2002 Top 10 Drivers

[BootsOntheSide]

Who do people rate as the best performers of the year? Here's my list

1 Thompson - Despite the engine dramas he showed hismelf to be the better Vauxhall driver

2 Priaulx - Came in with little experience, outpaced Morrison, dragged the Honda forward and showed some great compative racing, especially in bthe wet.

3 Neal - Closer to the Triple 8 cars than Thompson was last year and unlucky not to fight for the title right to the death

4 Leslie - Brilliant in the Proton with development, and fast and aggressive on track

5 Muller - Should've won the title with such a points advantage from Thommo's engine failures, but bottled it at the end.

6 Simon - With an inferior car and no experience of the cars or tracks, we had no right to expect himt o challenge right to the last round

7 Reid - Outpaced by Hughes more often than he'd've expected, but still impressive, especially when Honda weren't on the ultiamte pace

8 Slight - Unlucky in the Indy class all year, and frequently the thorn in the side of the works cars

9 Howell - A real star for the future, with virtually no mistakes all year

10 Marsh - Came from nowhere to do a great job in the Accord, embarassing former rival Fullalove especially

[Alfa Fan]

1. Andy Priaulx

2. Gavin Pyper

3. James kaye

4. James Thompson

5. Dan Eaves

6. David Leslie

7. Warren Hughes

8. Steven wood

9. Jim Ewards Jnr

10. Spencer Marsh

[redshoes]

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
6 Simon - With an inferior car and no experience of the cars or tracks, we had no right to expect himt o challenge right to the last round

He drove a Production spec BMW in the ETCC last year (4th overall, under 25s champion) so not true to say he didn't know the car. That said I do rate him. After all he took 7 class wins, more than any other driver (Prod or Touring)

9 Howell - virtually no mistakes all year

Have to disagree there, although he did have a few good moments

[runnyhunny]

What about Tim Harvey? He's easily the best indie driver, although the results don't show it.

And I don't think James is better than Yvan.

[Jonny Apex]

1. Muller (exceptional star quality, panache, pure artistry)
2. Priaulx (superb motivator, racer and development driver and very close to heading my list)
3. Thompson (brilliant champion, but ... on saying that, sensational at Donington)
4. Neal (very tempted to put him ahead of Thompson - Snetterton, just awesome, Knockhill win pure magic)
5. Turkington (superb talent)
6. Leslie (see Priaulx, only older)
7. Reid (always up there, but sometimes too rough)
8. Hughes (won more races than team-mate, but too inconsistent)
9. Harvey (still showed he can do the business)
10. Morrison (not on a par with Priaulx, but bags of potential)

Production
1. Simon (er, how good? to fight Pyper in wet at Knockhill with rwd takes some skill)
2. Pyper (blindingly quick everywhere)
3. Edwards Jnr (never going to win in outdated, outclassed machinery, but still a great racer)

No doubt some will disagree, with bad language thrown in for good measure.

[racing4real]

This has to be the weirdest thread response of the year. Can't really comment further on the Tourers but to put Wood and Edwards ahead of Marsh in Production is just taking the p*ss.

Marsh's car is the same year as Edwards so to say Edwards had outdated machinery is not true - his was the 2001 ex-Synchro car, probably the best Accord around, not that it showed - Edwards just isn't that quick. And as for Wood, well the fastest his car went was when it rolled away after he parked it at the top of Craners.

Also disappointed how people forget Cato's performance in Edwards old 99 car - he ran in the top three almost every time out and would be in my top ten even if he only did six races. I wish I'd been at Mondello to see him on the podium.

I wouldn't put Kaye or Pyper in the top ten - both had far superior cars to the others. Pyper's Alfa was nothing like Blencowe's or Saunders and Kaye seemed like he was just messing around at Donington, overtaking and re-overtaking Simon in a far quicker car (until his brakes went).

[speedy king]

1.Thompson
2.Priaulx
3.Muller
4.Neal
5.Reid
6.Turkington
7.Hughes
8.Chilton
9.Howell
10.Leslie

[Steven Gray]

1 Muller (of course)
2 Jim Edwards Jnr
3 Matt Neal
4 Andy Priaulx
5 Tom Boardman
6 Tim Harvey
7 Tom Chilton
8 Aaron Slight
9 David Leslie
10 Colin Turkington

[pink69]

1) Thompson
2) Priaulx
3) Hughes
4) Reid
5) Leslie
6) Pyper
7) Howell
8) Simon
9) Kaye
10) Slight

[Tobsc]

I'm very intruiged as to how any of the people here, could rate Tom Chilton higher than Aaron Slight? are you mental?, were you droped on your head as children? Explain?

[adamp_uk]

1 Muller
2 Slight
3 Thompson
4 Neal
5 Leslie
6 Priaulx
7 Eaves
8 Howell
9 Turkington
10 O'Neill

[adamp_uk]

Unluckiest guy since Alfe Inge Haaland - Hyla Breese! the honda can't cope with his driving tactics

[nicker less]

1. Eaves, Eaves, Eaves and Eaves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I haven't got any in order but here's some drivers who impressed me this year.

Marsh, Simon, Blencowe, (not Turkington!) Slight, Harvey in the inferior Pug and Leslie's Proton.

[Craig]

Originally posted by adamp_uk
Unluckiest guy since Alfe Inge Haaland - Hyla Breese! the honda can't cope with his driving tactics

Hate to burst your bubble but I don't think it has anything to do with the Hyla's driving style... the bloody thing has always blown up before he has had chance to actually start driving...!

[redshoes]

Originally posted by nicker less
1. Eaves, Eaves, Eaves and Eaves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Haven't been particularly impressed with Eaves this year. Sure, he won the Indie Cup but that was more down to staying out of trouble than outright speed. Don't think he did anything especially memorable all season.

[John Manning]

"I'm very intruiged as to how any of the people here, could rate Tom Chilton higher than Aaron Slight? are you mental?, were you droped on your head as children? Explain?" - Tom has driven very well and under the circumstances has performed to the best of his ability, better than many other drivers could do. He has had v.bad luck over the course of the season and still managed to produce respectable times.

[speedy king]

Originally posted by Tobsc
I'm very intruiged as to how any of the people here, could rate Tom Chilton higher than Aaron Slight? are you mental?, were you droped on your head as children? Explain?

Will do! I voted for him as he could get to 6th on the Grid at Brands when the only front wheel drive car he had ever driven was the touring car! he had great battles with Harvey ( 92 BTCC champion ) at Croft and Knockhill! he has had awful luck all season and unfortunately the TV tends to highlight that more than the battles, at Donington in the sprint race he got up to 5th!! but then got shoved off half way round lap 1!! I know this is all going to come back to his DNF's and Harvey incident but just give him till the end of next season to make up your mind!

[MichaelH]

1. Muller-unlucky again, still peerless on talent
2. Hughes-faster than Reid more often than not
3. Thompson-great job
4. Priaulx-the most complete driver of the season
5. Neal-unspectacular but very, very solid
6. O'Neill-massive potential
7. Eaves-in a Vauxhall he'd be a great
8. Reid-solid as ever, but as usual not that fast
9. Simon-at times untouchable
10. Bennett-unlucky but brilliantly fast. Too many scrapes
=10. Morrisson-came on strong late in the season
=10. Slight-some moments of magic.

[Peugeot #1]

Originally posted by MichaelH
2. Hughes-faster than Reid more often than not
8. Reid-solid as ever, but as usual not that fast

Do you actually watch the BTCC??

And Speedy King, Chilton most DNFs are his own fault cos he is ****! Slight is 100 times better! And remember he didn't know that much about FWD cars either!

[Martin L]

1/ James Thompson
2/ Yvan Muller
3/ Jim Edwards Jnr
4/ Spencer Marsh
5/ Matt Neal
6/ Paul O'Neil
7/ Gavin Pyper
8/ Mark Hughes
9/ Anthony Reid
10/James Kaye

[Gareth Howell]

Thanks Boots and all the others that put me in their top 10 and yah boo sucks to the person that disagreed!

I've had a great season and hope to be back next year. I think that we both showed that if we had have had some time in the car pre-season we would have been on it from the start and were both pleased to be regularly racing in the top 6 for the last 4 meetings. Nothing finalised for next season yet although it is a 2 year deal with TAK.

Thanks again for all the support I have received this year, it was great to see all the people queuing at Donny to wish me luck. (What,you mean they weren't for me?)

[bulldogspirit]

1/Thompson (well deserved title, consistent thru the season)
2/Neal (super season marred by unreliability)
3/Priaulx (excellent for a first full season)
4/Muller (most entertaining driver, but still unable to close out the championship)
5/Kaye (super consistent, deserves a Touring ride in 03)
6/Reid (scored as well as the car could, hope for better in 03 tho)
7/Harvey (most regular Indie mixing it with the big boys, and most Indie wins)
8/Slight (should have taken Indie title for keeping out of trouble, and no little pace either!)
9/Hughes (nice debut season, expect more next year tho)
10/Simon (sometimes unbeatable, but sometimes not, pace deserved title, consistency not tho)

[BootsOntheSide]

Thanks Gareth, I didn't know until recently that you were from Bromley, my Dad's girlfriend is from there. I can't understand why Kaye has appeared in some odf these lists, he had a massive car advantage even allowing for some reliability problems, and is much more experienced than the rest of the Production field. I can't understand how anyone can put Muller above Thomspon either, can anyone explain why Yvan deserved the title, he was the luckier of the two all season yet still messed up.

[speedy king]

I totaly agree!

[Peugeot #1]

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
I can't understand how anyone can put Muller above Thomspon either, can anyone explain why Yvan deserved the title, he was the luckier of the two all season yet still messed up.

That's **** and you know it!!!
Oh wow, thompson had 2 or 3 engine failirues and Muller vertually had a problem at every meeting!!!!