2012 Bathurst 12 Hour - 24-26 February

[Shane001]

Imagine being a top level GT team in Europe considering this event, only to see that they'll be racing with 15 year old Commodore's / Falcons and later model Aussie utes! No offence to these the owners of these cars (my cousin runs in Commodore Cup), but really, you think these teams are going to be interested in bringing their million dollars cars out to run with a heap of old Commodores and Falcons! This is just silly...

Not to mention the potential damage bill

Then again maybe I should get together with my cousins and enter

[chavez]

Originally Posted by Shane001

Imagine being a top level GT team in Europe considering this event, only to see that they'll be racing with 15 year old Commodore's / Falcons and later model Aussie utes! No offence to these the owners of these cars (my cousin runs in Commodore Cup), but really, you think these teams are going to be interested in bringing their million dollars cars out to run with a heap of old Commodores and Falcons! This is just silly...

Not to mention the potential damage bill

Then again maybe I should get together with my cousins and enter

And how is the Nurburgring 24 hour any different?

[Shane001]

Originally Posted by chavez

And how is the Nurburgring 24 hour any different?

They let 15 year old family sedans race in the Nurburgring 24hour?

OK

[St00ge]

Originally Posted by Shane001

They let 15 year old family sedans race in the Nurburgring 24hour?

OK

When I was over there a team with a old Mini Cooper S and another lot in some old 80s SL Merc they the guys drove to the track to run in the 24hr... Now saying that they have tightened up the rules a couple of years back so they are no longer running such old cars but plenty of e36 BMWs and alike running in the 24hr and VLN series...

[Spiller]

Originally Posted by Shane001

Imagine being a top level GT team in Europe considering this event, only to see that they'll be racing with 15 year old Commodore's / Falcons and later model Aussie utes! No offence to these the owners of these cars (my cousin runs in Commodore Cup), but really, you think these teams are going to be interested in bringing their million dollars cars out to run with a heap of old Commodores and Falcons! This is just silly...

Not to mention the potential damage bill

Then again maybe I should get together with my cousins and enter

TBH, most Euro teams wouldn't know which of the Utes, Commodores or Saloons are the older cars (until they see the carbies on the Commodore Cup cars). Lap speed and driver ettiquette will be their concerns. - Given the FG Falcon GT and BMW M3 qualifying times were slower than Commodore Cup cars this year - I don't see that as too much of an issue there were slower cars than those two on track as well.

Commodore Cup cars aren't anywhere near as backwards as many assume. Data logging and technical aspects of the VS's are fairly advanced for a very production based car. Many of the drivers aren't slouches either and although they tend to get together with each other, putting them up against other cars will pull them in somewhat. It's not such a big deal to rub doors with other 15 year old cars with under $100 panels and over-engineered suspension components, but they are all aware that other race cars aren't built the same, and wont race them in the same way(except maybe the Utes/Saloons). It'll be interesting to see what happens here anyway, but I'd be expecting at least one Commodore Cup car to attend.

In the end, GT teams will race based on the merit of the event, and competition in thier class. Look at the 24 hour on the weekend - LMP1 closing times on GT2/E cars with amatuer drivers are bigger than would be seen at Bathurst between GT3 and almost any production car - evidenced by the two massive shunts that took out the two Audi's. It's up to the drivers in all vehicles to be aware and respect each other, knowing that there will be a significant speed differential (In the 24 hour, one was a slower cars fault, the other the faster car) . They wont know the abilities of the Local drivers so would approach their desicion to enter and passing each vehicle with some caution no doubt - but that is all a part of an event such as this.