. Ducking under the warning tape and hiking through the forest we came across the park, in the usual Tempest location and empty of anyone except mechanics and marshals. Apart from sliding rally cars, mechanics beavering away changing tyres and servicing ready for the next stage is the part I enjoy most. A chance to get close up to the spannering action and the see the cars head off to the next stage. It had the added bonus of being alongside a couple of nice corners of the stage too!













Soon the cars were heading out onto the tarmac stage. We found a spot behind a fence that faced a daunting 180° corner that was up hill on the way in, then over a yump through a gate way and back down a straight, plenty of tail out action. There was also some serious three and on occasion, two wheeled antics!

















With the first double run through complete, we headed for the car to nab some food before walking down to the far end of the stage for the short gravel curve. In the afternoon the loop would run in reverse so our gated corner wasn't going to be as good. A small display of Lanicas was set out along with a few food stalls, not really the "Rally Show" that was advertised, but interesting enough.





Soon the course car came through and we found a spot at the end of the gravel section, the first car flew in, spraying a cloud of dust across everyone, we decided to move round a bit more!















Tired of getting a dusting, we headed back along the straight to the chicane at the end for some more three wheeling.







Our final viewing spot for the day was the 90° right onto the finish straight. With an adverse camber in the middle and a gate to get through it was more sliding action.











With the final double run delayed by at least 30 minutes, we decided to call it a day. As a first running there are a couple of things the organisers need to address from a spectator point of view. The entry fee, set it per person otherwise it puts off the lone spectator. Make a proper path to the service park so the public can see what goes on in there. Other than that a good entry and some fast action.

The rest of the photos can be found here

Steve.