BTCC Knockhill Sat 3rd Sun 4th September

[AndyP & Lenore]

We did go. 25,000 folk there though Gordy so it wasn't difficult to miss you.

Hamish was robbed. Simples. Tapped and spun twice, once by Jamie Cleland and once by his own team mate Vic Covey. He started in second place on the front row and took the lead before the first corner, then held that for 2 laps until it all went wrong when he and Jamie Cleland came together at Scotsman sending Hamish sideways down the track. He made a miracle recovery but lost a load of places. Then a few laps later same bit of track and Vic Covey does the same. Hamish ended up backwards on the track with all the other cars taking evasive action on the track and in the gravel to avoid ramming into his front. Hamish had no choice but to sit there and wait for the pack to pass, then pull out as a back marker. It's a real shame as if he had held it on the track he'd have had a podium for sure - was driving terrific until it all went wrong.

The Touring cars racing was good - but our favourite driver Jason Plato had a rubbish day. Qualified 6th, finished 7th first two races, got to pole in the reverse grid then was taken off by an overenthusiastic Tom Boardman and ended up DNF.

Toca seem to think there's now parity between the naturally aspirated and the turbocharged cars, but it's blatantly obvious there's still an issue there, with the turbo cars easily pulling away on the straights.

Anyway... It was a great day's racing and well worth the £25.

Some pics. I only took my compact so there's not awfy good.

A.

[Big Gordy]

but our favourite driver Jason Plato had a rubbish day. Qualified 6th, finished 7th first two races, got to pole in the reverse grid then was taken off by an overenthusiastic Tom Boardman and ended up DNF.

Didn't feel too sorry for him....its not as if he's never done that to anyone is it...taste of his own medicine I would say

Toca seem to think there's now parity between the naturally aspirated and the turbocharged cars, but it's blatantly obvious there's still an issue there, with the turbo cars easily pulling away on the straights.

I'm getting fed up hearing him moan about it everytiime someone sticks a mic under his nose tho Why don't they just fit a turbo to the Chevy and get on with it.....sheesh

That Toyota is a lovely bit of kit tho...like the Audi as well but never seems to have any luck

[euan]

Plato is protecting his job - the Chevrolet team run that same engine all over the place and don't want to run a turbo as it goes against the party line (why run a turbo if you don't sell one?)

You would have thought they would have sorted it by now though. With the BBC losing most of F1 then people will be looking for a motorsport fix and the BTCC is shooting itself in the foot when it should be sitting proudly. I'm just glad that the GT cars seem to have settled down now with their regs, I suspect that's where my motorsport will be watched next year.

Thought the Porsche racing was pretty good, the classics were brilliant and had to go out when the Mini's were on and forgot to record it!

[AndyP & Lenore]

Didn't feel too sorry for him....its not as if he's never done that to anyone is it...taste of his own medicine I would say



I'm getting fed up hearing him moan about it everytiime someone sticks a mic under his nose tho Why don't they just fit a turbo to the Chevy and get on with it.....sheesh

That Toyota is a lovely bit of kit tho...like the Audi as well but never seems to have any luck

Well Gordy, wouldn't the world be boring if we all liked the same things.

L

[Big Gordy]

Well Gordy, wouldn't the world be boring if we all liked the same things.

L

Very true.
I just think he's coming across as a bit of a 'whiner now that's all when I used to think he was alright.

[Burple]

Very true.
I just think he's coming across as a bit of a 'whiner now that's all when I used to think he was alright.

Got to say I'm thinking the same now.. Used to be my *recent* fave driver too!
Shame Gordon Shedden has that plonker Matt Neal for a Team mate as well, certainly won't be a Honda fan While Neal Is there! lol

[AndyP & Lenore]

Got to say I'm thinking the same now.. Used to be my *recent* fave driver too!
Shame Gordon Shedden has that plonker Matt Neal for a Team mate as well, certainly won't be a Honda fan While Neal Is there! lol

Totally agree about Matt Neal.

And to be fair to Plato he did say to Louise Goodman in the interview at the end of the Knockhill meet that last year everyone was happy to complain that Team Aon had gas powered Focus's giving them an advantage, however this year now that the majority have a turbo and he is in the minority with a naturally aspirated car that they are all quite happy to sit back and say nothing.

Anyway rant over, it's still Plato all the way for me.

L

[AndyP & Lenore]

It's a real shame that Plato does come across as a whiner. It must be so frustrating to be competing in a competitive sport, the very principles of which rely on parity across the tools of the sport, when parity quite clearly doesn't exist.

3 Years ago when we first got into the touring cars, the only bitching that went on was when someone pushed someone else off - "rubbin's racin'" But when that was all they had to worry about it made it a terrific sport to enjoy, knowing everyone was playing on the same pitch with the same shaped ball and the same goal post width. But now it seems like TOCA keep seeing the speed trap figures and saying... "OK, lets reduce the width of the goal posts for the turbo's a wee bit and see how they get on." They kept reducing the goal width but Plato and the other naturally aspirated cars are still having to try and fit their cars through goalposts which are narrower. It's just not fair.

Like my gorgeous wife says, there's so few cars NOT running turbo's their's is a mute voice.

And... whatever happened to the argument that was put forth at the start of the season... "Ah well, the turbo's may be more powerful, but they are going to rip their tyres up so they will have to be careful with the power or they will end up out of the race." Neal has had ONE puncture the entire season. And I'm not aware of the tyres being any kind of problem for any other turbo car. Just sayin'.

A.

[Big Gordy]

Platos had a lot of punctures trying to keep up..!!
Those new kerbs haven't slowed them down much have they..!! They still whack them at a fair old pace.