"RWS Motorsport" (rwsmotorsport)
10/12/2015 at 15:33 • Filed to: BTCC
15
38|
"RWS Motorsport" (rwsmotorsport)
10/12/2015 at 15:33 • Filed to: BTCC | 15
| 38 |
The BTCC finished its season in traditional style at Brands Hatch on the full GP loop. Coming into the finale 5 drivers had a mathematical chance of winning, though in reality Gordon Shedden, driving a Honda Civic and Jason Plato in a VW Passat CC were the favourites.
If I’m honest, all these pictures are from Saturday, as Sunday I was there just to spectate and enjoy. So without further ado, picture time:
The two Hondas of Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden up at Druids.
Sam Tordoff has swapped to the BMW this year, but hasn’t really gelled with the car. WSR won the series last year but didn’t figure in the title fight this year.
The GP loop makes for some spectacular photos.
It does rain a lot over here, hence how luscious and green everything is.
Maximum commitment required at Westfield, and lots of cars were hopping the kerb and getting two wheels in the air.
Formation flying during qualifying for the Hondas.
Plenty of Oppo for a FWD car from last years champ Turkington. Paddock hill really sorts the men from the boys.
Tom Ingram has really come of age this season, he has had some good results and a win can only be a matter of time.
More two wheeling, this time the Team BMR VWs
The little independent teams really add some great class to the BTCC, with teams like AMD Tuning buying season old cars, and drivers like Mike Bushell who have graduated from the lower series (in this case Clio Cup) being able to showcase their talent.
Even the RWD BMW’s get some air at Westfields when on a seriously quick lap.
Some slight compression on the suspension at the bottom of Paddock Hill.
Andy Jordan is another former champion, although this season hasn’t been great, having switched teams to the 888 MG. I’d bet he’s hoping for a much better season in 2016.
Plato has been in the series for around 18 years, and has a very polarising effect on fans. Reading two different forums you would think people had watched 2 different races by how they reacted.
Andy Priaulx, 3x world touring car champ joined the series this year, and showed why he won those titles for BMW, with speed and great overtaking showing his class.
Rob Collard spends his weekdays running a demolition business, and weekends racing the BTCC. Not a bad hobby...
A touch of Oppo from the front wheel drive Focus of Alex Martin.
Umm not sure about the track limits here...
The Focus seemed very soft on its suspension, almost always cocking a rear wheel under heavy braking,
Geoff Smith had a slight altercation with the barrier during qualifying.
Simon Belcher has retaken his seat back from friend of Jalopnik Robb Holland.
Dan Welchs team took on the ambitious task of building their own engine this year with less that successful results. I really hope they come back next year, but maybe taking the series provided engine again rather than their own unit.
Adam Morgan was another driver to really find his feet this season, and managed something very few others ever have in the BTCC, finishing every race and every lap in the beautiful Mercedes A Class run by the family team.
Former Clio Champ Mike Bushell two wheeling through Westfields.
3 of the 4 team BMW Passats.
Its not all about the BTCC, with a very busy support package keeping things entertaining throughout the day:
The Ginetta G55 GT4s had a record grid this year with 27 cars entered into the final meeting. its always a great sign when grids are growing and healthy, after a fairly slow start the whole support package is full and well subscribed this year.
The Porsche Carrera Cup GB is a staple of the BTCC support package and some big names in sportscars have come through this, including Richard Westbrook.
Dan Cammish has done his usual thing of winning in pretty dominant style. Hes definitely a name for the future.
Daniel McKay had a fairly huge accident during practise on Friday, so the team raided the Porsche spare parts truck, hence the slightly patchwork nature of the cars paint scheme.
Umm, someome should tell the Clios its a non contact sport.
Michael Caine (not that one) was driving the Amigos art car which was being sprayed over the weekend to add different styles to each race. I went to watch and wasnt convinced until I saw the finished thing, that really looked rather epic.
And thats all folks. All pictures are on my flickr here: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
Harrison Voorhees
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 15:55 |
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LF not over the white line. Looks fine from here.
Sjubbdubb
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 16:07 |
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Is the driving in the BTCC still as roguish and marginal as it was in the 90s? I remember that as wildly inspiring. Got into watching the BTCC with Volvo’s 850 wagon, and left when we threw out the TV around y2k.
Pops_McAwesome
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 16:10 |
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Very cool! Thank you for sharing.
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RWS Motorsport
> Sjubbdubb
10/12/2015 at 16:20 |
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Its certainly on the up. Probably not quite at the same level as the super touring days, but really back and booming.
And driving standards are just as rough as usual.
Munter
> Harrison Voorhees
10/12/2015 at 16:21 |
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UK track limit rules are no wheel beyond the kerb, or while line where there is no kerb. Ultimately anything touching grass is outside track limits.
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Harrison Voorhees
> Munter
10/12/2015 at 16:24 |
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Good catch!
CALUSA
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 16:27 |
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Have not followed the BTCC in a while, but nice to see that the VWs are finally competitive. Last year they were finishing in the middle, now at the front. Progress!
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RWS Motorsport
> CALUSA
10/12/2015 at 16:32 |
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Two champion drivers and a proper engineering squad has helped them loads.
Also_Ran
> Sjubbdubb
10/12/2015 at 16:42 |
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Well Matt Neal and Jason Plato are still competing, and never get punished, so I guess that’s a ‘yes’, unfortunately.
I’ve heard it said you’re either a Neal fan or a Plato fan. I’ve been fans of each, but as I’ve grown older I’ve come to realise they’re
both
huge dicks.
Mr Ordinary
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 16:43 |
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He’s needs more commitment! He needs to shake the ambulance off!
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CALUSA
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 16:45 |
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Nice to see them doing so well. It’s a shame that the Fords and MGs are not so well.
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Mr Ordinary
> Sjubbdubb
10/12/2015 at 16:47 |
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As an avid watcher of the series the driving is indeed marginal and err ‘friendly’.
Touring cars went through a rough period of the last 5-10 years but now looks like its on the up again.
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RWS Motorsport
> CALUSA
10/12/2015 at 16:49 |
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The motorbase ford’s were super quick this year, but could only do a half season. If they are there for the full season next year expect Mat Jackson to be a serious contender.
bmw325_num99
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 17:28 |
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Soooo hot, this shot and this car....
Robb Holland
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 18:09 |
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Damn him...
Firenze Storm
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 18:44 |
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Had a couple of friends racing on Sunday in Clio Cup, Ashley Sutton (the new champion) and Ben Palmer. It was awesome to watch them run. Palmer had a massive off I think in qualifying. Proper shunt.
farscythe - makin da cawfee!
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 21:52 |
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gorgeous car :) was hoping it’d do well... unfortunately nobody broadcasts the btcc where i live.. been trying to follow on youtube but they’ve failed me this year.
Wheelerguy
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 23:36 |
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bimmer bimmer bimmer bimmer bimmer bimmer bimmer bimmer bimmer
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Wheelerguy
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 23:36 |
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Didn’t know MG still exist. On what platform are they riding on? Bimmer?
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Wheelerguy
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 23:37 |
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All hail Priaulx.
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Wheelerguy
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 23:38 |
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Damn I wanna see this body style on a RWD Fiesta.
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Wheelerguy
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 23:39 |
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Whatever. This is a good Civic.
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Wheelerguy
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 23:40 |
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Vauxhall?
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Wheelerguy
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 23:40 |
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Meanwhile, the Americans get a crossover. Ah, most people these days.
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Wheelerguy
> RWS Motorsport
10/12/2015 at 23:42 |
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There is a road-legal version of this, aye, and I want one.
3304HL
> RWS Motorsport
10/13/2015 at 00:41 |
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and of course great computer programing... :)
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RWS Motorsport
> Wheelerguy
10/13/2015 at 03:11 |
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I’m not sure. They are built out in China from the remains of the old Longbridge plants which was bought and shipped across. I haven’t really seen any on the roads though.
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RWS Motorsport
> Wheelerguy
10/13/2015 at 03:12 |
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A class in road trim doesnt really do anything for me, but the Wix car looks awesome.
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RWS Motorsport
> Wheelerguy
10/13/2015 at 03:12 |
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Happiest car on earth (when liveried properly)
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RWS Motorsport
> Wheelerguy
10/13/2015 at 03:13 |
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Proton Gen 2 run by Dan Welchs independant squad.
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Sjubbdubb
> Also_Ran
10/13/2015 at 03:31 |
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I’m not going to say yes or no to that, but it’s a fine balance. You want good racing ethics, a sort of given?, but we also want this to be real: Entertaining, emotional and edgy.
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CALUSA
> RWS Motorsport
10/13/2015 at 11:08 |
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Ah, missed that one. Would be nice!
Ryan Nornberg
> RWS Motorsport
10/13/2015 at 14:36 |
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Besides the Ginette and Porsches, i wonder if kids today will lust after these cars in the future like i lust after the good old days.
etc.
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RWS Motorsport
> Ryan Nornberg
10/13/2015 at 14:59 |
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I think we definitely have rose tinted spectacles of the older eras of BTCC. Personally I think this season has been one of the best, and with all the support races being well subscribed it makes the whole day awesome.
I guess its the GT series now that have the bedroom wall poster cars.
Mav Wreck
> RWS Motorsport
10/14/2015 at 16:34 |
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Just makes me that much sadder that there’s no way to legally (or illegally for that matter) watch BTCC in the US.
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RWS Motorsport
> Mav Wreck
10/14/2015 at 16:50 |
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Argh that’s rubbish. Is there any re-runs on YouTube? This weekends races were wonderful.
For some reason I thought at the start of the year maybe nbc sports announced they would show re-runs? Or was that my misremembering?
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Mav Wreck
> RWS Motorsport
10/16/2015 at 18:56 |
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I look around on YouTube from time to time and find things every now and then (same with DTM). The problem is that it is technically aired in the US. CBS Sports channel shows it, but the problem with that is that not many cable companies carry CBSN. The ones that do require you to purchase the most expensive package (some even require an additional sports package on top of that) to get it. I looked around and if you have access to a provider that carries it, you’re looking at $150-250/ mo. to get it.
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RWS Motorsport
> Mav Wreck
10/17/2015 at 11:42 |
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Holy crap, so like up to $3k a year! for that you should just fly to the UK, watch an actual race and spend a week on holiday here.