The _TCC Series Thread

Peteroli34 · Post by **Peteroli34** » 27 Feb 2016, 10:54

Samster wrote:
I only count the Paras and 2nd Austin TBLs as unaccounted for. Handy will be running two cars.

Handy Announced a week or so ago that they were only going to run one car this season. With them not running a 2nd car that TBL would become quite valuable to them so could loan it out to another team.

http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/handy-motorsport-to-run-sole-entry-despite-securing-second-tbl/

AlliotsUsualAccident · Post by **AlliotsUsualAccident** » 27 Feb 2016, 18:32

East Londoner wrote:Unsurprisingly, Paras Racing are withdrawing from the BTCC.

Feel sorry for the Paras themselves, but good riddance to the Palmers. Biggest jackasses in the BTCC paddock since the days of Chris James. What a scummy team.

Infiniti was also pretty slimy in pulling out their support midway through last season.

Post by **Ataxia** » 27 Feb 2016, 20:16

AlliotsUsualAccident wrote:
East Londoner wrote:Unsurprisingly, Paras Racing are withdrawing from the BTCC.

Feel sorry for the Paras themselves, but good riddance to the Palmers. Biggest jackasses in the BTCC paddock since the days of Chris James. What a scummy team.

Infiniti was also pretty slimy in pulling out their support midway through last season.

Hardly; they gave the Palmers quite a bit of money to get the car to a competitive standard in order to showcase their brand; the team proceeded to burn through that money with very little to show for it. In fact, I've been told that bailiffs threatened to repossess some of SOPR's assets due to unpaid bills at Thruxton; it begs the question what they actually did with the money.

It was no surprise Infiniti pulled their support, and I think every manufacturer would've done the same.

Samster · Post by **Samster** » 01 Mar 2016, 16:17

Tony Gilham gets a 2nd TBL, so we are back to 30 cars. Its not mentioned where the TBL transferred from though. Wonder which of Gilham's army of random pay drivers will run alongside Smiley?
http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/team-ha ... -for-2016/

Post by **Londoner** » 07 Mar 2016, 19:18

Samster wrote:Tony Gilham gets a 2nd TBL, so we are back to 30 cars. Its not mentioned where the TBL transferred from though. Wonder which of Gilham's army of random pay drivers will run alongside Smiley?
http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/btcc/team-ha ... -for-2016/

Well, the identity of Gilham's second driver is none other than...JAKE HILL.

Proper made up for him, he's a great young driver, and hopefully he can spring some surprises in the Toyota this season.

Peteroli34 · Post by **Peteroli34** » 07 Mar 2016, 19:32

So thats 5 seats that are still available

x2 - MG
x1 - Eurotech
x1 - AMD
x1 - Power Maxed

Samster · Post by **Samster** » 08 Mar 2016, 02:45

peteroli34 wrote:So thats 5 seats that are still available

x2 - MG
x1 - Eurotech
x1 - AMD
x1 - Power Maxed

Someone on the BTCC.net forum mentioned that Aron Smith and Ashley Sutton were signed but not announced at Triple Eight which matches what I predicted earlier. But take it with a pinch of salt till its announced, there's been so many twists this off-season. Josh Cook also may be a contender if he is not still at Power Maxed.

Post by **Miguel98** » 08 Mar 2016, 15:02

And the MG team is confirmed!

JOSH COOK

Samster · Post by **Samster** » 08 Mar 2016, 18:02

Josh Cook and Ashley Sutton.
http://www.btcc.net/2016/03/08/mg-tripl ... r-pairing/

Will Aron Smith even be on the grid this season? Only Power Maxed, Eurotech and AmD still have drives avaliable. I'll be so mad if his career has been screwed by Plato's Brands Hatch whining. :facepalm:

Post by **Miguel98** » 08 Mar 2016, 20:30

Samster wrote:Josh Cook and Ashley Sutton.
http://www.btcc.net/2016/03/08/mg-tripl ... r-pairing/

Will Aron Smith even be on the grid this season? Only Power Maxed, Eurotech and AmD still have drives avaliable. I'll be so mad if his career has been screwed by Plato's Brands Hatch whining.

I'm considering a theory regarding what happened to Aron Smith:
In his twitter account, he still share BMR stuff, and he still attends events from BMR. I think that Smith didn't get dropped by the team, but instead got demoted to test driver (like what happened to Menu after 2014).

Peteroli34 · Post by **Peteroli34** » 08 Mar 2016, 23:39

Ive heard a few rumours that Aron Smith will be staying with BMR but in a another series possibly GT racing.

It seems that Cook joined MG because he couldn't afford the PMR drive. Abbott joined them because he couldn't afford the Handy drive.
Handy > PMR > 888

So 3 seats left them and ive not heard anyone linked to the Eurotech or AMD seats?

Post by **Ataxia** » 09 Mar 2016, 09:19

AmD have handed a return to BTCC for Ollie Jackson. They might have be capable of managing a few points, but nothing more.

Samster · Post by **Samster** » 09 Mar 2016, 18:36

The new B-TEC series has been postponed to next season. Disappointing but unsurprising given they still only had Gallagher signed up for the series with only a couple of weeks before the first round. BKR are looking into the possibity of securing one of the two remaining TBLs in BTCC instead.

http://www.btcccrazy.co.uk/b-tec-develo ... ntil-2017/

Post by **Londoner** » 14 Mar 2016, 11:32

Tony Gilham's barmy army has secured a third TBL.

Remember what happened last time he tried to expand his team too quickly? :badoer:

Samster · Post by **Samster** » 14 Mar 2016, 21:14

East Londoner wrote:Tony Gilham's barmy army has secured a third TBL.

Remember what happened last time he tried to expand his team too quickly?

My time machine works! Its 2013 again!

Where is he getting all these Toyotas from, I'm sure there are at most six in existence? Looks like we may well get the full 32 car grid afterall if BKR can get the last one, or hell if Gilham can blag himself a fourth.

Peteroli34 · Post by **Peteroli34** » 14 Mar 2016, 22:20

Samster wrote:
East Londoner wrote:Tony Gilham's barmy army has secured a third TBL.

Remember what happened last time he tried to expand his team too quickly?

My time machine works! Its 2013 again! Where is he getting all these Toyotas from, I'm sure there are at most six in existence? Looks like we may well get the full 32 car grid afterall if BKR can get the last one, or hell if Gilham can blag himself a fourth.

Ive heard rumours that Hard Acquired the Avensis and the TBL from Eurotech as their 3rd car plans fell through. If that is indeed true i believe that there are still 2 TBL outstanding?

Post by **Londoner** » 15 Mar 2016, 10:19

There's a rumour that Dan Welch will be running his Proton again this year, and there are pictures on TenTenths of a shell being prepared. But, there's a twist. Apparently...he's running the Swindon engine this year.

I just fear that he's left it too late for the Proton to be competitive again, what with it being one of the oldest cars on the grid (unless he's using the newer car that Ollie Jackson and Andy Wilmot drove in 2014-2015). The Swindon engine will at least ensure that he'll get a chance at being able to race for points, but I can't see top 10s being likely unless we get a demolition derby ala Snetterton race 2 last year.

Samster · Post by **Samster** » 15 Mar 2016, 22:44

East Londoner wrote:There's a rumour that Dan Welch will be running his Proton again this year, and there are pictures on TenTenths of a shell being prepared. But, there's a twist. Apparently...he's running the Swindon engine this year.

I just fear that he's left it too late for the Proton to be competitive again, what with it being one of the oldest cars on the grid (unless he's using the newer car that Ollie Jackson and Andy Wilmot drove in 2014-2015). The Swindon engine will at least ensure that he'll get a chance at being able to race for points, but I can't see top 10s being likely unless we get a demolition derby ala Snetterton race 2 last year.

What he should have done last season. I think he'll be using the newer car, he ran Brands last season with that one as the other was still under repair from his Silverstone collision with Abbott. I expect he'll probably be around 20th in points this season with the Swindon engine.

roblo97 · Post by **roblo97** » 16 Mar 2016, 08:57

In other news, Honda have gone back to the orange of Halfords for this season and are now Team Halfords Yuasa Racing.

http://www.touringcartimes.com/2016/03/ ... 2016-btcc/

Post by **Londoner** » 16 Mar 2016, 10:03

Holy shite, Team Halfords is a thing again?! :shock:

Cor, what a silly season this is turning out to be"

In other news, Michael Epps will be driving the third Gilham Toyota. The only thing I know about him is that he's a dead ringer for Charlie Brooker.

Samster · Post by **Samster** » 16 Mar 2016, 12:43

roblomas52 wrote:In other news, Honda have gone back to the orange of Halfords for this season and are now Team Halfords Yuasa Racing.

http://www.touringcartimes.com/2016/03/ ... 2016-btcc/

I have not missed Halfords liveries.

AlliotsUsualAccident · Post by **AlliotsUsualAccident** » 16 Mar 2016, 13:59

Samster wrote:Josh Cook and Ashley Sutton.
http://www.btcc.net/2016/03/08/mg-tripl ... r-pairing/

Will Aron Smith even be on the grid this season? Only Power Maxed, Eurotech and AmD still have drives avaliable. I'll be so mad if his career has been screwed by Plato's Brands Hatch whining.

Totally agree, really unfortunate. He's clearly talented and quick but pissed off the wrong person in Plato last season so perhaps this is his penance. Miguel98 makes a good point, he must still have a deal with them or else he wouldn't be sharing BMR stuff on his social media.

AlliotsUsualAccident · Post by **AlliotsUsualAccident** » 16 Mar 2016, 14:02

Ataxia wrote:
AlliotsUsualAccident wrote:
East Londoner wrote:Unsurprisingly, Paras Racing are withdrawing from the BTCC.

Feel sorry for the Paras themselves, but good riddance to the Palmers. Biggest jackasses in the BTCC paddock since the days of Chris James. What a scummy team.

Infiniti was also pretty slimy in pulling out their support midway through last season.

Hardly; they gave the Palmers quite a bit of money to get the car to a competitive standard in order to showcase their brand; the team proceeded to burn through that money with very little to show for it. In fact, I've been told that bailiffs threatened to repossess some of SOPR's assets due to unpaid bills at Thruxton; it begs the question what they actually did with the money.

It was no surprise Infiniti pulled their support, and I think every manufacturer would've done the same.

Ooh - just reading back this thread and seeing your reply. That's very interesting and astounding it went sour so quickly. For it to go that bad must rank among the worst all-time in recent BTCC history for a works team :shock:

Barbazza · Post by **Barbazza** » 16 Mar 2016, 20:56

Samster wrote: I have not missed Halfords liveries.

I'm right with you there. The Beta Tools liveries that Vittorio Brambilla and the early 80s Arrows cars carried are the only time that racing cars have ever looked good in orange (and no, I haven't forgotten McLaren)

The Hondas just look much better in red and white.

Oh well, the racing world is in balance - one good livery reveal today, one bad.

girry · Post by **girry** » 16 Mar 2016, 21:11

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/73 ... 0210d6.jpg

The only time?

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 16 Mar 2016, 21:17

giraurd wrote:https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/56/5e/35/565e35548ccf77461312e97e8d0210d6.jpg

The only time?

Indeed.

tBone · Post by **tBone** » 16 Mar 2016, 21:38

Simtek wrote:
giraurd wrote:https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/56/5e/35/565e35548ccf77461312e97e8d0210d6.jpg

The only time?

Indeed.

Yup.

Post by **Nuppiz** » 16 Mar 2016, 22:15

tBone wrote:
Simtek wrote:
giraurd wrote:https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/56/5e/35/565e35548ccf77461312e97e8d0210d6.jpg

The only time?

Indeed.

Yup.

Did someone call?

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 17 Mar 2016, 11:51

James Nash to Craft-Bamboo Lukoil for TCR
http://www.motorsport.com/tcr/news/wtcc ... cr-680097/

Barbazza · Post by **Barbazza** » 17 Mar 2016, 21:56

Hah, I knew my comment would stir it up. No to all of those cars for me though......except the Eurobrun, which unsurprisingly I completely forgot about!

andrew · Post by **andrew** » 19 Mar 2016, 07:06

The halford livery looks god damn awful on the civic, it looked better but still not good on the integra. The White and red was nicer, but I would rather they go back to the black 2009 car.

RonDenisDeletraz · Post by **RonDenisDeletraz** » 19 Mar 2016, 10:25

andrew wrote:The halford livery looks god damn awful on the civic, it looked better but still not good on the integra. The White and red was nicer, but I would rather they go back to the black 2009 car.

2009 was about the worst year for Honda in BTCC but the car did look good

andrew · Post by **andrew** » 19 Mar 2016, 12:04

Thompson did well considering he only did about 8 rounds

andrew · Post by **andrew** » 20 Mar 2016, 18:59

Quick question. What are these TBL's everyone is talking about?

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 20 Mar 2016, 21:13

andrew wrote:Quick question. What are these TBL's everyone is talking about?

They are licences to enter the championship. You can only enter the championship if you hold one of these licences, but it commits you to running a car for the whole season, and the licence can be removed if it seems that you are not regularly committing to all rounds or are seen to be bringing disrepute or such like to the series.

andrew · Post by **andrew** » 21 Mar 2016, 15:36

dr-baker wrote:
andrew wrote:Quick question. What are these TBL's everyone is talking about?

They are licences to enter the championship. You can only enter the championship if you hold one of these licences, but it commits you to running a car for the whole season, and the licence can be removed if it seems that you are not regularly committing to all rounds or are seen to be bringing disrepute or such like to the series.

Thanks Baker.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 21 Mar 2016, 17:46

andrew wrote:
dr-baker wrote:
andrew wrote:Quick question. What are these TBL's everyone is talking about?

They are licences to enter the championship. You can only enter the championship if you hold one of these licences, but it commits you to running a car for the whole season, and the licence can be removed if it seems that you are not regularly committing to all rounds or are seen to be bringing disrepute or such like to the series.

Thanks Baker.

I've just Googled what TBL stands for - it's TOCA BTCC Licence...

Post by **Miguel98** » 22 Mar 2016, 08:45

http://www.touringcartimes.com/2016/03/22/team-bkr-joins-2016-btcc-with-aron-smith-and-mark-howard/

So, this is where Aron Smith is going!

Post by **Miguel98** » 22 Mar 2016, 09:13

Bunch of stuff beeing revealed in the BTCC media day:

Quite interesting. I liked the idea of setting the grid based on the fastest lap, but I guess when some drivers started to ignore race 1 to get a good grid position for race 2...

Post by **Londoner** » 22 Mar 2016, 09:42

Meanwhile, Power Maxed Racing have signed a bloke from Emmerdale Farm to drive their second Cruze. No, I don't know either. :pantano:

32 car entry this year. Will we actually see all 32 cars at Brands in less than a fortnight's time? Let's hope so. :dance: