2010 British Touring Car Championship

[Dave Stephenson]

Fetch us some pics guys :thumb:

 

[Dan Long]

Well Im back from my little day at Snetterton yesterday for the BTCC and here is a round up from ther days races and my day.

My day started bright and early leaving home at 7am and took the journey to Norfolk and got there at around 8:15am. We got through the nightmare parking and showing tickets and got accross the track ready for the first race just over from the start finish line near the pit entrance.

I watched the first few races getting a few settings for my camera and as the crowds got bigger, the anticipation got bigger and bigger! By the time the first BTCC race of the day came the crowds were massive everywhere.

Race 1

Alex MacDowell went round on his formation lap taking them around fairly quickly and as the lights went green disaster struck for the Cruze no.2 driver. Gear selection problems which inturn was becasue of broken metal rod meant that 2nd placed Jason Plato managed to take the lead going into turn 1. From there on end the cruze had the pace, the tires and the speed down the straight to beat the BMW of Mat Jackson by over 2 seconds. The fords however were struggling. Tom Onslow Cole failed the ride height in Qualifying and therefor had to start from the back. He managed to fight his way up the order and finished strongly with a low points finish from the back. His team mate Tom Chilton however went back wards slightly. he couldnt keep up with the pace of the Chevy and BMW and fell back a down in 3rd. So it was a easy win for JP who got even more good luck when Matt Neal pulled into the pits with a puncture late on in the race.

Race 2

Plato took them on a slow formation lap knowing that the bmws need lots of heat in the tires to get them maximum off the line so he played it to his advantage knowing that if he went around slowly he could get anough grip and heat so he could pull away with the inside line for ritches. And that is what exactly that happened. Jackson just couldnt get of the line quick enough and even though they were side by side Plato had the inside for ritches and sear. This time with maximum ballast there were talks that his car would suffer even more this time round but not so happened. He was able to make a lead over the now 2nd and 3rd placed fords who were able to leap frog some BMW's and Hondas to get themselves onto the podium. Matt Neal meanwhile was able to close up onto the points just how TOC did in race 1 and with a few laps left fell just behind his team mate. However no team orders were used for the championship and he stayed where he was in 9th. Plato yet again was faster than the fords even with a heavier car and was able to capitalise on his cars superior traction and grip to get a sizeable lead. Fords came home 2nd and 3rd.

Race 3

James Nash took pole for race 3 with Matt Neal along side and Gordon 'Sheds' right behind him. Nash got off the line well but the rocket start was from Rob Collard who climbed up to 4th by the end of of lap one. Plato meanwhile made a good start and was up behind the 2 fords of Onslow - Cole and Chilton. On the 2nd lap Nash lost it going into ritches and ended up in the field being over aggresive to try to get a gap out to everyone. This put the best of the hondas Sheddon into the lead with Matt Neal and Rob Collard behind him. On lap 3 Onslow Cole tryed to make a move on Mat Jackson which took both drivers off and moved Chilton and Plato both up into 4th and 5th places. With Onslow - Cole a long way back now he pitted in and put on some brand new tires in hope to get fastest lap for a point. He managed it on the 2nd last lap. Jackson managed to climb back up behind his team mate but was still a long way a way from him. On the final lap Rob Collard who had been hounding Matt Neal all race was looking good and managed to get a good run down the Revett straight for the final time. A little nugde was all that was needed and he got through with Neal ending up going on the grass but kept 3rd place. Sheddon took race victory with Rob Collard and Matt Neal finishing the podium. Jason Plato came 5th with Tom Chilton in 4th.

Jason Plato now has a 20 point lead over Matt Neal in the championship coming from 8 points down he has had a great race weekend and has taken 28 points off Matt at Snetterton.

Next race is at Silverstone national in 2 weeks time where Matt Neal will be looking to take some points off the Chevy and close the gap again to JP

Thats all for today but here are a few pics I took of the Touring cars!

 

[Tim Ling]

Nice report and great photos Dan

 

[Dan Long]

thanks tim !

 

[Brian Clancy]

Great Report! RD now has a roving motorsport reporter with actual 'on location' articles and pics AWESOME work fella! I will ask Bram to get you a Propper RaceDept 'Press' badge, maybe we can sneak you into the pits for a driver interview too! GO ON, YOU KNOW YOU CAN BLAG IT!!!! looool

 

[Wayne Reed]

nice work dan mate well done

 

[Dan Long]

thanks guys!

 

[Dave Stephenson]

Watched it all on the tv. There where some great races in all the series. Looking forward to the next round

 

[Dan Long]

yea for sure, silverstone will suit the chevy and the ford with knockhill and brands indy strong points for honda

 

[David Wright]

Allowing the turbo engine this year looks like a mistake. The Fords were just so quick in a straight line. I'm not sure how they are going to control it. Restrictors can limit top end power but not mid range torque.

 

[Dave Stephenson]

They shouldn't reduce the torque. that should be the benefit of running the lpg. Its good to see balanced cars that have different strengths.

 

[Dan Long]

true it is, them fords quick in a straight, chevys very good in corners now and not the slowest car in a straight either, honda have work to do

 

[Tom Watts]

thanks it was a great day i was there myself with my mate who works for team dynamics and trust me people if u live in the uk and havnet seen btcc well when there next on at the end of the month go see them its a lot of fun

 

[Dan Long]

News just through the paddock has provided me with some new information, this time Phil Glew last years Renault Clio GB champion is now going to be the first driver of the brand new Seat Leon NGTC with YourRacingCar.Com. Phil has missed the last few rounds and at Snetterton was very sad not to be out there in his old Vauxhal Vectra but new information through has ocnfirmed he will be driving a new breed of Seat Leon and will join Andy Jordan and Dave Pinkney in 2 Vectras as the 3rd NGTC car.

More information is to come but he is said to be thrilled to be driving again and to be picked to drive this new car. He is also said to be feeling lots of pressure on him as the first driver to ever run a different car other than a vectra with this engine in.

So if you are going to see the BTCC at Silverstone keep a eye out to how well Glew will make this car go!



Credits to www.touringcartimes.com where this info was first found

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Still not sure if I understand the NGTC format correctly but this Boardman-style Seat sure looks sweet as candy :thumb:

 

[Adam Vaughan]

They are matchin the NGTC to the current s200 rules with basically S2000 shells etc and the NGTC engine but they have matched that to the S2000. Bt apparently when it comes in theyl be outputting more power once the old BTC spec and S2000 is gone. Cheaper apparently????

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

And what are the specs of the engine? 2 liters with approx 300bhp?

 

[Brian Clancy]

Great article Dan, keep it up laddy!

 

[Dan Long]

thanks brian

 

[Adam Vaughan]

And what are the specs of the engine? 2 liters with approx 300bhp?

I havnt got a clue, Im not sured theyve released the specs yet but Id imagine exactly what you said, 2 litre with around 300BHP.