GT Racing - GT1, GT3, Blancpain Endurance Series & National GT SeriesSports Cars 

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cnd01
It's easier to cover 2 classes than having to cover 3 or more. I feel like PWC is only putting the GT/GTA (still puzzling why there's both) on a pedestal and leaving the rest out to try.
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Because the gentleman drivers who pay to play are not as good as the professionals and want to get something out of their investment. No different than GTE-Pro and GTE-AM in WEC from what I understand.

Also, I need someone to explain to me the difference between TC and TCA
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Well TCB was popular and TCA is essentially an extension of that methodology, but applied to the cars that would normally race in the TC class. Basically, TCA is a sealed spec engine with spec suspension parts etc. for all of the cars that compete in the class, instead of being open to modifications and alterations across all levels like TC, which adds to the cost of competing.

TCA is pretty much like most of the racing series in the OLR section for Gran Turismo here on gtplanet.
 
In case it hasn't been mentioned already the International GT Open went off with it's usual bang in Germany. Guys like Issac (sp?) Tutumulu, Dino Zampieri, Nick Catsburg and Nick Pastorelli seems like really top drivers judging by what I have seen. Really competitive. saw quite a bit last year so I am familiar with them as names in the GTO but due to the number of drivers that can occupy any one car/team I wasn't as into GT's as I am now. I found it hard to remember all the names.
 
Diehardracer
In case it hasn't been mentioned already the International GT Open went off with it's usual bang in Germany. Guys like Issac (sp?) Tutumulu, Dino Zampieri, Nick Catsburg and Nick Pastorelli seems like really top drivers judging by what I have seen. Really competitive. saw quite a bit last year so I am familiar with them as names in the GTO but due to the number of drivers that can occupy any one car/team I wasn't as into GT's as I am now. I found it hard to remember all the names.
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Still catching with this years I-Open Series. YouTube has great coverage of this series!
 
Diehardracer
The same guy who covers the race is the same guy who now does the BES with John Watson.
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Yea I can pretty much get tapes on all series except F1/MotoGp & WSbk on stays on YouTube for a week If your lucky. Last year I was watching WSBK in HD with no problems,
 
I was thinking. For Monza in the BES at my last count of the entry list there was 124 individual drivers signed to pilot the cars of the teams who registered to compete. If my calculation is correct I find it staggering so many BES fans are able to remember all the names. Many aren't familiar. How do you people do it? How do you support the series? Do you back individual drivers or follow a particular make?
 
Diehardracer
I was thinking. For Monza in the BES at my last count of the entry list there was 124 individual drivers signed to pilot the cars of the teams who registered to compete. If my calculation is correct I find it staggering so many BES fans are able to remember all the names. Many aren't familiar. How do you people do it? How do you support the series? Do you back individual drivers or follow a particular make?
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I know about 70% of the drivers from other series. The ones who make up the rest of the grid you just get used to over time, it's like that with lots of series.
 
hsv010
I know about 70% of the drivers from other series. The ones who make up the rest of the grid you just get used to over time, it's like that with lots of series.
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I see. Well I love Ferrari and Aston Martin and I think a good idea to get used to certain faces is by starting with the drivers who race the 458 Italia and the Vantage GT3. But then I notice that theirs drivers who don't just drive in the BES; they also compete in a national series. Ecurie Ecosse and MP Motorsport both field the same drivers in the BGT.
 
Diehardracer
Ecurie Ecosse and MP Motorsport both field the same drivers in the BGT.
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I wish Hugh had taken my advise and gotten some aston's but what do I know :lol:

Still the Beemer isn't too bad I suppose.
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Diehardracer
I was thinking. For Monza in the BES at my last count of the entry list there was 124 individual drivers signed to pilot the cars of the teams who registered to compete. If my calculation is correct I find it staggering so many BES fans are able to remember all the names. Many aren't familiar. How do you people do it? How do you support the series? Do you back individual drivers or follow a particular make?
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After watching the series (and other GT series where they use(d) the same drivers like GT Masters and FIA GT) for long enough, the pros became familiar. Most incoming new pros are also familiar from previous racing (Couto and Chiyo from Super GT, James Nash from WTCC, Congfu Cheng from DTM and LMP2 drives, Korjus from GP3/FR3.5, Lucas Wolf from F3, Kevin Estre made an impression at Baku last year, etc.). But I myself don't know the vast majority of the gentlemen drivers, only the prominent ones like Hassid, Petrobelli, Thurn und Taxis and the like.

As for my support, I don't have any strong attachment to any team/driver so I mostly just want good racing. That said, I do have a favourite GT driver at the moment in Max Buhk, I cheer for him.
 
Diehardracer
Ecurie Ecosse and MP Motorsport both field the same drivers in the BGT.
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Nope, both cars may be run by Barwell but they don't share drivers. MP Motorsport is Mark Poole (Gent) and Richard Abra (Pro). Ecurie Ecosse is Marco Attard (Gent) and Alexander Sims (Pro).
 
boiltheocean
Nope, both cars may be run by Barwell but they don't share drivers. MP Motorsport is Mark Poole (Gent) and Richard Abra (Pro). Ecurie Ecosse is Marco Attard (Gent) and Alexander Sims (Pro).
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If I gave that impression I meant that I am sorry but I didn't mean Ecurie and MP share drivers. What I meant was MP run largely the same drivers as their entry in the BGT and Ecurie Ecosse run largely the same drivers as their entry in the British GT. Both Poole and Abra in the BGT and the BES. Though I was mistaken in thinking Bryand and McCaig do the British GT aswell. That is of course Attard and Sims.
 
I'm hoping to be at Brands this weekend for the Blancpain GT series and the GT cup races :D
 
Diehardracer
If I gave that impression I meant that I am sorry but I didn't mean Ecurie and MP share drivers. What I meant was MP run largely the same drivers as their entry in the BGT and Ecurie Ecosse run largely the same drivers as their entry in the British GT. Both Poole and Abra in the BGT and the BES. Though I was mistaken in thinking Bryand and McCaig do the British GT aswell. That is of course Attard and Sims.
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Oh I see, quite right you are. 👍
 
Hey guys I'm going to the PWC race at Road America in late June. It'll be the first major race that I ever go to. Any tips and ideas you guys can give me? (I really want autographs from the K-PAX McLaren guys!)
 
Brutaka
Hey guys I'm going to the PWC race at Road America in late June. It'll be the first major race that I ever go to. Any tips and ideas you guys can give me? (I really want autographs from the K-PAX McLaren guys!)
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Well, based solely on my experience in the UK, either loiter around the trucks and the teams hospitality tents at around lunchtime, on qualifying day, or, find out when the autograph session is and queue early.

I've got the same thing this weekend, I'm at Brands and I'd like to get Zanardis autograph on my BMW motorsport cap. Normally I don't do autograph hunting, but Zanardi is a hell of a guy. The cap already has Dieter Quester and Roberto Ravaglias autographs on it, along with a couple of other BMW drivers.
 
This geo-restriction that's in place for the UK that is stopping me from watching something of the Blancpain Sprint from a track in my own country is really getting to me now.:grumpy::banghead:
 
Diehardracer
This geo-restriction that's in place for the UK that is stopping me from watching something of the Blancpain Sprint from a track in my own country is really getting to me now.:grumpy::banghead:
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YouTube or the Blancpain site?

MatskiMonk
At brands, met Zanardi, awesome.
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You lucky, lucky git. I am very green right now.
 
Qualifying Live now.

 
Brutaka
Hey guys I'm going to the PWC race at Road America in late June. It'll be the first major race that I ever go to. Any tips and ideas you guys can give me? (I really want autographs from the K-PAX McLaren guys!)
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Are you sure you want their autographs after this last start?
Sorry, couldn't help it. ;)




All I can say is get there early (as in Thursday) and hang out in the pits a lot and as mentioned look for an autograph session, though, none is on the schedule as of yet.
http://www.world-challenge.com/images/events/2014-RoadAmerica-Schedule-v2.pdf

Have a great time!


MatskiMonk
At brands, met Zanardi, awesome.
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Did you get the autograph?



I'll be at Lime Rock Friday and Saturday for the Continental series and Porsche GT3 Cup races.
A Memorial Day tradition around here.
http://www.limerock.com/index.php?o...kend-tradition&catid=25:latest-news&Itemid=55
 
ESPN have it, so like DTM, they're geo blocking.
 
Are any UK viewers able to watch this series? These stupid geo restrictions do my head in, especially since GT World didn't restrict UK viewers in the Monza endurance series...
 
Aqua F1
Are any UK viewers able to watch this series? These stupid geo restrictions do my head in, especially since GT World didn't restrict UK viewers in the Monza endurance series...
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Nope. It's only because ESPN are showing the race though.
 
Aqua F1
OK don't worry, I err found an 'alternative'. :guilty:
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I was just gonna mention about ways around the issue, shall we say...

I was also at Brands this weekend, as a member of the media for the first time! Didn't get to properly meet any drivers as was more focused on learning the ropes of journalism haha! But it was super fun. Getting to cover the grid walk, press conferences, take photos from beyond the fence and right behind the barriers (the maxim 'never look away from the track' holds very true! Max Gotz and Buhk both seemed very friendly in the press conferences, as did Marc Basseng, and I got to have a brief chat with John Watson (Blancpain commentator and ex F1-driver and BTCC commentator) in the press room. Really cool weekend, I'll upload some photos when I can :)
 
Blancpain doesn't seem to be on CBS Sports...
 
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