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BTCC 2014 Review: Honda Dominates at Thruxton Thriller
Thruxton race track is considered one of the fastest and most thrilling tracks across Britain, and it is for this very reason that it has been a regular on the BTCC calendar for almost as long as the championship has been running. The infamous Church Corner is one of the fastest corners in British motor sport, with cornering speeds of over 120mph. When the BTCC grid puts rubber to tarmac, one can rest easy knowing that they will be in for a Thruxton thriller, and 2014 definitely did not fail to deliver.
Thruxton Circuit Layout
Thruxton in recent years has very much been dominated by Honda, and 2014 was very much a similar story. Throughout all of the practice sessions and qualifying, reigning champion Andrew Jordan took a commanding lead on the time sheets. The Yuasa Hondas of Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden were not too far behind, clocking up an eventual 1-2-3 in qualifying. The Hondas have never been the fastest machines, but it is their handling that puts them on top. Thruxton may appear to be a speed track, but its constant cornering requires a strong handling package. The track pushes cars to the very edge of adhesion, and unlike the laborious new Tilke-tracks with endless tarmac run-off, if you make a mistake at Thruxton you WILL be propelled off into the countryside.
No mercy. Only the greatest shall survive.
Speaking of the touring car greats, Thruxton saw the longest-standing record in the BTCC finally fall. All the way back in 2002, at the dawn of what was then a new era for touring cars Yvan Muller set a blistering time of 1.16.369. During qualifying, Andrew Jordan finally toppled the time with a 1.16.192. People can say a lot about developments from year to year, but it did take 12 years to beat a lap record, AND it was only by 0.177.
Qualifying saw the return of Ford to the competitive end of the field, with Mat Jackson putting his Focus on 4th. Rob Austin on the other hand has always admitted that Thruxton has not suited his Audi all that much, and the best he could manage was a lowly 21st.
The Ford team impressed across the weekend, thanks to a turbo adjustment. Image Credit: BTCC.net
The first race proved exactly why Andrew Jordan and Pirtek racing are the current champions of the sport; having never won at Thruxton despite numerous pole positions, Jordan finally beat his demons and drove away from the field in the perfect driving display, followed by the Yuasa Hondas. After a slight mistake in race two, Jordan lost his lead to flying Flash Gordon Shedden. Rob Collard got one of his proudest podiums to date in race two after getting an absolute demon start off the line. It is one of the advantages of running a rear wheel drive car after all.
The conclusion of the second race was somewhat premature, following an incident between Rob Austin and Nick Foster, ending in Foster’s car literally leapfrogging the circuit barrier and into the countryside beyond. Fortunately both drivers were unharmed and both would return for race three. However, the incident did bring out the red flags for race two.
During the first two events, the reverse grid had only affected the usual suspects at the top of the time sheets (Honda, MG and BMW). However, as Giovanardi (who finished 10th in race 2) put his hand into the lottery-style draw, he pulled out, you guessed it, his own number. With the top 10 reversed for race three and Giovanardi on pole, were we going to see a bit of a mix up to proceedings?
Jack Goff proved the Vauxhall Insignia is a worthy touring car in race three. Image Credit: BTCC.net
With the reverse grid, race three was never going to be dull. As the lights went out, Giovanardi charged away in his Ford, only to be quickly caught and passed by the race three master himself Colin Turkington. Behind him, Adam Morgan lost his Mercedes and shot into the side of Plato which brought about a fitting end to his highly disappointing weekend. Plato comes away from Thruxton with a 6th. 7th and a DNF to his name. That is never helpful for a man who wants to win title number 3!
After a horrific accident involving Ollie Jackson brought out the yellow flags (Ollie was fine, his Proton…not so much), the charging Mat Jackson passed the 3rd place Jack Goff. After a blistering end to the 2013 season, Goff has not yet impressed too much in 2014. His 2nd place start gave him the chance to shine again. As the race began he found himself 3rd behind Giovanardi, challenging hard to pass the Italian former champion.
It appeared to many that Jackson had passed under yellows; Goff had already slowed to obey the flags and Jackson powered past him. But no call came for him to give the place back to Goff. In my view, at NO point is it alright to pass under yellow flag conditions; and it is common courtesy to not pass when the car in front is already beginning to slow. Technically speaking it may not have been illegal, but I think it goes against the spirit of the sport. Maybe that’s just me.
After the first safety car, Turkington stormed back off into the lead only to be halted by yet another incident. Simon Belcher rolled his Toyota Avensis at Church and went barreling into the woods at over 120mph. His car completely disappeared out of sight; luckily a few seconds later a slightly dazed Belcher appeared from the trees. We can but hope his car can be repaired for the next round!
Simon Belcher was lucky to walk away from his gut-wrenching roll. Image Credit: BTCC.net
Mat Jackson proved that he is very much back on form, eventually taking Giovanardi to lead home the Ford challenge for a double podium. There has been talk about the ‘balance of performance’ by adjusting the turbo boost on each car; Thruxton in my eyes proved that in the case of the BTCC it really does work. The Ford team are now a new addition to the top of the field and will challenge for more podiums and wins throughout the season.
As the race neared its end, Neal and Collard were tussling for position when Neal pushed Collard in order to get passed. And so, in the true spirit of touring cars, as they entered the Cambell-Cobb-Seagrave complex on the next lap, Collard sought his revenge and gave Matt and rather large push sending them both off onto the grass and losing places. Collard would finish 10th and Neal 23rd. Some would say that the push was uncalled for. But touring cars is a fair sport. An eye for an eye and all that.
If there was a prize for unluckiest driver of the weekend, it would usually go to Rob Austin. But this weekend it would have to be Alain Menu. After finishing a promising 7th in the first race, Menu was given a drive through penalty for being out of position in his grid box when the field reformed after the warm up lap. He struggled back to 18th in race two, to then manage an 11th in race three. The only good thing to come out of his constant need to battle up the grid this year is that he has retained his lead in the Jack Sears trophy. Upon his return to the touring cars in 1993 with the new Ford team at Pembrey, Andy Rouse described his return as ‘having a target painted on the side of his car’. It would appear that for Menu the same is now true. But as the double champion and ultimate touring car star, he will battle through it.
Yet another unlucky weekend has kept Menu his lead in the Jack Sears Trophy. Image Credit: BTCC.net
However, it was not all bad luck for Team BMR at Thruxton. After starting the weekend with a rebuilt car, Aron Smith worked his way up to 22nd in race one, 14th in race two and then 7th in race three. Steady progress lead to a good final result for Smith. As soon as Team BMR stop suffering some of the worst luck in recorded history, they may finally be able to challenge for podium finishes and maybe even the odd win.
Following the end of the racing, concerns were raised about the safety of the track at Thruxton. Simon Belcher called for gravel traps to be installed around Church. Considering the high speed nature of the corner, any collision there can be massively dangerous. It was just lucky that Jackson, Foster and Belcher all escaped their excursions into the wilderness with no injuries. It is an issue that must be discussed and perhaps these incidents are the wake up call that some needed.
We leave Thruxton knowing that the rest of the season will only get better and better. The Ford challenge has finally reached a competitive level with Jackson and Giovanardi, which will upset the balance of power at the top. With MG having a disappointing weekend and Honda dominating so powerfully, have they suffered a damaging blow to their championship hopes? Will Rob Austin along with fellow luck-absentees Team BMR finally get something to go their way later on in the year?
For full results and championship standings please visit: http://www.btcc.net/results/
Follow me on Twitter for more Touring Car madness @lewisglynn69!
Keep Driving People!
Peace and Love!
The London Commute: Do I Have Any Hair Left?
As we amble through this rat race known as life, there will be times when we will have to come face to face with some of the horrors of the modern world. This morning, as I awoke from my deep slumber, I knew not what lay before me. The objective was simple; I had to drive from my home in the Kentish lands to my place of work in Central London. On any other day, this would be a simple pleasure for me, seeing as most of the time the drive to London really rather easy.
Alas, this was no ‘most of the time’. This was a Friday. Not just a Friday, but a Friday morning commute.
Friday is just another weekday, there are four others just like it. Why is it that everything just tumbles into dismay on a Friday? Are there certain people that have been hired by the government to do nothing but clog up the roads with their terrible driving and time wasting.
At some point, wherever we may be, we will come into contact with the nightmare that is the commute. It really is no shock to me that so many people begin to go bald as they get older, considering how much of my hair I was tearing out this morning.
Let’s break it down…
Endless lines of brake lights and slow moving sadness. Image Credit: FreeFoto.com
Paying to be stuck in traffic?
The Congestion Charge was introduced to London in 2003, and still remains in force today. The theory was for the government to profit out of the misery of the people driving to wor- Wait, I mean, the theory was to introduce the scheme in order to reduce traffic levels in the capital. To give them their credit, on the first day the charge was put in use, the capital saw a 25% drop in traffic going in and out.
But for those people who have no other option than to drive into the city, they just have to suffer the financial stab. £10 a day does start to add up after a while. Most of the time I get the train into London, but there are occasions where I need to drive. As with anyone who has a job, no one likes to be late, and I especially do not cherish the thought that I am paying the mayor of London money and still be late to work.
I have however come up with a solution, thanks to my genius.
Instead of forcing people to pay the congestion charge to come to my fair city, you give the chance for an ‘optional charge’, which would give drivers access to a special ‘express lane’ if you will that is reserved only for those who pay. Considering how some people are quite desperate to get to London for a certain time, it would mean that the government still keep the taps flowing on their money baths for them to swim in. With those in a hurry and with the financial strength, they get the reduced traffic, while the rest of the world can accept the traffic but not have to pay.
The simple fact of the matter is, do not make the common man pay for the promise of reduced congestion, when the reality is still stress, traffic and sadness.
The Special Kind Of Idiot
90% of the time, people understand and respect the rules of the road, therefore driving in a sensible and proper manner. And yet, we get to Friday and it would seem the inner idiot comes bubbling forth in a monumental display of stupid and downright dangerous driving.
For most of my drive to London, the roads have two lanes. This is great because it spreads the traffic out, but it does however give the idiots a chance to speed from lane to lane as soon as one starts moving faster than the other. This morning for instance this happened in front of me and I was near inches from colliding with an expensive looking BMW. Of course, according to the idiot that dwelled within, this was all my fault and nothing to do with the fact the driver left it until the last minute to speed out of the other lane without looking to check it was safe (all while smoking I might add).
And then of course we have the cyclists. The cyclists who seemed to have appointed themselves lord masters of the roads. I understand that drivers do not always give them the respect they deserve, but sometimes they do take the p*** a little bit. If you are going to cycle in the middle of the road with a queue of cars behind you, when you could very easily move over, do not act surprised when I sound my horn at you. On a similar note, do not just ride up to the front of a queue at the traffic lights then slow down right in front of me when the lights go green. I mean come on.
As Aretha Franklin demanded so beautifully, we all just need to have a bit of R-E-S-P-E-CT.
The Saddest Snake In The World
The central problem in this entire scenario is the nature of the traffic itself. There is a commonly held belief that those of a British persuasion love to queue, well I can tell you that this tradition is not one based in a warm affection. In my eyes anyway, the queue is one of the single most painful experiences I have to go through. As I sit there, the end of my journey feeling like an impossible dream, there is nothing but an air of frustration and claustrophobia that surrounds me.
In a usual driving situation, if you are faced with a slow moving snail of a driver in front of you, it is often possible to overtake safely on a straight stretch of road. But when the speed is a result of traffic jam, there is nothing you can do. All you want to do is pull out and speed away into happiness, alas you are trapped. Every movement, followed by every sudden stop is one of the most frustrating things. You begin to think the traffic is ending, you change gear, find your rhythm and then STOP. It is at this moment I usually wish death and destruction upon the faces of the masses.
The result of too much traffic can only be rage
So, with the combination of all these elements, it really does become apparent that the congestion will have nothing except a bad effect on you. The minutes rush by, transforming into hours, and there you are, stuck in the the body of the snake. As you slither slowly towards salvation, you feel a primal ooze of volcanic rage bubbling wildly inside you. We all try and fight it, but the demons take hold. The seeds burst open and blossom into a grand oak of road rage.
My point is, my London traffic experience is not good. I don’t know if you got that from what I was saying or not…
The question is, if I carry on driving to London, will I have any hair left?
Keep Driving People!
Follow me on Twitter @lewisglynn69
Peace and Love!
BTCC 2014: The Magnificent Seven
The rising of the sun was met with an air of tension. The sandy plains shifted their undulating mass across the vast empty landscape. The tumbleweed rolled effortlessly across the scene with a stereotypical ease. A wooden sign stands alone, existing in a state of decaying eternity. The letters upon the sign have long since lost their clarity, yet the message has been etched into the fabric of time. Alas, only the worthy may receive the ultimate gift of vision.
In the distance, the landscape was interrupted by the return of a long forgotten force; the force to shake the very foundations of the earth. Moving ever closer upon their trusty steeds, our heroes have answered the cries of the many. For between them, they have witnessed the passing of many moons, fought many battles and vanquished many foes. But for our battle-scarred cowboys, one final challenge remains. They must face their biggest test yet, apart from the startling number of clichés; they must face each other.
As they ride ever closer upon their mighty stallions, their identity springs forth into reality. Of these 7 great riders, not one was the same. They were linked only by their greatness. Each deserved his own introduction. For they are the Magnificent Seven; the titans that walk upon the soil of the earth.
We begin with the newly initiated member of the party. Sheriff Jordan proved his worth in the great events that have become known as the ‘Pirtek Times’. He stood independently against the dominant forces of his land, overcoming his foes one by one in ultimate glory. For his bravery and determination he was awarded the Sheriffs badge and will stand for the name and strength of all independents across the land.
As the dust of anticipation begins to settle, the figure of our second of our seven becomes visible. Feared among many, Commissioner Plato has become infamous across the land; he is never afraid to use brutal force to put those who oppose him back into line. The Commissioner is a battle hardened veteran of our story, but age merely focuses his powers.
The Commissioner is followed closely by a man whose rank is unknown, he is known only as ‘Flash’. His ascent to command has been swift. Little is known about the homeland of our hero, only that he hails from the vicious wilds of the northern territories. He holds position with the high ranking ‘Yuasa Party’ that has given the Honda region supremacy.
Never a forgotten man, Commander Turkington is a relative newcomer to the field of battle, but has very quickly earned himself a reputable status. On many occasions he has taken struggling bands of fighters and led through to glory. He refuses to lose his new found power.
These riders may ride as one, but the past is a cruel mistress; dark clouds form over the tranquillity of these freedom fighters. Superintendent Neal rides astride his stallion, towering above those who bask in his stature. A folk tale has been narrated for many generations across the land of the free; this is the tale of a titanic clash of power between the Superintendent and the Commissioner. Word has reached the ears of the many that these two lords of their land ride for glory once more. Will this end in the ultimate stand off?
He rides as a foreigner in these lands, but has been feared by those who dare challenge his dominance. Next we see Generale Giovanardi, commander of the forces from a distant land. He lust for power has seen the demise of many brave warriors. Only the foolish would dare challenge him.
And finally, a man rides with his Stetson pulled low, riding in the shadows. To the other riders in our company, this man was once only spoken about in hushed tones. Many thought him to be a forgotten icon of an ancient time; a time where giants rode across the desert sands, waging violent war on all that lay before them. He has returned to take back what he is. He has no rank, he has no captain, he just has his trusty steed. He is known, only as Menu.
Our weary band of travellers has ridden many miles across the burning sands, searching for but one thing. Ultimate power. After months of flight, they have found what they were searching for. Sitting alone in the desert sand, sits a sign; the sign is a seemingly forgotten remnant of an ancient power centre. As they approach, something begins to change. For our weary worthy travellers, the sign burns bright and points the way to journeys end…
‘Brands Hatch’
Everything has come down to this. The call has been answered. The greatest leaders of our time have come together. 7 riders. 1 prize. This will be the ultimate showdown.
This is the Magnificent Seven. Guns at the ready.
Let the games begin.
- Image Credit: Stopwatch Hospitality
Thanks for this post goes to Stopwatch Hospitality who have always shown support to my articles I write for Private Fleet. This post was inspired by the picture you see above, created by Stopwatch Hospitality to celebrate just how exciting the 2014 BTCC championship will be. I am indeed aware that I recently published an article detailing a possible 8th driver, but until he is confirmed the number is fixed on seven.
The British Touring Car Championship 2014 kicks off at Brands Hatch on 29th/30th March!
Stopwatch Hospitality are an amazing company that provide top-class hospitality at motorsport events. They are the first choice in hospitality for any motorsport fan!
Follow me on Twitter @lewisglynn69!
Keep Driving People!
Peace and Love!
Deadly Venom: Is Top Speed Really That Important?
The Hennessey Venom GT
For anyone who is a true petrol head, questioning the importance of top speed in the modern world will most likely come across as hideously blasphemous. Many may even liken it to asking a lover of decent curry if spice is really that important. You might even end up with a face full of curry, and no one wants that, do they? However, with the latest hypercar news hitting the news stand that the Bugatti Veyron may have finally been overthrown by the mighty Hennessey Venom GT I have decided to ask the big one.
The 1244bhp American god machine has set a physics bending top speed of 270.49mph on the runway of the Kennedy Space Centre. The previous record had been set by the Bugati Veyron Super Sport which clocked 269.86mph on the Ehra-Lessien test track back in 2010. While watching Top Gear back in the day when the Veyron was first released, they argued that in terms of the automotive world, we had found our ‘Concorde moment’, and with all the developments in green motoring, that we would never see anything as exciting in our lifetimes. Looks like they were wrong.
Let us compare the statistics here shall we:
Bugatti Veyron:
- 8 litre, 16 cylinder engine
- 1,183 BHP
- 0-62mph: 2.5 seconds
- 0-186mph: 15 seconds
- Top Speed: 269.86 mph
Bugatti Veyron SS. Image Credit: Top Gear
Hennessey Venom GT:
- 7 litre twin-turbo GM-Sourced V8 engine
- 1,244 BHP
- 20mph – 120mph: 7.71 seconds
- 120mph – 220mph: 10 seconds
- 260mph – 270mph: 10 seconds
- Top Speed: 270.49mph
Looking at the pictures of the Venom GT, is it just me or does the car look like it has taken inspiration from the Lotus Elise? I guess it is in much the same way as Jaguar have started sculpting their cars in a similar way to that of Aston Martin. You could indeed criticize this decision and call the styling lazy. You could. But, when you are basing your design on a downright beautiful treat for the eyes, can we really complain that much? Really?
Its figures like those that really do blow your mind beyond all levels of rationality and logic. Let me put it this way, by the time you have read aloud the 0-60mph times of these cars, the cars would both already be doing way over 60mph. It is almost literally something that happens in the blink of an eye. The world record for the 100m sprint for a human is around 9 seconds, and imagine how quickly that goes when you watch it. Well imagine this, at full pelt, the Venom GT is covering 120 metres… every second. So in the time it would take Usain Bolt to run 100m, the car would have blasted past 1km. Honestly, that says a lot about both the car and Usain Bolt.
There is however one problem, the Venom will not be entering the record books. Sadly, according to the Guinness World Record powers that be, for a car to qualify for the fastest road car, it must have at least 30 units produced and set an average over two runs of a specified course. Sadly, only 11 units of the Venom have been produced and it only went one way up the space station runway. Why only one way I hear you ask? For the answer to that you will have to ask the space men themselves. It took them 2 years to secure access to the facility, and when it came to it, they were only given permission to go one way. And no, I do not know why either.
In the UK especially, the road laws are becoming ever stricter and that little bit more annoying with the passing of each day. Some motorway speed limits are apparently being reduced to 60mph in some city areas for one example. Add this to all the restrictions on emissions and what not, and we are finding a situation where the only cars that seem to do well are hybrids and electrics.
This does beg the question, are top speeds and high performance all that important here in the 21st century?
On one side of the story, realistically speaking the only place that you can test the high end performance of any car is on the track. Firstly, there are not that many people that can afford performance cars as it is, let alone have the money to get the car to a track and pay for the cornucopia of track day aspects, whether its tyres or general repairs. Furthermore, the speed limit on most roads in the UK anyway is 70mph, which can be achieved in your average road going vehicle. Given that we are trying to become greener and cause less pollution (etc etc etc) it does make sense that the cars of choice should be hyper-efficient hybrids and electric cars, that give the owners the deluded belief that they are somehow fixing mother earth. But that is another story.
But then we get to the reality behind the question I have raised. In theory yes top speed is completely irrelevant in the modern motoring world. Yes, you could drive down a motorway or a country road in any car at 70mph, BUT you cannot deny that you would enjoy it much more if you were doing it in a Venom. Deny it all you want, but nothing compares to the thrill of driving in a car that was designed to get from A to B in the fastest and most enjoyable way possible. You may not be able to hit the top speed, but there is that same adrenaline, that same buzz and the same hairs on your neck. Would you rather hear the silent whir of your Prius or the pure animalistic raw of your V12 engine?
It is about pushing the boundaries of what is possible. The competition to use the same basic resources to come out with the best end result. If we do not push boundaries, we do not progress. If we stayed inside the box all our lives the excitement that we all take for granted would be absent in our lives. As much as some of you green readers may not want to admit it, we need these cars.
So yes, I do believe that top speed is important. It may not be about the realistic chances of you reaching that speed, but its knowing that you could that is the important thing. There is not any real chance that I will ever fly to the moon, but knowing that I could is really exciting and makes me appreciate just how mind blowingly awesome modern technology has become. And in much the same way as me reaching the moon, most of us will probably never own, drive or even see one of these cars in the flesh, but knowing that they exist and what they are capable of, that is what’s important. We still get excited, we still get that same passion, we will always love these cars.
Petrol-heads will never die.
Keep Driving People!
Follow me on Twitter @lewisglynn69
Peace and Love!
Level 2, 9 Help Street