Team Pasty Muncher takes on the world[rFactor & GTR2]

[Stephen Bailey]

I do know where Knockhill is Stevie. I have been there (my uncle works for Lister Storm, I got VIP acess )

Just checking.

I would stick with the Leon

Well, depends which car I'm more comfortable in. The Vectra has more power than the Leon, but the Leon is more stable with success ballast. I've got to carry 90kg extra.

 

[Highlander999]

Well, depends which car I'm more comfortable in. The Vectra has more power than the Leon, but the Leon is more stable with success ballast. I've got to carry 90kg extra.

Stick with the Leon then. You should always expect your going to win

 

[Highlander999]

Bring back James Thompson!!!!!! When your about 6 and some guy has part of your name in his surname that is a very good reason to support them

 

[shefellover93]

WOah man, this is a great diary! What game is this? Mondello Park. Up the irish

 

[Stephen Bailey]

As James Thompson will be driving in the Danish Touring Championship and the World Touring Car Championship in real life, it wouldn't too sensible of me to include him in this. I know BMW and Honda entering the BTCC in the near future is unlikely, but I've tried to pick drivers I don't believe are doing anything this year.

WOah man, this is a great diary! What game is this? Mondello Park. Up the irish

As the title suggests, rFactor.

 

[Highlander999]

As James Thompson will be driving in the Danish Touring Championship and the World Touring Car Championship in real life, it wouldn't too sensible of me to include him in this. I know BMW and Honda entering the BTCC in the near future is unlikely, but I've tried to pick drivers I don't believe are doing anything this year.

You surely jest!!!!!!!!!! I'm finding a link for this now. You've just re-kindled my childhood again Steve. Much appreciated

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Introducing the 2008 British Touring Car Championship

The 2007 British Touring Car Championship saw some of the closest racing the series has ever seen. In the end it was Italian, Fabrizio Giovanardi, who managed to break away from the pack at the end of the season, to secure his first BTCC crown. For most of the season he didn't look to be only an outsider, but a supurb end of season run saw him beat off the challenge of Stephen Bailey (2nd) and Colin Turkington (3rd). With a year of experience with the Vectra, you would expect him to be even stronger this year, although he will face some serious competition from the likes of Team RAC and Team Pasty Muncher, with both teams securing updated machines for this season. You can't forget his new team-mates for the 2008 season either. Matt Neal, the two-time former champion, has moved from the Neal family run Team Halfords (Team Dynamics). Tom Onslow-Cole, who despite a good debut season was let go by Team RAC, and VX Racing took the opportunity to sign the two-time Clio Cup champion

Possibly the biggest talking point of the winter break has been the news that SEAT Sport UK will be using the new SEAT Leon TDI. The TDI was only introduced into the World Touring Car Championship two thirds of the way through last season, but brought about a huge upturn in fortunes for the Spanish marque. It aided the team so much that former BTCC champion, Yvan Muller, went from being a regular point scorer to championship challenger. The Frenchman went into the final round at Macau as the favourite and was only one lap away from all but securing the title in the first race when the Leon TDI's fuel pump gave up the ghost. This gave Priaulx pole for race two (finished 8th in race one) and with Muller's problem being so severe, he couldn't start race two, which automatically made Priaulx the champion. Will the TDI make the same impact on the tight British circuits that it did on the wide sweeping tracks of the World Championship? We will have to see, but it will allow the Leon to now compete on tracks where top speed is vital.

2008 Calender
Rounds - Circuit
Official Test 1 - Snetterton
Official Test 2 - Brands Hatch Indy
1,2,3 - Brands Hatch Indy
4,5,6 - Rockingham
7,8,9 - Silverstone National
10,11,12 - Donington Park National
13,14,15 - Oulton Park Fosters
16,17,18 - Castle Combe
19,20,21 - Knockhill
22,23,24 - Snetterton
25,26,27 - Silverstone National
28,29,30 - Brands Hatch Indy

*depending on circuit availability

2008 Teams and Drivers

Team: VX Racing
Car: Vauxhall Vectra
Class: Manufacturer
2007 Teams Championship: 1st
2007 Manufacturers Championship: 1st

1. Fabrizio Giovanardi
2007: 1st, 7 wins
Best: 7th, 2007

4. Matt Neal
2007: 9th, 2 wins
Best: 2005 & 2006 champion

10. Tom Onslow-Cole
2007: 7th, 2 wins
Best: 7th, 2007

Team: Team RAC
Car: BMW 320si E90
Class: Independent
2007 Teams Championship: 2nd

5. Colin Turkington
2007 Drivers Championship: 3rd, 3 wins
Best: 3rd, 2007
2007 Independents Championship: 1st

50. Stephen Jelley
2007 Drivers Championship: N/A
Best: N/A

Team: SEAT Sport UK
Car: SEAT Leon TDI
Class: Manufacturer
2007 Teams Championship: 3rd
2007 Manufacturers Championship: 2nd

11. Jason Plato
2007: 4th, 2 wins
Best: 2001 champion

12. Darren Turner
2007: 8th
Best: 8th, 2007

Team: Team Halfords
Car: Honda Civic
Class: Independent
2007 Teams Championship: 4th

9. Tom Chilton
2007 Drivers Championship: 6th, 2 wins
Best: 5th, 2005 & 2007

52. Gordon Shedden
2007 Drivers Championship: 10th, 2 wins
Best: 4th, 2006

Team: Team Pasty Muncher
Car: SEAT Leon
Class: Independent
2007 Teams Championship: 5th

2. Stephen Bailey
2007 Drivers Championship: 2nd, 8 wins
Best: 2nd, 2007

22. Dan Eaves
2007 Drivers Championship: N/A
Best: 3rd, 2005

Team: BMW Dealer Team UK
Car: BMW 320si E90
Class: Independent
2007 Teams Championship: 6th

7. Mat Jackson
2007 Drivers Championship: 5th, 1 win
Best: 5th, 2007
2007 Independents Championship: 2nd

Team: Motorbase Performance
Car: BMW 320si E90
Class: Independent
2007 Teams Championship: 7th

24. Steven Kane
2007 Drivers Championship: N/A
Best: N/A

25. Robert Collard
2007 Drivers Championship: N/A
Best: 7th, 2005

Team: Team Eurotech
Car: Honda Integra
Class Independent
2007 Teams Championship: 8th

77. Mike Jordan
2007 Drivers Championship: 11th, 1 win
Best: 10th, 2006
2007 Independents Championship: 5th

78. Andrew Jordan
2007 Drivers Championship: N/A
Best: N/A

Team: Team Air Cool
Car: SEAT Leon
Class: Independent
2007 Teams Championship: 9th

21. Adam Jones
2007 Drivers Championship: 13th
Best: 13th, 2007
2007 Independents Championship: 6th

Team: Arkas Racing with sunshine.co.uk
Car: Vauxhall Astra Sport Hatch
Class: Independent
2007 Teams Championship: =15th

15. Martyn Bell
2007 Drivers Championship: =20th
Best: 17th, 2006
2007 Independents Championship: 11th

90. Erkut Kizilirmak
2007 Drivers Championship: =23rd
Best: =23rd, 2007
2007 Independents Championship: 14th

Team: Robertshaw Racing
Cars: Chevrolet Lacetti & Honda Integra
Class: Independent
2007 Teams Championship: =15th

16. Harry Vaulkhard
2007 Drivers: Championship: N/A
Best: N/A

26. Matt Allison
2007 Drivers Championship: 15th
Best: 15th, 2007
2007 Independents Championship: 8th

32. Alan Taylor
2007 Drivers Championship: =22nd
Best: =22nd, 2007
2007 Independents Championship: 18th

Team: TH Motorsport
Car: Honda Integra
Class: Independent
2007 Teams Championship: =15th

55. John George
2007 Drivers Championship: =22nd
Best: =23rd, 2004
2007 Independents Championship: 16th

New for 2008!

Team: BMW Motorsport
Car: BMW 320si E90
Class: Manufacturer

Team: Team 48 Motorsport
Car: Alfa Romeo 156
Class: Independent

19. Darelle Wilson
Best: N/A

48. Matthew Gore
Best: N/A

Team: BTC Racing
Car: Peugeot 407
Class Independent

42. Stuart Oliver
Best: N/A

43. Chris Stockton
Best: =25th, 2006

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Rules and Weekend Format

This year sees a few changes to the weekend format. On the Saturday, there will be one practice session which will last for 30 minutes. This is followed later in the day by a 30 minute qualifying session. This year for qualifying, drivers do not have to carry any success ballast they may have earned through their championship positions. The grid for race one is set by the 30 minute qualifying session. The race two grid will see the top six in race one revered (P6 starts P1) and the grid for race three will see the top twelve reversed from race two. Races will be around 30km.

There are some changes to the success ballast rules this year too. As last year, the top five in the championship will get ballast, however, they do not carry that weight after race one. The top five in race one will receive weight and they will have to carry that weight for the next race. They lose it at the end of race two, but again, the top five in race two receive weight.

Weekend format

Saturday
Free practice - 30 minutes
Qualifying - 30 minutes
Sunday
Warm-up - 20 minutes
Race 1
Race 2
Race 3

Success ballast
1st - 60kg
2nd - 50kg
3rd - 40kg
4th - 30kg
5th - 15kg

Updated the post above this as well, make sure you check it out! Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

 

[Highlander999]

AHAHA, you've jogged my memory. It wasn't Lister Storm my uncle worked for it was John Guest.

Superb update mate a lot of hard work went into that and it shows. Very good explanation and I can't wait for the first race. Unfortunately I'm going to be rooting for the 2 Jordan's now

Good luck and KUTGW

 

[Stephen Bailey]

AHAHA, you've jogged my memory. It wasn't Lister Storm my uncle worked for it was John Guest.

Well, Team Eurotech/John Guest Racing use to run the Lister Storm in the British GT Championship. Remember cheering Mike Jordan on at Castle Combe as he shoved one up the inside of the leader at the time, right in front of me.

Back on the story. I've had a big change of heart and can't bring myself to include Honda and BMW as works teams, so therefore won't be including them in the story.

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Vauxhall Impress at Oulton

Last years champion team, VX Racing, sent an ominous warning to the other teams as Fabrizio Giovanardi and Matt Neal finished the first test of the season 1st and 2nd. Although the third Vauxhall of Tom Onslow-Cole languished down in 12th, it was still an impressive performance from the other two Vectra's. Promising early signs for Team Halfords came in the shape of new boy, Tom Chilton, in third driving the new Honda Civic. 4th would signify a solid start for the SEAT Leon TDI, in the hands of Darren Turner. 5th was Dan Eaves in the first of the petrol SEAT Leon's. He was followed by Team Air Cool driver, Adam Jones. Eaves' team-mate Bailey was 7th. 8th would be Jason Plato in the second of the TDI Leon. 9th went to Gordon Shedden of Team Halfords and he was followed by the first of the BMW's, driven by Colin Turkington.

Although it's early days, you can't help but be excited by how close the times are. This year looks set to be another classic!

Oulton Park Test Times

Pictures

 

[Highlander999]

7th isn't too bad. You'll have the Jordan's breathing down your back though

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Jackson on top in Brands test

Mat Jackson put the BMW's on top during the Brands Hatch test. The BMW Dealer Team UK driver narrowly saw off the challenge of the Leon TDI, driven by Jason Plato. Third went to Colin Turkington in the Team RAC BMW, completing a promising day for the BMW's after they struggled at Oulton Park. Fourth was former champion, Matt Neal, in the first of the Vauxhall's. Fifth went to the second Leon TDI of Darren Turner, promising signs for SEAT Sport UK. Sixth went to the reigning champion, Fabrizio Giovanardi. Seventh was Gordon Shedden. Tom Onslow-Cole finished eight in the third of the VX Racing Vectra's. Ninth went to the first of the petrol SEAT Leon's in the shape of Dan Eaves. He was followed by the second Team Halfords Honda Civic of Tom Chilton in tenth.

Like Oulton Park, the times were very, very close, with the top twenty covered by a single second. Infact, the first fifteen cars were covered by just half a second.

The biggest talking point of the day however came when Darelle Wilson of Team 48, pulled out of the pits whilst Steve Bailey was just approaching the entry to Paddock Hill Bend. Rather than stay on the right side of the pit line, Wilson joined the track, hitting the TPM Leon. Wilson's Alfa suffered heavy damage to the left front corner, whilst Bailey's Leon was caught in such a way the right rear was ripped off, sending him into gravel. An unfortunate incident which happened only ten minutes into the session. It resulted in both cars taking no further part in the test.

Test times

Test pictures

 

[Stephen Bailey]

Rounds 1, 2 and 3
Brands Hatch Indy
16 laps

2007 Winners
Race one - Fabrizio Giovanardi
Race two - Stephen Bailey
Race three - Tom Onslow-Cole

​

 

[Highlander999]

That was really bad luck for that to happen in your practice lap. This is going to be a tricky race for you now.

Good luck and great work