2016 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship - Results and TalkTouring Cars 

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prisonermonkeys
If you pitch it right, people can get excited for it. How many major national sporting events have a finale outside one of the state capitals? Even when Newcastle make it to the NRL Grand Final, they have to travel to Sydney for a "home" game. The Newcastle race has the potential to be accessible to a new fanbase in the same way as Townsville.
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I don't mean will be people care enough to attend, I mean will people care about the major amount of work that will need to be done to create the track. The amount of roundabouts, speed bumps and traffic islands that will need to be taken out will cause traffic nightmares (especially around Watt St, I don't know the area but seems to be a primary road in that area.), also the park where turns 4-6 are situated will need to be pretty much demolished. Will people object to the race due to the work that will be in order? I guess after the first year it will be much easier though, as once the concrete traffic islands etc are taken out, they can be replaced with temporary, easy to replace ones.
 
The entry to that parking area is tight. Most likely they'll reconstruct that. They'll pretty much have to reconstruct that whole parking area because past that, it slopes downward.

Pit lane/Paddock will be the most interesting. To the left of the Start/Finish, it's all grass. All trucks, tyre tents, vendors, support race cars, VIP facilities, all have to fit there. Especially fan seating. Trees line the parallel parking lane and walkway to the right.

However, I have been there when vendors set up during car shows. There was space to walk on the footpath.

I don't mean will be people care enough to attend, I mean will people care about the major amount of work that will need to be done to create the track. The amount of roundabouts, speed bumps and traffic islands that will need to be taken out will cause traffic nightmares (especially around Watt St, I don't know the area but seems to be a primary road in that area.), also the park where turns 4-6 are situated will need to be pretty much demolished. Will people object to the race due to the work that will be in order? I guess after the first year it will be much easier though, as once the concrete traffic islands etc are taken out, they can be replaced with temporary, easy to replace ones.
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I lived in Newcastle(actually on The Esplanade) for 4years. Watt St is not that major. It's mainly used for parking during the day when commuters took the train at the terminal.
There is only parking for the shops on Watt St, King St and Scott St. Most residents in the highrises, have off street parking.

Now, access to the Novotel parking will be restricted as the only other entrance is from The Esplanade by elevator or stairs. Depends how the barriers will be positioned as well.
 
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So, I'm trying to figure out where this race in Thailand is going to take place. The Chang International Circuit is the obvious choice, because it's the only circuit up to standard in Thailand, but the plan is apparently to have the race at a street circuit near Bangkok. This is a bit of a problem because Bangkok is a primate city - it is significantly larger than every other city in the country, so there aren't many places that could support a race. The only real choice is Pattaya.
 
That Chang circuitbseems like it would suit the cars.

A bit flat though. More flowing and only two slowish corners. It won't be like Abu Dhabi or Bahrain.


Oooo, don't know about this one
 
05XR8
That Chang circuitbseems like it would suit the cars.

A bit flat though. More flowing and only two slowish corners. It won't be like Abu Dhabi or Bahrain.


Oooo, don't know about this one
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The first circuit seems ok but the second one :yuck: 👎👎
 
Warburton should stick to permanent circuits for now.
 
Newcastle might have hit a bit of a snag: VESA are waiting on the WRC calendar to avoid a clash with Rally Australia, but the FIA has only published half a calendar for the WRC because of uncertainty over the Rallies of Poland and China and a proposal from Turkey to return. They haven't set a date for Rally Australia yet.

05XR8
Warburton should stick to permanent circuits for now.
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Okay ... which ones, exactly? Because all of the existing permanent circuits are already being used (or are too small), and any under construction will take years to complete.
 
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Looks pretty decent actually...
 
prisonermonkeys
Okay ... which ones, exactly? Because all of the existing permanent circuits are already being used (or are too small), and any under construction will take years to complete.
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2018 should be enough time for the circuit at the top video I posted.

prisonermonkeys
Here's a stupid idea - a Newcastle-based team:

http://www.speedcafe.com/2016/09/29/newcastle-supercars-team-close-2017/

There's a reason why the major teams are based in Queensland and Victoria. They have easy access to permanent venues for testing and development. A Newcastle-based team won't get that.
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Well, 2hour drive from Newcastle to Eastern Creek, should be about the same from Melbourne to Winton for Victoria based teams.

prisonermonkeys
De Silvestro joining Nissan may not be the foregone conclusion that we think it is:

http://www.speedcafe.com/2016/09/29/de-silvestro-close-2017-supercars-team-deal/
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Can't see her at GRM, Tekno, LDM, BJR, RBRAHRT, Erebus, PRA, DJRTP, Walkinshaw, side by side with the #18 or starting fresh with Aaren Russell. Guess that leaves the Kelly gang.
 
05XR8
Finally. White wheels! 👍

Dig that full boost figure Skaife mentions
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I can remember reading at the time, Skaife had 710bhp under his right foot for the Tooheys Top Ten shootout at Bathurst.
If you watch the replay, you can hear the car struggling for traction out of The Cutting and, from the in-car camera, Skaife applying a touch of opposite lock through McPhillamy Park :eek:

I'd also like to correct Mark Skaife about the weight of the GT-R.
It started the 1991 season at 1360kg, which was raised to 1400kg during the year and this is the weight it raced Bathurst at. Owing to its dominance, CAMS 'awarded' the car a 100kg penalty for 1992 which triggered threats of withdrawal from Gibson Motorsport and a legal challenge that never materialised.
 
That would be awesome for 2018, if cars are allowed max boost during qualifying or Top Ten shootouts only. Just to see what they can do.
 
05XR8
That would be awesome for 2018, if cars are allowed max boost during qualifying or Top Ten shootouts only. Just to see what they can do.
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Yeah, sounds like a good idea & a bit of a spectacle for the fans but, it tends to get teams building one lap hand grenade specials that are in need of a full rebuild in less than 30 mins.
In the name of cost cutting, it won't be allowed.
 
Rick Kelly is also running a slightly different paintjob. Instead of the grey/silver that they've had all year, the car will now be chrome. There is also added GoPro sponsorship at the front of the car.
 
05XR8
Hopefully this will be another exciting Bathurst from Wednesday to Sunday.
http://m.weatherzone.com.au/nsw/central-tablelands/bathurst
Weather looks good for now, unless nature flips the script.
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Yeah, I agree. I never used to mind a bit of moisture thrown in to spice things up but, these days it generally means Safety Cars and, Safety Cars breed Safety Cars :rolleyes:. Rain also has a way of destroying opportunities in the Top Ten shootout.
 
For real. I want to see everyone at their maximum. There will be five Practices and plenty of Supports running.

Here's hoping the Super friends will be quick in the Altima.

Edit: Bathurst Channel(506) started this morning. :D
 
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Watching the '77 race. Seeing a Marshall lighting up a cigarette at the crash site. Not a good look.

Edit: So many cars in the '84 race. I love the two classes. Something equivalent, would be to have MARC Cars as a second class in the 1000.

Edit 2: the '87 race sees the track construction feel like there shouldn't have been a race. Broken cars on the track, dirt everywhere.
Still, fantastic race cars in that Group A era.
 
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The Bathurst Channel is great. And the video library for Fox Sports seems to go back quite a bit. Looking forward to the first Bathurst Legends episode tonight at 8:30pm EDT / 7:30pm EST. It looks like it'll be quite good.
 
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