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fpv_gtho
04-08-2004, 02:44 AM
There's a couple of things i'm hoping to get out of this thread:

Firstly, who on UCP, outside of Australia and New Zealand, actually watches the V8 Supercars. Channel 10, the people who broadcast the series, quite regularly mention networks around the world who also broadcast the series and i was just interested to see who actually is interested or pays any attention to the series outside of where they actually race. To add to this, the V8 Supercars have a non championship meeting for the Australian Gran Prix 2 weeks before the official start of the season, as well as a championship support event to the Indy 300 on the Gold Coast after Bathurst, so do these races get broadcasted overseas with the footage of the Indy and F1?

Secondly, would anyone like to see the V8 Supercars race overseas in say Europe, the UK, Canada or the US? Theres an official round thats ben running for a couple of years now in New Zealand and China missed out this year on their planned Shanghai round as AVESCO decided the event was being too rushed to be on time so it was rescheduled for next year. Bathurst and Phillip Island are widely regarded as the best racing tracks in Australia but how would you like to see perhaps the V8 Supercars racing at Laguna Seca or somewhere in the UK?

henk4
04-08-2004, 03:19 AM
I don't know of any european network dealing with this. A satellite dish might help though. I for myself have never watched the V8 supercars, but there is a network "motors" that does some occasional australian racing, I think I saw the Touring GTP or GTS class, (discussed in another thread) but also something involving Fords and Holdens, but i really can't remember it was called Supercars.

fpv_gtho
04-08-2004, 03:23 AM
yeah i remember that, it was the GTP championship which is basically the closest thing to competitive production class racing here. well Bathurst i would say gets broadcasted moreso than the normal rounds for obvious reasons. channel 10 is also the broadcaster of the F1 (although late at night on sunday), i think they have highlights of WRC and the MotoGP as well as the Australian superbike championship and australian rally championship so when they claim their australias home of motorsport theyre not kidding.

Matra et Alpine
04-08-2004, 03:28 AM
Not seen any over in the UK - sorry.
'course that might just mean that Sky are broadcasting it at 3am !!!!

Anyway on importing other forms of motorsport, I'm not an advocate.
I'd rather see the other tracks as well as the cars :)

There is a European V8 series already - I think loosely based on NASCAR and we built an oval for the series at Rockingham. I don't think it's a success.
Saw the European Supercars ( V6 IIRC ) at Knockhill and it would have been more interesting watching grannies in their scooters on an ice rink.

fpv_gtho
04-08-2004, 03:34 AM
well one of the major attractions to V8 Supercars is although theyre loosely based on the mechanics of NASCAR's, they dont require long straights, oval circuits or banked turns to race. as briefly mentioned before, they were going to go to the Shanghai GP track later this year but the plans were too tight to be run smoothly. if anything they go better at GP tracks like Phillip Island and Albert Park so they wouldve shined at Shanghai. over here ive seen the BTCC's on Fox Sports which is cable so i wouldnt be surprised if that was the case in Europe and N.America

Coventrysucks
04-08-2004, 07:17 AM
I have watched the V8s on Channel 5 here in the UK. That was in 2001 and 2002, but I haven't seen it scheduled last year or for this season, but seeing as how I don't have a TV for most of the time, I haven't really been looking out for it.

Despite the fact that it was on at about 4 in the morning, it is some of the best touring car racing I have seen, great fun. :)

I think that it would do well amongst petrolheads, but the fact that the cars are exclusively antipodean, and the races are all held in Australia would keep it from becoming as popular as the BTCC for instance.

I think that there should be a new global touring car series. It would be fantastic, but very hard to implement, as to get the best racing you would want the best drivers from touring cars, but this would probably damage the national series.

Maybe If they changed all of the touring cars to an international standard, rwd and V8, with caps on weight and power. Even then there would be disparity between companies in terms of money invested. There would also be conflicts with the cars that are used. GM wouldn't really want the Holden Commodore racing against the Opel Vectra.

Matra et Alpine
04-08-2004, 07:32 AM
....the Opel Vectra.
Which is 2litre straight 4 or V6 in European racing.
The European Touring car series never took off for the same reasons a world series would fail........
Different countries have different history of competition and different preferences. Most of all different tracks. I'd love to see a DTM car struggle round Cadwell Park or Knockhill :)
I prefer to see American Nascar on banked oval with capacity crowd, I like Bathurst - even if it is fixed for local manufacturers :) - and best of all light, nimble cars round the twisty tracks of the UK.
One size never does fit all !!!

Coventrysucks
04-08-2004, 09:22 AM
Which is 2litre straight 4 or V6 in European racing.
The European Touring car series never took off for the same reasons a world series would fail........
Different countries have different history of competition and different preferences. Most of all different tracks. I'd love to see a DTM car struggle round Cadwell Park or Knockhill :)
I prefer to see American Nascar on banked oval with capacity crowd, I like Bathurst - even if it is fixed for local manufacturers :) - and best of all light, nimble cars round the twisty tracks of the UK.
One size never does fit all !!!

The Vectra GTS for DTM has a 4.0 V8.
I do agree with you though, it would be impossible to implement, I just think that if it was handled correctly, kept basic and not allowed to become as reliant on technology as F1, it could be the most interesting and close fought racing series in the world.

Back to the main topic:
I believe Motors TV is showing V8 Supercars in the UK this year, I don't know when though.

NAZCA C2
04-08-2004, 11:35 AM
Here in the US the SPEED TV plays Australian V8 races. I don't really follow this series but I will occasionally tune in because the races are close and the cars are pretty fast. I don't know why Ford doesnt sell the Falcon in the US. The US always gets screwed out of all the good cars.

fpv_gtho
04-08-2004, 06:42 PM
I like Bathurst - even if it is fixed for local manufacturers :) - and best of all light, nimble cars round the twisty tracks of the UK.
One size never does fit all !!!


You might be interested in watching the Bathurst 24hr event this November held by Procar, its got about 7 classes competing from GT-production to Nations Cup where the controversial 7L Monaro's race against Diablo's and Vipers. Theres soem international plavour as usual with a couple of Moslers entered last year, and a modified Carrera cup 911 i think it was that came 3rd.

fpv_gtho
04-08-2004, 06:47 PM
I just think that if it was handled correctly, kept basic and not allowed to become as reliant on technology as F1, it could be the most interesting and close fought racing series in the world.


This is whats so great about the V8 Supercars. Sure theyve got a top of the line MoTec ECU running the engine, but theres no DOHC, no VVT, no VVL, no ESP or launch control, its basically just pushrods, pistons and fat slicks. i think people consider the technology better spent on driver safety. Unfortunately, this year the categories adopted FIA rules, which require full fireproof underwear to be worn, which for the 1st round had drivers racing around in near 50 degree heat

jameswithington
04-09-2004, 05:46 PM
Back to the main topic:
I believe Motors TV is showing V8 Supercars in the UK this year, I don't know when though.

For such a low budget, obscure little digital satellite channel (ch. 416) Motors TV has a pretty good line up. It shows all the V8 Supercar action (though not live), all the ALMS series live, Le Mans 24 hours live, NASCAR live, plus a load of domestic British action. Shame that hardly anyone watches it really!

Personally I'd love to see the V8 Supercar series globalised. The top teams all seem to be so close it always makes for exciting racing. Plus the fact that there are numerous street circuits and the fact that the drivers aren't scared to give each other a good shove now and then means that cars are always going backwards and sideways into the walls. All exciting stuff!

On a similar train of thought I'd like to see more European racing going Down Under, particularly to Bathurst. It's just such a spectacular track, reminiscent of the classic European races like Spa and the Nurburgring before they were watered down. I managed to watch a rerun of last year's 24hr race on Motors TV here in England, and the last few laps when the two leading cars were separated by a hair's breadth after a full 24 hours, and were setting fastest lap after fastest lap on worn tyres while passing back markers was some of the most absorbing motor racing I've seen for years. I know that last year there was an increase in overseas participation with the likes of the plucky little Morgan having a crack, but I'd love to see some more teams from our side of the globe giving you Aussies a run for your money!

fpv_gtho
04-10-2004, 03:22 AM
and we'd welcome the competition to be honest. those 2 cars that were battling it out for the finish after 24hrs were special built racers whilst the rest of the field were mildly modified production cars. the real winner last year was a 911 which was actually driven by a V8 Supercar driver

Coventrysucks
04-11-2004, 09:34 AM
***Newsflash***

Tuesday 13th 1.25am channel 5 : V8 Supercars :D

fpv_gtho
04-11-2004, 06:02 PM
that might be something to set the VCR to record

Falcon500
04-12-2004, 05:03 AM
Well i went on a camping trip so i have shit loads to catch up on and i seriously doubt this one will have a personal touch either....
I have talked to an american from florida whos a retiereeand has numerous long hours which he spends drinking beer and wasteing money on his 57 chev (his missus put a sallery cap on his drinking so the poorbastard is dry mid month lol) and they dont even get the indy race itself...he follows the series and he got that bit of info that ryan hunter ray a rookie won the race....
Matra being into the bikes shouls be well versed in phillip island?...the island was actually up for sale this included the race track and museum and fairy penguin reserve....
I actually like the GT-P class very muchfills the gap we where missing since we lost decent production car raceing....
SBS lost the plot a long time ago and lost nearly all their rateing when they got rid of pro cars raceing to be replaced by british touring cars and f3 and DTM and off shore power boats...win is getting in on the act showing drag raceing dirt and sprint events....
youd be suprised how unsecsefully the NASCAR formula has been copyed we had our AUSCAR series i found them highly enjoyable but it seems not many other people did....picture nascars with some australian cars amongst them and can actually turn an unembanked corner....
Well funny you shouldsay it would never become as popular as BTCC all considering our ATCC hasmore rateings world wide hence its titel of worlds most popular touring car class....maybey it wont become as popular in your county.....
I personally would like to see a gobal production based class like we have mentioned in other threads....
Well we have nearly had a turboed volvo win at bathurst we had george fury in an 80s blues bird with an fj20 on pole and we even had a mini win in the 60s...so no no one size fits all but that said dont look too shoked how well our cars can preform in the most unlikly circumstances :) :)
Well our champion of 03 marcos ambrose raced over in europe in f3 and manged to beat jensen button and kimmi raikonnen to mention a few names and he said that europeans strangley lack any real driveing standards (referring to studards/refs not driveing skills) saying that the v8 supercars really discourage shunts with stiff penaltys.....
.....pant wheeze...... :cool:

Coventrysucks
04-12-2004, 11:39 AM
Well funny you should say it would never become as popular as BTCC all considering our ATCC has more ratings world wide hence its' title of world's most popular touring car class....maybe it won't become as popular in your county.....


Yes, I did mean that it wouldn't become as popular in the UK as BTCC. Mostly due to the fact that we don't get the Falcon or Commadore over here, so there wouldn't be the interest of seeing "every day" cars racing, that you could go out and buy. :)

I, however will be staying up tonight to watch. I don't know which round their showing though. :)

fpv_gtho
04-13-2004, 05:04 AM
its probably Eastern Creek being shown (round 2), its too late for them to be showing the Clipsal 500.

well the UK have started getting the Monaro and around 2006 you'll start getting the Zeta platform based off the VE Commodore

Coventrysucks
04-13-2004, 07:01 AM
its probably Eastern Creek being shown (round 2), its too late for them to be showing the Clipsal 500.

well the UK have started getting the Monaro and around 2006 you'll start getting the Zeta platform based off the VE Commodore

Yes it was Eastern Creek.
Top Racing. :)

I would like to see more Australian cars over here, I quite like the BA falcon.
I think that they would be restricted to performance versions though, as big Fords and Vauxhalls traditionally don't sell well. However as the Monaro shows, it wouldn't take much to convert them to UK spec.
The HSV GTS has been on limited import through specialists for about 5 years now. Most of them seem to be tuned and owned by enthusiasts, quite a few have been supercharged. :)

fpv_gtho
04-13-2004, 07:06 AM
well i was aware that a south australia based tuning company called CAPA had a small range of modified holdens that they sent to the UK on a low import basis but up unil now that was all i was aware of. some surprising things from the Eastern Creek race though, firstly they started under the safety car (this really couldve tested Russel Ingall's ability to get off the starting line good) and they probab;y let out the red flag a bit early. many people thinkg if the race couldve gone the full distance, Craig Lowndes wouldve caught up to Rick Kelly and won

Bruce McLaren
04-13-2004, 09:14 PM
V8 supercars are a very exciting series, but the cars are built too close to each other. Nobody had any advantage, it's all up to the drivers and luck. For once I wished it was a bit like F1.

fpv_gtho
04-13-2004, 09:23 PM
the sport has evolved too far from production car racing or any group category like Group B, Group C or Group A to have any clear advantages for different manufacturers. when the category was established in 1993 it was regarded that the Holden Supercars had a clear advantage and last year, a group of rules called "project blueprint" were brought in that stated that the same suspension setups, downforce, track, wheelbase etc must be used across the 2 manufacturers to try give a level playing field. there is a wide variety though in driver talent, on fords side alone it varies from a former F3 champion who was quicker than Kimi Raikkonen, to someone who used to own a soft drink company

Falcon500
04-14-2004, 06:39 AM
And when you get itno the series youll find there are hige diffrences in the cars...while they run similar engines on the rare occasions you can see the engine every teams runs diffrent set ups and all make a huge effort to conciel monifolds....every team has their own secret there....
And for example Paul moris's car (the sirromet wines commadore) runs a fulhouse air conditiong system....stone brothers (caltex a pritek Ford falcons) run unique suspension that very easy to adjust is and other example

fpv_gtho
04-14-2004, 06:52 AM
pretty much all the little things the teams are given their independance on are exploited to the limit. with the engines they have the coices of buying them straight from the Ford Racing cataloque, building them themselves or contracting someone else to, so bigger budget teams until recently have been able to invest greatly in a lightweight bottom end on the engine, but new rules this year have put a minimum weight on the engines bottom end