2005 Entry

[TheGazMan]

Hi Alan,

I have to say from a personal note I am disappointed with the 2005 entry, only 13 confirmed entries and 5 tba's of which some quite possibly won't happen.

My question is what is happening? You have a great TV deal, the racing was excellent last year and yet teams/drivers aren't commiting.

The series in terms of numbers is going backwards rather than forwards which is very worrying. We are losing manufacturers and top drivers and yet not replacing them.

We keep hearing mumors of manufacturers returning but they don't come off.

I'm not trying to get at anyone here as I believe your doing a great job but there must be something somewhere that is stopping drivers and teams and certainly manufacturers from getting involved.

Gaz

[Alan Gow]

I am a little surprised at your disappointment, to be honest.

The entry list this year (in terms of numbers/teams and unconfirmed drivers) is broadly similar to last year's....and which gave us probably the best BTCC season in memory with 10 different race winners and never a dull race.

I remember this time last year, the "doom-merchants" on various forums were saying exactly the same thing as this year - and just look what happened; we had an absolutely fabulous season of racing.

We are only two cars down on 2004's issued entry list. (Two entries missing this year are those which were to come from VLR and which, for obvious reasons, now sadly cannot happen).

However, those teams that provided the race winners and titanic championship battle last year (VXR, SEAT, Dynamics, WSR & Arena) are all still in it, so the quality is the same as 2004. The "sharp end" of the grid is of the same standard as last year...and actually a little better with a 3rd competitive SEAT and all-new cars from VXR and Dynamics.

At this time of the year there are always quite a number of TBA's and it was (again) just the same last year. This is mainly due to teams putting together their programs late, and/or not yet announcing their program or drivers. We cannot preempt their announcements, which is why some are listed as TBA's. And, as is normal, during the course of the year there are usually 2-4 new entries that appear from time to time.

There is nothing stopping manufacturers getting involved - quite the opposite in fact - and I am fully aware of the plans of some new manufacturers regarding the BTCC.

However they do not decide to embark on a multi-year BTCC program on a whim. It usually takes a couple of years for them to sign-off such a program. Timing is everything for them, and their participation has to coincide with their forthcoming new model programs, their budgets and marketing/promotion strategy.

The fact is that the BTCC, even in the 90's, never had big grids. Even then, with 8 or 9 manufacturers competing, it always gravitated around only the 22 mark (and often less). I can remember a few race meetings where we had 17 cars in those days.

Grid size does not equate to great racing. Quantity does not equate to quality. In fact the opposite is true; Over 50% of our entries are truly competitive and proven race winners. Not many championships can boast of that.

I would much rather have that than, (say), a grid of 30 cars - 2/3rds of which would simply be incapable of running near the front and whom would rarely get seen.

Like I said, last year's championship gave us one of the best season's racing ever and this year's entry shows every sign of that same battle continuing, with the same teams and some interesting new cars....that, to me, is not what's called "going backwards" and is something to really look forward to.

I guess it depends on whether your glass is "half full or half empty". I know which one is mine.