2019 Virgin Australia Supercars ChampionshipTouring Cars

[Cap'n Jack]

That’s sad to hear, but to be honest, I’m not sure how they lasted this long considering just how expensive motorsport is. The fact that their cars featured pretty minimal sponsorship and their drivers weren’t really coming in with sponsors to help pay the way, makes me think this was inevitable. Granted, I didn’t really follow their program closely so there might be something I’m missing here.

 

[Pete05]

Dang

https://www.speedcafe.com/2019/05/17/aussie-driver-search-placed-into-voluntary-liquidation/

Didn't Matt Powers move here? May as well stay and try to get a TCR gig.

That’s sad to hear, but to be honest, I’m not sure how they lasted this long considering just how expensive motorsport is. The fact that their cars featured pretty minimal sponsorship and their drivers weren’t really coming in with sponsors to help pay the way, makes me think this was inevitable. Granted, I didn’t really follow their program closely so there might be something I’m missing here.

Call me overly suspicious if you like but, when Matt Powers won the Challenge AND rightfully, a season in Super2, that was quickly 'adjusted down' to a season of Super3.
Alarm bells started ringing for me even if it was later re-adjusted to the rightful prize of a season of Super2.

We all now know how hollow that promise was.

Add to that the talk of filing for bankruptcy both on a personal and Aussie Driver Search basis, I wouldn't be surprised if there's a bank account in the Cayman Islands involved somewhere.

I smell a rat

 

[Spacegoat]

This sheds a little more light on the story. Aussie Driver Search founder Kyle Austin blames the financial woes on Matt Stone Racing after they withdrew from running the ADS' Bathurst 12hr entry.

 

[05XR8]

 

[FPV MIC]

I'm pretty sceptical of this idea as I think all the cars are too different (aero balance wise) that whatever they choose would be bound to suit one brand more than another. The other makes will just have to spend more to keep up.... or worst case scenario, re-homologate their car to suit the dampers .

I'm with RD on this especially if they're a sealed unit.

“If you’re running sealed dampers, which is certainly what the tender’s asking for, then it can, and has the capacity as has been shown in some other places, to cause controversy when you’re not in control totally of your own destiny as a race team.''



https://www.speedcafe.com/2019/05/21/cost-saving-key-for-teams-in-supercars-control-damper-push/

 

[Pete05]

I'm pretty sceptical of this idea as I think all the cars are too different (aero balance wise) that whatever they choose would be bound to suit one brand more than another. The other makes will just have to spend more to keep up.... or worst case scenario, re-homologate their car to suit the dampers .

I'm with RD on this especially if they're a sealed unit.

“If you’re running sealed dampers, which is certainly what the tender’s asking for, then it can, and has the capacity as has been shown in some other places, to cause controversy when you’re not in control totally of your own destiny as a race team.''



https://www.speedcafe.com/2019/05/21/cost-saving-key-for-teams-in-supercars-control-damper-push/

Surely they don’t want to deliver a box of fronts & a box of rears to all the teams and leave it at that.

The teams have to be able to adjust the shocks to suit an individual driver.
Even Lowndes & Whincup liked their cars setup differently & they liked a similar setup.

I think the idiots are running the asylum again

 

[FPV MIC]

Surely they don’t want to deliver a box of fronts & a box of rears to all the teams and leave it at that.

The teams have to be able to adjust the shocks to suit an individual driver.
Even Lowndes & Whincup liked their cars setup differently & they liked a similar setup.

I think the idiots are running the asylum again

I'm pretty sure they'll still have some adjustability.... but will it be enough is my issue. The ZB and Mustang both require totally different things due to their aero differences, with the ZB being 40:60 and the Ford 60:40 (both supposedly). This is (again supposedly) why the ZB is having issues with the single spring, so the last thing that's needed at this stage is more ****-arsing around for the teams.

How's it going to save money when they'll just spend elsewhere on the car to cover any speed deficit?

 

[Pete05]

I'm pretty sure they'll still have some adjustability.... but will it be enough is my issue. The ZB and Mustang both require totally different things due to their aero differences, with the ZB being 40:60 and the Ford 60:40 (both supposedly). This is (again supposedly) why the ZB is having issues with the single spring, so the last thing that's needed at this stage is more ****-arsing around for the teams.

How's it going to save money when they'll just spend elsewhere on the car to cover any speed deficit?

My personal feeling is, no technical, under the skin changes until the new regs come out.

If they want to do a Control shock, leave it until then but, make sure it’s good for everyone or leave it the hell alone.

 

[05XR8]

i'm not looking for anyone to agree or disagree with me when I say, Every thing was fine until Gen2. COTF did the job. Problem was when Nissan didn't get any help to be competitive. Teams were happy with the tyres(of course the Falcon's switched on with the harder compounds).

VASC were again too slow in giving teams time to decide what they'd run for Gen2. New regulations are supposedly coming in 2020/2021. It's still too short of a notice to put anything together. A team would have to do like what Volvo/GRM did. Prepare an extra year after regulations are handed out to teams. It's worked for DJRTP. They saw what Holden did and just came out better. Nissan are out with the weeds. Most race series use/present new spec cars. I'm not talking about teams. I'm saying new(spec, evolution) cars.

Super GT: every manufacturer uses a new car(yes, yes, Supra is coming next year), DTM: every manufacturer uses a new car, BTCC: every manufacturer pretty much uses a new car, W/TCR, every manufacturer uses a new car, NASCAR: every manufacturer uses a new car. VASC can't be having 5 year old cars running around and just updating shocks and tyres.

Now, I understand the Mustang is fresh for 2019(probably another reason Ford waited to join), Commodore was all new for 2018. However, The other series I mentioned, make sure all manufacturers line up with their latest.

 

[Pete05]

i'm not looking for anyone to agree or disagree with me when I say, Every thing was fine until Gen2. COTF did the job. Problem was when Nissan didn't get any help to be competitive. Teams were happy with the tyres(of course the Falcon's switched on with the harder compounds).

VASC were again too slow in giving teams time to decide what they'd run for Gen2. New regulations are supposedly coming in 2020/2021. It's still too short of a notice to put anything together. A team would have to do like what Volvo/GRM did. Prepare an extra year after regulations are handed out to teams. It's worked for DJRTP. They saw what Holden did and just came out better. Nissan are out with the weeds. Most race series use/present new spec cars. I'm not talking about teams. I'm saying new(spec, evolution) cars.

Super GT: every manufacturer uses a new car(yes, yes, Supra is coming next year), DTM: every manufacturer uses a new car, BTCC: every manufacturer pretty much uses a new car, W/TCR, every manufacturer uses a new car, NASCAR: every manufacturer uses a new car. VASC can't be having 5 year old cars running around and just updating shocks and tyres.

Now, I understand the Mustang is fresh for 2019(probably another reason Ford waited to join), Commodore was all new for 2018. However, The other series I mentioned, make sure all manufacturers line up with their latest.

If Supercars dumps new regs for 2020 in May of 2019, it just proves they haven't got a clue. I don't think it can happen anyway with the Teams being too closely involved in the decision making.

The Nissan being raced by TKR isn't current anywhere that I know of. It's certainly been superseded in the U.S & looks better IMO.
Other than aero updates, it looks to the untrained eye exactly like what they rolled out at the start of COTF.

I expect the Mustang to receive a cosmetic update whenever the road car does. The Ford team(s) are certainly welcome to do an aero update at the end of the year but, it seems to be doing the biz at the moment so, why fix what clearly isn't broken?

Holden? I'm not sure even the top brass know what's next post-ZB.

 

[05XR8]

I'm kind of over all this mess they've made. Not even looking forward to the weekend.

 

[Spacegoat]

Fullwood to partner Heimgartner for the enduro's.

 

[05XR8]

People thought I was crazy for making these

 

[LumpiestFish]

I doubt we’ll see it make the track with such a large Honda presence. MSR were sponsored by Daimler Trucks at Symmons Plains and had the Merc logo on the bonnet, but Holden has the logo taken off the car before they had hit the track. They’ll probably have to make the ‘motorcycle’ side of it much larger and obvious, for Holden to be OK with it, like CSR with Toyota Forklifts on their car.

 

[05XR8]

The Toyota was pretty big on the wing of Holdsworth's car, but that Honda on the side is just crazy. It's different to when Slade had HArley-Davidson

 

[Spacegoat]

Any particular reason as to why the Supercars weren't on track yesterday? Seems a bit rough on the spectators that turned up. Could have at least had one practice session.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

They’re trialing a two-day event for whatever reason. I don’t recall Supercars ever giving a reason why.

 

[FPV MIC]

They’re trialing a two-day event for whatever reason. I don’t recall Supercars ever giving a reason why.

It's supposed to be one of their cost saving measures.

Edit:

In theory a move to increase the amount of two-day events would offer a financial saving of sorts to teams and possibly allow operations more time in between races to prepare.

https://www.speedcafe.com/2018/08/31/supercars-considering-two-day-race-meetings-in-2019/

 

[Cap'n Jack]

I thought that might be the case but didn’t remember seeing that article. You would think it wouldn’t really make a difference, cost wise, if the cars, teams and officials are all already at the track.

 

[Pete05]

I thought that might be the case but didn’t remember seeing that article. You would think it wouldn’t really make a difference, cost wise, if the cars, teams and officials are all already at the track.

Thing is though, if they run a practice on Friday, that’s one less on the Saturday if they’re chasing cost cutting.
I can’t imagine the Saturday crowd being impressed with that.

I guess the bonus is the other categories get more track time on Friday.

 

[FPV MIC]

Thing is though, if they run a practice on Friday, that’s one less on the Saturday if they’re chasing cost cutting.
I can’t imagine the Saturday crowd being impressed with that.

I guess the bonus is the other categories get more track time on Friday.

It doesn't work like that though, they only have one practice session for the Saturday still. The early session was co-driver only, like they do every other time they run co-driver/rookie sessions, so the only difference is no practise on Friday.

I did notice however that yesterday during the telecast there were several Supercars on track after Lowndsey and Murph did the demo laps. I could clearly pick out Holdsworth's car as one of them through the window of the telecast booth . It looked like they were doing drive day and sponsor duties, but as far as I know that's not allowed till after the cars have been officially on track (for at least a practice session).

So how exactly is it supposed to save them money (this bit isn't directed at you @Pete05 ).

 

[Spacegoat]

Jacobson in the top ten and the best performing Nissan in qualifying. Who would have picked that. Good stuff.

They’re trialing a two-day event for whatever reason. I don’t recall Supercars ever giving a reason why.

Only asked because someone on Twitter mentioned how they were charging the same entry price as previous years. Which seems a bit of a ripoff for the Friday crowd to just watch the support categories go around.

 

[Jezza819]

Ok let's go racing!!

OMG Team Penske!!!

 

[05XR8]

Wouldn't be celebrating that win. Good stuff for Heimgartner.

 

[magic_town]

Why not? I don’t see it any different from someone having to cut through a chicane after a bump and then redressing.

 

[Spacegoat]

Can only imagine what the comment section on Speedcafe is going to be like after that one. Ignoring that incident. Happy to see both WAU cars in the ten for a change and great recovery from Heimgartner to score a top ten result.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Why not? I don’t see it any different from someone having to cut through a chicane after a bump and then redressing.

Yeah wasn't his fault either. He got back on, got back in line where he was at and went on with it. I don't see the issue.

 

[Andrew R]

I'm glad Scotty got away with it, I get that was the safest spot but had someone from RBHRT done that the internet would be melting.

Good race anyway, plenty of action, good to see Courtney contending. Wouldn't like to be in the DJRTP trailer for that debrief.

 

[Tak[TEC]]

I think he should have redressed more positions (maybe 5 or 6 but the amount of them would differ from person to person). If T8 did that and just redressed one or two positions people would be going nuts. However at least he managed to do it properly with contact unlike some other drivers....

 

[magic_town]

Yeah if it was me I probably would have let a few more cars through, it probably would’ve attracted less attention too. But they’re the rules, and technically he didn’t break any. I’m sure it’s causing a huge fuss, and I’m sure it would have no matter the driver.