V8 Supercar 2014

Anyway, back to Adelaide. Anybody who didn't hold their breath as the Volvo snuck down the inside needs to have a lie down in a dark room. That was racing!

That was indeed racing, however the fan interest and passion is certainly much less than the days when Skaife and Ambrose were racing in a field of 32 Holdens and Fords by me reckoning.  Very few children waving Ford, Holden (Mercedes, Nismo or Polestar) flags anymore.

http://youtu.be/wcq-y1tBk4U?t=38m58s

It is a really a case of "who cares" nowadays -> no passion => less fans => less interest => pay television obvilivion => champcar => bankruptcy. 

The cars may look different but the way they drive is quite homogeneous, and not that interesting.

The field of 25 cars is pathetic, and many teams are certainly struggling without the healthy series income (50% of the budget for some entries) that used to be provided from the strong TV deals.

Edited by V8 Fireworks, 04 March 2014 - 05:14.

Yeah,probaly agree with most of the previous post,not really into Supercars but i enjoyed Adelaide.If they keep the great racing up along with enough sub plots for a Soapie i reckon the TV ratings will claw their way back to the top just in time for a switch to Pay TV.

Any US fans found TV coverage for Supercar 2014 yet?

I know there were some races shown delayed on Fox Sports 1 last year, but cannot find any references either on the FS1 site, or on my DVR programming. 

TIA

I have read this thread with great interest, all the discussions about DOHC, transverse engines, AWD, flatplane crank V8s, etc. Actually, I'm lying, it was so tedious mainly because it is missing the point.

 

The thing about modern touring car/saloon car/sedan racing is that it is all about providing a safe spectacle. There's been a move by many major tin top series to make cars safer and at the same time provide a set of regulations that can equalise performance. Throw in shared components to lower costs and you have your modern racing touring car. So if you are worried that a car's performance has been throttled or a car doesn't relate to the road car it is supposed to represent, then Im afraid that's just tough.

 

In Britain, we are looking forward to a 30 plus grid of 'NGTC' spec cars this season in the BTCC. Cars from MG, Honda, Ford, Toyota, Mercedes, Audi and Proton. A set of rules that promotes development of diverse cars through shared components - sub frames, gearboxes, wheels, wiring looms. Hell, if you haven't got the right engine for the job you can buy an unbadged spec engine from the series organisers and plug it in. But you won't get people bleating about how it doesn't compare to the road car, mainly because the spectacle is worth the conceit.

 

About the only main touring series which considers the purity of the cars recently was the WTCC, which in recently has been all about which was the fastest guy in a Chevrolet. Now that's dull. 

 

It's all about the brand these days, not what's under the bonnet.The biggest 'win on Sunday, sell on Monday' event is the Le Mans 24 hours. Are you telling me you can get a Porsche 919 in the show rooms? Now I'm partial to WEC mainly because of the technological challenge, but I watch Touring Cars for the spectacle.

 

Anyway, back to Adelaide. Anybody who didn't hold their breath as the Volvo snuck down the inside needs to have a lie down in a dark room. That was racing!

McLaughlin snuck down the inside because Whincup made a mistake. Not something he does very often. A very good drive from Scott and car from the Volvo which is immediatly on the pace.

Is there no coverage from the V8s in Melbourne? Cant find it anywhere   

Is there no coverage from the V8s in Melbourne? Cant find it anywhere 

Usually part of the Channel 10 F1 coverage.

Is it for points this year? Or is that next year?

Usually part of the Channel 10 F1 coverage.

 

Is it for points this year? Or is that next year?

Ah, alright. thanks!

No championship points this year, only a "GP weekend winner" with double points in race 4

Caruso in theNissan on pole, Van Giz Holden 2nd and McLaughlin Volvo third. Mostert 12th first Ford and Davison Benz 13th. 

We will have bleats of unfair coming from the ford teams by the end of the weekend!

Without knocking Michael Caruso he is the least favored of the datsun drivers,, and gives them their first? pole. Actually the favor of Nissan drivers is reversed in this event so far.

Also interestingly a local Volvo dealer is advertising big on the S60 supercar experience. The car that has no relevance at all to the road S60.

Also interestingly a local Volvo dealer is advertising big on the S60 supercar experience. The car that has no relevance at all to the road S60.

mate none of these cars have any relevance to what you can buy. Get over it.

Lets get something very straight now. I agree none of the cars have much relevance to the road cars. BUT you can buy a V8 rear drive Holden Ford and Benz. So there is some small relevance. A Datsun and Ovlov are front drive V6 cars. So have absolutely no relevance whatever. And advertising the cars with Supercar pedigree is libellous!

I am sure - legal action notwithstanding - he's glad he left Stone Bros/Erebus...

He proved his decision was the right one. He has won races and generally been on the pace unlike his previous team. Rumor is that Tim Slade wanted out too. The shift to Benz was not mentioned when he signed the contract.

As for this weekend  the choreographer may cause an upset because it is someone elses turn to win

Edited by krapmeister, 16 March 2014 - 02:52.

Double points is so -_- Guy that leads every single lap of every single race of the weekend, drops down to 5th or something in the early laps of the final race and suddenly he's not leading the weekend anymore lol.

Nice races over the weekend,happy to see Volvo's maiden victory also happy with Merc's performance

Edited by Nutella76, 17 March 2014 - 10:57.

The Merc is easily the best sounding car in the field... easily.

Edited by krapmeister, 02 May 2014 - 11:40.

Yeah,whatever the correct figure is its multi-millions and the Team is a bit of a joke to the established players,lots of pit talk Merc. Management(not sure if its OZ or Germany or both) will be taking steps to end the embarrassment so no surprise if Betty has another manufacturers body panels on next year or gives it away altogether.

Yeah again,Craig Gore did the same and got into major trouble,its a bottomless pit if your not at the pointy end of the field.

Reading Speed Cafe this morning and the first story is that it appears the  V8 Supercars giggle session at Eastern Creek will clash with the 12 hour at Bathurst. Which will preclude those drivers from competing at the 12 hour.

A masterpiece of Stupidcars doing what they want and bugger the sport. Supposedly about TV with the cricket World Cup. One is a proper major race meet, the other a publicity [giggle] event. . One hopes that CAMS [remember them] actually refuses them the date. Though since it is only a test session they probably cannot. I forget the wording but you cannot run two major meetings in one state on the same date. The test session is not a race, just a giggle session where no real testing really happens.

Personally I feel the whole deal is a waste of money for the Stupidcar teams and from what I gather many would prefer not to be there. Run it midweek again if they have too. The Supercar drivers are actually proffessionals earning a dollar or 3 [probably nowhere near what the top drivers earn. Though I suspect the lesser drivers could use the income and variety too] driving at Bathurst so could nearly be called a restraint of trade. That I would love to see!

Warburton [CEO] really has a lot to answer for if this happens, and it will further isolate Supercars from real motorsport in this country.

Yeah again,Craig Gore did the same and got into major trouble,its a bottomless pit if your not at the pointy end of the field.

Its a bottomless pit at the front too!  Though some teams do use restraint. I suspect BJR spend less money to run 3 cars near the front than Betty spends to run at the back with 2. And they have yet to resolve the 'power steering' issues those cars have had since day 1. Did the PS issues at Darwin saturday x2 result in engine changes?

Sandown is upon us again. For a change the weather is not threatening. 

The usual suspects near the front. But we have had a 'safety car' to replace traffic cones!

So again track limits come into play. Stupidly they have put bitumen BEHIND the kerbs on most corners.On the inside coming down to Dandenong Rd they have bolted traffic cones! Which ofcourse they all seem to be hitting. Really if they do, short of avoiding a wayward car they should be given a penalty. And really making the the corners straighter as in effect they have they have spoilt what is a real roller coaster ride over the top to Dandenong Rd.

So...Ambrose back to V8SC?

Sandown is upon us again. For a change the weather is not threatening. 
The usual suspects near the front. But we have had a 'safety car' to replace traffic cones!
So again track limits come into play. Stupidly they have put bitumen BEHIND the kerbs on most corners.On the inside coming down to Dandenong Rd they have bolted traffic cones! Which ofcourse they all seem to be hitting. Really if they do, short of avoiding a wayward car they should be given a penalty. And really making the the corners straighter as in effect they have they have spoilt what is a real roller coaster ride over the top to Dandenong Rd.

Another cunning stunt by the powers that be to spice up the racing with another manufactured/ contrived finish. First set of cones replaced after 46 laps. Field compressed. Replaced again at about 100 laps. Field compressed again. Those at the front who work their guts out to build up a good lead are being penalised. Same happens at Bathurst when safety car comes out for the most menial incidents.

Sadly a tactic learnt from NASCAR's invisibris cautions.  What's the point of running x number of laps if all the organizers want to create is a sprint race at the end? 

Neil

I think it may take him some time to get back to the level of competitiveness he was at when he left, if indeed he ever does...

But Marcos races 43 times a year at a much higher level than V8 supercars (half the field is effectively made up of "Whincups", or better, as such; maybe only the bottom third of Sprint Cup is your "Russell Ingall" make-up-the-numbers type runners)... Somehow "I don't think so" about what you are implying. 

Yeh, I think krapmeister may be under-estimating the level of driver and driving in NASCAR, by A LOT!!

Neil

But Marcos races 43 times a year at a much higher level than V8 supercars (half the field is effectively made up of "Whincups", or better, as such; maybe only the bottom third of Sprint Cup is your "Russell Ingall" make-up-the-numbers type runners)... Somehow "I don't think so" about what you are implying. 

Driving Ovals is NOT good preperation for road racing. I feel he will do ok provided he has a good car.

Who gets turfed out at DJR to make room for Ambrose?

Another cunning stunt by the powers that be to spice up the racing with another manufactured/ contrived finish. First set of cones replaced after 46 laps. Field compressed. Replaced again at about 100 laps. Field compressed again. Those at the front who work their guts out to build up a good lead are being penalised. Same happens at Bathurst when safety car comes out for the most menial incidents.

In the defence of the organisers. The cones were required, though why was hitting them not penalised. The second safety car was I feel nesecary!  Leaving a slightly battered Erebus where it was could be a little dangerous!

Who gets turfed out at DJR to make room for Ambrose?

Who cares?   Neither DJR drivers are exactly "superstars"...\

The one with the smaller chequebook, presumably.

Edited by V8 Fireworks, 15 September 2014 - 00:17.

Penske and Ford USA will be footing most of the bills now so that doesn't matter

Who cares?   Neither DJR drivers are exactly "superstars"...\

 

The one with the smaller chequebook, presumably.

I think that is Pye, the better performed driver!

Penske and Ford USA will be footing most of the bills now so that doesn't matter

I suspect that Penske will come in with an adequate budget. But no more.

Roger has not got where he is by wasting money. And I doubt that Ford US will be contributing

Penske and Ford USA will be footing most of the bills now so that doesn't matter

Why? 

Why would Ford USA pay for anything, and if so shouldn't they sponsor the official ford team, FPR?

It's a shame Penske didn't partner with FPR/Nash/French in a way (as more of a Seton fan speaking here)...

Hopefully DJR/Penske & FPR will continue to work together on the chassis front; as I doubt working independently would offer any improvements.  FPR have got the better facilities and manufacturing ability, so the decision seems kinda strange to me.

I'm curious if people know if either DJR, or FPR, or both, already use Penske dampers? 

Edited by V8 Fireworks, 15 September 2014 - 04:35.

Would have loved to see Ambrose in a Penske car in Nascar. With all due respect to the Petty team, and I understand how tough the competition is, both Petty drivers were not challenging the leaders on a regular basis.

A gig with Penske will be great for Ambrose, no matter what series he is driving in.

I suspect that Penske will come in with an adequate budget. But no more.

Roger has not got where he is by wasting money. And I doubt that Ford US will be contributing

He brought out western star trucks and also bringing penske truck rental to Australia, A v8sc budget would be a drop in the ocean all things considered..

Why? 

 

Why would Ford USA pay for anything, and if so shouldn't they sponsor the official ford team, FPR?

 

It's a shame Penske didn't partner with FPR/Nash/French in a way (as more of a Seton fan speaking here)...

 

Hopefully DJR/Penske & FPR will continue to work together on the chassis front; as I doubt working independently would offer any improvements.  FPR have got the better facilities and manufacturing ability, so the decision seems kinda strange to me.

 

I'm curious if people know if either DJR, or FPR, or both, already use Penske dampers? 

From memory shocks are a control item.

So Ambrose officially with Penske at the V8s. Awesome. With him, van Gisbergen, Winterbottom and McLaughlin I really have my handful with whom to cheer for.

From memory shocks are a control item.

nope, well they are controlled and need to be homologated but a few brands are used. most teams are on sachs (which 888 distribute) while FPR and a couple of others use supashock , HRT did use ohlins but changed to sachs last year I believe.

Edited by BellisEndis, 15 September 2014 - 11:41.

But Marcos races 43 times a year at a much higher level than V8 supercars (half the field is effectively made up of "Whincups", or better, as such; maybe only the bottom third of Sprint Cup is your "Russell Ingall" make-up-the-numbers type runners)... Somehow "I don't think so" about what you are implying. 

Yeh, I think krapmeister may be under-estimating the level of driver and driving in NASCAR, by A LOT!!
 
Neil