Ex BTCC & Support Drivers Collecting in Trofeo Abarth

[rayparkb]

Looks like this Championship is going to be one to keep an eye on!

Fiona Leggate
Gareth Howell

Cassey Watson
Ben Winrow
Carl Bradley

Ben Winrow must be favourite going in as an ex Clio Champion, Howell will be interesting.

I am looking forward to seeing Cassey Watson, she had no budget in Ginetta Juniors so never showed her ability but now with a dealer backed drive she may be the dark horse I know she impressed a lot of people in BritCar last year. Could be as interesting for top female as anything else with Fiona and Vikki Butler Henderson also entered.

I think it's a real shame this isn't a BTCC support series.

[craig adams]

Ben is also competing in the production bmw championship this year, don't think he's doing all the rounds cos there are clashes with the Trofeo Abarth championship.

Ben came second in a pbmwc race yesterday at Brands, just beaten by Robin Welsh who himself has finished 2nd in the championship several times.

My brother will be racing our pbmwc race car in a race against Ben Winrow and 25+ others today at Brands. My brother qualified 12th out of 56 so he's quite happy with that!!!

[TUMBLEWEED16]

this looks good

i wonder it this series will become a btcc support in the future

[Les]

56 of them - wow

[Mondeo2]

this looks good

i wonder it this series will become a btcc support in the future
I hope not, horrible little cars.:(

[rayparkb]

I hope not, horrible little cars.:(

What difference does your taste in cars make if the racing's really good?

I'm sure none of those driver's have signed up because they've always dreamed of driving a Fiat 500.

They were good with the WTCC last year

[Reidy_fan]

they are not any worse looking than a clio, hope they are better built:rolleyes:

[Mondeo2]

What difference does your taste in cars make if the racing's really good?

I'm sure none of those driver's have signed up because they've always dreamed of driving a Fiat 500.

They were good with the WTCC last year

Just watched a video of a race. I stand by my earlier comment. Still it would be an oppertunity to go to the loo or have a sleep.;)

[SpeedRacer]

Just watched a video of a race. I stand by my earlier comment. Still it would be an oppertunity to go to the loo or have a sleep.;)
Your entitled to your opinion but you have to remember some of us are linked to people in that championship. I have one serious issue with the cars and thats there tendancy to roll. Already had one at Oulton roll while a 16 year old out of Karts was testing it.

[Marc W]

I think the rolls have been more down to the drivers than the cars driven normally they won't go over. Even if they do they're pretty safe. Generally you get less injuries from rolls than you get from crashes that involve sudden stops.

The clio's often roll as well, as do the Sax max cars. Its relatively common with small hachback series.

[Reidy_fan]

it depends on the manner of the roll and if you hit anything hard during it, I have seen rolls that are soft and the car isnt too badly damaged but in a lot of cases it requires a re-shell and that is rather a lot of £££ wheras a straight on into the tyrewall can be repaired

as marc said most cars will go onto their roofs quite easily, minis, fiesta ST's and xr2's if you go sideways onto grass or a downhill slope on tarmac like at paddock hill brands, duffus knockhill or cascades oulton the wheels will did in and over you go. with a hans device the drivers will usually be okay as the rolling action dissipates the energy (along with the body panels) but it is when you get big air then land on tarmac it hurts.

again with the provision of marshals and the rescue crews close by the only major injury is to the drivers wallet

[kezbabybabe]

I really like the 500s and enjoyed them immensely when they supported the WTCC at Brands last year, even though Adam Jones took a massive lead to win both of them.

Shame I won't be able to catch any of them live though.

[SpeedRacer]

Hopefully I will be Media to take photos of KC in her first Abarth race. For some reason I think Cascades will be my viewing spot for them after the testing crash.

[KostaCR]

The list on the Trofeo site is out of date.

Carl Bradley isn't competing in the Trofeo Abarth 500 this year.

[timmyrose]

carl bradley not involved - is he back in clios again in 2010? if he is he would be title contender in my opinion

how many entries for the 500's so far then?

[KostaCR]

carl bradley not involved - is he back in clios again in 2010? if he is he would be title contender in my opinion

how many entries for the 500's so far then?

Carl's Clio lives in Germany at the Nurburgring now :)

Carl isn't doing anything himself this year. He's having a year out from racing, although he might do the odd race here and there if it tickles his fancy. He was going to do the Fiats, but only if we had other drivers to run in the team too as it wouldn't make financial sense otherwise. The drivers we had on the cards all had to pull out because they didn't secure the sponsorship needed in the end.

I think the Fiats will have a similar number of cars on the grid as the Clios this year... 10-12 maybe? We'll see this weekend anyway.

[DickW]

Is it being televised?

[SpeedRacer]

Is it being televised?
Yes it is. Not sure of the dates but motors tv & motorsports mondial.