Conference terri::cars_uk

    
    Is it Sunday?
    
    I might be up for it.
    
    		Andy.
    P.S.
    	Anyone see Top Gear last night,with Tiff and the BMW,Toyota and
    Vauxhall.Luck so and so.
    

    Can I request that if the results are discussed here, that you hide them
    behind a spoiler (form feed), as I think Grandstand will be covering the
    race on the following Saturday.
    
    Maybe discussion of the Indy car races should have spoilers as well 
    until ITV shows it the following Tuesday night.
                                 
    Thanks
    
    Royston

    This category of racing is one of the most exciting on TV but I've yet
    to be convinced it's as good when seen 'live' at trackside. 
    
    But whatever, I hope it doesn't end in the same way as last year's
    championship when I thought Steve Soper was more out of order than was
    John Cleland.

              <<< Note 2048.3 by WOTVAX::BROWNR "Andy Brown" >>>
    
    >But whatever, I hope it doesn't end in the same way as last year's
    >championship when I thought Steve Soper was more out of order than
    >was John Cleland.
    
    Yup I saw it that way as well. Steve Soper looked like he was doing his
    best to punt John Cleland out of the race. Cleland wasn't blameless but
    I think it was pretty obvious to him that there was no way Soper was
    going to let him past and all he could hope to do was barge past.
    
    
    POL.                            

    And when he got passed Soper, he was hit broad side on the apex of a
    bend after Soper went over the grass..... It looked like a deliberate
    take out to me!
    
    Bob (Bl**dy hedge hog cars!)

     Is anybody out there folowing this championship, or actually going to 
    the races. I've seen no coverage on the tv of it apart from the round
    at Donnington, the only way i've been able to follow it is on Ceefax.
    
    The wet race at Donnington had the Renaults 1st and 2nd with Steve
    Sopers BMW 3rd.
    And this weekends race was won by Soper (cant remember the other
    placings), and it seems there was a smash at the start which destroyed
    5 cars within seconds (whose cars ?), i didnt read anything about the
    Renaults this time, they were obviously slower this time round.
    
    Has anybody got better race details and maybe even championship
    standings ?, i guess i'll have to start buying Autosport.
    
    
    Nick.
                    

    
    Nick,
    
    ALL rounds of the BTCC are shown on Grandstand (Saturday or Sunday and 
    sometimes bank holiday), so keep an eye out for the schedules. They're
    there all right, you just have to spot them!
    
    Mark

    Grandstand said that they will be showwing all the races, normally
    about a week after they occur. 
    
    As I stated earlier in this note, if you post the results before the
    race is shown on TV, please put it behind a formfeed / spoiler.
    
    Thanks
    
    Royston

    
    RE-ceefax.
    
    I noticed on sunday that the Xedos was on preliminary pole
    position,could this car be a force to rekon with?
    
    Andy.
    
    Who's-also-missed-the-lack-of-live-coverage.Perhaps-my-favorite-type-of
    motor-racing.

    
    >> Renaults secret in the wet = Michelin tyres
    
    Perhaps they should give some to Prost !.   :-)

    my last note should not haave gone in titled "Thet nned",
    my modem link went mad, it should have read - "Wheres the dry secret".
    
    
    
    Kcin

Err...Notes>Mod/Title="RTFM"

Dave ;-)

    Apparently the meeting at Snetterton was so popular that they had to
    close the track during lunch last weekend. TOCA have put together a
    really good package including F Renault, F Vauxhall Lotus, F Vauxhall
    Jnr, FF1600, Renault Clio, and Ford Fiesta.
    
    The one I went to at BH last year was more like a GP attendance than
    the usual turn-out.

    
    There is a double header round of the BTCC at Brands on Sunday the 13th
    of June. If you intend on going, I would definitely get there early.
    Last time I went to a round of the championship at Brands the traffic was
    queued back onto the M25
    
    
    POL. 

    
    Another good crowd at Snet yesterday,(I know it was the other week).Is
    the next round at Brans or is there another one before the 13th?If so
    where? Can you get tickets for the BH meeting before or is it purchase
    on the day? I'll be there and if any of you are going and fancy meeting
    for a bevey on the day give me a shout.
    
    	Andy.
    
    What-a-nightmare-start.

             < Note 2048.16 by PEKING::ATKINSA "PRC Vauxman." >
    
    >Can you get tickets for the BH meeting before or is it purchase
    >on the day?
    
    You can normally purchase them in advance from BH (I'll dig out the
    number if you wish) and they normally knock a couple of quid off the
    advance purchases.
    
    Sometimes the Daily Mail has a two for one ticket offer (well they did
    last year, and they are sponsoring the works Vauxhalls ) so it maybe
    worthwhile just scanning the front page every now and then.
    
    As to the Snet. race, great camera shot from inside Allams car where
    he was spun round and ended up facing the rest of the grid as it raced
    towards him. He then got hit head on by one of the other cars. Luckily
    he avoided any serious injury.
    
    
    POL (who will be going to Brands)
     

Guys/ galls/ DEC workers

What time do the race meetings usually start on the day ??
Is it like any other race day, with qualifying heats ??


Anyone go to the Knockhill event in Fife last year ?
If so, how busy was it ?


I fancy this on the 25th of the month and I just wondered how early to be there ?


Anyone help with details (short of doing the sensible thing and phoning the 
 circuit) ?


Warren_who_prefers_rallying_but_will_watch_most_forms_of_motorsport :-))

    
    re 2048.19
    
    Practice normally takes place on the Saturday, with the main race on
    the Sunday.
    
    The main race usually starts around 2 ish (unless its supporting a
    Grand Prix :-)    ) with the support races starting around 11 ish.
    There is however a 15 minute BTCC warmup around 10:30 if you are really
    keen!!!!
    
    From last year I can remember that it absolutely poured down (well it
    would in Scotland!!) but there was still a pretty big crowd present
    
    Have fun
    
    POL.

    Nigel Mansell is rumoured to all set to drive an Andy Rouse Ford Mondeo
    in the TOCA SHOOTOUT at Donington in October. The deal is reported to
    be worth 200,000 pounds. 
    
    Gabriel 

re.21:

The beeb confirmed it a week ago. What is the "TOCA SHOOTOUT" anyway?

Dave.

    
    >What is the "TOCA SHOOTOUT" anyway?
    
    Its an invitation race held at the end of the season. Cars line up on
    the grid (usually the reverse of the championship places, meaning Soper
    and Winkelhock will be at the back) and at end of each lap, the car in 
    last place is black flagged off till there are only 4 cars left, then 
    they race for another 4 laps or so. BMW usually don't attend but the
    prospect of a pop at Mansell appears to have got them interested.
    
    It can be rather contrived at times, as a pace car is put out if too much
    of a gap occurs between the leaders.
    
    POL. 

    When is this scheduled or more importantly when will it be televised ?
    
    Mansell in a Mondeo; should make interesting viewing.
    
    Royston
    

    Last year it wasn't televised until ..... Christmas!
    
    Gabriel

                 <<< Note 2048.23 by TOPPER::MCSKEANE "Circus Games" >>>
    
>>> It can be rather contrived at times, as a pace car is put out if too much
>>> of a gap occurs between the leaders.
    
    
    Just like IndyCar then ! 8^)
    
    

    The Mondeos scored a 1-2 yestarday at Silverstone, so it certainly
    fulfils Mansells requirement for a potentially winning car.
    Coincidentally, I believe Rouse drives the #5 car.
    

If the grid is in reverse championship order, will Mansell be on pole?

Dave ;-)

    It struck me that if Donington could also line up a demo by Mansell in
    his Lola and make it a bit of a "Mansell day" they'd probably end
    up with a bigger turn out than this year's GP.

    Derek Warrick is to face Mansell in the TOCA Shoot-out. I think he
    maybe driving a Vauxhall?
    
    Gabriel

Will Mansell be fit? He injured his wrist, was it a fracture?

Dave.

    I hope not, it won't be our Nige unless he's seen to be suffering, will
    it?

    Derek Warwick's car is a semi-works Park Lane run Toyota Carina. He
    will be lucky to get anywhere near Mansell's Mondeo as the Park Lane
    Toyota's have been off the pace all season.
    
    Gabriel

    Paul Radisich in a Ford Mondeo started from pole and won both heats of the 
    World Touring Car Challenge at Monza on Sunday. 
    
    Andy Rouse had a huge shunt in the first heat. Early in one of the BTCC 
    round Julian Bailey turned Will Hoy upside down. Well Julian got his just 
    deserts at Monza, going into one of the chicanes he sent into roll, 
    landing on his wheels in a very battered state.
    
    Anyone seen any UPI reports on the race?
    
    Gabriel   

    No but I saw the carnage on Eurosport. Very interesting to compare the
    different vehicles. VERY close racing all over the place, though it was
    somewhat spoiled by the pace car at the end giving a 1 lap sprint.
    
    The Mondeo is a bit of a shame really because it is beginning to loke
    like it's going to do a Williams which will be the worst thing possible
    for touring cars.
    
    It do show the UK competitors up well and show that the series isn't
    adrift of mainstream Europe at all. I do hope we get a European
    championship soon and that it doesn't get ultra expensive.
    

    Mansell showed up at the motorshow with a cast on his damaged wrist. Is
    he fit to drive at the weekend?
    
    He is also due to drive a TVR Tuscan in one of the support races.
    
    Gabriel

Anyone got the schedule for Sunday? How much are tickets? Anyone going from
Reading?

Cheers,
Dave.

    
    >How much are tickets?
    
    13 quid.
    
    POL.

    
    On Teletext there was an article about how Nigel was so happy to be
    performing for his fans that he had turned down lucrative offers
    to drive in F1 in Japan and Australia.
    

Maybe he thinks it would be too much of a strain due to jetlag doing Japan ->
UK -> Australia?

Dave.
PS. So no one going from round here? No info on race times?

From: clarinews@clarinet.com (UPI)
Subject: Mansell in a spin
 
	DONNINGTON, England (UPI) -- British driver Nigel Mansell had a torrid
time on the track Friday, suffering two spins behind the wheel of a Ford
Mondeo in unofficial practice for Sunday's touring car race at Donington
Park.
	The 40-year-old Formula One and IndyCar ace had completed just one
and a half laps of the Leicestershire circuit before spinning off into a
gravel trap.
	And he spun again later in the session when he hit a patch of oil
left by another car.
	``I've only completed four laps so far and it is very interesting to
say the least,'' said Mansell. ``It is totally different and alien to
anything else I have done.
	``The driving style is totally different. Everything I have learned
from Formula One or IndyCars I have got to throw away and start again.''
	Mansell cut a quintessentially English figure in cloth cap as he
faced a barrage of photographers and he admitted he had turned down
lucrative invitations from two Formula One teams to compete in the
Japanese and Australian Grands Prix so that he could be at Donington
this weekend.
	``I've had no second thoughts,'' he said. ``I am in my home country
and delighted to be here. I showed last year that I do not make
decisions through monetary considerations only.''
	Mansell, who won this season's Indycar title at his first attempt
just one year after capturing the Formula One world championship, is
competing in Sunday's ``shoot-out'' race in the Mondeo and also in the
TVR Tuscan race over 15 laps.
	Circuit officials expect a crowd of 45,000 to welcome back the
British star -- 50 percent more than turned up for the European Formula
One Grand Prix at Donington earlier this year.

    Nigel Mansell at Donnington will be televised on Grandstand 12:15
    November 6th.
    
    Royston

    Don't know the overall result, but I heard Mansell was hospitalised
    after hitting a bridge at Donnington. Head injuries, but didn't sound
    too serious?!
    
    Not surprised, cr*ppy front wheel drive - it's all in the lap of the
    Gods whether you make it round the corner. Now if he'd been offered a
    drive in the BMW - would have been a different story...
    
    RWD Bigot
    
    8^)
    

From: clarinews@clarinet.com (UPI)
Subject: Crash puts Mansell in hospital
 
	DONINGTON, England (UPI) -- Nigel Mansell was admitted to hospital
Sunday after plans for a triumphant British homecoming ended in an
horrifying 120mph crash at Donington Park.
	Dreams of celebrating his brilliant IndyCar world championship with
victory in a touring car challenge in front of 50,000 home fans were
wrecked as he collided with a bridge on the Leicestershire circuit.
	The 40-year-old ace remained in his stricken Ford Mondeo for an
anxious 20 minutes while rescue crews cut him free and took him by
ambulance to the Queen's Medical Center in Nottingham.
	Lyn Jarrett, a consultant surgeon at the hospital, confirmed that
Mansell had suffered a head injury but expressed more concern about the
legacy of a back injury he had received in an 180mph smash at Phoenix
earlier this year.
	``He sustained a head injury following the impact and he lost
consciousness for a few seconds,'' said Jarrett. ``When he regained
consciousness he was not quite sure where he was and it took several
minutes to realise he had been in a race.
	``After we took him to the medical center on the circuit he regained
consciousness enough for us to be happy he had not sustained a serious
head injury.
	``But he started to complain of pain in his back where he had had an
operation previously and on examination it was very tender where the
scar was.''
	Mansell, who was accompanied in the ambulance to Nottingham by his
wife Rosanne, will be kept in hospital overnight.
	``He lost consciousness and we need to observe him overnight and
because of the previous injury it is important to make sure everything
is all right,'' explained Jarrett, who added that x-rays on Mansell's
cervical spine had proved ``perfectly normal''.
	Mansell came to grief six laps from the end of the 32 lap race -- to
the dismay of the massive crowd who had come to give him a hero's
welcome after completing unprecedented world title victories in Formula
One and IndyCars.
	In a typically swashbuckling flourish to the race, the former Grand
Prix ace stormed through the field, moving from sixth to third inside
two laps.
	But he lost control of his Mondeo after coming out of the Old Hairpin
section of the course and tangled with the Vauxhall Cavalier driven by
Tiff Needell.
	The brush was enough to send Mansell's car ploughing into a bridge
support and spinning to a halt on the grass under a cloud of smoke.
	Jarrett revealed afterwards that Mansell's first thought on coming
round in the ambulance was for the welfare of his fellow drivers.
	``He was very concerned as to whether there were other drivers
involved in the accident and kept on asking if anyone else was involved,
'' he said. ``He was slightly confused but there is no doubt that within
10 minutes you could see him improving.''
	Mansell's crash on the one-mile oval at Phoenix in April left him
with the back injury but enhanced his reputation as one of the bravest
and most resilient drivers in motor sport.
	Within three weeks of that horrific crash he was back behind the
wheel of his Newman-Haas Lola-Ford winning in Long Beach, embellishing
still further his reputation, especially among the massive army of
British fans.
	``Mansell Mania'' was evident at Donington with a flag-waving crowd
estimated to be the biggest at a British track this year, eclipsing the
attendance at the European Grand Prix on the same circuit last Easter
and at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in July.