Does anyone here think that in the last few years that the v8 supercar series has taken a bit of a nose dive. Yes the championships have been close but i just don't want to watch it. A few years ago i was keen as when a v8 race was on but now i'm not so fussed. Does anyone else feel the same way? The racing has just become to processional. I know f1 has its processions but atleast it has strategies involved, which keeps it interesting. Do they need a rule change or is it simply the category of a two make series is getting a bit too old. I also asked a few people i know and they thnik the same, that it has lost it's shine. Sompe people are saying that the aero is too complicated, some saying that its just too close, eg 10 years ago the top 10 was separeted by 2 sec but now its only 2 tenths. I know mitsubishi and toyota have expressed interest in joining the v8 category but would this improve the racing? Have v8 supercars gone the wrong way with copying the nascar way with a 'car template' system, with the cars having to fit in an imaginary box. The cars these days have nothing to resemble the holdens and fords that come off the assembly line all that is the same is basically the 'a' pillar. Even the new VE Holdens and FG Falcons have to be 'trimmed' to fit within the boxes. I mean the system works fine in nascar where they race on ovals where close racing is needed but it doesn't seem to fair as well on road courses. A freind went to Paul Morris factory a few weeks ago just after the recent purchase of the WPS team. He saw the old Jason Barwanna Falcon bare shell with the team fitting Holden panles to the car. Is there rules we can adapt to the series that made the btcc so successful in the 90s to v8s. But i heard a really good suggestion the other day of a series we could go for, like a group a sereis. But group a isn't possible anymore the turbo cars and four wheel drive/steer cars will just rip the competition apart. So instead just make the category 5L v8 cars or something similar, this would provide fans still with holden vs ford but with mercedes and bmw in the mix, lexus and nissan also make v8 engine cars abroad. Also this would encourage the car makers to make the one off specials they plan. eg HRT 427, to a minimum of 500 like the old rules. These are just my thoughts, maybe you think the current formula is alright but anyway role on bathurst.


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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2008 01:08PM by torana_05.

I agree with you 101% - I watch it only if I happen to flick over to ch7 and its on (except for Bathurst - will certainly watch that)

I think the main prob is the cars have so many limits applied, that they aren't Ford and Holdens anymore, they are V8 Supercar spec race cars.

Would be good to see Toyota in it, they are doing well in Nascar, and would do well in V8's.

Promotion is another problem, they dont do any form of marketing to help the sport grow, and then wonder why they get no fans when they race abroad (other than NZ) including now wanting to go to Bahrain...

AVESCO needs to have a serious look at everything, and start fresh on a new slate.

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2013 - Nando must come through..

It always feels like an eternity between races, so there's a good chance you'll miss them unless you're a gear more than a rev head, especially when there's AFL, Rugby U & L and Socka! happening most weekends. I don't know how many times I've picked up the Green Guide and realised, V8s!. Damn, it's almost over.

Apart from the premier events, Adelaide, Bathurst, Phillip Island, the cars, despite the 'template', seem to have outgrown most of the domestic tracks. The market just doesn't appear big enough for the investment required to build a new one so they go to NZ, Shanghia and Dubai. That's great, but in the latter two cases it looks like ex-pats, tourists and local officials are filling the stands. TV ratings become more than imperative.

When was the last new, domestic track built? They should atleast make the Albert Gp 'exhibition' race count toward the championship and tighten the schedule.

BTW, I'm sick of Fordy Lowndes grinning like someone from a McDonald's ad. He may have been born with that smile but it looks sickly corporate.

I'm certainly bored of it. I'll only watch Bathurst, none of the rest of the series really excites me.

It is good though that in the last year or so there's been a huge changing of the guard with guys like Winterbottom, Kelly, Davidson, Courtney now the top line pushing back guys that have been around a while like Ingall, Skaife, Murphy and even to an extent Lowndes.

Great point on the cars outgrowing Aussie circuits. Tracks like Barbagallo and Winton must surely be on their last legs?

Here's my suggestions to revitalise the V8's
- Encourage other manufacturers in, whether it be Toyota, Mitsubishi or others. Toyota would be the best bet at least initially.
- Make the GP event a championship round, and take the two enduros out of the championship to be stand alone events to finish the season. Let's just say Garth Tander is in the middle of a fight for the championship and during Bathurst his co-driver bins it into a wall ending Tander's chances. How is that fair? It's a friggin 'Driver's Championship', not a 'co-drivers championship'.
- Give up on heading overseas. Keep the series to Australia and NZ. Although I'm sure Bahrain pays a bucketload to bring the cars over each year.
- The new Sydney 400 kicking off next year will be interesting as will be Townsville. Hamilton was a success and Surfers is Surfers. Are street circuits the way to go?
- NIGHT RACES!!!!

well they did have a night race in calder in 97. agree with making bathurst a non championship round and making the gp one too.


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- Encourage other manufacturers in, whether it be Toyota, Mitsubishi or others. Toyota would be the best bet at least initially.

I recently read an article awhile back about how Ford and Holden were bullying the organisers to keep BMW and Nissan OUT of the series.

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I've heard grumblings that that attitutde was softening a little.

I think the Holden vs Ford thing served the series incredibly well, it undoubtedly gave the series its popularity but after 15 years or how ever long it's been now a new manufacturer would be a good thing IMO.

That worked both ways. I have very little respect for most V8 Supercar fans, as the Ford v Holden arguments make them look like possibly the worst motorsport fans in the world. Its childish on whole new levels at times.

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Haha, well it's all marketing. And there are some very 'special' Supercars fans out there with extra fingers but missing a chromosone or two.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/2008 08:50AM by gareth.

Another problem is the commitment of the drivers, they all head to Europe chasing F1, but end up in V8's.

I heard an interview over the weekend with Michael Patrizi who said how he wanted to race in F1, but when he knew he wasnt quick enough, he came back to Aus to 'settle' for F1 (not his exact words, but close enough)

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2013 - Nando must come through..

well i can bet you mark webber will be in australia racing for a factory car within a few years. not being european or anything but dtm sounds prtty popular and its still only a two car series. is anyone planning to got to bathurst this year.


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^^
I was going to, got offered cheap tix from a mate, but then realised its the same day as the Jap GP (being during the day) I though f*&^ that - I'll go to Bathurst when they arent the same day.

It really annoys me, they do it the same date every year!

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2013 - Nando must come through..

Nascar have managed to hit onto an amazing spec of car, one that AVESCO tried to copy and failed.

The thing with the nascar template, the chassis and the aero are the same, the way you set your own car up is huge. If the setup is just off a fraction, your 25th to 43rd, if your on it your fast. in V8's if your off it by alot, you still got a top 5 car if your a top team. The rules in the v8's are stupid to, need to really open them up, Give them more sets of tyres, aswell. so they actualy chew through them and makes pitsops more beneficial.

Dave, I dont see how following a manufacturer vs folling a driver is any different.

Its nothing to do with who they follow but how they follow.

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its only the fanatics that go nuts, which is the same with every motorsport, its a shame and i do agree that they go overboard.

well when we went at bathurst when the fans got into it it was great. eskys on wheels in the shape of the djr and mobil commodores cars and stuff, it really added to the atmosphere. but there were the drunken idiots who did spoil it. we were at mc phillamy park but up near reid park it was a bit wild but i guess if they just put them all together in one area in would be great for everyone else


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torana_05 Wrote:
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> well i can bet you mark webber will be in
> australia racing for a factory car within a few
> years.

i think he is more likely to do Le Mans first. He already has experience, and i'm sure he'd like to win le mans.


anyway, bathurst should be great this year - looking forward to it! next year, Bathurst and Suzuka are on the same date again unfortunately...

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SchueyFan Wrote:

> anyway, bathurst should be great this year -
> looking forward to it! next year, Bathurst and
> Suzuka are on the same date again unfortunately...

I wish.. Fuji sadly... i hate how they are always the same day... plus I have a family birthday, so Im starting to feel sick as of Saturday afternoon at 4.30pm (ten HD is showing qualy at 4.30 AEDT - Sydney)

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2013 - Nando must come through..

i just found out that for australia ch10 arent showing the f1 till 10.30 pm which f**king sucks. bathurst was great again well it is always great. as a holden supporter i was pissed to see lowndes win again but hes my fav ford driver so its not to bad. i think murphy could have pushed harder and got round richards faster to put pressure on lowndes. feel a bit for seton and baird were comin 5th when taken out but ir really wasnt the jim beam cars fault i just don't thnik baird new he was there. also the glenfords car did great also so did bargwanna and d'alberto but for that late spin they were looking for top 10 again. good to see young jack perkins to get in there hopefully he can keep putting in good results. im very happy to see skaife and tander finish low cause i can't stand either of them, he was very very lucky not to have a repeat of 2006? i wonder why vodaphone do get an extra 3 laps or so longer on a tank of fuel than the stone brothers cars when they supply the engines you would think that they would know the best way to map their engines. i still think they need to do something with the rules/cars but all in all it was great to see another bathurst


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TEN HD in sydney showed the GP live at 3.30pm.

Bathurst was great, the bit I saw, but they use the SC for the smallest of incidents.

Congrats to Lowndsey and Whincup!

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2013 - Nando must come through..