Dodge, Road Racing BS, and AJ

Get the Hell Outta Dodge… Actually… Please Don’t

I am saddened by the news that Dodge is pulling out of NASCAR racing at the end of this season. Ever since Ray Evernham brought the third of Detroit’s big three manufacturers back into the sport I have enjoyed watching the Chevy Vs. Ford Vs. Dodge battles.

As a Mopar fan I may be biased, I drive a Chrysler PTCuiser and also have a Chrysler Voyager (Dodge Caravan in the US) in the family, but the 2012 Nationwide Series Challenger and the 2013 Cup Series Charger are two good looking race cars! The new 2013 Cup Series bodies suited the Charger so well, allowing Dodge to finally race a car that looked like the bold road car. Next years grid will be worse off without the Dodge in the field.

 

AJ – What a Waste

 

I was also saddened to hear what has happened to AJ Allmendinger. I think he was one of the next “stars” of the sport, and was impressed by his performances in some average machinery over the past few years. Remember he qualified for every race while driving for Richard Petty, at a time when the team had no provisionals to fall back on! Regardless of whether what happened was an innocent mistake or something else I am sorry to see such a talented young driver jeopardise his racing career in this way. NASCAR are right to do what they have done, I just hope AJ can sort himself out and do what is necessary to get behind the wheel of a Cup car again.

Road Racing… With An Edge

I am from England, where the average racetrack turns left and right, and an oval is a small, less than quarter mile long short track (Rockingham excepted), and the racing on the ovals is not exactly mainstream. NASCAR however does not race in England. In America a race track is oval shaped and a road course is a track with right hand turns.  

Twice a year, however, NASCAR turn right and at Watkins Glen we got one hell of a finish! Should NSCAR have thrown a caution and cleaned up the oil that was being dropped on the track? The English race fan in me says yes. The oil was dangerous and NASCAR should have put out the yellow, cleaned up the track and then finished with a G-W-C. Had this scenario taken place on an oval, this is what would have happened. Thankfully this did not happen last weekend.

NASCAR let the race finish under green and in doing so gave us one of the seasons most dramatic finishes. Road racing with an edge. Car slipping and sliding, slithering and spinning, on track and off, dust flying, and a last lap lead change. What’s not to like!

Close, hard racing without the “BS” as Keselowski put it!

Well said Brad, and well done Marcos!

 

Plato Vs. Neal… Again…

 

At Watkins Glen we saw racing with no, well you know, from Keselowski and Ambrose, in the BTCC, at Snetterton, we got our fair share of, you know, from Jason Plato and Matt Neal.

Jason Plato in his MG6 was obviously holding up the following cars, including Matt Neals Honda Civic, but he was also teaching a defensive driving master class, until Neal changed the game.

With a couple of laps to go Neal went for a “gap” that was never there and pushed Plato sideways. Plato, giving another master class, this time in front wheel drive car control, gathered it all up and followed Neal to the next, the last, corner. Nobody was surprised by what happened next. Plato used Neal as a brake and shoved the both the Civic and his own MG off the track.

 

 

I must admit I did not blame Plato for retaliating. Neal’s move was stupid and uncalled for; Plato’s was payback! NASCAR would have called it “have at it” and America would have loved it! The BTCC officials may not have loved it, but they did leave it alone. They both gave and they both got, so that makes them even.

On a different note, I was pleased to see the new Motorbase NGTC Ford Focus driven by Matt Jackson doing so well on its debut! Bring on more NGTC cars and the racing can only get better. The challenge for Alan Gow and his staff is to keep the technical specs of the cars close, and to keep costs down! I wish them well!

Mid Season School Report

F1

How many different winners...

From how many races...

Alonso came from which position on the grid to win...

Late pass for the lead and lots of overtaking at Silverstone?

To steal a line from the end of the movie "Independance Day", "not bad, not bad at all!"

NASCAR

I think the phrase "must try harder" sums up this year. The two stories of the year so far have to be an overabundance of average, lacklustre racing for the most part, and Dale Jr wins ends his winless streak.

It's a good thing the restrictor plate package works so well!

The new spec car bodies debuting next year can not come quick enough!

BTCC

So far we know the new Civic is a very good car, period. We also know the MG6 is also a good car in the hands of Jason Plato... When it runs... And when Plato stops complaining...

Some really good racing this year, offset against some bizarre races where the drivers seemed hell bent on taking themselves out. The current grid format of qualifying, race 1 result gives the grid for race 2 and randomly reversing some of the front runners for race 3 is working very well.

I wouldn't be surprised to see some changes made to the NGTC cars for next year as the suspension gets damaged too easily when the cars race close together. Otherwise so far... So good!!

Grand Am

So far this year I have watched the Daytona 24 Hours, the Mid Ohio race and some of the Watkins Glen race... And I have enjoyed what I have watched! Good racing from the latest batch of Daytona Prototypes on some of Americas best road courses.

Keep up the good work!

Indycar

I was lucky enough to see the closing stages of this years Indy 500 but thats about it. I enjoyed Indy and from whats I read the season is going well.

Now lay off of the politics and concentrate on the product, the racing, for a while and spread the word!

BTCC OTT

Touring car racing, by its very nature, is a physical form of racing. Cars make contact, lean on each other, they may even bang and loose mirrors, but at its heart it is still a "non contact" sport... Kinda...

However it appears nobody told Mr Plato... que Donington...

Race 1 - A very good race proving BTCC drivers are capable of racing cleanly, and that includes Mr Plato!

Race 2 - Two wide round the last corner at Donington will go if the drivers give each other room! Again nobody told Mr Plato as he moved over on his fellow driver exiting the corner inadvertently putting himself into the tyre barrier and out of the race. Oops...

Race 3 - After a fabulous drive from the back of the grid, making his way up to third, Mr Plato lowered the tone going into the last corner of the last lap in the last race of the day with a move so blatant Stevie Wonder would have seen it.

Pity.

In all seriousness there were other incidents, and in a Championship as closely contended as this years BTCC it is to be expected... but Mr Platos name seems to crop up more than most this year.

The pity of the two incidents at Donington was that for the rest of the races Mr Plato drove brilliantly. Coming from the back of the grid in race 3 to get to third with two laps to go was a great drive, and he drove cleanly up until the last corner.

Just as at Brands Hatch there was no way the BTCC Officials were going to let him get away with such an OTT move, and I am being polite, this is a family blog.

Pushing another car... pushing it all the way down the back straight and not letting go until after they had passed the braking point... putting Gordon Sheddens Honda off the track was, how did I put it... OTT!!

I would like to applaud the Championships Clerks of the Course for the penalty they handed Mr Plato. They could have thrown him out of the race for such a blatant move however the only drivers affected were Shedden and Mr Plato so giving the MG driver a 2 second penalty, dropping him back behind the Honda, seems totally appropriate.

It would have been totally understandable if Mr Plato had been disqualified from the race however this would have set a precedent where all drivers gaining a place by using contact would have to be disqualified with no room for debate. Swapping the two drivers round gives the Officials room to manoeuvre and the ability to treat each incident individually as some will be worse than others. It would also have had a dramatic effect on the overall Championship points table, something that they will not want to mess with unless it is absolutely necessary.

The two second penalty sends a clear message to the drivers, "there is a line and if you cross it we will not let you gain from crossing it". For this balanced, seeing the big picture, approach I applaud the people concerned. Keep pushing the line though, Mr Plato and I am sure you will not be looked upon so kindly next time.

It appears the Officials are watching and they have a rule book and know how to use it... if you go OTT.

2012 Here We Come... or... Silly Season, You Bet!!

So what do we know about 2012 so far?

Well 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart has a new Crew Chief in Steve Addington and his team has poached Greg Zipadelli to oversee all things "Competition" including Danicas Cup efforts... Sounds good...

Kurt Busch has "left" Penske and has found a ride... where? Seriously...

Penske now have 'Dinger instead of Kurt... Cool...

Smokes former Crew Chief, Darian Grubb, is now with Denny Hamlin at Gibbs...

At Daytona... Smaller rads... Bigger 'plates... Smaller spoilers... Softer springs... Higher air intakes = less tandem drafing? My breathe is held...

In F1 Raikkonen is back... Hhhmmm... We will see...

and Patrick Head retires...

Caterham... in F1? Well I never...

In Indycar... New car is good on road courses but still needs work on the ovals... Keep trying guys as you need to get it right for the sake of the Indy 500. It doesn't matter if they are slower as long as the racings good...

Kentucky off... Watkins Glen on... Pity about loosing an oval but if you have to have another road course the 'Glen is a good'un...

In BTCC... New NGTC cars being developed... Goodo...

and it's not even 2012 yet...

Excited??

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

This year I have been a very good boy. I have eaten all my greens, went to bed when I was told and have not been on the naughty step for at least a week!

For Christmas I would like...

BTCC - Lots of nice, shiny, new NGTC cars, all rear wheel drive so the cars oversteer like real race cars and not understeer like my dads boring car...

F1 - can your elfs show McLaren and Ferrari how to build a car like Red Bull as I am bored of Vettel winning all the time...

NASCAR - The two car drafting is a bit silly, and the old pack racing got a bit dull so something in the middle where the cars stay together but can still overtake would be nice...

Better racing at the mile and a half tracks as there are so many of them...

Less "fuel mileage" finishes as there were far to many of them...

Another close Chase as years was really good...

INDYCAR - A new car that drafts and races well at Indy as I really like the Indy 500...

Oh and a Buzz Lightyear...

And a Lightning McQueen...

Please

Thank you...

James
Age 3.2 going on 32.

V8 Supercars "Car of The Future"

V8Supercars have unveiled the future of their series.

Faced with a limited number of elegible cars, and high development and running costs, the organisers put legendary driver Mark Skaife in charge of the next generation of Australian touring car regulations, known as the Car of the Future or COTF. 

Under the skin the cars are very different, while still being the same cars from the outside.

I had not realised this until now but the current V8Supercars still have live rear axles. The new spec cars will finally have modern independent  rear suspension. The cars also move to a transaxle at the back to help weight distribution. To aid safety a new stronger roll cage with improved side impact protection is mounted to a new floopan. The fuel cell also moves from the boot to inside the new rollcage, again a move to improve safety limiting the chances of the cell being damaged if the car is hit from the rear. The cars also get bigger wheels, now 18" instead of the 17's of the current race cars. Along with bigger wheels also come bigger brake discs.

To me the best thing about the new spec car is what stays the same. The cars will still have the same big V8 engines driving the rear wheels. The cars also look the same as they still have the same production based bodies.

What the V8Supercars web site is not making a big deal of, if I am right, is that the cars will be mechanically identical with the exception of the engines and bodies. This is to keep costs down and to keep competition close. The other big point of the new spec cars is to make it easy for other manufacturers to join the series.

Currently the series is based around cars from Ford and Holden (GM). Historically these have been the Falcon from Ford and the Commodore from Holden, both rear-wheel-drive sedans. However we all know that the vast majority of modern road cars are front-wheel-drive, and with the continued threat of the Falcon and Commodore going front-wheel-drive,  it looked tough for the series to ensure a rear-wheel-drive future.

The COTF regulations should ensure that top level touring car racing in Australia continues to be rear-wheel-drive and V8 powered as the chassis and mechanical package is standardised, regardless of whose body (Toyota?) is on the car.

The V8Supercars organisers seem to have a very good handle on equalising the aero packages across the Fords and Holdens while still basing the cars on production bodyshells. I hope this continues with the new spec cars and is as successful with any new manufacturers joining in.

Basically the series faced the same issues as NASCAR, with the COT, and BTCC, with the NGTC, those of cutting costs, improving safety, ensuring close competition, and encouraging  brand buy in.

NASCAR went for a standardised body and chassis, and have been developing and enhancing the identities of the cars ever since. COT mark 1 was not very successfull at differenciating between a Ford, Chevy, Dodge and Toyota. COT mark 2 or the Nationwide car to you and me, is much better, still standard bodies in terms of aero but with very different "faces". It will be interesting to see what COT mark 3, the next Cup car, due to be updated for 2013, looks like.

BTCC, with the NGTC, went for standardised mechanicals to keep costs down but still keeps the manufacturers happy by using road based shells to contain those mechanicals. The issue for me with the NGTC is that there appears to be a strange mix of front-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive, not always being based on the layout of the equivalent road car... rear-wheel-drive Audi anyone? 

I like the concept of the COTF, still V8 powered and to start with still Ford vs. Holden! I like that the series will be protected from the threat of front-wheel-drive road cars with the new standardised mechanical package. If the cars are safer and cheaper too, whats not to like?? 

Paying attention Mr Gow?

Old Car New Car

NASCAR New Car Blues

What a disappointment.

I had hoped Charlotte was going to be the race where the Chase drivers got it together and gave us the race, the show, this years Chase needs and wants, but it was not to be.

The highlight of the race was Jimmie Johnsons hard hit into the outside wall. That was not the highlight because it involved the 48 hitting the wall, honest, but because good racing was severely lacking.

After Kansas I found myself pondering the riddle of the edgy setups but Charlotte was a different story. This was the aero push story. The drivers could not run close together without loosing the air off the front splitter and could not run side by side without loosing the air off the rear spoiler.

For the first time since the current Cup car was introduced I am wondering if something about the COT is hurting the racing. Maybe the answer is to run the current front with the unloved rear wing out back. The whole point of the wing was that it allowed air to pass under it and on to the following car, unlike the spoiler. I know this is not going to happen but something not only needs to be done to redress the aero balance, when the cars are facelifted for the 2013 season, but also to limit the aero push, which is hurting the racing.

On paper the Championship looks really close and competetive but on track the racing is not living up to the top billing.

RIP Dan Wheldon

I am still in shock over the loss of Dan Wheldon at last weekends Indycar race.

Now is not the time to debate the decision to allow so many cars in the race or whether it was a good idea to dangle such a large carrot in front of any driver who won the race after starting from the back of the grid.

Now is about Daniel Wheldon.

Many experts with a lot more exprience and authority than me have said all there is to say about his life and career. However I will say this. When I was younger I was fortunate enough to race Cadet and then Junior TKM karts. When I raced three names mattered, Jenson Button, Anthony Davidson and Daniel Wheldon... and Wheldon was the best.

As someone who has more of a passion for American motor racing than F1, I was so pleased when Wheldon won the Indy 500, once and then twice.

As has been pointed out there is an unfortunate irony in the fact that Wheldon, who has spent this year developing the new Indycar race car, a car which should be safer and less likely to hit wheels, was killed in the last race for the old spec car which his efforts were working to replace.

Dan Wheldons death is a great loss and my thoughts go out to his family and friends.

BTCC Champ Crowned

Congratulations three time British Touring Car Champion, Matt Neal!

We can now look forward to next season, which I hope will see all the top runners in NGTC spec turbo cars.

My only comments about the next gen. car...

As always make them all rear wheel drive like this years Audi, and make them less liable to rear suspension damage when making contact, sorry racing, side by side.

Neals car this year had a bumper sticker... "Does my Turbo look big in this?"... No and the trophies don't look bad either!

85 Wins... and... NGTC Podiums

85, that’s 85 Wins!!

Jeff Gordon is now third on the all time NASCAR win list!

I find it easy to forget, in the era of the 48, just how much the 24 has achieved. Remember Jeff Gordon started racing against the black 3 in Luminas, and you were either a 3 fan or a 24 fan. Yes I was a 3 fan, but I can now look back and appreciate what an achievement those Championships and all those wins add up to.

Watching Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon slipping and sliding their way round Atlanta at the end of the race was great. How sideways was the 48 coming off of the last turn??

And how about Tony Stewart, where did he come from. In the last 100 laps he worked his way from about 20th into the top 10, and with about 10 to go looked like an 8th place finish was as far as he was going to get. However as we watched the leaders go at it, he stormed his way up to third!

So with one race to go the 48 is leading the points standings... am I supposed to be surprised by this? He does not, however, look as dominant as he has in the past. Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon among others can race with and beat the 48. I think the title race will be between those three.

Knock Knock Knockhill at the door...

If you look in a racing encyclopaedia under the topic “bad day”, it will say see the 2011 BTCC Knockhill round and refer to Matt Jackson. He went in to the meeting leading the Championship and came out with three DNF’s. Oops...

It was good to hear that next years new Honda Civic race car will be a NGTC spec car. Following the first two podiums for the new spec car, (well done Frank Wrathall) next year needs to see the series moving forward, and not have another year like this one. Don’t slow the NGTC cars too much. If they are to be the future, encourage them, I want an NGTC car to win a race!

In one way I feel sorry for Plato... but no by much. Even after playing with the turbo boost levels the old naturally aspirated cars cannot keep up with the newer turbo cars on the straights. My answer to that, get a turbo! However... Plato has been known to drive aggressively and when he is on the receiving end of that kind of driving it is hard not to think, “what goes around...”

I find it hard to believe the MSA will not ask Tom Boardman to write a cheque for the restart accident he caused on his way to the win. The leader can dictate the pace and can decide when to accelerate, but stopping in the middle of the track is just plain stupid, and he was lucky not to be taken out himself. Slow the field down, yes, stop, er... no!

There is one thing the drivers need to get their collective heads around. It appears the new spec cars are prone to terminal damage when making contact with another car. This means they will have to give each other room and race cleanly if they want to finish races! That would make a change!

I still say the organisers should ban the old naturally aspirated engines from next year and then just allow the NGTC spec cars from 2013! Firstly it would stop Platos whinging, create a more level playing field, and move the series a step closer to the future!

Performance Parity - BTCC

The highlights of the Oulton Park meeting?

The Hondas taking each other out... and Platos rant afterwards!

Firstly why do BTCC drivers insist on blocking. Matt Neal locked up and put his team mate and himself out of race two, robbing either of them of the win, but to me that was only half the story.

I was glad to hear of the Honda team rule that says on the last couple of laps they are allowed to race each other for a win, as long as they don’t take each other out... oops... but why did Sheddon move over on Neal going into the corner? Yes Neal was never going to make the corner but why do touring car drivers feel they have to block each other? The other big wreck of the day was caused when a driver moved over on another car and put himself out of the race!

So on to Platos rant after he won the second race of the day.

Was it a rant or is there some substance to what Plato was saying.

The trouble the BTCC has always faced, and will always face, is “performance parity". This is because the cars are based on road cars and some are front wheel drive, some are rear wheel drive. This year some have turbo engines, some are naturally aspirated. Some are “BTCC spec” some are “WTCC spec” and some are “NGTC spec". Not an easy start if you want an evenly matched grid of cars.

However this years attempts at “performance parity" are not working. Plato does have a point when he complains that his Chevy is down on power. The ease of which a turbo car overtook him in race three, literally out powering him in a straight line, forcing him to slot in behind before they even reached the braking point was a bit much! Plato didn’t stand a chance!

If this was NASCAR, Platos Chevy, and Neals Honda would have been taken straight from parc ferme, away from the teams, to a series organised test to find out how much power the different engine configurations are putting out, and to see what can be done to equalise them... but this is the BTCC, and whatever the organisers have done so far, is not working.

The trouble is, as it stands right now, we are in for more of the same for the remainder of this year and next year until the full NGTC spec cars become the norm in 2013. If it was up to me I would do everything I could to bring in the new spec cars next year, banning the naturally aspirated engines and old cars after this season. The issue is money, or a lack of it.

Which brings me back to Plato. Why is he so vocal with his issues this year. My guess... is it because, unlike the past few years, Plato is paying to race? Has he provided his sponsorship Pounds so he can go racing? If this is the case he is going to get very frustrated when race after race he has no chance of actually competing, and is powerless to do anything about it.

Money is in short supply in motorsport at the moment, to the point where the “works” teams of Chevrolet and Honda aren’t really “works”. The teams are privateers who are faced with the prospect of buying new engines and developing totally new cars, and this is not going to happen overnight.

Maybe one step towards “performance parity” is to ban the old spec engines after this season, and ban the old spec cars at the end of next season, ready for the 2013 NGTC restart!

Several things have been bothering me about the NGTC cars this year. Firstly I still do not understand the idea of a rear wheel drive Audi A4. Since when have Audi ever had anything to do with rear wheel drive? If the cars are supposed to reflect the road car layouts then the Audi should be four or front wheel drive. Or, and this is my personal preference, if you are going to allow a rear wheel drive Audi then why not just make them all rear wheel drive!

I have said it before and I am happy to say it again... Bring back rear wheel drive!

The other thing that I have been thinking about is the new spec NGTC cars lack of pace compared to the older cars. For the 2011 and 2012 seasons this may be become an issue as no team is going to develop a new car if they have no chance of winning races with that car for up to two years. Is this lack of “performance parity" due to the differing car specifications, or due to the NGTC teams lack of budget to develop the cars?

I hope the NGTC cars are slower than the old cars! We know that the new spec engines will produce more power than the old ones, once the turbo boost is turned up, but it does not bother me if the cars are not as “good” as the older spec cars. More power in more technically even but lower spec cars, maybe even rear wheel drive cars, sounds like fun to me!

Whatever your opinion is I am glad Jason Plato said what he said, when he said it, and I agree, Mr Gow you should tell the fans what is being done to sort the problem of “performance parity”!