Who will win the BTCC in Y2K

Its rapidly approaching the time of year theat the BTCC kicks off, this asks the question - who will win?

I reckon James Thompson will have his best chance yet as his only major competition will come from the Vauxhalls and Fords that have in past years not done very well. However if the Vectras finaly get a sorted car Muller and Plato will charging. Fords all star team will be interesting to watch though I don't think they will be big contenders in the race for the title

Matt Neal will be strong again at the start of the season and will surely walk the Independents.

Alan Morrison I believe will do well in the new class B in his Pug 306GTi probably a class winner

I personally think Mr Matthew Neal will be the one to beat. It seems to me, that:

(1.)He has less factory competition this year,

(2.)Nissan will want to 'keep their hand in' (Oo-er Missus!) for the 2001 season, and

(3.)he has considerably more experence as an independant than any other (privateer) team.

Honda (best of the rest) will do better than Ford (new boys) and Vauxhall (old hat).

I haven't followed the NSC to much, but I suspect Mark Lemmer in the Barwell Integra R will be up there with the best.

I hope you are right Sparky, Matt Neal all the way! :)

I too think Matt will be the one to beat! Nissan had began working on their 2000 car before they pulled the plug, and that is what Neal has got!

So his car is already better than last years Nissan. and there is apparently more developments in the pipeline!

Did someone say semi works?

I just can't work out whether Matt should be an Independant or not, I can think of plenty of reasons for him being and not being one. Here's a few:
He should be independant because his team's just family run with not many super duper mechanics in it, and he gets old cars, but they aren't all my reasons, I haven't got enough time to go into them here.
Then again, he shouldn't because he gets help from Nissan and last year it was almost like he was part of the works team the way they helped each other out.
Before Woody shoots me, ( :)) I must point out that I like Matt and he deserved his success last year. Hope I don't start a war...

Ganda123 wrote:

>I can think of plenty of reasons for him >being and not being one. Here's a few:
>
I will start the war then!! =) This can be the greatest debate of all time. Any lawyers around here? =) Matt Neal has absolutely NO right to call himself an independent since his car is too new! There's no rule against it, but if the other teams are running 2++ year old cars, how can Matt race his 1 year car.

OTOH, Paul Morris (ASTC) and Abt (STW) took their respective championships in much older cars.

>and he gets old cars,
>
If you consider a ONE year old car "old" then you must be very rich!! A one year old car is "new" enough for me!

>I must point out that I like Matt and he >deserved his success last year.
>
He deserves success as a driver, but NOT as an "independent" competitor.

This one's easy! http://www.ten-tenths.com/ubb/icons/icon17.gif

It would seem to me that Matt Neal / Team Dynamics have spent their £250,000 Independents race-winner bounty very wisely!!!

Matt sure isn't a wealthy man, but he is able to plough back his prize money into his effort, and come up with a superior machine. Why would he bother with a '97/'98 car? I'm sure he'd do well, but If he has the means, why not get the best equipment available?
Nissan aren't 'playing' the the BTTC game anymore, so they've sold last years toys!
And why shouldn't they help TD / MN? They represent their companies products in the best possible light... By winning races with them!

There's also the issue of sponsorship. Racers have always lokked to companies and organizations to fund aspects of the cars preparation. Matt Neal did extremely well to win that race last year, capitalizing on the fact that the works teams weren't ready.
TOCA offered the money... He won it... He's re-invested in his employment future.

I'd do the same.

Sparky wrote:

>Matt sure isn't a wealthy man, but he is >able to plough back his prize money into >his effort, and come up with a superior >machine.
>
You got that right!

>Why would he bother with a '97/'98 car? I'm >sure he'd do well, but If he has the means, >why not get the best equipment available?
>
But EVERYONE knows that Matt will win the Independents championship again? How much fun could that be watching him battle the Independents? Do you think it is very fair for the other Independents. I think the should upgrade Matt to Works status!

C'mon, the other Indies deserve a more fairer chance!

I'm sure MN would like nothin' more than gettin' a works drive...

Problem is there aren't enough for the works drivers already out there!

I don't necessarily think it is fair on the other indies, but if they wanna buy a '99 car, there are more than a few available!

If any of the other private teams had won the '1st win bonus', we'd be arguing this point from a different angle.

Does having a '99 car guarantee a victory?

Don't you think it's gonna be fun watchin TD and MN carve up the official entries??

I CAN'T WAIT!!!! http://www.ten-tenths.com/ubb/icons/icon28.gif

Sparky wrote:

>but if they wanna buy a '99 car, there are >more than a few available!
>
Wait! I thought Indies were complaining over the last few monthss that they could NOT buy '99 spec cars cause they were being snapped up by STCC, Euro ST and South America(??) teams?

>If any of the other private teams had won >the '1st win bonus', we'd be arguing this >point from a different angle.
>
Of course!! =) 'Cause it would be a fair competition as the other indies could buy newer cars--even/fair playing (or should I say RACING) field!

>Does having a '99 car guarantee a victory?
>
A newer car doesn't gurantee victory, but the chances sure are higher--even higher when that car you are racing is from the front runner (championship winning) company. Matt may have even gotten the actual Anthony Reid driven Primera? If Matt still loses his Indie title, he should better retire!

I thik it'll be James Thompson. The Fords still aren't reliable, and the Vuaxhalls are down right slow, look at the testing times, Plato is 1 sec of Neal's pace (A shame for Plato too). Matt Neal will probably be more of a threat than any Ford or Vauxhall driver, but he'll still fall short.

">but if they wanna buy a '99 car, there are >more than a few available!
Wait! I thought Indies were complaining over the last few monthss that they could NOT buy '99 spec cars cause they were being snapped up by STCC, Euro ST and South America(??) teams?"
-But is it the international teams fault they bought the cars? (sorry that doesnt make a lick of sense) But surely the 99 cars were on the market, the BTCC indies had their opportunity but missed out, or do the other international teams have connections and rights to the cars over the indies??

Thankyou Mr Test. ;)

Yes, I do think Matt will smash the Indie oppositon, but that's no revelation.
What I'm desperately waiting to see is Matt 'Sock it to the Man'.

Now that he has a sizable budget (assuming he didn't spend it all on wine, women and women) I think he has more chance than the works teams. He is racing for himself, not a team boss expecting results - that's gotta reduce the pressure and increase the passion. (Of course it can work both ways - it's his car to damage!)

I really believe he can win the BTTC championship proper - not just the privateers battle, but the Big Enchilada - and do it with an 'old' car... and with limited development. If that man doesn't get a works drive of some description (after winning the c'ship), I'll eat my AutoTrader hat. http://www.ten-tenths.com/ubb/icons/icon17.gif

Sparky wrote:

>I really believe he can win the BTTC >championship proper - not just the >privateers battle, but the Big Enchilada - >and do it with an 'old' car... and with >limited development.
>
Again, with all due respect, YAWN!! I'll be MORE suprised if he DOESN'T win the championship!!! ;)

>If that man doesn't get a works drive of >some description (after winning the >c'ship), I'll eat my AutoTrader hat
>
I thought he turned down a Works drive one or two seasons ago?

Crash Test wrote:

>But surely the 99 cars were on the market, >the BTCC indies had their opportunity but >missed out, or do the other international >teams have connections and rights to the >cars over the indies??
>
I thought I read the Nissans were offered FIRST to the STCC or Euro team b/c they are a semi-Works effort? Then comes Matt, THEN comes the other Indie teams like Arena, etc...

But even if the cars are up for grabs by anyone, if they were auctioned off, it would not suprise anyone if an official semi-works team beat out a Privateer team to win the cars?

All just speculating and recalling???

Kmchow - either Matt turned down a works drive or he has said that he would not enter a works drive due to the fact that it's a family run business and why should he when he is doing so well where he is?

He is living proof that an independent does not have to run at the back of the pack and fair play to him. It should only make the other independents work that little bit harder to try and knock him off his perch. (I know - easier said than done)

Go for it MATT ! ! !

But surely there were more '99 cars lying around than just the Nissans. OK, the Volvos may be OS, but then there's the fords and vauxhaul's etc..There has to be something somewhere? How about getting some '99 spec cars from mainland Europe? You would have to think there would be a few cars floating around that way... ;)

Crashtest wrote:

>But surely there were more '99 cars lying >around than just the Nissans...but then >there's the fords and vauxhaul's etc..There >has to be something somewhere?
>
yeah, so what? They aren't as competitive? ;-)

>OK, the Volvos may be OS,
>
OS? OS=Over sold? The '99s are all in the STCC?

>How about getting some '99 spec cars from >mainland Europe? You would have to think >there would be a few cars floating around >that way...
>
I thought there are no other '99 spec European cars other than the BTCC ones?

The only other new cars being built are the 156s? Everyone else is using only updated cars last I heard? Are the Italian BMWs new? The last new STW BMWs were '96s? They only updated the '96 cars with '97 aero packages back in the 97 STW??

MY FAVOURITE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION--Car prices and car origins!!

OS= Over seas ;) I guess it might be just an Australian thing because everything is OS down here :)

"MY FAVOURITE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION--Car prices and car origins!!"
-I love it too!!!

in 1990 an independant won the BTCC using a car built in Australia. So go the Indie! Go Mattie!