[slartibartfast229]

I couldn't find a suitable thread about motor racing issues - other than the F1 and Moto GP areas.
As a result, I wanted to add a 'grab all' thread for other forms of (real life) motorsport.
Many replica models are race and rally based, so I think this idea will be acceptable to members.
I will start the thread with a link to the 2017 Le Mans 24 hours 'Spotters guide':
http://www.spotterguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/17_LM24_v2_3.pdf

 

[Craig]

Cool, if ever you look at an old thread and the info has gone, feel free to add your own info or start a thread and we will remove the old one, just let us know.

 

[slartibartfast229]

Well, Le Mans was an interesting race again, although I wonder about the future of LMP1.
It reminds me of the last days of GT1 racing, too few cars and little evidence of new participants.
LMP2 also needs an overhaul, it's too homogeneous for my liking.
Perhaps what's needed is a return to pure road based cars - such as GTE Pro and Am (it produced the most exciting finish of all the classes).
After all, that was the idea in the first place.......

 

[slartibartfast229]

I will try to add internet links for sites with good motorsport information.
First up is a site close to my heart, Frank deJongs touring car racing reference library:
http://www.touringcarracing.net/
I have used this site to check on historic information many times over the years, and can heartily recommend it.

 

[Jersey_Devil]

Nice to see someone else appreciate that site, slarti. I get most of my DRM info from it

...

 

[slartibartfast229]

Another link, this one a site which gives access to time delayed motor racing footage.
It's Russian, and in spite of the inevitable doubts - I have used it for several years without issue.
(Caveats naturally apply).
Think of it as youtube with no qualms about copyright.....
However, there are the inevitable advertisements which I usually block with an add on ad blocker.
http://burningwhee1s.blogspot.ie/
You may have to change the extension to that which applies in your zone.

 

[slartibartfast229]

A link to a youtube clip.

Many will be familiar with the name Nobuhedi Tachi, founder of Tom's racing.
Here you can see him in the early days, just after he formed the company.
Commentary is in Japanese, but the sounds and images make up for that.

 

[slartibartfast229]

I am not sure if this has been mentioned in any other thread, but it looks as though the modern version of the DTM is on it's last legs.
Mercedes are to end their involvement, switching to E -racing instead (I suspect this is more about environmental image than anything else).
https://www.motorsport.com/dtm/news/mercedes-to-quit-dtm-after-2018-confirms-formula-e-entry-934184/
In reality I have never had any interest in any version of the DTM after the ITC thing which destroyed the class, which had been weakened when group A regulations were finally abandoned.

 

[Jersey_Devil]

I've watched DTM periodically over the years but in the time since they added DRS spoilers, the racing itself has frequently been F1-style processional, with positional changes more from pitstop strategy than actual on-track overtaking. The cars LOOK cool but not enough for me to commit to buying any.

They say that this will result in the series taking the final step to converting to Japan Super GT regulations, having already taken steps to unify the two series technically from 2014 with the final step in 2019. Whether that will improve things or not is difficult to say as both series have always relied on national popularity to sustain interest; whether Europeans would appreciate the admittedly wild and swoopy GT500 and GT300-style enhancements of Japanese manufacturer vehicles is a major question yet to be answered, if they do cross over at all.

But Super GT has managed to keep the racing exciting, stay popular and reign in costs, something that the DTM, catering to the manufacturers and resulting in cars nearing F1 sophistication and cost, has failed to do.

 

[slartibartfast229]

The DRM/DTM seems to have always been cyclical.
It began with an excellent combination of FIA groups 2, 3 and 4.
This mixed 2 seat and 4 seat cars, and began quickly to build popularity.
Unfortunately the decision was made to bring in group 5 and when turbocharging arrived the series was too expensive.
The group A arrived, and having been stung the first time around the organisers decided to use weights and air restrictors to even things between makes.
It started OK but when BMW introduced the E30 M3 and Ford brought the Sierra RS500 all others were also rans.
After 1990 and the move to ever more sophisticated the lessons of history were again ignored - too expensive and manufacturers who might jump ship at any time.
And here we are again. The present series is all but dead, and I honestly don't think the Super GT regulations are the answer.
The further from a road car a racer becomes, the less the public seems to be interested.
True sportscar racing is also moribund, whereas cars such as the Ferrari 488 and Corvettes in assorted series seem to be the best option.

 

[slartibartfast229]

For those with a satellite who can receive Astra 2E/F/G a recent addition is Motorsport TV (the satellite version of the videos on the website).
It began on the 1st of this month, although I didn't think to check for new channels recently - which I usually do on a regular basis.
Freesat 253 (11307H/27500) SKY channel 447 Virgin 545.
At least for the moment it is free to air, and used to be known as Motors TV - so it may still be at the old Freeview spot.
The indication I can find is that it will stay free to air, but we shall see.....
https://en.wikipedia...i/Motorsport.tv[background=rgb(255, 228, 181)] [/background]
https://www.motorstv.com/tv-guide/day
Since the organisation is American - based in Florida - I imagine it should also be available in the US.

 

[slartibartfast229]

If you have access to Motorsport.com/TV look out tomorrow (Tue 5th) for coverage of the 1988 Jerez WSC round - 60 minutes.
It would seem that this is a chance to show at least some of the 1988 season, this round being 30 years since - to the day!.
Jaguars, Suaber C9, Spices, and of course the Porsche 962C in the second glory era of sportscar racing.....
Now if they can stretch to also showing the 1988 ETCC - I will be a very happy man....

 

[slartibartfast229]

A reminder to those with an interest in historic motorsport - Goodwood members trophy this weekend (17th and 18th March) on youtube......

 

[slartibartfast229]

Typical.
We've had the WRC over several weekends since January.
We had the first round of the Moto GP season in the middle of last month.
Then the Australian F1 race the following weekend.
This past weekend - nothing!
And for this weekend, all three.
Does no-one understand the concept of scheduling?

 

[Jersey_Devil]

Of course not - look at what they did when they rescheduled the next-to-last WEC race of the year at Fuji just to accommodate guest Toyota LMP1 driver Fernando Alonso and, in the process, screwing multiple drivers and teams who were scheduled (and contracted) to participate in that race and the IMSA Petit Le Mans with which it now conflicts.

If they don't care about the participants, why should they care about the fans?

 

[slartibartfast229]

Today was the 50th anniversary of the opening of Mondello park in Co. Kildare.
It was highlighted by a 'Libre' race also including the Derek Bell trophy for F5000, Formula 2 and Formula Atlantic.
This car won both races to-day, and I will try to upload a few more images from the race in the next couple of days.
Apologies about the image quality, shooting through modern fencing is not easy!

 

[Cornbeef]

Today was the 50th anniversary of the opening of Mondello park in Co. Kildare.
It was highlighted by a 'Libre' race also including the Derek Bell trophy for F5000, Formula 2 and Formula Atlantic.
This car won both races to-day, and I will try to upload a few more images from the race in the next couple of days.
Apologies about the image quality, shooting through modern fencing is not easy!

Very cool, I saw somewhere that he anniversary was coming up. Wasn't Tommy Byrne supposed to drive a hesketh there?

 

[slartibartfast229]

Today was the 50th anniversary of the opening of Mondello park in Co. Kildare.
It was highlighted by a 'Libre' race also including the Derek Bell trophy for F5000, Formula 2 and Formula Atlantic.
This car won both races to-day, and I will try to upload a few more images from the race in the next couple of days.
Apologies about the image quality, shooting through modern fencing is not easy!

Very cool, I saw somewhere that he anniversary was coming up. Wasn't Tommy Byrne supposed to drive a hesketh there?
[/quote]
Yes, and he did. This is him in the ex James hunt car.
He finished second in both races, commentator said that the stash of tyres they brought were too hard for Mondello.
I could see he was trying to drive around the problem, but Michael Lyons in the winning car was just too quick.
Dan Daly in a 2 litre Formula 2 car was third on aggregate.
It did the heart and mind a great service to hear full bore exhausts from true motorsport engines......
Also demonstrated were the museum BMW M1 that the factory are trying to buy back, an extremely rare Ford C100 DFL (the museum also has a turbo Zakspeed version) and a Spice C2.
I suspect highlights footage will show up soon.

 

[slartibartfast229]

Here is a still image of the M1 mentioned above.
It ran in group B during Le Mans 1985 and finished 15th.
Group B allowed more modifications than when the car ran as a Procar or group 4.
The suggestion is that BMW were behind the effort which is why they want it back.

 

[slartibartfast229]

This was very slow, although I didn't find out what the problem was.
A rare car I seem to remember - a Jorgensen Eagle F5000.
I wasn't able to get a better photo.