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Moving on... The likes of JBQ/Batchelor have thrown money at the BTCC and we should be indebted to them. Whether I'm a shallow TC fan rather than a PC fan, I have still been rewarded with the likes of Graves driving as a result. I don't quite recall who it was Cates was sparring with at Silverstone last year, but the two cars looked like modern art sculptures by the end of the race. This is my brass tacks point:
Good racing, whatever the level. What I fear, however, is racing being second to sponsor's interests. Are we seeing this? It doesn't matter where the sponsorship comes from to the fan, it puts cars on grids. They keep our sport alive with their sponsorship, but they are also, let's not forget, advertising. So how far should the balance go? Now, I know I sound like a broken record with me show boating theme and I'm sure my comment will get a few, "I totally disagree with you," replies as usual, but what we may end up with if any old bod with a few quid and no pre-series qualifications is allowed to enter a desperately flagging series, is little more than glamourised advertising in favour of sport. Thank you JBQ for your contribution, but as I said earlier: tools for the job. I'm not an airline pilot and so would not try to fly a jumbo jet. But say I was Richard Branson. I'd know the best place to fly planes was from a boardroom. There has to be a certain pre-requisite for qualification into the series otherwise, I feel, it is lost as the premier racing event in the UK.
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