Former BTCC Driver Frank Wrathall has been jailed for 21 months & disqualified from driving for 4 years for killing a cyclist while chatting to his girl-friend on his mobile phone for at least eight minutes when returning home from a race meeting.

It's about time he was sentenced. All the fangirls on Twitter have been in denial for months and it hasn't been that publicised until now.

Accommodation for Croft booked.  The Premier Travel Inn cost was £100 dearer than the next closest. Mind you, it was full of 888 mechanics last year so they've obviously learned to charge....

Is Honda's decision to run a Tourer version of the Civic this year a good one?

 

Can't imagine it would be better than the hatch as it must be carrying more weight.

 

I know Volvo did it with the 850R back in the 90's, but it's results weren't terribly impressive.

Volvo used the 850 estate for the first year only, just to get experience as it has the same running gear as the saloon.

It certainly got them noticed, so it worked well.

They then changed to the saloon.

 

I imagine Honda have looked at the weight and aero.

As current champions they are in a different position and have something to lose.

I'm certainly interested to see the results.

It's only a very small estate....... the 850R was mahoosive, but I loved the idea of it.......touring car racing in something which could swallow a grand piano (almost)

Apparently back in the 90's, Volvo thought that the estate had more downforce than the saloon due to its flat roof and that's why they used it. I think they may have miscalculated as they dropped it after the first (pretty unsuccessful, performance wise) season, as the Boss says, and then used the saloon. Whether its appearance did much for Volvo sales isn't mentioned (did antiques dealers watch BTCC?). 

 

It makes you wonder if Honda's decision is based more on marketing than on performance though. The Civic hatch has been a pretty handy car over the past few years, partly because of its compact size.

 

Only 4½ weeks 'til we find out!

Looking at the profile of the estate it isn't a million miles away from the profile of the previous Type R hatch, as I recall

 

 

 

Apparently back in the 90's, Volvo thought that the estate had more downforce than the saloon due to its flat roof and that's why they used it. I think they may have miscalculated as they dropped it after the first (pretty unsuccessful, performance wise) season, as the Boss says, and then used the saloon. Whether its appearance did much for Volvo sales isn't mentioned (did antiques dealers watch BTCC?). 

 

It makes you wonder if Honda's decision is based more on marketing than on performance though. The Civic hatch has been a pretty handy car over the past few years, partly because of its compact size.

 

Only 4½ weeks 'til we find out!

Under the "Super Touring" rules in 1996 they could fit a spoiler that "did not appear past the sides of the glasshouse" and was "above the bootlid". This meant that there was nowhere to put one on an Ovlov 850 estate, hence the switch to the saloon. 

 

As we can clearly see, the Honda is still allowed one, and these days "performance balancing" is likely to mean that they carry less ballast, plus they have more weight at the back.

Well I've just booked my tickets for Brands this Sunday. Alain Menu is my all-time favourite racing driver... I'm really looking forward to it knowing he's back!

 

 

 

Any other Briskies going?

Well I've just booked my tickets for Brands this Sunday. Alain Menu is my all-time favourite racing driver... I'm really looking forward to it knowing he's back!

 

 

 

Any other Briskies going?

You do realise that I now have an image of him visiting Radiator Springs to see Doc Hudson and Lightning McQueen?

 

Any other Briskies going?

 

Fraid not, I'm hoping to be at the Oulton Park round this year though, I've been meaning to go the past 3/4 years but something else always seems to crop up :(

Croft and Knockhill tickets have arrived.

Well I'm geared up for Sunday...

 

 

 

...and hopefully I'll get a few things autographed

 

Apparently back in the 90's, Volvo thought that the estate had more downforce than the saloon due to its flat roof and that's why they used it. I think they may have miscalculated as they dropped it after the first (pretty unsuccessful, performance wise) season, as the Boss says, and then used the saloon. Whether its appearance did much for Volvo sales isn't mentioned (did antiques dealers watch BTCC?). 

 

It makes you wonder if Honda's decision is based more on marketing than on performance though. The Civic hatch has been a pretty handy car over the past few years, partly because of its compact size.

 

Only 4½ weeks 'til we find out!

 

I watched touring car legends, they reckoned Volvo knew they wouldnt be competitive to start with so used the estate as a publicity stunt, then once they were up and running used a saloon for the following season. 

Amazing stuff in the rain,

from me just watching on the telly.

 

Alain Menus very very near miss right after the start of the race had my with figures crossed for him

as i saw he was about to slide across the track.

Unbelievable to me that he cleared the width of the track without anyone collecting him.

 

george

I'm going to look into the constant claim they made today about the Civic Tourer being the first estate to win. I'm sure the Volvo did that. And as for Shedden's pass on Turkington in race 3, that surely should be stewards inquiry as other drivers who've done that have had to give the place back. Hope JP does better at Thruxton in two weeks time.

The 850 only won races after the swapped to the saloon.

Yes, you're right. I'd forgotten about the saloon.

The estate was a publicity stunt for Volvo to get them to sell more. I think they run them for about a year then introduced the saloons. But everyone still remembers the estates so it worked

Well... last week was interesting! Shedden secured the first ever win for an estate (tourer ) after kicking Turkington into touch on the last corner.

 

I'm really enjoying the year so far - so many battles and epic moments. I even got my stuff signed at Brands!

 

 

 

Looking forward to Thruxton next week :evil:

Adam Morgan, R3...nuff said. Just ruined JP's points tally for the day.

What a race today! Glad to see everyone walk away from the accidents ok though

Adam Morgan, R3...nuff said. Just ruined JP's points tally for the day.

You say that like it's a bad thing?

What a race today! Glad to see everyone walk away from the accidents ok though

 

Haven't had a chance to catch up yet... I was there on Sunday but couldn't see the screens to know what happened.

 

The Merc A class is a pretty cool looking car, and the sound of the Laser Cruze popping flames at the first corner... Scrumptious.

 

The only thing is that Jack Goff (once you hear them say it fast) gives much hilarity to us children!

You say that like it's a bad thing?

 

Yes. ruined his race. What else could it be ?