Super Tourers at Bathurst - Are We Just Ignoring This?
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- Опубликовано: 18 дек 2019
- People often forget (or just conveniently ignore) that for a period of 3 years in the late 90s V8 Supercars were not the kings of the Australian motorsport landscape they are today. Back then the V8s were considered to be a dying breed and 2 Litre touring cars from Europe were considered the future.
Obviously things didn't turn out that way, but just because a concept ended up on the wrong side of history doesn't mean we should ignore it.
This then is the tale of a time when the Europeans invaded Aussie heartland before eventually being overthrown. 
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I really miss Murray walker's commentary...so glad we can hear him still on video..thanks for uploading!
Great video, its a shame we never got to see the light weight Super Tourers vs the V8s really, if they somehow made it somewhat equal! But again being British, I remember Murray commentating on it, and seeing the BTCC Cars fighting it out. Great racing. However, I love watching the V8s now when I can, but I miss the original Ute's racing when they had the nicknames for the drivers and a bit of biff and bash going on, reminded me of the late 80s and early 90s of Touring car! Great days!
That Murray walker onboard commentary is legendary
The Super Touring formula was my introduction to big-time touring car racing via the North American Touring Car Championship (NATCC). The Dodge Stratuses of PacWest Racing were a sight to behold, and their battles with the NART (North American Racing Team) Honda Accords were epic. Too bad that series didn’t last very long, but it was still my gateway to a wider world that led me to eventually discover the BTCC via the ToCA Championship Racing games and the ATCC via Speedvision (now FS1). I got my first taste of Bathurst around the same time via a ToCA-inspired racer that was called Jarrett and Labonte Stock Car Racing here in the States, and while I wasn’t blown away by it immediately, over time, that track has grown on me. It’s the track I most frequently drive in Assetto Corsa Competizione, and it’s a blast to drive in a McLaren 720S GT3.
Would be good to see a series like this now ... TCR similar maybe?
A TCR Bathurst 1000…yeah, I’d watch that.
Now here is the reality. Buggerall people turned up for the 2 litres but the v8 crowd was a record. The fans voted with their feet and ultimately it was the v8 formula that not only continued on but made it the most competitive touring car category in the world.
Being from the states I don't know what Buggerall people are but I think I agree with you. The V8s are much more spectator interesting for me. And I do actually get the supercar races here and do watch them!
@@matthewmoilanen787 Bugger-all = Barely anyone
Loved watching these cars at Lakeside, much more exciting than the V8's back then.
4:00 Triple Eight was the factory Vauxhall team in the BTCC at the time.
Biggest issue with ST was that it was so reliant on factory teams, and once BMW pulled out after 1997 (nothing to do with the DQ) the local scene was always going to struggle. If it wasn't for Ch7 there wouldn't have been the BTCC cars coming over, they pretty much paid for them. If it wasnt for Brock appearing in the 1997 race I'd think the interest would have been at an all time low.
The races themselves? Interesting rather than exciting thanks to the day long battles, particularly in 1998 between the Volvo (the shootout lap often gets a mention amongst the best ever considering the specs of the car) and the Nissan. Probably needed a few more international teams to come over like the 12 Hour has now to make it viavle long term, but the category worldwide was also dying.
Was there for both of them in 1997 and 1998, as well as pretty much all rounds of both atcc and super tourers in those years, crowd numbers in super tourers made it obvious to see the category was on borrowed time through 97 and 98.
Great history, superb video
I don’t know how Australia did it, but Bathurst & Philip Island have to be 2 of the premier race tracks in the whole world. Definitely in the top 10.
I was there. I enjoyed the Super Tourers
V8’s were only really interesting to watch when there was other manufacturers other than Ford and Holden. Now with no Aussie cars it’s become a bit irrelevant.
Being a brit v8 was impossible to watch but the 98 bathurst was broadcast I remember seeing a local paper talking about it as Matt Neal is local to me. Was amazing never watched enduros before. But the BTCC will always have a special place in my heart just a shame they priced themselves out of competition that's probably the biggest reason it failed spending 8-10 million on a domestic championship was stupid really and all the manufacturers gave up on it and I think a lot of the aussie cars where ex btcc
You're completely correct, pretty much all the Aussie cars were hand-me-downs, we were still racing Peugeot 405 Mi16s when the UK had moved on, we had an Alfa Romeo long after they were done in the BTCC. Was an absolutely sensational championship, such a shame they couldn't keep a lid on costs. When a team is spending millions to put a wing on a Laguna the days are numbered unfortunately.
@@user-gy2dr7ff9u nearly all STW races (german super touring) have been uploaded on tube 1994 to 1999 in full , 98 season even in english so you can have alook at that
The supertouring cars were different, unique and cool and more exciting cars than the supercars of the day.
Yes!! This!!
too true!
TCR World Tour headed same way...
I didnt realise there was a 2nd super tourers race shows how lttle interest there was in it, first race was boring
Murray Walker had bigger balls than Darrell Waltrip, lol
The Audi wasn’t as quick as the VE though, but Murray did also go for a ride with PB in the A30 replica that same weekend.
2 litre super tourers were so much better than the racing taxi formula Australian bogans favoured. The WTCC & BTCC races during that era, had big budgets, big audiences, and exciting racing with many different winners, constant lead changes and more aggressive driving regulations. In comparison, the V8’s with their processional races with few overtaking opportunities & nanny-state driving standards, created the biggest yawn-fest in the history of Australian Motor Racing.
A war over TV rights and the end of the multiclass Bathurst 1000. Pretty shit deal all around if you ask me, especially when it comes to the longer-term consequences.
Super touring were given the chance to join V8 Supercars as a support category but they said no we dont want to join your dinosaurs V8s and no one will watch it 🤔 well supertouring died whilst Supercars are still there today 😂🤣
Dark years for Aussie Motorsport. Hence why it failed miserably. It was entirely aimed at the overseas tv market and the true lovers of zaissie cars got put on the back burner. Supercars gen 1 and 2 were huge for the sport but disaster appeared in car of the future and not even experienced people like Tony Cochrane wanted association with it. Supercars ploughed forward disappointing old school fans like me with sequential shift rear mounted transaxles anyone’s mum could drive. One chassis fits all was stupid, cars looked stupid and I hate to say I wished for group a rather than an f1 procession. They say 2022 wil be a step back to basics but until cars are entirely constructed from a road going chassis with production car physics, Supercars is dead to me.
Okay boomer.
100% agree. We’ll said.
Yep. I try and then just watch old highlights instead.
Absolutely correct Pawly, its a boring Front WD time to pacify manufacturers / 4 cyl understeering boring shit box's,/ boring handling, / boring sounds / boring rules / subsequently boring drivers / bored small crowds/ , surely now close to belonging in the rubbish bin of history , there is nothing worse than watching understeering motor racing where some cars are hobbled and others given false advantage ! youre not even allowed to win unless its your turn , and if you dare to buck the organisers , you end up with a penalty + extra weight dumped in yr car .
Crazy stuff.
Some come lately's race watchers , still cling on + make out the drivers of these understeering, farting , 4 cyl fwd shitbox's are something special ? but in reality It fills in a bit of time whilst the Supercars are warming up !
The tcr are better racing then the v8 these days ,I’ll all the arguments between v8 teams let’s see what happens
toca threw all the money at it and the v8s just put in 3 better races in a row, much bigger stories coming from tonys crew and then the small teams winning and the 99 grid being huge but dumb. tony getting the v8s to finally be a pro series and not just weekend battlers while being a proper events promoter.... gowe didnt stand a chance
But the tiddler race ws at best poor. About 4 fast cars the rest coughing and spluttering around
And how boring they were ... V8 supercars any day thanks ... 😎
Boring ? Wow ,Holden v Ford is exciting ? That Peugeot 406 has the best livery seen at Bathurst and that '97 Bathurst 1000 was one of the best ever. Who can ever forget the 405 being pushed over the line after running out of fuel ? These cars even sounded great.
@Jake Demuss Typical ignorant Aussie comment from a country that doesn't even produce cars. So you're one of those bogan meatheads that relies on noise to enjoy motorsport ? No wonder the Australian market went down the tube with stupid comments like yours. Europe is still the hub of motorsport, not Australia.
V8 supercars. Now that is a bore
Super Tourers no one cares!